Eni Oken's Jewelry Journal

Peruvian Opal Coin beads for sale

2011-03-22T17:49:00.001-07:00

Pink Peruvian Coin beads for sale, pack with 10 units, 10mm in diameter.

Price: US$10.00 plus shipping.
Shipping is $5.00 within the US and $15.00 Intl.

This blog has moved

2011-03-18T15:55:00.001-07:00

This blog is now located at http://enioken.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

New features at JewelryLessons.com!

2009-07-19T15:53:00.001-07:00

We just released a series of much requested new features!

1) Write a tutorial review: this feature allows users who have bought a tutorial to write a personal review about it, while showing their star ratings explicitly. It is available at all tutorial description pages.

Tutorial Review Guidelines

2) Favorites list: registered users can add tutorials or gallery projects to their favorites list. Available in the new Tool box.

3) New TOOL Box: streamlines utilities such as Add to Favorites, Share and Bookmark, etc. Available at all tutorial and gallery project description pages.

4) Link to download free and your paid tutorials: find the link to download all free tutorials and also the ones you bought inside the new Tool box (as well as in your Downloads area). Available only to users who have bought tutorials.

5) “Request a Tutorial” voting: fun new feature available in the Gallery Tool box. Request a tutorial of your favorite designs by adding a vote to the counter. Only one vote per user per gallery entry is allowed. Only registered users can vote.

6) Add images to articles: you can now upload and insert images into articles!

IMPORTANT: Although we have tested these features extensively, on occasion, minor glitches may occur. Contact us if you run into any problems!

Enjoy!
Eni Oken

JL's Rewards program: Points for purchases

2009-05-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

JewelryLessons.com has new an upgraded Rewards Program -- not only those who contribute to the site with content earn points, but also those who purchase tutorials. This much requested feature allows loyal and supporting students to receive points which they can use to pay for tutorials and other benefits.
It's just our way of saying "thank you dear students, for supporting our site and our Teachers!".
Find more information about the updated Rewards program at Jewelrylessons.com.

US Father's day coming up

2009-05-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

With Mother's day long gone, it's time to think of new ideas for Father's day. This month, running from Mid May until June 15th, JL's Expressions monthly theme is "For Him".

We have a new format for Expressions too: as an encouragement for students to learn a new technique, all participants now must post their pieces based on a JL tutorial.

Read the instructions to the new theme of the month here:
JewelryLessons's Expressions Monthly Event: FOR HIM.

For ideas on how to create jewelry for men, read this article: Creating jewelry for men. The article contains a list of the tutorials which can be adapted for this Expressions event.

Interview with Florence and Gwen

2009-05-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

The interview with Gwen Fisher and Florence Turnour has been posted at JewelryLessons.com! Read the fascinating mix of mathematics and beading lived by these two artists, who work together at BeAdInfinitum.com.
Interview with Florence and Gwen at Jewelrylessons.com.

Let's interview Barbara Berk

2009-04-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

As part of our "Interview your Favorite Artist" ongoing event, we now can post questions to Barbara Berk, which is a wire wrapper using classic all time weaves in her beautifully organic pieces.
Post the questions here: Interview Barbara Berk!

Interview with Iza Malczyk posted

2009-04-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

The interview with Iza Malczyk, wire wrapper extraordinaire, part of our "Interview your Favorite Artist" ongoing event has been posted: read the whole interview here!

Be Cleopatra's Jeweler!

2009-03-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Jodi and Franchezka, the hosts of JewelryLessons.com's Expressions monthly themed event, invite you to become the Jeweler for one of the most celebrated personalities of ancient history: Cleopatra. Learn a little about her life and work on a themed piece of jewelry during the month of April, 2009. Click here for more information: Be one of Cleopatra's Jewelers!

Interview your favorite artist!

2009-03-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

Haven't you ever wanted to interview your favorite jewelry artist? Now you can get a chance to choose the artist and ask the questions, at JewelryLessons.com. We are going to plan and conduct some "group interviews" -- participate!
Click here to see how to participate: Interview your favorite artist!

Redeem your points!

2009-03-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Redeem your points at Jewelrylessons.com for benefits -- amount of points required have been REDUCED: becoming a Featured Artist for a week costs only 100 points; featuring a tutorial on the home page for a week costs also only 100 points and finally, becoming the Artist of the Month costs only 250 points. These values are lower only during the months of March and April, but you can choose to be featured at ANY OPEN DATE.

To redeem your points, simply go to My Profile/Redeem points. Check mark the appropriate benefit and choose the date. Redeem my points at JewelryLessons.com (you must be a registered member for this link to work).

Flower Power -- Jewelry Tutorials!

2009-03-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's because I want spring to come soon, maybe I'm inspired by the new monthly challenge Expressions, hosted at Jewelrylessons.com by Jodi and Franchezka, which has the theme "hippie" for March: here are four different tutorials dabbling in the "flower power" theme.
Enjoy!

Flower Child Tutorial, by Linda Rosa

Briolette Flower Tutorial, by Eni Oken

Flower Power Earrings Tutorial by April Whited

Beaded Flower Tutorial by Eni Oken

JewelryLessons.com's Expressions

2009-02-27T23:20:00.000-08:00

JewelryLessons.com's Expressions is a monthly themed event, run by recently assigned masters Jodi Bombardier and Franchezka Westwood. Each month, members are encouraged to participate in this inspirational and fun challenge, by creating a piece of jewelry based on a theme. The first event happens during the month of March 2009 and the theme is "hippie!".
Check out the full details of this event: JL.com's Expressions: a Monthly Themed Challenge.

Ads on JewelryLessons.com

2009-02-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

Although I have always been against the littering of websites by advertisement, the reality of today's economy inevitably knocks on all doors: ads support websites and the financial cost it takes to maintain them. So, I am opening the site for advertisement situations. Hopefully these ads will be placed in locations where they will not be too obtrusive for users, but still very valuable for advertisers.

The first series of ads is from Project Wonderful, where advertisers can bid (yes, like an auction!) for the ad spots. This initial block of ads is placed at the footer of the site and present in almost every single page of JewelryLessons.com (we are talking thousands of actual pages and currently 50 thousand visitors per month).

Although the footer does not seem like prime real-estate, remember this: when members COMMENT on gallery, questions, tips and tutorials of this site, they are required to scroll down to post comments, so they WILL see the ads. When non-registered visitors READ those comments, they tend to read the entire thread and WILL see the ads as well.

If you are interested in becoming an advertiser, there is a small link below the ads which will take you to Project Wonderful site. (This is also an excellent tip if you are interested in offering advertisement on your own blog or site). Here is a direct link to bid on these spots: JewelryLessons.com ads.

Thanks!
Eni Oken

"Make me a Jewel" on Facebook

2009-02-19T11:23:00.001-08:00

Enjoy the latest fun JewelryLessons.com gadget on Facebook: now you can send virtual work-in-progress jewels to your Facebook friends. This is a virtual gift application where you can show how much you love a friend by sending them a picture of a jewel being constructed. All gifts will show images of jewelry being made by the loving hands of JewelryLessons.com artisans.

(For those not familiar with the Facebook applications, these are fun VIRTUAL gifts you can send to your friends).
To send your friend a virtual jewel, go to: JewelryLessons.com's Facebook "Make me a Jewel".

Eni Oken: Live Interview

2009-02-16T09:22:00.001-08:00

The interview yesterday at Jewelry Connection was SO MUCH fun! If you missed it, then check out this link here: Eni Oken Live Interview. It lasted about 113 minutes. We covered a little bit of artistic background, a little bit about JewelryLessons.com and also a lot on techniques and how individual pieces were constructed. If the sound is a little low, just raise the volume of your speakers.
Also, check out this video compiled by Mona Hair, used during the Interview yesterday:
Featured Artist at Jewelry Connection: Eni Oken.

Radio Show -- check it out now!

2009-02-15T11:26:00.001-08:00

I will be giving a live interview TODAY: a review of work and discussion about the new JewelryLessons.com site on The Jewelry Connection, which is an online radio talk show for jewelry artisans run by Mona Hair.

Date: February 15th, 2009
Show Time: 12pm PST - 2pm CST - 3pm EST 9pm in most of Europe, 8pm in the UK
Location: http://www.nowlive.com/showid/63074

When you go to the site, slide the Open Audio bar to the far left upon entering the broadcast room. Hit F5 on your keyboard to reset the broadcast room if videos won't load from the media files. F5 usually fixes anything that isn't functioning properly for you! Click on the media tab at top left in the broadcast room to open a double panel of videos and pictures that are already viewable there!

Interview with Valentine's Winners: Bobbi and Spike

2009-02-13T19:11:00.000-08:00

It seems as if love is in the air everywhere, during this Valentine's season. The first place of the 2009 JewelryLessons.com Valentine's Jewelry Design Contest goes SO appropriately to the piece created by a brand new pair of love-birds, Bobbi and Spike, who met online.

