Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts

Sunday, January 19, 2020

My Jewelry Making Class ...

Jewelry. Humans have been adorning themselves with it for thousands of years. In fact, jewelry is one of the oldest types of archaeological artifacts, with 100,000-year-old beads made from Nassarius shells thought to be the oldest known jewelry. But the first signs of established jewelry making didn’t happen until around 3,000-5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt.

Since then, much has changed, yet much has stayed the same. Whether you call it jewelry in the States, jewellery in the UK or jewelery elsewhere, these accessories make a statement,  and showcase our personal style.

Forget items being cranked out by the thousands (or millions) at a factory. There’s something much more satisfying in creating your own jewelry designs. Hand-made, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces forge style and sentiment into a single, unique DIY accessory that has a story to tell.

Just like any good story, we must start at the beginning: The Fundamentals. My jewelry making for beginners class will show you how to make jewelry that is functionally sound, aesthetically pleasing and professional looking so that you can wear it proudly or happily give it to friends and family.


I give jewelry making classes at Blue Haven Studio in Blue Ridge, GA. I have a wide selection of beads, chain and pendants to create custom, handmade jewelry. Students can choose to make a necklace, earrings or bracelet.  Browse my selection and samples when you arrive, and I’ll be there to help you create something you’ll be proud to wear. We also enjoy adult beverages and bring snacks to share. 


The students from my last class showing off their creations.... Each gal picked the materials and length of the necklace.  They did a wonderful job.

Check-out upcoming classes at:  https://www.blueheavenstudio.org/ 

Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge

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Sunday, August 4, 2019

Creating an Adjustable Slide Knot...

I've been making necklaces with an adjustable slide knot. This gives the wearer a lot of options for length and style of the piece. You can go from 16" choker to 32" necklace by sliding the knots to get the look that's right for you. Below you will find an example of the necklaces I'm making, and a tutorial on how to make the sliding knots.


Step 1



  • You need two ends of cord. I’ve used one brown and one blue for the purposes of illustrating this technique. You can use any colors you’d like. Normally, I would use two of the same color.




Step 2



  • Cross the brown cord over the blue and wrap 2 times.







Step 3



  • Take the end of the brown cord, go back over the 2 loops you made and poke it through the loops.





Step 4


  • Pull tight on either side of the knot, but be careful not to pull too tight, you need to be able to slide the knot along the blue cord.





Step 5



  • Repeat steps 2-3-4 using the blue cord on the brown.






Step 6


  • Now you have a loop you can adjust by sliding the knots away or toward each other.










Have fun crafting!
Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA



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Wednesday, July 4, 2018

What's Happening!

I'm following the example of one of my favorite bloggers, Joyce at: from this side of the pond...she caught us up on her happenings in one blog post with twenty small updates.
 I haven't blogged in a very long time. I was surprised to find the last time I blogged was in February!  Much longer than I thought so now I'm going to squeeze several months into a catch-up post. 

I have a lot of updates to share with you...so here we go....I promise to keep it less than twenty. :)


Dad's Place in Ft. Myers
1.)  My Sweetie and I took a road trip to Ft Myers, FL to visit my Dad and Stepmom in March. They have a new home on the Orange River with amazing views and a fun community spirit. It's always a great time visiting Dad.

Sherree and Ed

2.)  While in Florida I spent some time with my good (since grade school) friend Sherree. Isn't it amazing how quickly friends can reconnect and get right back on the same page in the relationship. We plan to visit more often. She is living in the beach community of Venice, FL...Fun!
Key West
3.)  We took the high speed ferry to Key West from Ft. Myers, I highly recommend the ferry, it was so easy and fast. Key West is one of my very favorite places to unwind and toast the beautiful sunset. We stayed several days and spent time with my good friend Pam who lives on the Island.


Gracie The Duck

4.)  Camping has been a big part of the last several months. We spent our last night in our "Glamping" tent. I was so sad   My arthritis has gotten to the point that I just can't handle the cold/wet weather and my Sweetie had to do all the set-up/pack-up etc.; I just couldn't do it anymore. The good news is that we purchased a "Glamping Trailer" on the way home....so excited for our new adventures in "Gracie The Duck"... Florida Friends and Family...we should be down more often!


James Island County Camping

5.)  Since buying the new Trailer we have been camping many places in the southeast. I loved camping outside of Charleston on James Island the best.


6.)  The big news is a new creative business that I'm involved with - "Paint the Town Blue". I will be teaching jewelry classes in the studio there several times a month. There will also be a retail store attached to the studio that will carry my handmade jewelry. This is a very exciting opportunity for me.


7.)  In June I took another Metal Clay class with Pam East, a world class jewelry artist. I love this process and have greatly improved my skills.  I think I've moved past beginner.  I will feature my Metal Clay Jewelry at the new Shoppe.


8.)  Loving my girlfriends here in Blue Ridge! We dine out together, have a Book Club, attend bunco together, go antiquing, and there is usually wine involved...Cheers!


Happy 4th of July!
Lori in Blue Ridge
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Friday, December 29, 2017

My New Creative Space.....

I absolutely loved working with metal clay during my jewelry class at the John C. Campbell Folk School. My Husband encouraged me to continue working with metal clay after the class; he even bought me a kiln in my favorite color purple as a surprise...    

