Tales from Enameling Class: Hot Topic

We had a little excitement in my enameling class this week: one of the new students almost set the studio on fire! As she removed her piece from the kiln, she somehow dropped the red-hot trivet onto a wood burnishing tool... and the tool burst into flames. Luckily, my teacher managed to extinguish the fire quickly and no one was hurt.

The woman was pretty embarrassed and kept apologizing, but we told her that in enameling, there are mostly "happy accidents." We've all had stories of overheating pieces or dropping things, or in my case, stupidly grabbing a still-hot-trivet and burning myself. I've never actually set anything on fire -- yet -- but it's easy to do something kind of careless when you're working with kilns, torches and other dangerous equipment. I've been making jewelry long enough that I feel comfortable with the tools, but this incident reminded me that as skilled as someone is, we still have to be careful. As I pointed out to the woman, my teacher keeps an aloe plant in the class, just in case someone gets injured. I told her to consider this incident a "right of passage." She'll get the hang of it -- and she'll be making beautiful pieces in no time.

Other than that, the class was business as usual. I brought in some munchkins to celebrate my birthday and began work on a new sgraffito pendant. I didn't have any new copper pieces with me, so I took an old "failed" project and layered enamel on top of it. I'd tried to make a champleve heart, but the depression wasn't deep enough so half of the enamel was peeling off. I scraped out as much as I could then covered that side of the metal with about five layers of deep blue glass. On the other side, I put down a light blue base and a dark blue topcoat; I then carved out a swirly design in the dark blue enamel so that you can see the light blue enamel beneath. I'll eventually post a photo when the necklace is complete, but my teacher said that it looks Moorish. Then she realized how many coats of enamel I used and was like, "But why is it so thick?"

I have this idea for a sgraffito bib necklace that I plan to work on. I want to use copper squares as the main part of the necklace and then attach long, thin strips of copper for the "bib." All of them will have a similar sgraffito design. It's going to take me weeks to make this, but I think it'll look really nice. I'm just trying to figure out what colors to use. I'm leaning toward the light/dark blue combo, but red and black might work, too.

Meantime, this has been a productive semester of enameling so far, despite the snow! To see more of my work, including my wire wrapped jewelry and enamel pieces, head to Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Tales From Enameling Class: Damn Snow!

Believe it or not, we don't often have a white Christmas in New York City. December is usually pretty cold, but it tends to be a drier month. The big snows typically fall from January-March. We're having a very snowy season, though, and the weather keeps getting in the way of my enameling class. I skipped class last week because of the snow and it looks as if we're having another storm tomorrow, which means I'll probably miss it again.

A few inches of snow isn't that big of a deal for us, but I still don't enjoy traveling in it. The streets can get icy and there are often train delays. I'm fortunate in that I work from home so I don't *have* to travel if there's bad weather. When I'm nice and cozy in my warm apartment with my cat by my side, it's much easier to just stay put!

I'm disappointed because tomorrow is our last class of the semester and we won't be meeting again until the end of January. Still, I'm pleased with my progress. I made several interesting pieces this fall and learned a new skill: champleve. I also sold many of my enameled jewelry, so the class isn't just fun for me: it's profitable.

Next semester I'd like to try some new skills. My teacher has suggested that I experiment with sifting techniques; I'd also like to enamel objects that aren't flat, such as a curved piece of jewelry or even a bowl. As long as I continue to learn and have fun, I'll stick with this class. Just hopefully the snow won't keep me away all winter!

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Silver wire wrapped pink flower enamel pendant with crystals

For most of this semester I've been making champleve pieces in my enameling class. However, a few weeks ago, I went back to designing a simple enamel and cloisonne pendant. I hadn't made one in a long time and I wanted to make sure that I didn't forget how to do that particular technique.

I arranged the cloisonne into a classic flower design. It may look pretty simple, but setting the flower petals turned out to be trickier than I imagined because cloisonne wire sometimes moves a bit when the piece is fired in the kiln. With abstract pieces this isn't that big of a deal, but it can be a pain when you need the cloisonne to be in an exact position -- like with a flower. I solved the problem, though, by firing a bit of the cloisonne at a time. This way, the remaining pieces of wire could lean against the already-fired cloisonne and would stay in place.

To get this particular shade of blue, I did some color combining and mixed water blue enamel with nitric blue. Just to be clear, you can't really mix enamels when the glass is in the dry powder stage -- but you can layer colors to get some shading. So I fired the water blue first and then layered the nitric blue on top of it to get this rich hue.