Spike cut the stones and Bobbi set them wire and, as if predicting the future, it was the first piece they worked together, even before they became a pair.

This is an interview of how these two met and how they worked on the winning piece: Interview with Valentine's Contest Winners, Bobbi and Spike.

VALENTINE'S CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

2009-02-11T23:38:00.000-08:00

The winners of the 2009 JewelryLessons.com Valentine's Contest were final announced! Bobbi and Spike were the winners with their beautiful joint piece, "You made me whole". Spike worked on the stones while Bobbi set them in a beautiful frame.
Sandy won the second place with her touching piece "A Mother's Tears", which is a woven heart with a deep red garnet in the center. And finally, JudyR won the third place with her gorgeous triple heart bracelet entitled "Trio of Hearts".
Check out all the Winners and all the Finalists too.

Online Radio Show: You are invited!

2009-02-10T23:49:00.001-08:00

I will be giving a live interview this coming Sunday: a review of work and discussion about the new JewelryLessons.com site on The Jewelry Connection, which is an online radio talk show for jewelry artisans run by Mona Hair.

Date: February 15th, 2009
Show Time: 12pm PST - 2pm CST - 3pm EST 9pm in most of Europe, 8pm in the UK
Location: http://www.nowlive.com/showid/63074

When you go to the site, slide the Open Audio bar to the far left upon entering the broadcast room. Hit F5 on your keyboard to reset the broadcast room if videos won't load from the media files. F5 usually fixes anything that isn't functioning properly for you! Click on the media tab at top left in the broadcast room to open a double panel of videos and pictures that are already viewable there!

Star Rating system

2009-02-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

It has come to our attention through various isolated events that the star rating system may not be working properly. Even when a post is given highest stars several times, it the system does not always update the star display properly and tends to show the lowest average rating.

The issue has been submitted to tech support for investigation and hopefully it will be addressed soon. Since it is a complex programming module, please have patience while we address the situation.

This seems to happen only when there is more than one person rating, and has not happened on the first time the post is rated.

We apologize profoundly if this has caused unhappiness or frustration...!

Judges still working -- 5 more entries are finalists

2009-02-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, the judges are still deliberating on the grades given to the Finalists of the 2009 Jewelrylessons.com's Valentine's Design Contest. In fact, 5 more entries were added to the list of finalists!
There are so many interesting entries... I can't wait to see the verdict.

2009 JewelryLessons.com Valentine's Contest Finalist

2009-02-03T20:32:00.001-08:00

Yeepeee!!! The finalists of the 2009 Jewelrylessons.com Valentine's contest have been selected! There were so many entries to this competition that we had to do two phases, one of semi-finalists and then select the finalists. But the judges did a superb job in my opinion.
The Semi-Finalists can be seen here: 2009 Valentine's Semi-Finalists. This is still a rather large group. And here is the select group of Finalists.... drumroll, please....

2009 VALENTINE'S CONTEST FINALISTS.

Now the judges will work on giving scores to this short list so that we can announce the grand winners shortly.

Congratulations to all participants and thank you for making this a huge success!

JewelryLessons.com grows another 35% in January 2009

2009-02-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, we are growing non-stop. I have yet to get the final statistics for this month, however, just the first numbers show an increase of 35% more visitors in January than in December -- from 33 thousand to 45 thousand. That's almost 12 thousand visitors more just this month -- and a third of these are brand new visitors! Weesh!

JewelryLessons.com Valentine's contest reached deadline

2009-02-01T23:12:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Valentine's Design Contest at JewelryLessons.com has reached its deadline for posting entries! There are more than 200 fabulous entries. The judges are now in the process of selecting the finalists. The three judges will select finalists from the list of entries, by answering YES or NO to two questions:

a) Has the contestant kept with the theme of the contest?
b) Is the entry original and creative and not based on any well known tutorial that you know of (remember this is an inspirational design contest!).

The entries which receive a solid and unanimous YES from all three judges will be considered finalists. The list of finalists will be posted here at Jewelrylessons.com as soon as possible, hopefully in the next few days.

Congratulations to all the contestants and thank you for making our contest such a success!
See all the entries here: JewelryLessons.com Valentine's Entries.

Guide for JewelryLessons.com Teachers

2009-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

If you just became a Teacher/vendor at JewelryLessons.com or are considering becoming one in the near future, then check out the VERY IMPORTANT article on what to do and what to read and what to expect. Guide for First Time Teachers at JewelryLessons.com.

Revamped Invite a Friend

2009-01-25T18:18:00.001-08:00

The "Invite a Friend" feature at JewelryLessons.com has been revamped: now you earn userpoints which can be redeemed towards rewards each time you invite a friend. You get 2 points for every original invite and 4 points every time your invitees register to the site. It's a way to help the community to grow!
Check it out here: JewelryLessons.com's Invite a Friend.

Tiara Fit for a Queen

2009-01-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

I am dying to try this tutorial of a tiara by Rachael Delaney (and presented by JewelryLessons.com). I don't really have an excuse and don't have a potential client, but something about the heart filigree is just catching my attention. Maybe I can just adapt the filigree pattern into a pendant or a neckpiece... it's just SOOOO pretty.
Tiara - For a Queen Tutorial, by Rachael Delaney and presented by JewelryLessons.com.

Bookmarking and Sharing

2009-01-14T13:41:00.001-08:00

One of the very requested features at Jewelrylessons.com was to add a Bookmark and Sharing button. Now it's done! Users can bookmark their favorite pages to their web browser's Favorite section, send a link to a friend via email, or even more fun: share a specific article, tutorial, Q&A, tip and even a gallery project with any social website they belong to.

My personal favorite social and sharing websites are Facebook, Digg and Stumbleupon, but the new bookmark button offers dozens of different sites under the option "More". Users must be registered at the sites they plan to share, but usually registration is free (as it is in JewelryLessons.com).

Read more about this here: Bookmark and Share pages at JewelryLessons.com.
Eni

JewelryLessons.com: Categories and Organizing

2009-01-12T19:08:00.001-08:00

Today I worked on organization and categories at JewelryLessons.com. It seems that as the site grows, new categories need to be created and others need to be deleted. The sub-categories inside "Marketing & Selling" were divided and some spread out into the new "Internet & Software" category.

Also, after only a couple of weeks of trying out the new category "Off topic", I decided to remove it and start a new Facebook group to support JewelryLessons.com Friends instead.
At the Facebook members people can socialize, while keeping the valuable information pertinent to Jewelry Making posted at the site.
JewelryLessons Friends Group at Facebook

Binding

2009-01-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Binding Tutorial by Judy Feskun
Binding wires is an essential basic technique in wirewrapping required by many sculpted projects. Check out this FREE step by step tutorial on how to bind a group of wires, created by Judy Feskun and presented by JewelryLessons.com.

New Year, new skills: Rivets

2008-12-26T10:38:00.001-08:00

Tube Rivet Tutorial by Janice Fowler
With the new year approaching faster than we can imagine, it's time to think of learning new skills and new techniques. One technique that has really caught my eye is the use of rivets, thanks to the excellent tutorials by Janice Fowler. I'm looking forward to January, when I can try these two...

Slide Pendant -- Telescoping Rivets by Janice Fowler
Both tutorials presented by JewelryLessons.com.
(Click on the images to go to the tutorial description).

Weaving with wire basics

2008-12-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

Weaving with wire is all the rage these days in the jewelry making community. If you would like to try your hand at this fun technique, check out first the tutorial by Donna Spadafore, Basic Weaving Techniques which shows the essentials on the figure eight with an extra turn.
FREE at JewelryLessons.com!

Two free beginner tutorials for the holidays

2008-12-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

Rondelle Trio Earrings by Cristina Amador, available at JewelryLessons.com

Quick and Easy Loop Earrings by Abby Hook, available at JewelryLessons.com
If you are a beginner jewelry maker, then these free tutorials are two excellent lessons on how to make some great gifts for the holidays.

Metalsmithing tools

2008-11-24T00:50:00.000-08:00

In preparation for some exciting tutorials in metalsmithing, Jodi Bombardier has posted two FREE tutorials which explain the basic tools needed for this particular technique of JewelryMaking:

Metalsmithing Tools and Metalsmithing Tools II, both by Jodi Bombardier, presented at JewelryLessons.com.

Copper and Brass Patina

2008-11-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

A really fun and cool technique to oxidize brass or copper, using only ammonia, vinegar and sea salt! Check out Jodi Bombardier's new free tutorial:
Copper and Brass Patina Tutorial at JewelryLessons.com.

Variation on Rosary Chain

2008-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

I just love this variation of the simple rosary chain! It has an extra little tiny spiral on each side of the wrap which gives the link an apparent complexity much greater than you would imagine.
Check out this free tutorial written by Kelly Mohr Eaton: Spiral-Locked Link at JewelryLessons.com.

