Posts Tagged ‘handcrafted artisan jewelry’
A Day at the Artisan Jewelry Trade Show
Sometimes people can have the most outrageous hobbies. My cousin Vinnie enjoys collecting garbage from the streets. You might think that he’s just doing his part to keep our planet clean, but they strange part if he never throws any of it away. He doesn’t even take it to the recycling depot. His cupboards and closets are filled with smelly banana peels, old soda cans, beer bottles, tattered tarp and tire scraps. Disgusting, I know.
My family has devised a plan to empty his apartment of his 3-year-old garbage collection. Because he can’t be swayed to part with this mess, we must be sneaky and clean out his place while he’s not home. I was assigned to be the decoy, so I asked him to accompany me to a artisan jewelry trade show – beads have always made him happy. While we’re gone my aunt Phyllis and my brother Tom will use their spare key to enter Vinnie’s apartment and ransack his stash. When Vinnie and I arrive back at his place, we’re going to tell him that he’s been robbed.
The Underappreciated Artisans
When most people think of artists, they think of painters and sculptors like Leonardo da Vinci. Artists can also create unique handmade beaded bracelets and other jewelry. There are some really great homemade pieces out there on the market. Each necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings is unlike any other, and there’s something to be said in owning a piece of completely unique and beautiful handmade jewelry.
Handmade jewelry is typically unique, as each artisan has a different technique to how they create their personal styles and craft their art. You can find handmade pieces in a variety of places — the internet and outdoor markets, for example. Buying something from an artist is like buying a piece of their heart. The next time you’re looking for a new piece of jewelry, give handcrafted jewelry a try.
Wire Wrapped Jewelry
Wire wrap jewelry is wearable art. Learning how to make wire wrap jewelry can allow you to create personalized pieces that show your style to the world. Before you start you’ll need a few tools; pliers, side cutter, a pin vise, a ring mandrel, a rawhide mallet, a millimeter gauge, a needle file, steel ruler, and a steel scribe are all required. Any local craft shop should have these items.
Next you will need wire. You have several choices in this area. Experienced jewelry makers say brass is the best for beginners, but you an also choose from; bronze, gold, sliver and colored niobium.
Beads should be the next item on your shopping list. Large glass beads are the easiest to work with and are great for wire wrapped necklaces. Make sure beads’ holes are large enough to slip into the gauge wire you will be choosing. Start by arranging your beads on a towel in a pattern that pleases you. Leave space between each bead in order to fit the wire through.