The flower's color is called raspberry. I love it because it's such a deep shade of pink and it really stands out against the blue. In its powdered form, it doesn't look like the raspberry will be very bright -- in fact, it's kind of pale -- but it looks a lot different once its fired and glossy. This is the case with a lot of enamels, actually; they look different once fired and cooled, which is why it's important to make a test strip of colors.

My finish for the necklace is pretty simple: I made a silver wire wrapped chain and added a few blue crystals... but I think the end result makes a nice showpiece. This is the kind of necklace that you wear for special occasions because it's so eye-catching, though it works with casual outfits, too. And flowers will always be fashionable in some way; they're a very classic design.

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Tales From Enameling Class

This semester of enameling is almost over, but it's been a good one! I've gotten better at making champleve pieces and am much more comfortable when it comes to improvising enameling techniques. For instance, I'm currently working on a cloisonne pendant and had run out of cloisonne wire; I ended up using silver bezel wire instead. The wire was twice as thick and I had to cut it down the middle to thin it out, but it worked!

Last Tuesday, the Y held a jewelry fair where members of the various jewelry classes could sell their work. I considered signing up, but decided not to because vendors had to submit an entrance fee AND give back half of their profits to the Y. Still, I purchased an etched metal bracelet from a friend and enjoyed seeing what others had to sell. It was nice to be able to just leisurely wander around a craft fair, for once.

We have some really talented artists at the Y. Most of the pieces being sold were amazing -- and kind of put me to shame. I think that I'm a decent jewelry designer, but most of these people are incredible. I only hope to be that good one day. That said, many of the pieces were extremely expensive. I think that everyone raised their prices so they could actually make a profit, but I thought that many of the pieces were priced too high for what they were. Little beaded bracelets should not be $70. Just sayin'. But the money did go to a good cause as the Y offers many wonderful classes, in jewelry, music and other fields.

Though I'm feeling a little inferior compared to some of these artists, I'm still wondering if I should set up a booth at the next fair. The friend from whom I purchased the bracelet only had about a dozen items on his table... and he managed to sell out. I could bring in only about 10-15 of my high-end pieces and then charge higher prices like everyone else was doing. It seemed like this fair was a success and I didn't see any other wire artists.

Speaking of my enameling class, I'm happy to report that I recently sold two of the items I made at the Y: my enamel cat and my enamel hamsa pendant:

I spent weeks on each piece and am thrilled that they were finally purchased! I hope that the wearers enjoy them. Though the class is fun, I put a lot of work into each item and am glad that it's literally paying off. It's cool to know that there are people out there who are wearing my one-of-a-kind necklaces.

With this session winding down, I'm just working on a couple of simple pieces, but I have some wild ideas for next semester. I'm already eager to get to work! To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

"Swimming Upstream" copper wire wrapped, turquoise and enamel champleve necklace

I finally finished my latest champleve creation! This one, I call "Swimming Upstream" since it has an abstract fish design that I made from silver cloisonne wire:

I actually began this project last June. After sawing out a rectangle of 16 gauge copper sheet metal, I "burned" a depression into it using acid (a process I recommend NOT doing unless you've been taught and have proper safety supplies). After, I filled the large groove with silver foil and then a few layers of white base enamel. Full disclosure: I burned the enamel a couple of times, which I why I had to add several coats.

Once it came time to lay down the cloisonne wire, I played around with some shapes and came up with this simple, abstract fish design. I liked the way that each fish fit into the next, creating a little pattern. I also love the ocean, so I liked the idea of creating something that had a nautical motif. I used aqua, nitric blue, purple and gem green enamels to create those oceanic colors; the silver foil provides a bit of a shimmery effect, so it looks like the water is rippling behind the fish.

After the pendant was finally completed, I set to work on the chain. I wanted to offset the copper "frame" on the pendant, so I alternated the turquoise bead links with little 18-gauge wire wrapped copper "shell" spirals." I didn't want to make the chain design too complicated because I wanted the pendant to take center stage -- but I think that the wire wrapped design complements the fish.

I have a couple of other champleve enamel pieces that I'm working on, so stay tuned! Meantime, check out my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Enameling techniques: champleve, working with ferric chloride

Part of the reason why I haven't blogged much lately is because I've been studying a new enameling technique (well, new to me, anyway, since the technique itself goes back to ancient times): champleve.

With champleve, you carve out a design or groove into a piece of metal and then fill that depression with enamel. The piece then looks as if it's been inlaid with the glass and the design has a lot of depth and texture.