Wrapping Briolettes

2008-10-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

Knowing how to wrap a briolette (or flat pear) with wire is an essential technique of wirewrap that even a jeweler who does NOT work primarily with wire should know how to master. Here are two FREE tutorials which show how to wrap a brio interestingly:

Wire Wrapped Briolette by Marie Cristine

Briolette Wrap by Eni Oken

Both presented by JewelryLessons.com.

Identify Rocks!

2008-10-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

A very interesting free tutorial created by Shelby Raymond on how to identify rocks in the wild. This is an unusual tutorial since it is not a step by step, but yet sort of a guide of sorts on the properties of rocks. This is how she describes the tutorial:

Identify Rocks! by Shelby Raymond:
"This tutorial will help you identify rocks "in the wild". I'm constantly on the lookout for cool new rocks and gems to incorporate into my jewelry. I'm also a lapidary and collect rocks and minerals. I enjoy finding, cutting, shaping and polishing my own rocks. Being aware of the properties of different stones will also help you when you buy beads by enabling you to determine whether or not the description is accurate and if they're worth what the seller is charging for them. It's also handy to know about the rocks and minerals in your jewelry when it comes time to sell!"

The tutorial is available for FREE at JewelryLessons.com: Identify Rocks!

Creative journal

2008-10-07T23:18:00.000-07:00

Creative journaling is an excellent way to work your creativity. It works as a depository of ideas for those times when you can't think of anything to do! Here is a page of one of my own journals:

In the journal, I draw designs, techniques and just scribble!

Upgrade to new server on JewelryLessons.com

2008-09-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

So the event of the week was that my new site JewelryLessons.com had so many visitors during it's first few weeks that we had to go through an emergency upgrade to a new and more powerful server! That's a good problem to have!
The site was closed for a day, when it went through a quick and very successful transition.
Thank you all for your cooperation and support!

JewelryLessons.com First Monthly Event

2008-09-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

We have our first JewelryLessons.com event:
Suggest an event, challenge, promotion, contest or any other site related event you can think of. Any suggestion which is actually used will earn the poster 150 JewelryLessons.com userpoints at the time it is used.

To participate in this contest, you MUST post the answer at the JewelryLessons.com site at this thread: September 2008: Suggest an Event Contest.

VALID FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2008 ONLY.

JewelryLessons.com has launched!

2008-08-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, after an entire year of hard work and development, my new jewelry website is up!!!! The new site is called JewelryLessons.com and it will be a community of artisans focused in sharing information and lessons on how to make jewelry. We want to *empower* users of all levels, that is, novices and beginners will be empowered by being able to find specific information from teachers; more advanced users will gain from being able to sell their tutorials online easily and earn monthly income.
The mission statement of the site is: Learn. Share. Teach. Earn.

The site will be a community, sales venue and bank of knowledge all wrapped in one. It will have articles, tips, tutorials, Q&A section, member profile pages, student galleries and a lot more. The idea is to SHARE information on jewelry making -- not only wirework, but all artisan techinques -- and store it in more efficient ways than the traditional forums and newsgroups.

The site just opened to the public yesterday == so come visit, register, browse around and contribute with your content, images, information and questions.

JEWELRYLESSONS.COM

JewelryMaking: Learn the Technique first

2008-07-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Question:
"I am person who also likes to create jewerly and clothes. I am writing this e-mail in hopes that you will be able to help me on something. I like to sketch and design clothing, with clothing you have to sketch befor you create; however with jewelry i am at a loss. Should one sketch before they create, or is sketching just a waste of time. Some other questions revolving around jewelry making and sketching is. If one does sketch do they sketch not knowing what materials they are going to use and just do a design, should you gather materials then sketch knowing the materials you have or.... "

Answer:
I understand your question completely. Let me explain to you how it works, at least for me: there are two ways to go about designing jewelry and they are totally based on your experience and confidence in using specific TECHNIQUE and CONSTRUCTION:
1) If you are confident with a specific technique and have practiced it repeatedly, then it becomes easier to allow your mind to experiment WHILE you are working on the piece. You just KNOW how the materials are going to behave with that technique. For example, I had a bangles phase, when I created hundreds of coiled bangles strung on wire. I felt so comfortable with that particular technique/construction style that I allowed myself to play with it, adding changes here and there, until new designs appeared which didn’t seem at all like the previous bangles. Still, the underlying structure and construction was the same.
2) If you are trying to develop a new technique or construction: this is MUCH more difficult, because you need to be comfortable with the medium altogether (for example, in my case wire and beads) to know its potential and limitations. You need to EXTRAPOLATE and use the medium in a completely different way.

In both instances, you can sketch or not. In the first case, where you are comfortable with the technique and construction, you can just draft something since you KNOW it can be made. In the second case, sometimes drawing helps to develop a new design altogether.

I think the main problem here that it doesn’t seem like you know your preferred technique or construction – at no point you mentioned it in your message. What is your favorite medium? What materials do you like to use? How do you like to manipulate them? How are the materials joined together?

Jewelry Making has such a large variety of materials and techniques, it would be very difficult to just generalize. Get your TECHNIQUE and CONSTRUCTION down (and if that means working with other people’s tutorials over and over so you get the hang of it, then so be it), and when you are comfortable with it, the new designs will just come flowing out, on paper or not.

Caging Pebbles

2008-05-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Question: I understand that using beads and gemstones that have been drilled add to the security that they will stay in place with a strung wire. However, I have a large selection of loose tumbled natural gemstones (not cut or faceted) that represent a sizable investment (over a period of years) and I want to do something with them. Most between 1/4" to an 1" in diameter. None of these have been drilled, so I understand I will have to "cage" them in order to hold them securely. I've fiddled and fiddled with various ways to do this attactivly and keep falling short. I wonder if you might be able to, some time in the near future, create a short tutorial addressing a few attractive ideas on caging loose tumbled stones of various shapes.

Answer: I have worked on the same issues, and come up with a few alternatives. The first and most versatile one is to use a netted bezel, which traps stones, especially cabs, very well. You can use the net with tumbled stones also, as long as you make the net cover the stone in such a way that it won't fall off. Net Bezel Tutorial.

The second option is the Basketweave bezel: a little tricky, but very sturdy and nice.

I also have a design which I do not have a tutorial for, but it's a fun design, maybe you can figure it out: http://www.enioken.com/journal/2006/05/lantern-pendant-with-tumbled-stone.html .
I am constantly working on finding new alternatives for caging stones, especially without holes.

Live Class with Eni Oken: Netted Cap

2008-05-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

One of my very rare and few live classes: the Netted Cap, presented by yours truly during a three hour class at Surf City Bead Shop, down in Orange County, here in California. The class will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2008, from 3:30 to 6:30pm. The cost of the class is $99, which includes materials.
To reserve your spot in this class, email Kerry directly at surfcitybeads@hotmail.com. We need a minimum participation to confirm the class!

Stop the wire from breaking

2008-05-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

Question: How do I get the wire to stop from breaking when I am weaving the net bezel with it?
Answer: You have to make sure you do not let the wire kink, and not even form any small loops. As soon as you see it forming a loop, carefully straighten it out.

Does tumbling break stones?

2008-05-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Question: Have you ever had any gems break during tumbling? It seems pretty rough to use with gemstone beads, or do you add the smaller ones after tumbling?

Answer: Most stone are fine during tumbling and will take it very well. I find that tumbling softer and porous stones such as turquoise or pearls can make them a little dirty. Even smaller and delicate stones are usually fine during tumbling.

Question about tumbler

2008-05-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Question:
I want to purchase a tumbler to strengthen some of my work. I was wondering what tumbler you use and what a good capacity size would be. Also, do I need two different solutions for polishing and strengthening?

Answer:
You don't really use a "solution" for polishing and strengthening. Instead, when you put the silver piece in a tumbler with steel shot (tiny pellets made of steel), the natural friction of the pellets against the piece polishes and hardens the silver. You should also add a dab of dawn detergent to clean the piece as well and cover everything with water (just an inch higher).
The final shininess is determined by how much time you leave the piece tumbling, normally between 1 and 2 hours.
I personally have a Lortone 3 pound single barrel, which I really like. Connie Fox's site www.conniefox.com sells it for a reasonable price. She also sells bags of steel shot, you should get a couple of pounds.

Using 26ga wire instead of 28ga

2008-05-15T10:00:00.001-07:00

Question: Can you use 26 guage wire for the [weave] wrapping? or is it to stiff?

Answer: Yes, you CAN use 26 gauge wire for weaving and coiling, but it will be a little bit trickier to work than the 28ga -- make sure it's soft and not half-hard. Also, if you are wrapping it around other thicker wire, then use thicker gauges, such as 14 or 16. That way, proportionally the entire piece will be bigger and bulkier.

