Wire Wrapped Silver and Copper Bead and Double Cobra Bracelet

I made this bead with a thick piece of soldered copper and hammered some detail designs on it with metal stamps and also hammered it more into an oval to flatten out the band.  I selected a really nice fresh water pearl and used sterling silver wire for the wrapping.  This is a sample and I'm working on some sterling silver beads to use with my paracord bracelets.  I haven't seen any made quite like this to specifically use with paracord.  This bracelet is pretty thick and works with this size bead.  Just something different!  Thanks for looking!

Finished Pine Tree Pendants with Peridot Accents

Here are the finished pendants!  If you look closely, I removed the patina differently on each of these.  The one with the peridot has a more brushed metal look.  The one pendant with the simple bail has the peacock look to the patina that was just too good to sand through.  I use sand paper vs. 000 steel wool on the texture pieces.  The sand paper is firm and you won't remove the patina from the detail.  If you press with the steel wool, then you've lost your color.   I like the gallery wire for the fence accent on the one pendant.  The milled leaf designs behind the pine really give it the illusion of being in the forest.  Now my mind is busy with all sorts of ideas for more elaborate forest scenes!

Pine Tree Pendants in the Works!

I started working on these pendants last night and I've made quite a bit of progress.  I sawed out the pine trees, used back pieces that I had roller milled oak leaves to, then soldered the pine trees on.  The trees were very tiny to saw out and the metal was wiggling all over my bench pin, which loosened it and then out came the mallet to hammer it back in.  Every so many minutes, smack went the hammer!  I discovered that I could draw a pine tree and the one side of it could be the other side of the next tree.  I would have no space in between and no wasted sterling sheet!  Think puzzle pieces.  It also allowed me to saw one section and complete half of each tree.  I'll draw a picture later to explain!

I wanted to add something that looked like a small fence in front of one of the trees.  I left enough room to place a piece of gallery wire just beneath the tree.  Quite a trick to use the hard solder to get the tree on and I then used soft solder for the gallery wire.  I didn't want to get the temp up too high on the more delicate wire.  I was able to first heat the gallery wire and melt the solder on to ensure it would be evenly spread out.  I then pickled that piece and then re-fluxed and heated to solder the gallery wire on. The wire and tree seemed to be the same gauge, so it worked out fine.

These are less labor intensive than the wire wrapped pendants.  These will be a bit more affordable and still a lot of fun.  I added peridot and quartz stones to the chain and also added a nice peridot brio to the middle pendant.  Nice cut, but some inclusions...  well, at least you know it's real!!!

I use hard boiled egg at my remote studio and love the fun colors that pop up layer by layer.  Not sure why I had such a copper look on the first round, but it was cool and I took a photo.  I'll post more photos when the pieces are finished.  As always, thanks for looking!

Big City Nights Black 550 Paracord Wristlet

This sweet, little black 550 paracord wristlet project has over 100+ feet of cord.  The purse is made of one piece of 550 paracord and yes, it can be pulled apart in a matter of minutes.  I have incorporated the seams and trim stitches all at one time so this would be one piece.  This is my own pattern and individual design on this one.  The wrist strap can be removed and is a separate piece of cord.  It is also one piece that can be unknotted and used as well.  The wristlet cord was gutted and this means that the seven inner core strands were removed.  So, if someone needs to use the cord, remove the button, remove the lanyard style wrist strap off the bag, find the marked rip cord and let it rip!

I added the dressy vintage look button for fun and sure... for utility as well.  The little bit of sparkle gives this hiker, survival bag a little big city swag!  Yes, I'm a Scorpions fan and that's how I came up with the name for this one!

Beautiful Rim Country!

I just have to post some photos of the beautiful Rim Country in Arizona every so often!  There are some nesting eagles at Woods Canyon Lake right now and there are field biologists up there with spotting scopes.  Really a cool thing to see!  I got some great photos of this little horned toad and they are pretty rare to find.  Nature is so inspiring and can revitalize the soul and mind! Any chance you have, try to get out in nature and enjoy!

I had to toss in the photo of this camo painted truck!  It appears they painted leaves and then slapped those over the camo sprayed areas.  Looks like they used them as if they were sponge painting.

Various Necklace Styles for Sterling Pendants

I've been experimenting with various chains, leather cords, paracord and even deer hyde for necklaces for my pendants.  I've designed some of the pendant bails to work with cord and have looped the micro paracord over in a lark's head knot.  There are so many different possibilities and looks for the same pendant.  Enjoy checking out these different looks!

I ordered some really nicely made sterling rolo chains and added some wire wrapped amethyst stones as accents.  They came out really nice and these chains look more expensive.  I'm also going to make some chains like this with peridot and some other stones.

I used sterling silver wire that I wrapped around the deer hyde necklace.  There is plenty of silver wire I used and some has patina and some does not.  This was a great way to use up some scrap wire.  With prices so high, I find any way to use almost every little bit of metal somewhere!  Any extra bit of embellishment you add can also increases the value of your item.  It will look more expensive and you will have layers of detail.  If you have extra sterling wire, use it wherever you can.

I make the bails on all my pendants large enough to accommodate a variety of chain and cord sizes.  This makes it easier to get a variety of looks from the same pendant.  Don't be afraid to try a look you haven't seen before.  Try something new and make it your own!