There are many ways in which you can carve the piece: you can engrave it, cut out an opening in one piece of metal and then solder it onto a backing (and then have subsequent pieces cast), or, as I'm doing, you can burn the metal with an acid.

Different types of metals require different acids to burn. I've been using copper so ferric chloride is my substance of choice. Silver uses nitric acid, but this substance is extremely dangerous to use, which is why I'm avoiding it. Eventually, I'll have some copper pieces cast in silver or silver plated.

To actually burn out the design is pretty easy. I start with a thick piece of copper -- 16 or 18 gauge -- and apply a resist to all of the areas that I DON'T want to burn. This means that if you want to have a triangle-shaped depression, you cover all of the areas of the metal EXCEPT for that triangle. You can use many things as a resist, but I like nailpolish because it's sticky and stays on for a long time without breaking up. The downside is that it's difficult to draw fine lines with it. A paint pen might be a better choice if you want to create a more exact, detailed design. I make sure to paint all of the necessary areas, including the sides of the metal, with the polish and then cover the back of the metal with some contact paper. I then place the metal FACE DOWN into the acid. Also important: I don't just plop the metal into the acid. I keep it suspended on some flat sponges, which I cut into strips. Whenever I remove my pieces, I use copper tongs -- and I always wear goggles, a surgical mask and latex gloves. Most pieces take at least three hours to get a nice, deep groove.

As I'm sure you've guessed, working with acid is DANGEROUS. Kids, do NOT try this at home. Actually, do not try this at all!!!!! Adults, do not try this without proper safety gear and without first learning the basics. I'm still nervous whenever I have to work with the acid. One wrong spill and you can get seriously hurt.

I keep my acid in a Tupperware container, which obviously will not be reused for food! You can store it and reuse it a few times, though it does eventually lose its effectiveness. You can't just dump it down a drain; I first neutralize it with baking soda. Again, this is serious stuff!!!

Anyway, I've managed to carve out some interesting pieces. Right now, I'm working on a series of heart earrings made on 18 gauge copper:

These aren't yet finished. The enamel needs to be sanded so that it's flush with the metal and the copper needs to be cleaned and polished. But you get the basic idea of how the glass looks against the metal. The toughest part for me, so far, has been figuring out how to apply certain colors. Because the glass is going into a groove, the colors come out much darker than they do when they're simply applied to the copper's surface. I finally figured out that it's best to first apply a coat of white or clear enamel and to then add the layers of color. You also need to heat that first coat for a bit longer than you normally would because again, the enamel is lower down.

Right now, I'm burning a square piece of metal with a square groove that will look sort of like a frame. I'm letting it sit in the acid for longer than usual because I want a very deep depression. I then plan to experiment by working with cloisonne within the groove. Next time, I'll show you a before picture so you can see what the burned-away copper looks like.

Meantime, check out my other jewelry pieces at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Tales from enameling class: new enameling techniques!

This semester of my enameling class is about half over, which is a shame because I'm enjoying myself more than ever! I'm still working on my enameled hamsa pendant and enameled cat figurine, both of which have turned out to be more time consuming than I'd anticipated. That's okay, though, because I'm really enjoying the work.

Right now, I'm busy covering the hamsa pendant with fine silver foil. Silver foil is extremely thin and delicate, but will stick to the enamel when you fire it. When you cover the foil with transparent enamel colors -- especially "cool" colors like blue or green -- it looks luminous and amazing. Since the hamsa is a spiritual object, I want the blocks of color to come out looking shiny, like stained glass.

In order to get the foil to fit into the cloisonne wire pattern which I'd placed on the hamsa, I had to cut the siver into teeny, tiny, itty bitty pieces -- and then carefully place each piece so that it stayed on flat and didn't wrinkle. After three hours of this, I ALMOST have the hamsa covered. I hope to finish during the next class and then finally add the colored enamels. After that, I'll work on the cat, which I'll also finish with a cloisonne design.

I'm kind of bummed because I won't be back in class for about a month. It's all for good reasons: the Y is closed for Passover and then my husband and I are going to Japan. The good news is, I spoke with my teacher and when I return from my trip, I'd like to try my hand and some more complex enameling techniques. I'm especially excited to try champleve, which is a process where you engrave or etch recesses in the metal and fill the "cells" with enamel. The raised portions of the metal kind of frame the enameled areas and the pieces that are made with this technique look absolutely beautiful. You can use acid to burn out the areas that you want to be carved, but frankly, that method scares me a bit! I plan to go old school and learn to engrave the metal with a tool.

With the holidays and my vacation, I'll have to put my enameling adventures on hold, but at least I have some really cool things to look forward to this spring!