Woven Hearts Tutorial

2008-05-10T12:51:00.001-07:00

After the post of the Heart of Gold pendant, I got flooded with so many requests to finalize the tutorial that I decided to sit for two days and finished it off. So here it is!!!! I had to repeat some of the photographs to figure out the bail portion, but now it's done and ready.
The best part of writing this tutorial was that it was almost like writing a beautiful love letter, especially steps 52 (connecting the two hearts) and step 53 (open up the two hearts). With love theme music in the background, it was a wonderful project to make...

With love, to all of you: Woven Hearts Pendant Tutorial.

FSOJ 2008 Week 18: Heart of Gold

2008-05-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is a double woven heart I'm going to give to a dear friend on Mother's day. I'm still working on the tutorial, but have still to work out the best way to create the bail. In this one, a jumpring holding five other rings was attached to the back. The center stone is a gorgeous facted aaa lemon quartz.

BeadCruise 2009

2008-05-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

My only live classes are always on the Ocean!!!
BeadCruise is going to happen again, and I can't wait to set sail again....

When: March 1 - 8th, 2009
Our next adventure will start in the city of New Orleans. We'll sail
for 7 nights on Norwegian's Spirit for a freestyle cruising experience.
Our tropical ports of call include Cozumel, Santo Tomas de Castilla,
Belize City and Costa Maya.

Instructors for 2009 are Marcia Decoster, Mary Hettsmansperger,
Eni Oken, Beverly Herman and your host, Heather Powers.
For more information go to: http://www.beadcruise.com/ .

Hurry hurry, because registration starts VERY SOON (I heard May 12th, or even earlier) and my classes fill up soon!

What gauge to use for woven pieces?

2008-05-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

Question: I have a [woven] bracelet design I've been working on. I've chosen 16 gauge for the support. It will be about 3/8 in. wide. I'm unsure what gauge to use for the weaving. I've thought about going as high as 22 or 21 ga. ... the bracelet needs to be sturdy. Do you have any advice on wire ga. and how to harden it afterwards, if neccessary? Not sure if something with a weave like this should go in a tumbler.

Answer:
I think 21ga is WAY too thick. As a rule of thumb, to make the weave look really nice is use 10 numbers up or down. If you are using 16ga for support, then use at least a 26 ga for the weave. You can use even thinner, but nothing thicker than that, or it will look very coarse. (Unless coarse is the look you are going for. ) I normally use 18ga or 20ga, woven with 28ga.

As for hardening the woven wire, the only way to do it is to through it in the tumbler for a couple of hours. Don't even try to touch it, or you'll ruin the weave. It will be just fine in the tumbler, the only problem is that some of the pellets might get stuck, so use caution when removing them so the wires don't get crooked.

Copyright sign on photos

2008-04-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Question: I like how you put a copyright sign and your name on all your pictures. Could you tell me the program you use to do this, and how you do it?

Answer: Essentially, I open up the file in Photoshop and add text to it, it's that simple. I do it in light grey, so that won't be too strong on the image. If you don't have Photoshop, then you can use Window's Paint program just as well.

Here's a tip: to input the "copyright sign", instead of typing on your keyboard, press the Alt button and then 0169 numbers on your numeric keypad. Then type the rest of your name.

FSOJ 2008 Week 17: Simple woven hoops

2008-04-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

These very simple and elegant hoops I made for my own use. They measure just under 2 inches in diameter and complement very well those fancy necklaces! The thick wire is 20ga, woven with 28ga. Really lightweight, love them!

FSOJ 2008 Week 16: Aquastar

2008-04-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

This is a variation of the sunburst created last week -- a much more organic and irregular version and this time mixing stones (aquamarines) and charms. I tried to add some of the weaves done for the other one, but it hid the stones too much and I ripped it away. I like it, but I think I like the one without the stones better, for some reason. Need to try to make another one of those in goldfilled.

The Underlying Design Structure

2008-04-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is email has such an interesting question that I thought it worth to post in its entirety. I've been waiting for someone to ask me this one...

Question:
Hello Eni -
I fell in love with your site and your jewelry a few months ago. I've made jewelry for years, but your design and your technique speaks so deeply to my sense of beauty and ornament.So, of course, I got to work and ordered lots of your tutorials (and eagerly await some more). In the meantime, I spend too much time staring at some pieces and wondering just where to begin to make something similar?

I think I'm talking first principles here. I want to know how to build the piece or, at least, how to think about it.For instance. The Marine Relic Pendants. I see 2 or 3 stones of slightly different sizes and cuts. They seem to be drilled. How do you combine (or unite them) to create a unified design? Or, with 5 stones, how to do you first think of putting them together? Is there some way to think about this? Do you ornament them first or do you first unify them and then consider other design elements? Do you know how the stones/gems will be supported/unified/connected before you begin?

I'm not asking whether you know how the piece will be before you make it. This is more concrete. Am I talking about armiture? (Not entirely familiar with that word in the jewelry context.)If I have 5 stones, all drilled lengthways, and I want to put them together in a pendant or something even more impressive like the pink paella necklace, then where/how do I begin the design process?

I want to provide support for the stones and decorative accents, but I need to know my stones are in a solid construction.I'd love a tutorial on the thinking and the development that goes in to making different pieces. What do you think of first? How do you make a unified, supported design of disparate elements. How much do you consider if something is "workable" before you begin?

I would love an answer, but this is a long note and I can wait for another tutorial. I'd love to see the whole Pink Paela series explained to me, along with the Marine Relic Pendants and the green tourmaline pendant.

It's such a pleasure to just look at your work and to know you have a commitment to share is like a godsend. I'll keep looking and puzzling and being excited by each new thing you show.The very, very best to you,Sincerely,

Answer:
A long question requires a long answer, so bear with me. As a person who studied ornament design extensively and with an architectural background, the underlying structure of a design is always a major consideration. How will the stones be held in place, and how do I make it so that the piece looks designed and unified.

In design, (any type of design, graphics, urban, industrial), there are a few types of underlying structures to choose from. A piece can have any of the following structures:
1) Radial -- that is, radiating from a center point into various directions),
2) Linear -- following a line or track (sometimes with multiple parallels and sometimes not straight)
3) Circular -- following a round circular system (slightly different from radial)
4) Chaotic or cluster -- without any apparent center or structure
5) Spiral -- forms a spiral (also similar to radial and circular)
6) Shape -- follows a geometric shape, like a square, rectangle, pentagon, etc.
Etc.
This list by no means is comprehensive.

Then, there are also the multiple combinations. You can combine a structure that has two major centers, forming a double radial. Or a linear which mixes with chaotic. Or a linear with radial. There are so many possibilities!

If you analise most pieces of jewelry, they follow one or more of these design structures. My bangles, for example, are obviously linear. They start with a linear core, and the elements are added parallel to that core.

My pendants are usually radial or circular -- they start with one or two larger stones, around which the other smaller elements gather and cluster. What seems to be very chaotic to you would appear extraordinarily simple seen from the back.

For the marine relic which you mentioned, there are two stones connected and then elements are added around and over.

So in fact, it always starts like this:
1) Choosing one or more types of underlying structures.
2) Selecting the stones which will form that structure -- usually (but not always) larger and more beautiful, important stones.
3) Connecting those important stones using an armature or frame to follow the structure(s) selected. If the stones are drilled, then wire goes inside, if the stones are not drilled, then wire is used under with some sort of method to setting to secure -- netting, prongs, etc.
4) Adding smaller stones and ornamentation around, over and in between the more important stones. This is usually done with the much thinner wire, with fiber techniques, but could be done in any other way.
The last step is what in fact, makes the design look more or less chaotic. If you add elements in an organized way, following the structure, then the work looks cleaner and neater. If the elements are added in a chaotic and irregular way, then the piece turns out more organic.

First put your big stones, then your medium ones, then your small ones.
It's easier to use one type of structure at first, then try to combine them later on.
That's it!
One day maybe I will make a tutorial on this, but what you have here is the essence of how it works. It helps to draw a very simple sketch of the structure -- not the final piece -- to serve as a guide.

Thanks again for asking this -- the teacher in me has been longing to answer this one!
:-)
---Eni Oken

FSOJ 2008 Week 15: Starburst Pendant

2008-04-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I would try something very different: this Starburst pendant is shaped like a sun, with some organic woven ladders in the middle. Feels small but very substantial, feels solid!

Stringing wire

2008-04-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

Question:
I have a quick question, do you use soft flex or wire when you make the necklace portion of your designs? If wire, what gauge? Thanks

Answer: I never string the necklace portion with regular wire, it can easily snap and it doesn't have much flexibility.
To string necklaces, I use Nylon Coated Stringing Wire (soft flexible wire). I prefer to use Professional 49 strands (because it has greater flexibility). The thicker the wire, the heavier the necklace can be. I use between 0.018 for slighly heavier necklaces and 0.013 for lighter pieces. The brand I'm currently using right now is Beadalon, but I don't personally have a preference for this or that brand.