Lori Dorrington

What he didn't realize was that I needed many additional tools to be successful at this new craft. Dryers, tumblers, polishers, textures, expensive metal clays, metal tools, etc, etc, etc... The tools for clay and supplies for other crafts began to take over every flat surface in the house.  When he had to move my tumbler, dehydrator, and handmade card stock so he could make dinner, I think he was sorry he encouraged me to start down this new jewelry making path...LOL.

So, today construction of  my new Metal Clay Studio is complete and ready for action; we've enclosed one of the porches on our house with weather tight panels and screens. Take a peek...you can't get much better natural light than this!


The entrance to the studio...


The kiln, tumbling, and drying area...


The design and production area...


The View...


The view of the stream...

Stay tuned for updates on my spring collection of  metal clay jewelry...I'll be working in both copper and bronze.  LOVE the new creative space!

Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge
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Thursday, December 28, 2017

Love this Place...

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to attend a week long class at the John C. Campbell Folk Art School in Brasstown NC. It was a wonderful experience and well worth the investment!


Mrs. Olive Dame Campbell donated her homestead and created the beautiful campus. The school was founded to nurture and preserve the folk arts of the Appalachian Mountains, it is a nonprofit adult educational organization based on non-competitive learning. Founded in 1925, the Folk School's motto is “I sing behind the plow”. The Folk School has week-long and weekend classes year-round in traditional and contemporary arts, including but not limited to jewelry, fiber, blacksmithing, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography, storytelling and writing. 


The landscape is inspiring...


The studios are well appointed...


Classes are fun and varied...


The classes are beginners to advanced levels...

I took a class in precious metal clay jewelry; the instructor was Pam East – she is a precious metal clay artist who shares her knowledge with beginners like me. She is funny and interesting and a great teacher.   Here is a sample of my work:

Copper Metal Clay Jewelry - Lori Dorrington

Looking forward to my next class this summer!
Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge


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Monday, July 10, 2017

New Design

Most of you know that I make and sell jewelry at outdoor and barn art festivals. Since my bicycle accident in Jan. I haven't been able to use the small hand tools needed to complete my designs (I still can't grip well with my right hand yet). So, I experimented with wrapping and coiling copper wire around a cuff until I got use to the feel and flexibility of the wire.
After several trial runs, I began weaving and wrapping the coral beads, copper beads, gemstones, and crystals from my stash around the cuff. I really like how it turned out, what do you think?



Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge
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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Craft Show Alert....

Just a quick reminder...I will be a vendor (selling my handmade jewelry) at the Georgia Marble Festival in Jasper, GA. 

YIPPEE! 


The Festival is this Saturday October 1 and Sunday October 2 opening at 10am - 5pm. The festival will feature artist booths, food trucks, entertainment on two stages, a kids area, a parade, and a 5K race. Hope to see you there!

Some examples of my jewelry....

Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

It's a Southern Thing...The Barn Sale!

Yes, I sold my jewelry in a Barn!

The Traveling Bazaar

Since retiring from the corporate world I've been working full time on my Etsy jewelry shop and a traveling jewelry booth setup.  This past weekend I participated in my first Barn Sale at the Old McDonald's Farm in Sale Creek, TN.  It was a "shabby chic" themed event put on by the Traveling Bazaar Group. 

The Traveling Bazaar

Did I make a lot of money? N0.  Did I have a great time? YES!  It was so much fun I'm going to do it again in December.  It was great networking with the other vendors at the event and I learned a lot from them.

Some Craft Show Tips:
1.)  Bring snacks - eating a full meal is impossible if you don't have a friend to booth sit.
2.)  Bring a fan(s) - shoppers will stay longer in your booth if they are cool.
3.)  Bring Backup Supplies - many shoppers wanted to mix and match chain lengths with my sea glass pendants, no one wanted the necklace "as is".  Additional lengths were needed.
4.)  Be prepared for the surge - Serious shoppers arrive within the first two hours of the show.  After lunch was very sluggish for sales.

The Traveling Bazaar

I'm on the standby list for the Jasper, Georgia, Marble Festival; keep your fingers crossed for me to get in this year!
Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Craft Show Booth






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Monday, August 1, 2016

Mermaid's Tears...



The Legend of Mermaid Tears... Sea maidens could change the mighty course of nature, but were forbidden to do so by Neptune, the stern, watchful god of the sea. One dark, storm-ravaged night, with sails ripping and masts cracking, a schooner fought to find safety in Friendly Cove off Nootka Island in the San Juan I. The ship was familiar to the mermaid who swam along its side . . . she had weathered many crossings with the ship and its captain. As the ship heeled in the violent wind, the captain lost his hold on the wheel, tumbling perilously close to the raging sea. In an instant, the mermaid calmed the wind and tamed the waves, changing the course of nature and saving the life of a man she had grown to love from afar. For her impetuous act, Neptune banished the sobbing mermaid to the oceans depths, condemning her for eternity never to surface or swim with the ships again. To this day, her gleaming tears wash up on the beaches as sea glass . . . crystalline treasures in magic sea colors, an eternal reminder of true love.

I received a shipment of Genuine Sea Glass from Crete, Greece this week. Naturally produced sea glass ("genuine sea glass") originates as pieces of glass from broken bottles, broken tableware, or even shipwrecks, are rolled and tumbled in the ocean for years until all of their edges are rounded off, and the slickness of the glass has been worn to a frosted appearance.

This is my shipment of "Mermaid Tears". 

I've been using the glass to make necklaces for an upcoming craft show, I will be a vendor. Here is an example of what I'm making, I've added tiny pearls....


Thanks for stopping by today, let me know what you think of my designs.  Which is your favorite?

Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge, GA





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