You can purchase my jewelry at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Small copper enameled earrings in pink and black/blue and black

After putting in all of that work on my Fire And Ice bib necklace, I wanted to do something fun and easier in my enameling class. I ended up making two pairs of two-toned earrings: one pair in rose pink and black and the other in aqua blue and black:

I made these simply by sifting the colors onto the copper disk. First, I applied a white base coat so the colors would be bright and clear, and then added the pink, black and blue. I really like the contrast between the black and the lighter colors. I also like how the colors kind of blend.

Next on my agenda in my enameling class is to make a cloisonne hamsa pendant. That's going to be a lot of work. Meantime, I enjoyed making something a little more simple that's still beautiful.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Enameled jewelry: Tales from enameling class

The 92nd Street Y's spring semester kicked off yesterday so, of course, I was there for my enameling class.

In some ways, it was the same as always because I'm taking it at the same time with the same teacher, and many of the same students have returned. But there's always an exciting energy in the air on the first day of school (which this essentially was) and there were several new students present.

What's weird and kind of cool is that I'm now considered to be one of the "advanced" enamelers. Compared to some of the others, I'd say I'm more intermediate than anything, but I'm still skilled enough that the newbies felt as if they could turn to me for questions. My teacher even singled me out as an example a few times, "Watch what Naomi's doing," or "Feel free to ask Naomi for help." A few of the students did have some questions for me about the enameling process and I was happy to answer them.

This is my fourth semester in enameling so I've been at it for not quite a year. I really do enjoy it, but it's still a newish skill for me so it's a novelty for me to even associate myself with it. I'd love to eventually do something with teaching it, though. At the end of this semester (in May) I'm going to ask my teacher if I have what it takes to be a teaching assistant. The Y uses TAs to cover bench (studio) time. I'm not sure what they get for the work -- maybe free bench time hours or a discount? -- but it would be a great way to work toward teaching jewelry. Several of the advanced students in my class have been doing this for a while. I wonder if I'd qualify to work during the summer semester, which is a shorter, quieter time at the Y. In other words, it would be the perfect time to do a trial run as a TA.

This beginning of the spring semester also marked my year anniversary at the Y. I remember how nervous I was when I began taking Jewelry I last february. It was the February 2, the day before my birthday, and I'd signed up for this basic metalsmithing class as a gift to myself. At that point, I was breaking into sweats over the idea of using a torch, drill or saw, so I've come a long way. I still suck at soldering, though. I really wish that I'd signed up for any teacher other than the one I'd had for that class because she and I just didn't mix. She wasn't a bad person by any means, but she was a little too no-nonsense and impatient with a clumsy newbie like me. The class was always so quiet and serious and somber, not at all like I envisioned an art class being.

Happily, the rest of my jewelry classes have been exactly what I thought they'd be like: informative, but fun. I work really hard in enameling, but everyone is friendly and we always have a lot of laughs. The teacher actually seems to enjoy being with us and teaching the class; we're not just a way for her to make money. I'm glad that I stuck it out after that first class and tried a different skill because that beginner class almost made me believe that I had no talent; it almost crushed my dreams.

I'm actually thinking of repeating Jewelry I during the summer semester, but this time with a different teacher. Yes, I've completed Jewelry I and II, but I still feel lost when it comes to soldering and working with fire. I've disliked my metalsmithing classes, but perhaps I'd like them more if I had those basic skills down and didn't feel as if everyone were so far ahead.

Meantime, I'm really glad that my teacher persuaded me to continue with enameling. I don't know why I even considered taking a break from it.

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Fire and ice enamel necklace project

I've started a new project in my enameling class and it's going to be a complicated one! I'm making a bib necklace featuring 15 enameled circles, which I'm arranging into an upside-down pyramid shape (the bib). Not only that, the necklace is going to be reversable with a different design on the other side of the discs. It's going to be a lot of work!

So far, I've drilled the discs so that I can attach jump rings and connect them into the triangle pattern, and have applied enamel to one side. My teacher suggested that i sift on different colors right against the copper so I can get a cool, swirling design with a hint of the copper beneath. So I used transparent aqua and deep blue enamels, applying half of each color to the discs ... and sure enough, I got what looks like a funky tie-dyed design:

Actually, now that I look at the discs, they look more like little planets, no? My plan is to apply another coat of aqua/dark blue to this side and then apply orange and yellow to the counter side. This way, I'll have cool colors and warm colors -- or fire and ice. I think it'll be a neat contrast and the wearer can display whichever side she wants.