Wire: dead soft or half-hard?

2008-04-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

Question:
I've just bought a couple of your fab jewellery tutorials but I'm not sure that I've bought the right silver wire. Would you mind advising me please?
Is the 18 gauge wire hard or half-hard?
Is the 26 and 28 gauge soft or dead soft please?

Answer:
normally you choose the wire as follows:
Between 14 ga and 20ga: half hard OR dead-soft.
Between 22ga and 30ga: only dead-soft.
The reason you want to have the thinner wire be dead-soft is because it becomes harder and more brittle with manipulation. So always start with deadsoft wire when using any type of fiber technique.

Jewelry Calculator: saving worksheets versus workbooks

2008-04-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

I received the following question via email regarding usage of the Jewelry Calculator:
>>>Is there any way to save data on a jewelry item without having to open a new workbook? It seems the only way to log information using your spreadsheet is to use the SaveAs feature and save a whole new xls file and then open the original workbook again and start over for each new piece. Is there a way to get it all to save in the same workbook on separate sheets so that it's all in one file perhaps?

The answer: I normally save a whole new worksheet, but this is how you can save a new worksheet:

SHORT AND FAST ROUTE:
Click and DRAG the tab called "Jewelry Price Calculator", located at the lower left corner of the calculator. You will see a small sheet of paper on the cursor. Press the CTRL button and you will see a small plus sign inside the sheet. Let go and a duplicate of that worksheet will appear!

Alternative LONG ROUTE:

1) Click with the RIGHT BUTTON of the mouse on the lower left tab named "Jewelery Price Calculator". A small menu will appear, select "Move or Copy".

2) A small dialog box will open. Make sure the option "Create a copy is selected".

3) A new tab called "Jewelry Price Calculator (2)" will appear. Click with RIGHT BUTTON of the mouse again, and this time select "Rename".

4) Type the new name of the new Worksheet. Now you can keep all your calculations in the same workbook.

This is especially useful if you have similar products or want to compare different alternative solutions to pricing a piece.

To check out the calculator, go here: Jewelry Price Calculator for Excel.

FSOJ 2008 Week 14: Beadcruise pendant

2008-03-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

This is my first entry for the FSOJ this year. I was debating if I should should start to catch up the last 12 weeks but figured it would be best to just bite the bullet and start at the second quarter -- Week 14.
This pendant was started at the BeadCruise I just recently went on, to Jamaica and Grand Cayman. The center cab is a gorgeous natural amazonite, with a blue-green so deep that it reminds me of the waters of the Caribbean. It's trapped in a netted bezel and surrounded by rough faceted peridot, aquamarine and apatite.

Net Bezel with two stones

2008-03-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

I got the following message via email:

"Hi Eni, How do you make the Netted Bezel without the bail? What do you do with the end's of the wire? I am working on attaching 2 netted bezels stones together one on top of the other for a pendent. Only the one on top needs the bail. I am not sure how to end the wire on the second one."

Answer: I usually just form tiny loops at the ends, or spirals. When connecting two stones together, I usually form an underlying figure eight instead of trying to make two separate circular frames. That way, I only have two ends of the wire to deal with, and not four.
In this example, the underlying structure holding the two stones is a figure eight. After that, a second wire was added for the border (see also Border for Net Bezel).

BeadCruise 2008

2008-03-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm back from the BeadCruise and it was just a ton of fun! I taught two classes, a full day and a half day. We sailed a total of 5 days, stopping in Jamaica and Grand Cayman islands.
Here are some pictures:

On the ship leaving Fort Lauderdale.

Ladies hard at work during the first full day class: Coiled bangle.

At shore in Jamaica.

Second class: half day: Netted Pendant.

About the Ruby Pendant

2008-02-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

QUESTION: I don't see the link to make this piece : http://www.enioken.com/jewelry/gem104.html
If I wanted to make this, where would I fine the supplies??... where would I find the beautiful faceted opaque rubies that you use to make this item.

ANSWER: There is no specific tutorial to build this particular piece, however, the tutorial http://www.enioken.com/jewelry/spiralpendant-054.html shows how it was built. The construction is the same, however, the spiral was made chaotic instead of regular.
I bought the opaque rubies at sunlightgems.com, but you can find them in other suppliers on occasion. I usually purchase my supplies directly from bead shows, and not from the site, since I get to pick and choose the strands I like.

Two questions: tumbling and failed projects

2008-02-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

I received the following questions:
>>>I guess my question for you (among many) is after creating one of yours (034 coiled bracelet) will it be all right to tumble it to clean it and also to harden the silver?

Answer: Yes, it is totally fine to tumble the coiled bangles. They should resist the tumbling just perfectly. If they don't, then you know you didn't build them right! :-)

>>>>>My next question............How many horrible things did you make and throw out in the beginning

Answer: Just to give you an idea, I have a shoe box I call "the cemetery", which is full of items which will never see the light of day or be shown on a website. This serves to remind me that not everything works out like we want it to, and that we are constantly learning!

Using beads instead of cabs

2008-02-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

Question via email:
"I have a question about another one of your tutorials: do you think with the square cab ring it's possible to use a square bead and just be careful about covering up the holes with the wrapping?"

The answer: Yes, absolutely -- the hole can even help to secure the bead better. Instead of starting the pattern right away, thread the wire through the bead first, secure it on the other side of the frame and only then start the weaving.

How to describe one's own work

2008-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

I received this question via email:
"I hope your having a great 2008. I have a question/need a little advice....I have been a wire artist for about [number] years now, and I am finally ready to market my jewelry to boutiques, shops, etc. However, as I prepare my brochure about my jewelry, I find it a little challenging to put into words how I want the public to view my jewelry line. For example, making jewelry is an art for me (and you too!!!!!) and I feel really connected to the stones, crystals, metals and I definitely want to express that, but I don't want to sound so deep and 'out there' that I exclude potential customers who like my jewelry just because it's pretty to them. At the same time, I don't want to sound shallow just to appease the mainstream population and feel like I'm not being true to myself and my art. Any advice on how to merge these two ideas would help. Thanks for your time. Happy jewelry making!"

My answer: Describing one's own work is one of the most challenging aspects of our work. I try to keep in mind what I was thinking during the moment I was creating the piece. Was it particularly challenging? Why? What inspired you to create it? A color, a moment, a person, an object?
Also, you can try to keep the description light and even a little bit funny. And most important of all: make it personal. Describe it like you are talking to the person directly, as if it were an email or a blog. That way you connect with the reader and you also eliminate that "new age/hippie" feeling you find in most artistic descriptions.
It is personal to you, it's your "creation", your baby, so make it deeply personal!
I hope this helps!

Spiral bezels for Ornate ring

2008-01-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Question: I just purchased your pattern for the 037 ornate ring and have a question. When adding the spiral bezels, are they placed on top of the base and wired or do they sit along the outside edge of the base, with the base forming a kind of tiny platform for the cabochon to rest on? I hope this makes sense!

Answer: the question makes perfect sense. The spirals sit alongside the outside of the base, that is why the base needs to be the size of the INSIDE OF THE CAB. So that the cab can sit on it without falling through.

Straightening wire

2008-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

Question: It regards wire straightening. I purchase some sterling silver wire. I think it is 24 or 26 gauge – finer, anyway. It came on a reel and it is pretty bumpy – not nice and straight. Is it a good idea to try to straighten it with either a wire straightener or some other tool?

Answer: it's better to avoid straightening wire excessively, because it will make the wire more brittle and springier. But in this case where the wire is really bumpy, do this: cut the length of wire that you require for the project, and then run a soft cloth over it to straighten it. If it's REALLY bumpy, then use nylon jaw pliers, and just run it up once or twice.
And again, avoid doing it a lot, or it will make the wire really brittle and springy in time.

How to hand coil

2008-01-13T11:28:00.000-08:00

Question: [In lessons such as the Coiled Bangle or Ornate Ring] regarding the coiling around the main frame of wire. Can you coil it with your round nose pliers and then slip it on to the frame wire? Other wise, I am having difficult working with such long pieces of wire. Do you cut your wire into more manageable sizes? Or do you start in the middle of the frame and wrap one way and then the other.

Answer: I normally cut a piece of wire that is no longer than my arms length, about 2 feet or under. Then I attach it to the frame by coiling once or twice. This is done by holding the frame and a short 1 inch tail with my left hand, and then holding the end of the long wire with my right hand (all this if you are right handed, of course). Then I pretend I'm sewing, holding only the end of the wire. I don't use the pliers, only my fingers. I don't run the wire along the length of the wire, or else it gets really springy.