A statement necklace like this will need an amazing chain; I'm thinking of making a copper chain using spiral links. This way, I'll continue the whole circle theme -- and it'll be a nice way to connect my enamel and wire wrapping skills.

There's no enameling class next week, but I'm anxious to get going on my latest work in progress! I'll post more pics as I go along.

To purchase my wire wrapped and enamel jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Silver cloisonne and enamel heart earrings

It's less than a month 'til Valentine's Day and I'm continuing to build up my stock of holiday-related products. I'm not a huge fan of V-Day; truthfully, I think that you should celebrate your love for someone every day of the year. On the other hand, I really like hearts so I'm happy to have an excuse to make heart-themed jewelry!

My enamel teacher suggested that I start making things other than individual pendants so I can get used to designing series, so I made a pair of cloisonne heart earrings. They're a pretty simple design -- a deep red heart with a pink and purple background -- but they're sweet and pretty, and appropriate for Valentine's Day.

Of course, being well, me, the process of making this didn't go smoothly. First, I dropped one of the little cloisonne hearts on the floor of the studio. Before I knew it, everyone in class was on their hands and knees as they scrambled around looking for it. I felt pretty embarrassed, but it was kind of them to help out. We never did find the heart, but it wasn't a big deal; I just made another.

Then, for some reason, the purple counter that I used (the enamel put onto the underside of the earrings) glazed over into a lumpy mess. I guess I put it on too thick in some spots? I ended up applying a third layer (usually I use two layers of counter) and that seemed to do the trick. It's still lumpy, but there are no cracks. I added an additional layer of glass powder to the front side to even things out, so hopefully, the enamel will hold steady all around.

One good thing is that I've become much more skilled at adding the cloisonne wire. The first few pieces I made fell apart somewhat because the wire was overheated and melted. But I now know to take the piece out a bit before a minute is up. This seems to do the trick!

I wish the earrings' colors were better in this photo, but it's dark and rainy here and I was eager to show these off. If it's brighter tomorrow, I'll try to get an improved pic. Still, you get the basic idea. I'm pleased with how my earrings turned out and am all set to begin my next project: a bracelet with enamel and cloisonne links!

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations. To purchase my novel, check out REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Shades of blue enamel and cloisonne pendant

I had a great time in my enameling class this week. First up, I made this really cool enamel and cloisonne pendant using glass in different shades of blue. It's not yet finished, but I plan to attach it to a handmade silver chain that's adorned with blue AB crystals. It's going to be gift for my mom's upcoming birthday, so shh!

There are only two classes left in this semester and I'll admit, I was seriously considering taking another class this spring. I've done enamel for three semesters now and am interested in trying out a different technique. However, after I made this piece, my teacher came over to admire it and said to me, "You know, you're really getting quite good at this." She then went on about some ideas for projects that she has for me for next semester. And so I signed up for enameling again! My teacher's praise means a lot to me and if she has faith in my skill, I would like to improve upon it. I really do like enameling, anyway. It's one of the most popular classes offered so it's not like she has to grub for students; her eagerness to work with me is genuine and I want to take her up on it.

Meantime, I'm excited to put this necklace together and just hope that my mom likes it! I'll post the finished product so keep checking in.

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Latest enamel jewelry designs

I feel like it's been a million years since I've been to my enameling class at the 92nd Street Y. The school is closed this week and next for the holidays, plus I missed class last week due to illness. Still, I've made many interesting pieces this semester. Here are my most recent creations:

The red rose pendant turned out to be quite the project. Initially, it seemed as if it would be a simple design, but I had so many problems with the cloisonne. The kiln was firing really hot so the wire pieces kept moving during the heating process -- and then one of the wire roses melted a bit. Then the white and black enamel kept mixing so I had specks of black throughout the white portion of the design. But eventually, after applying many coats of enamel and firing each cloisonne rose separately, I completed my pendant. It's not my best work as the largest rose looks a bit demented, but it's pretty. Someone even wrote to me on Etsy to compliment the design, so that was promising!

The abstract piece was actually quite interesting to make. I usually use 24 gauge sheet copper for my metal base, but in this case, I used a piece of 20 gauge fine silver sheet metal. Not only was the piece thicker, but the enamel colors show up differently on silver than they do on copper. So I experimented with blues, purple and white and found that the colors almost glow against the silver background. I especially like how the turquoise blue looks -- very shiny and sparkly.

Since I've made so many pendants, my teacher has suggested that I move on and make a pair of earrings. This way, I can practice making multiples of a similar design. I know how challenging this can be when I'm working with wire, so working with enamel multiples will be a learning experience for sure. I do have some ideas for designs, though, and am looking forward to trying them out.

Meantime, I definitely want to again work with silver because I really like the look of that metal with the glass.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations. To purchase my novel, check out REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Handmade enamel skull keychain

Thanksgiving was a double treat for my family this year. Not only did we get to celebrate with our family; it was also my dad's birthday! In honor of the occasion, I made him a special gift: a handmade enamel and cloisonne skull keychain:

I chose the skull design because my dad collects them (not real ones! I get asked that all the time, LOL). He's also not a big jewelry wearer other than watches. I couldn't picture him wearing a skull necklace, but I realy wanted to make him something so a keychain seemed like my best bet. Happily, he really liked the gift, especially because it is handmade. He used to make stained glas pieces so he understands how much work went into it.

As for how I actually made the enamel piece, it was all about layers. I first put on two coats of opague black enamel powder on the back on the copper square. After I fired them to smooth glass, I put on a coat of white enamel on the opposite side. Meanwhile, I shaped the fine silver cloisonne wire into a skull, and I have to say that cutting out the tiny eyes, nose and jawline was the most difficult part. The cloisonne fired up nicely, but the nose moved slightly so it looks as if he has a broken one. Oh, well.

Once the cloisonne set, I wet packed the rest of the colors. Wet packing is a little like water coloring and is a great way to do tight, intricate work with a brush. I added white to the skull, filled in his eyes and teeth and painted the flames beneath him. I fired the piece then added another coat of these colors to smooth them out and really make them pop.

This enamel piece was a lot of work, but worth it because I wanted to give my dad something special. Now he can carry his keys -- and think of me!

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations. To purchase my novel, check out REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Cool, Colorful Enamel And Cloisonne Necklaces

Thanks to my trip to California and Superstorm Sandy wreaking havoc on New York City, I missed my enamel class for two weeks. But I returned this Tuesday and managed to get a lot of work done. I ended up completing three new pieces, all of which I'll be selling at this weekend's craft fair:

The first is pretty, but was a real pain the butt to make. This was one of those pieces where I had a clear idea in my head for what I wanted -- a pendant that looks like ocean waves and uses different shades of blue -- but things kept going wrong. My first try at this pendant went awry when I overheated it and the cloisonne wire melted. I started a new pendant from scratch and this time, the cloisonne stuck and didn't melt, but the wire moved during the process. This is why the spirals aren't next to one another; they were supposed to be adjacent so they had that wave effect.

Still, I went ahead and completed the pendant, and thought that it came out looking pretty good. Only after I fired it in the kiln, I realized that I'd sealed in the jumpring hole up top. My teacher drilled it for me using a special diamond drill, but the enamel on the back cracked. I refired it to close up the crack and the pendant stuck to the trivet, causing little black gashes to appear on each edge. I tried to cover them with more blue enamel, but it didn't work ... which is why you see that black speck in the corner. Overall, though, I'm happy with this necklace. My husband liked it when I showed it to him. He thought that the spirals were supposed to be flowers, but he loved the color scheme.

The next two enamel pendants were easier to make. I used a brown color scheme for the first out of sheer laziness; we happened to have brown enamel on the table in front of me and I just used what was there. I think it's pretty, though, especially with the drop of yellow. More thought was put into the bottom necklace, which was designed to resemble Native American jewelry. I used colors typical of the Southwest, like turquoise and red, and am really pleased with how it turned out.

My enamel pendants usually sell pretty well at fairs. Here's hoping that I have another successful Sunday!

To purchase my wire wrapped and enamel jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations. To purchase my novel, check out REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Handmade Jewelry: Enameling Gone Wrong

The good news is, my mother-in-law loved the enameled necklace that I made for her. She put it on and it looked really nice, and it matched the dark-colored clothes that she tends to wear.

The bad news is, yesterday's enameling class was a big disappointment.

I had a very clear idea for a pendant in mind. I wanted to make a circular pendant with a few cloisonne swirls laid out on one side. I then wanted to paint the swirls with dark shades of blues and the other side of the pendant with a lighter shade of blue so that it looked like waves on the ocean. In my head, it was beautiful.

Things got off to a good start. I shaped the silver cloisonne wire and applied a base coat of glass to the circle. But when it came time to fire the cloisonne, I left it in for about five seconds too long and the wire melted.

I attempted to paint over it and cover the melted spots with more glass, but it just didn't work. While the colors were pretty, the design just looked like a big, swirly mess.