I slip the wire through the work, from back to front, and pull it as if I were sewing. When the wire is long, you have to raise your hand to pull the entire length of wire (that's why it can't be longer than your arm). So it's very physical, to say the least.

HAPPY 2008!

2008-01-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 2008! I'm finally back from vacation and ready to tackle the new year. This year promises some big changes! Some friends and students are wondering why the site updates have been a little slow, both in terms of new jewelry and of tutorials. Well, it's not only because of the holidays == I'm working on a major revamp of the site and it's taking me all my time. It should be ready in 3 to 5 months.... hopefully sooner. So hang in there!

YOJ 2007 Week 44 Rainbow Babies and Tutorial

2007-11-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Alright -- after working on a bunch of these babies, I've FINALLY managed to unlock some method to the madness, and what was far more challenging, write a tutorial that made sense of all of it. I'm so psyched, I can't wait to see what people can do with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To this date, it was by far the most complex tutorial to write. Here's the link to the tutorial and to more pictures: Rainbow Wrap Ring Tutorial.

Now, a word of caution: I labeled it VERY ADVANCED, so proceed carefully, these are highly creative waters. Since no two rings are ever alike, the tutorial was divided into three sections. The first two sections can be reproduced faithfully.... the third one is the challenge. To unlock it, I created a series of 4 rules to follow while showing how they are constructed. Let's see how it goes... Send me pics of your beauties!

YOJ 2007 Week 43 Fire Seahorse bangle

2007-11-20T22:11:00.000-08:00

This bangle was one of the many commissions created for the end of the year. The buyer requested a piece in the same lines as the Marine Relic bangle, but using only Seahorses and in red and black. I couldn't help but naming the piece "Fire Seahorse bangle", as contradictory as it seems. The two main stones are NOT drilled and were trapped in nets in order to stay secured.

YOJ 2007 Week 42 Heart Pendant

2007-11-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

I'm not as late for the YOJ as I seem to be, just haven't had time to post new images. Working A LOT on end-of-the-year commissions and other projects. This is a heart pendant I created a few weeks ago, in practice for the upcoming Heart Pendant tutorial. The tutorial is not ready yet, but it's coming... I was attempting to work a bail slightly different than the original Aquamarine Heart Pendant I created a while ago. I'm not sure I like it that much more.

YOJ 2006 Week 41: Silver Rainbow wrap ring

2007-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

And... another rainbow wrap ring. Still trying to see if there is some method to the madness to try and make a tutorial, but until now, no success. This one made with silver and an abalone chip.

How to make a beaded bezel

2007-11-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

I received the following question via email:
"I was given several cabochons (different sizes and shapes). I love the netted look, but I am more interested in creating a frame with beads.... "

The answer:
You can adapt the Netted Bezel to look like a frame of beads instead of looking like a net. Just slip 2 or 3 beads onto the wire every time you make a loop. The bezel will frame the cabochon entirely with beads.

Mosaic Pendant tutorial and frames

2007-11-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

I received the following question:
"I was looking at your tutorials on your site. One of the tutorials entitled Mosaic Pendant uses a
silver oval frame as base of pendant. Does the tutorial teach how to make this by hand or is
this a component that must be purchased?
And...
If it is to purchase- where do I find this item?"

The answer:
The Mosaic Pendant tutorial DOES teach how to create a frame using thick wire, however, it's up to you if you want to use a hand-made frame or a commercial one. Sadco sells pre-made sterling silver frames in various shapes. You can also use a large jumpring as a frame.

YOJ 2007 Week 40: Another rainbow wrap ring

2007-10-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Another rainbow wrap ring. I started this one exactly the same way as the first one created on Week 39: Rainbow Wrap ring, but it turned out very different. Now I finally get it why these are so difficult to teach: there really is no apparent logic to the construction of these babies. I'm on a roll making them, I'm still yet to crack some method which will allow me to consistently create a similar design.

YOJ 2007 Week 39 - Rainbow wrap

2007-10-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is my first ever rainbow wrap... I had never tried these because I thought it would involve too many wires, (and it does), but this time it didn't bother me and it worked! It was very intuitive to make... The stone trapped in the ring is a citrine.

YOJ 2007 Week 38 - Roman Ring

2007-10-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting sources of inspiration to create jewelry are historic references. I recently ran across an image of an ancient roman ring dating of the third century A.D (see item 551 here: Roman Ring at Antique Touch). I just had to try to adapt it to a more contemporary version in wire, and this is it. The band turned out a little bit wider and airier, more delicate than the original design. This is the smallest cabochon I have ever netted, and it was... tricky, to say the least. Goldfilled wire and turquoise cabochon.

Adding more thick wire to border work

2007-10-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

I received the following question:

"Eni, I purchased the last 2 tutorials; netted bezel and border for netted bezel. I was wondering how do you begin and end the 20 ga wire for the one row of beads version? Is it done by the bail? Did you use a spiral or some other method?"

The answer:

It doesn't matter how many rows of beads you want to work, the wire is always added the same way. When I want to work a rows of beads around the netted bezel, I simply use longer 20ga wire. However, if the 20ga wire happens to be too short (so there were was only enough for the original netted pendant) and I feel like attaching new wire, it starts and ends with spirals.

The spirals don't have to be placed near the bail at all, they can be located anywhere.
In this example, the outer row of beads was created with wire which started and ended near the bail:

In this other example, the two spirals are located at the right side of the work, making it look more irregular and random.

YOJ 2007 Week 37 Netted Basket

2007-10-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

This little netted basket holds a large coin stone. The net is covered with tiny gemstones, so dense you can't even see the stone underneath from the front. But who cares, when you put the necklace on, the thing glitters like a treasure chest. On the back, you can see the stone peeking through the "torn fishnet stocking" effect. Goldfilled wire, jasper coin, hessonite, spessartite, garnet, citrine.

To sketch or not to sketch?

2007-09-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

I received the following question via email:
"I’ve never sketched my ideas but I’m increasingly finding out that the more successful jewellery designers do indeed keep a journal of their ideas and thoughts, including you. To sketch or not to sketch, that is the question :)"

My answer
The whole point of sketching, in my case, is that the journal works as a "pensieve" (for those who are not Harry Potter fans, read below). It serves as a place to dump ideas and designs. Normally I go about the day and see inspiring things all over the place. I find myself constantly having new ideas, new "what ifs" and it would be a waste if I didn't register them.
Then when those dry spells hit and the muse refuses to work overtime (because we all have those!!!), I know that I have that enormous cache of designs and ideas just waiting to be developed.

The Pensieve: The Pensieve is described by Wikipedia as “a stone receptacle in which to store memories. Covered in mystic runes, it contains a type of matter that is described as neither liquid nor gas. A witch or wizard can extract their own memories or someone else's and store them in the Pensieve and review them later. It also relieves the mind when it becomes cluttered with information. Anyone can examine the memories in the Pensieve, which also allows viewers to fully immerse themselves in the memories stored within, much like a magical form of virtual reality."

The Pensieve is one of the many magical objects found in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling and is one of my favorite objects because it allows to “empty the mind when excessively cluttered with information”. I became acquainted with Harry Potter books almost by accident, when I was asked to review them for some design work proposals back in 1999, and have become an avid reader ever since.

I’ve owned this type of Pensieve journal (also called a "creative journal") for many years, even before reading about the object. Instead of liquid or gas matter, it has pages. Instead of mystic runes, it has a hard cover embroidered with beads. Now in its 10th book, each one lasting about a year and a half, the Pensieve has been particularly interesting when I’ve needed to evaluate growth or change experienced during a certain span of time. I only use hard cover books with pages which cannot be ripped off and write with a permanent pen – no possibility of regret – once the thought is in the Pensieve, it’s registered forever and can be examined at any time later.

I cannot stress enough the value I place on my set of creative journals. These are so valuable to me that they are probably the second thing I would grab on my way out in case of a disaster -- the first one being my son!

YOJ 2007 Week 36 Green Abalone Pendant

2007-09-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is another version of the Netted Abalone pendant, but this time with green, delicious stones. Raw emeralds sent to me by my friend Lori A, tourmalines and high grade apatite. Gecko and frog couldn't resist such buffet of stones and jumped right in!

Ahhhh, and this one DOES have a tutorial, the second part to the Netted Bezel pendant...

Click here for more info: Border for Net Bezel tutorial.

YOJ 2007 Week 35 Net bezel with vines

2007-09-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

This is a piece with a Net Bezel made trapping a chalcedony stone. Around the stone, an extra row of topaz and amethyst. I also swirled the wire a bit, using the vine technique which Magdalena has used on some of her pieces. Fun to make, must try that more!

What wire for Net Bezel?