Oh, well, I guess I'll just try again next week, but I was hoping to have the pendant ready for this weekend's craft fair.

I love the class, but still think that the teacher is too hover-y. She's sweet and means well, but I think the solution is for me to buy some studio bench time. This way, I can get work done without her being there to stand and watch my every move.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to taking another shot at my ocean piece next week!

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewellery, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Enamel Pendant With Pink Flower Design

As expected, my enameling class is turning out to be a lot of fun. I like that I'm now considered to be an "advanced" student and am pretty much lft alone to do my own thing. Even better, everyone is really nice and we have a lot of laughs.

My teacher keeps a lot of old jewelry magazines around the studio -- partially so we can look at the designs and partially so we can use the pages. When sifting the enamel, you want to save as much of the leftover as possible (it's expensive!) so we sift over a torn-out magazine page. Once we're finished, we dump the excess enamel powder back into its jar. This way, we're not wasting any of the glass.

Anyway, this last week, my teacher had a German jewelry magazine that was simply called "Schmuck." Now schmuck means "jewelry" in German so that was the magazine's title: "Jewelry." But, well, it means something a bit more saucy in Yiddish (think a part of the male anatomy) and the naughty term has been picked up as such in English. So, of course, we all turned into 12-year-olds and laughed and laughed at this title. Silly, I know, but it was fun!

We then had a very spirited discussion about Dancing With The Stars and for whom we are all rooting this season. Most of us are impressed with Kelly Monaco. NO ONE in the class wants to see Bristol Palin win!

With all the joking around, I did get a lot of work done. I played around with some brown shades of enamel because I'm looking to make some warm, earthy pieces of jewelry. I also think I'd like to use those shades for my parents' tray. Meanwhile, I made this flower pendant for my mother-in-law, who's birthday is this weekend:

I was going for a natural look so I didn't use any cloisonne wire in this piece, but now I'm wishing I did. When the enamel is in its powdered glass form, the color doesn't look quite like it does when it's fired. So the light brown and pink looked very similar and I found it difficult to paint within the lines. I kept painting over the pink petals of the flowers or I'd be too cautious and leave too much white space between the flowers and the brown background.

Still, I think it's pretty and hope that my mother-in-law likes it. If anything, I think that she'll appreciate the fact that I made it for her. Next week, definitely back to using cloisonne!

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Return To Enameling Class

My enameling class at the 92nd Street Y started back up and it felt good to be back! This time, it's 14-weeks long instead of just six, so I'll have time to make some more intricate pieces. I actually have a piece in mind which is not jewelry: I plan to make an enameled tray for my parents for their 45th anniversary. That's in December so I have a few months to get the job done.

In terms of students' ability in this class, I'm right in the middle. There are several very advanced enamel artists there, a couple who were in my class last summer. One woman was wearing a gorgeous necklace that she'd made that was designed to look like a Buddha. It was amazing. Another makes these crazy enameled clocks. Meanwhile, there were a few students who'd never done enameling before. They had to learn the very basics.

And then there was me, right in between. I know the basics of enameling but wouldn't yet call myself skilled. I think I might be able to go from intermediate to advanced over the course of the semester.

I noticed right away that my teacher treated me differently, which is a good thing. Last summer, she was always looking over my shoulder, correcting me. This time, she let me do my own thing without worrying about how I was working the kiln, etc. I brought in metal to make a test strip because I figured that this would be the first project that we'd be doing. I didn't want to be like, "Oh, I've done this already, who cares?" I figured I'd just join in with the rest of the class. But when it came time to make a test strip, my teacher didn't expect me to do it. I ended up doing one, anyway, but she was cool to let me make whatever I wanted.

I just received my package of metal stamping blanks (pre-made copper shapes) so I'm excited to start some projects next week. And then it'll be time for my big project, the tray! Should be an interesting and fun semester ahead.

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Craft Fair Disappointment

Today was the Autism Speaks charity event and the in-person debut of my kids' line, MayaGirl Creations. The fair was held in the basement of a nearby church and was set up to be a really nice event. There was a live reggae band, a fashion show, an arts and crafts table for the kids and a dozen vendors. Unfortunately, hardly anyone attended. There were about 50 people there, but almost all were somehow involved in the fair itself. They only got a handful of traffic.

Despite the low turnout and despite the fact that I made a nice donation to the cause, I still managed to turn a small profit. It was disappointing, though, to have so few people. Had my friend been able to hold the fair in the church yard instead of the basement, she probably would've had much more traffic, but she explained that she didn't have the insurance to run an event outdoors. Apparently, if a kid gets hurt outside, for example, there can be a suit and, I guess, the church isn't covered. That sounds ridiculous to me, but that's our country for you.