2007-09-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

I received the following question via email:
"I just downloaded your Net Cap tutorial (looks awesome, by the way!), and this particular piece calls for 28ga soft wire, for the bezel, and 28-30ga wire for the netting. Is it necessary to use soft wire, or will half hard work for the bezel? And how about the netting? If I'm using 28ga, will half hard work for it? (The type of wire work I do, I seldom ever use wire any smaller than 24-26ga, so the 28ga isn't very familiar to me!)

This is what I answered:
"You CAN use 28 ga half hard to coil the bezel, as long as you have strong hands. I find it a tad difficult to coil with the 28 ga half hard because it's so springy, and because the coils tend to become loose if they are not really tight.
The netting is a totally different story: the wire becomes springier as you work, and if you start with the half-hard, it becomes a nuisance to manage. So you have to work with soft wire.
You can use lower gauges such as 26 to make the netting, but it will be even more difficult. I would use it for a large piece, and make the loops proportionally larger. "

YOJ 2007 Week 34 Shell netted pendant

2007-09-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

And another netted bezel, this time constructed around a shell I bought in Hawaii (don't know the exact name). Goldfilled wire, tiny vermeil beads and tourmalines around it.

Wire Flush Cutter

2007-09-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

I got the following question via email:
"What is the best wire cutter you recommend? I'm willing to spend a bit more, but I want a really good pair of cutters. "

I recommend buying FLUSH cutters, which has one side flat. That way, when you cut the wire against the flat side, you don't get little burrs which can snag on clothing and scratch the skin. I've owned quite a few cutters, but just last year I got an indication from one of the newsgroups on a pair of cutters which I absolutely love: the Tronex 5223 (I just like saying the name out loud, it sounds like some sci-fi gadget, LOL!).

Now, I'm always saying that it's not the tool that makes the artist, so I'm not one for spending a ton of money on tools, especially when you are starting out. However... this baby was worth the pretty price I paid (almost $50!!!). I've had this cutter for exactly a year and a half, and I just can't say enough good things about it.
The official name is:
Tronex Model 5223 Taper Relief Cutter Razor Flush Cutting Edges (this link will take you to Amazon.com).

There are other cutters Tronex sells, but the reasons I liked this particular model are the following: the tapered tip allows to get into difficult corners easier than the oval tip; the relief makes this tip shallower than the regular tip; the razor flush is really the sharpest one of all (compared to the flush or semi-flush). The handles are 3 1/2 long, which are good for my small hands.

There is another model, the 7223 and the only difference is that the handles are an inch longer. The tip is exactly the same:
Tronex Model 7223 Taper Relief Cutter Ergonomic Handles with Razor Flush Cutting Edges

To see other Tronex cutters, here is an Amazon.com search: Tronex Cutters. I searched other places online, but they are all pretty much the same price.

YOJ 2007 Week 33 Turquoise Netted Pendant

2007-09-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, I was so happy that I had managed to catch with the YOJ, now I'm back to being late again. Oh well, you know what they say... better late...
This one is another netted bezel pendant, made around this fabulously clear irregular turquoise cabochon which I recently picked up from one of my favorite local suppliers, Sunlightgems. I'm getting ready to receive an enormous batch of tumbled stones from my dad's tumbler... can't wait. I'll be netting away! For more pictures of this pendant AND the tutorial, click here: Net Bezel Pendant Tutorial.

This tutorial is good as is, AND will also be the FIRST part of a DOUBLE lesson. The SECOND part will show how to add ornamental elements around the pendant, like the Aqua Nugget Pendant and the Abalone pendant. It was just too much, too large, to add everything in one single tutorial. The download of this one alone is a hefty 1.79mb, about 40 seconds in a fast connection.

Bead Show Checklist

2007-09-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

One of my students asked me an interesting question:
"I will be going to a huge Jewelry and Gem show next month. Any suggestions on how to choose stones and prioritize my inventory?"

Here are a few pointers to help make the best of a bead show without going TOTALLY broke (instead, just making a minor dent in the checking account):

1) Make a list of what you REALLY need. Make a *good* list, go through all your inventory and write down everything you can think of. Then, prioritize the items which you absolutely need and the ones that you can live without. Clasps, findings, metal beads, jumprings, stringing material ALWAYS get the top of the list. If you need any tools, add that to the top of the list too. Print out several copies of the list, because if you go to the show for more than one day, you tend to "loose the list" or misplace it in your anxiety to get to all those “pretties”.

2) Be prepared to walk a lot, where comfortable shoes and take drinking water with you. If you can go two days to the show, then go. A good way to not spend too much money is to walk most of the show area first, just scoping it out and asking prices, and making mental notes of where you saw this or that. Then do a second round and buy the things on the top of the list first. Come back the next day and then work your way to the bottom of the list.

3) When you ask prices, make sure you take into account the number of beads on a strand. Sometimes the strands are deceivingly shorter in one supplier than the other and what seems to be a good deal, could result in a higher price per bead.

4) Make sure you make a mental note of how many beads you will NOT be able to use from the strand, 10, 20 or 30 percent. This increases the average price of each bead.

5) If you can count the beads on a strand, then do it and divide the price of the strand by number of beads. This seems like an impossible task to do at a busy show, but after a while, you get used to it and can do it almost visually. Take notes of your "price per bead tolerance". Once you decide upon a specific maximum threshold price per bead, let's say one or two dollars, then it becomes clear that those expensive gemmy strands are not that expensive after all and will pay themselves on the long run. Most inexpensive stone beads should not be more than one dollar each, sometimes much lower.

6) Allow yourself some splurge money, but determine how much before arriving at the show. After you have done all your priority shopping, then you can just buy what you like, UP TO YOUR PRESET max.

7) When choosing transparent stones, look at the stone against the light. They should look beautiful even if they are faceted or smooth, well made and even if they have inclusions, those should not be cracks or make the stone dull or cloudy. Inclusions should always be interesting and not look like dirt. Cracks are not acceptable, because it means that the stone is about to break or was handled badly.

8) When choosing matte stones, make sure that the polish is not making them dull and there is no white color showing through, especially on the facets. It means the stone was dyed (particularly visible in candy jade). Inclusions should also be interesting and not look like dirt.

9) Beware of stones which are fragile, like apatite or turquoise. If you buy those stones, make sure they are thick and of very good quality. The thin and small ones will break.

10) Colors should always be natural and clean, not dirty looking. Very bright colors are probably artificial, including jade. Some dyes will fade in time.

11) If you have limited money to spend and your current inventory is low, then concentrate first on metals and then on one single color family, such as blue/green, or brown/red. This way you can get a variety of shapes to mix and match. You'll get tired of the color after a while, for sure, but it's better than getting a lot of different colors and then finding that nothing goes together and you don't have the appropriate sizes or shapes to create interesting pieces.

12) If you choose blue/green family, then the following stones are available: green garnets (vansuanite), peridot, aquamarine, peruvian opals, amazonite, kyanite, lapis lazuli, tourmaline, turquoise (can be a bit delicate), apatite (buy only very good quality), topaz in a variety of colors (can get expensive), chalcedony (can fade with time).
If you get brown red, then you can get jasper in a variety of patterns, agate, garnets, whiskey citrines, smokey quartz. This series of colors is usually cheaper than the blue/green.

13) If you can, take a break halfway through the show and evaluate your current purchases. Countless times I forgot to evaluate the inventory halfway the show, only to find that I bought certain items twice, at different vendors.

14) When purchasing, ask the name of the person who is serving you and for their card. Remember, most of the vendors are people who love beads just like you do, and they can become good friends. Later on, if you find yourself buying always from the same suppliers, there is no need to go to shows, you can buy directly from them.

15) Immediately after purchasing (or while you are buying), write the cost of the each strand, the name of the stone/material and the name of the supplier on the bead baggies with a sharpie pen. This helps to: calculate the cost per bead for accurate jewelry pricing; buy more of a specific bead from a supplier in the future; write more accurate descriptions of stones or materials for customers.

16) When arriving home, count the amount of GOOD beads on each strand and divide the cost of the strand per number of beads to find the price per bead. This makes it easier to calculate the price of final pieces. If your beads are pretty regular and tiny, then use the Bead Cost Calculator – free here: http://www.enioken.com/jewelry/beadcost.html. Remember to include the date you are making the purchase.

17) Finally, wash your hands after leaving the show, since beads can leave dark residue on the hands. When leaving, ask for a “return pass” at the exit if you intend to return, most shows allow re-entry the next day.

18) NEW: When buying repeat items, take a sample of the finding or bead and attach it to the list with scotch tape. This way you value the list more (because after all, it's got valuable stuff on it, so you won't loose it) AND you can match the items perfectly. Do not take for granted that the same supplier will have exactly the same item -- jumprings tend to be skinnier, hammered metal tends to have a different finish, stones seem a slightly little different color.