My friend, the organizer, was disappointed with the numbers for today, but she still did a great job in setting things up. This friend, by the way, is the same woman who helped me out when I broke my leg a couple of years ago. And it was my broken leg that led to me making jewelry (it was something to do while laid up in bed), so in a way doing this fair was like coming full circle. No, I didn't make a whole lot, but people did seem to like my pieces. I did sell a couple of precious metal clay and enamel pieces, so I was pleased to move those. As I've said before, my "unique" pieces sell better in fairs than they do online -- and this again proved to be the case.

There was one little girl who was obsessed with my stuff and kept coming over to try things on. Turns out, her name is Maya! So she was thrilled when I told her the name of my line. She was upset, though, when her mom wouldn't let her buy earrings due to allergies. Instead, she got a ring, but I know that she had her heart set on the earrings. Maybe when she's older, her ears won't get as irritated.

There were several women who admired stuff at my table, were like, "Ooh, it's between these two, I'll be back..." and then, of course, never returned. Have I mentioned how frustrating that is? I understand it to some degree when you're at a large fair and you want to check out the hundred or so tables before making a decision. But at this fair, there were only a handful of vendors! Basically, you just had to spin around to see everything. So it was annoying when they walked away and forgot about me. I mean, I spent all week working my butt off on these items, I was completely lowballing the price AND part of my profits went to the cause. Plus, these women kept going on about how they "loved" my work. Know what? For $10 or $15, just buy the damned thing! I'm not selling the Crown Jewels; I'm selling costume jewelry. I'm not saying to waste your money or to purchase something just for the heck of it. Not at all. Times are tough and many need to be frugal. But if you're PLANNING to buy something, just do it, especially if you're at a fair and it's a handmade item that an artist worked hard to complete. It's so discouraging for us to think that we've made a sale ... and then nada. So next time you go to a fair and are all set to buy some item that you "love" don't hem and haw, and get distracted and forget. Buy it and show some respect for the artist.

Anyway, time to get off my soap box. Like I said, I made a small profit and made some money for a great charity so all in all, it was a successful day. I'd definitely work with this friend again and will do what I can to help her get more of an audience.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewellery, head to MayaGirl Creations.

Feast Or Famine

First, the bad news: my quest to get my jewelry sold in a store isn't going so well ... yet. I've gotten several nice e-mails from shop owners in which they tell me how much they like my work, but they're all saying the same thing; that they're not accepting new lines now because sales have been low. That's sad and scary for our economy, and I hope for their sakes that sales pick up for the holiday season. It also sucks for me!

Still, I like to be an optimist and am continuing to send my catalogue to stores around the world. I have faith that if I send enough e-mails, *someone* will respond and snap up my jewellery. Or that the economy will bounce back a bit and people will start buying more goods.

The good news is that the rest of my business is picking up. I made some good sales last week and have my first craft fair of the season this Saturday. This morning, I ran into the woman who's running the Autism Speaks charity event later in the month and she said that she's excited to have me working with her. So I have plenty to look forward to!

I've been debating whether I should make more pieces for this Saturday's event, but have decided that I'm just going to try to sell what I have on hand. I mean, I have a few hundred pieces and the event is in someone's home; it's not going to be *that* big of an audience. But if I make a few hundred for the day -- and have the means to give a big chunk back to the charity (Saturday's is for ALS), then I will be very pleased.

I'm anxious to see how much people like my enamel items. So far, I haven't sold any online, but I have a gut feeling that they'll be a big hit at fairs. It's funny how that works out. Online, I've sold many rings (especially infinity rings), chandelier earrings and abstract gold necklaces, but my "arty" work seems to sell better in person. At my last fair, I sold many of my weirder looking earrings and necklaces. I'm not sure why this is; I guess that when people buy things online, they're going to go for things that they can depend on -- pieces with clean lines and familiar shapes and colors. When they can see pieces in person, however, they can try on a necklace or bracelet and see if something with an unusual design or color combo looks good. This is my theory, anyway!

I've found that people are also fascinated about the process in which I make my enamel work. There's just something very badass about firing up a piece in a flaming hot kiln. Friends are always impressed!

I know that I've been slacking off a bit in adding new pieces to Etsy and to this blog, but don't worry, they're coming! I've been working on a series of silver art rings, so keep an eye out for my latest series.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewellery, head to MayaGirl Creations.