19) NEW: If you plan to buy very little of each item, then bring a friend or two: that way if you see something really PRICEY, you can split a strand. It's also good when negotiating for gold and silver, suppliers tend to give better prices if they know they will sell more quantity. (Suggestion by Karen Hardy). Now, with that said, keep in mind that friends also tend to encourage you to spend more, and to be less focused on what you really need. But it's always fun to compare who got the better loot at the end of the show!

Most of all, remember to have fun… !!!
Oh, almost forgot, when choosing what to wear to the show, you can really go all out in terms of jewelry -- the bigger the better. Most shoppers love to compliment AND receive compliments on jewelry, which is a great way to make new friends.

Organizing projects and beads

2007-08-31T15:20:00.000-07:00

I received the following email from M.D.:
"I remember clearly that I read somewhere you had back problems and had to stay in bed because of that. Nevertheless it didn't keep you from making jewelry. I am facing the same situation. I am not looking forward to it but the worst thing is ... I can't do without making jewelry! Do you have any ANY suggestions for me concerning how you organized your stuff so you could keep working? "

Here is an excerpt of my answer:
This is how I organize my beads: I have hundreds of tiny plastic containers to stash my beads (about 1 to 2 inches wide). Each type of bead goes into one little box. Then I organize all the boxes by bead color into shallow drawers.

This helped me when I was ill because it allowed me to select a bunch of tiny bead boxes I needed for a specific project, and put them with wire and pliers in a small plastic flat tray or tool box. This box went with me to bed. I literally made jewelry flat on my back.

After I recovered, I kept the habit: before starting a project, I place a few pliers, cutter, a few rolls of wire and bunch of tiny boxes of beads in a small plastic tool box. I can then take this with to the beach or to a coffee shop, or even to a waiting room, at a doctor's appt or car wash. It's a type of portability that I like very much.

Any tiny pieces of wire or leftover beads go straight into the tool box. When I'm ready to start a new project, just use the leftover wires from the previous project and switch the little tiny boxes for different ones. After two or three projects, I clean up the tool box, removing any wires too small to be used again.

As you can see, I also label each box with a sticker including the cost of each strand, the cost of an individual bead, day of purchase and supplier. That makes it also very easy to calculate the cost of a piece of jewelry.
You can find these tiny boxes at Gary Packaging.

Inspiration...?

2007-08-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

I received the following question by email:

“Do you design a piece first and then buy stone and embellishments to fit the vision...or do you study the cache of stones and let them inspire the design...I struggle with getting started on any piece. I am artistic by nature so I am not without talent, but… etc. “

The answer lies somewhere in between: since gemstones always come in different shapes and sizes, I usually first look at the cache of stones I have at hand and let them bring some inspiration. With that said, after a while of working with the same suppliers of stones and beads, you come to know what you will be able to find in your personal cache and even at your favorite bead supplier, therefore you CAN design first and then go shopping for the items of your vision, as long as you respect the limitations of what you already know will be available.

Think about it, isn't it always that way with any other form of art? Doesn't any good designer need to be familiar with the materials available so that the designs are not impossible to execute?

I would recommend that any jewelry artist study the market of supplies a little and become more familiar with sizes, colors and types of stones and beads. This will make the designer more secure about the possibilities AND will start the gears turning: "what if this particular stone were combined with this other bead" or "what if this stone were used with wire in a certain technique".

Keeping a creative journal with ideas and designs is also a very good idea. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a good journal to just pour ideas into. Every time inspiration happens, (by a stone, a vision or anything else) the idea is registered in the journal. When time comes to develop a piece, I only have to flip through the journal and pick one. This creates an endless source of ideas readily available, especially for those times when the muse doesn't seem to want to work overtime. :-)

Individual Mentoring FAQ

2007-08-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

I recently reinstated the Individual Mentoring program for Jewelry Makers. This online class was introduced in August 2003, but was not active during most of 2006 for personal reasons. Now it's back! During 4 months, we work together in whatever area of jewelry making the student wishes to address.

I received the following set of questions from Sandra, asking for more information on the how this class works:

1) Can you tell me more about what I should expect from this program?
Answer: The individual studies are tailored for each person, according to their preferences. When we start the mentoring, your first assignment will be to select 2 to 10 of my tutorials you wish to work on, and I'll organize them in logical order, and add other assignments which will allow you to prepare to complete those tutorials. These assignments could be as simple as doing research on the web, or hands-on practical projects for you to complete. You may need to repeat a practical assignment a couple of times until you can work on a new one (practice makes perfect).
We also establish at the very beginning your goal for our time together. Some people want to know more about business, others want to explore personal style in design and others just want to work on their technique.

2) How many emails do you typical trade with your students per week?
Answer: It largely depends on you. I have one student right now who sends me 3 or 4 emails per day because she quickly finishes her assignments and has lots of questions, while I have another who send me one email per week at the most. Most students send me 3 to 5 emails per week, because they need time to finish their assignments before they are allowed to start a new one. Normally I answer emails once or twice a day, once in the morning and once at night and I take a break on the weekends. The only exception is if I'm out of town -- then we can have several hours of work planned for you until I come back.

3) How many projects do students typically complete in the four months?
Answer: Again, it depends on your own speed and your own personal goals. Some students have finished dozens of projects by the end of 4 months, some finished 10 at the most. Some students work on more difficult tasks, such as developing style, in which case the goal is not really to complete several projects, but yet to produce ONE good and very unique piece at the end of a certain period of time. Also, the assignments will sometimes involve exercises such as drawing, if you are so inclined, or researching material on the web, or even practicing how to do related tasks such as oxidizing pieces or learning how to photograph properly -- in which case you are not producing pieces, but yet working on supporting activities.

4) Roughly how many hours per week your students spend working?
Answer: I would say that it averages about 10 hours, but once more, I follow your lead. I highly RECOMMEND that you allow time to work on the projects on a continuous flow -- continuity and practice are the only way to guarantee your success. You should allow at least 1 hour per day, at the very least. Recommended is two or three hours per day, in an ideal situation.

If you have any other questions to add to this FAQ, then contact Eni!
To sign up for the Mentoring class, click here:
Individual Mentoring for Jewelry makers.

YOJ 2007 Week 32 - Spiral Pendant

2007-08-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to catch up with the YOJ!!! This pendant was made in goldfilled wire, with vermeil beads and some luxurious gemmy beads: apatite, topaz in baby blue and london blue. This pendant was constructed with a spiral understructure and yes, there is a tutorial for it: Spiral Pendant.

Interesting enough, several other pendants that I have worked on follow almost identical structure:

Can you see the spiral structure in these? :-)

YOJ 2007 Week 31 - Triangular Pendant

2007-08-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

My American father is a rock hound and loves to tumble rocks for me. This stone he found in Canada, in a little shop. I can only guess that it is chalcedony and it's a perfect little triangle. I trapped it in a simple netted bezel and strung the pendant on a delicate goldfilled/vermeil bead necklace. To see other pictures, go to the page Triangular Pendant.

How your Majesty was built

2007-08-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

My latest entry at the gallery is a necklace I called Your Majesty the Queen, because it looks simply rega to me. However, the construction of the piece was not too difficult -- just VERY time consuming.

The pendant was constructed almost exactly as the Gold and Purple Flower Pendant. The only difference is the center: instead of a cluster of beads in the very center, I added a bead cap and rondelle. The tutorial for this pendant can be foun here: Gold and Purple Flower Pendant Tutorial.

The neckpiece is a modified version of the Coiled Bangle. Instead of one small bead place at the in-betweens, I added two small bead caps, back to back. This made them flare out. I also eliminated any beads on the edges of the coiled frame and added some bead caps over the rubies. To make the neckpiece curved, I shaped it as I was working (not after completing it). A tutorial on how to make the bangle can be found here: Coiled Bangle tutorial.

What makes this piece so great is the sheer amount of precious materials used in it, and also the time it took to build. A VERY long time... :-)

To see more pictures of the final piece, go here: Your Majesty the Queen Necklace

YOJ 2007 Week 30 - Abalone pearl necklace

2007-08-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

This pendant was created almost the same way as the one created for week 18 Abalone Netted Pendant, however, the results turned out quite different. The abalone piece was much lighter and had softer colors than the original, so I combined it with white potato pearls and moonstone. A much softer and sweeter piece, in my opinion. See more pictures at the page Abalone Pearl necklace.

Which wire to use in tutorials, dead-soft or half-hard?

2007-07-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

I received the following question regarding the temper of wire to use in tutorials:

"I just downloaded and started reading through some of your tutorials. In Tutorial 019, Double Hook Clasp, as well as some of the others, you refer to 16 or 18 ga. wire. Is this dead soft or half hard?"

The answer:
Most of the wire I use is dead-soft, but here is the general rule to follow: if the wire is 24, 26 or 28 ga, it's NEEDS to be dead-soft, since it becomes brittle with manipulation. If the wire is 22 or thicker, then you can use either one. I always use dead-soft, but if you have half-hard at hand, then by all means, use it too.