DIY Patterned wire pearl ring

Have you seen patterned wire before? I have, in numerous ads of sites that flood my inbox everyday tempting me to work with them. Alas, I do not find them in India and its too expensive to import wire. Then one day, as I was getting ready to go to a wedding, I realised that something was pricking my hand. One of the metal bangles that I was wearing had come apart and was pinching my skin. You might wonder how this is possible...I wondered the same - I had never seen or heard of a metal bangle break before!!
I removed it and kept looking at it for a few minutes and that when I realised that it was nothing but a strip of patterned wire, hence was flimsy and prone to breakage. So I did what any decent crafter would do - upcycle it :) I made a pretty pearl ring out of it and here is the process.
Note :You dont need a broken metal bangle to make the ring, just get 1-2mm wide patterned wire strip thats not too flimsy.

 Materials Required
- Patterned brass wire strip  - 1mm, 6-8" long
(or) Thin metal bangle (2.6 or 2.8 size)
- 1 pearl
- 28g copper wire
- 28g gold wire
- wire cutter
- Nose pliers

How to make the ring:
1) Use an existing ring to learn your ring size on the mandrel.

2) Straighten out the patterned wire, wrap it around the designated size, 2-3 times till the entire wire is used.
 
3) Cut 12" of copper wire and wrap together the edges of the patterned wire. When you are half done,Remove from the mandrel, add in the pearl and continue wrapping. 

4) Take 8" of the gold wire and insert it into the pearl and keep wrapping at its base so as ot form a birds nest. (You can use the same wire, I just wanted the two tone effect so I used 2 different wires)

5) tuck the ends into the wire nest. Your Patterned wire aka recycled bangle ring is done

 I hope that you find it interesting
Cheers

Pic of the month - blocks of color

With Multi color patterns gaining importance in the fashion world, it only felt right to discuss colors in this month's " Pic of the month column". This photograph of colored glass doors and windows is from the Mehrangarh Fort, in Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Such windows are commonly seen in a lot of palaces in Rajasthan, particularly in the Zenenna Mahal and Badi Mahal of the Udaipur Palace.
This particular complex is called the Phool Mahal palace or palace of flowers. This was supposedly a confidential meeting chamber built by Maharaja Abhay Singh. The ceiling is decorated with gold filigree and mirror work. The sunshine comes through these stained glasses doors and windows, lights up the gold in the room and imparts a magical appearance to the room - truly ones thats fit for Kings!

The Colored glasses are used in a mosaic pattern but in an organised geometrical format which sets it apart from the stain glasses domes and windows that you normally would see in palaces or churches. In my observation (I couldnt go close enough to touch them) colored glass squares are just insets in the wooden frames. Its the light that makes it look like a  stained glass mural. I will do a color palette on the same lines soon.

Details about this photograph

Titled - Tinted Vision

Location - Mehrangarh fort, Rajathan

Camera - Canon 550D DSLR

Type - Perspective/ Interior Photography

I hope you found it interesting
Cheers 
 

Efflorescence - My first art bead Jewelry challenge

I have entered my designs for publications, contests and reviews so far, but I have never really made the beads or components from scratch. Being a regular reader of the Art Bead Scene blog, I was really inspired by their May challenge to participate in it. You can read more about the challenge here. In short, they provide you with an inspiration image and you need to create jewelry inspired by the art using art beads that you or someone else made. 

 I chose to explore epoxy clay as it lends well to making components. I used the color palette and concept of flowers being in different stages of bloom from the inspiration image.

 I made three leaves, six buds and six flowers -  a total of 15 beads. First I thought of making beads and then wrapping them with wire, then I figured that it will be better If I inserted 26g wire into them while drying. Once Dry, I hand painted and glazed them.

I used 16g brass wire for the base, as I wanted something strong yet which provided comfort while wearing. To this I connected the beads by wrapping. It was quite tough to keep the beads from falling off and I had to change the placement 3-4 times before finalizing it. To embellish the piece I wire wrapped yellow and green glass beads to the whole necklace - which is a cross between a choker and a wreath necklace.
It was a lot of work no doubt but I really like the final outcome.. here it is Efflorescence (meaning in stages of bloom)

So What do you think?
Inspiration Image - "Vaas met bloemen in een venster :: Vase with Flowers in a Window, 1620, by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Oil on Copper, 64cm x 46 cm

I hope you find it interesting
Cheers

Giveaway Winner and my Latest Features

Firstly, let me take a moment to thank everyone, who participated in my Sew Mama Sew Away and left wonderful comments!! I really liked reading about your favourite summer accessories :)the obvious favourites were sunglasses, scarves, brooches and hair accessories (to tie you hair back in style ofcourse!!). So, using the random number generator, the winner is Budgeteer who said Brooches are my favourite accessory for summer and winter. Thank you for this lovely giveaway. Congrats Lesley :) I will be mailing you shortly

I was talking to a friend recently and was told that there is no such thing as "too much good publicity" when I was said that I am not sure if I wanted to put up my craft features in this blog. So indulging that friend here are pics of the yarn lamp feature, that appeared in Kunkumam Thozhi, A tamil Magazine, may issue 2013. Making a yarn lamp is very easy, dip yarn (I used a combo of cotton twine and acrylic wool) in fevicol water mix (2:1) and wrap over a balloon. Cut balloon when dry, insert the shade in a wall mounted CFL or desk lamp and Decorate!!

My "Gold at the end of rainbow" necklace tutorial is now available as a part of a free 11 basic jewelry making ideas ebook by Allfreejewelrymaking.com..get your copy today...
There are 11 jewelry projects, in the book, created by fashion & design bloggers like me.These ideas and projects are great for those who are just starting out with jewelry making as the projects have full step-by-step instructions with pictures. 
You can learn basic wire wrapping techniques, simple stringing, a classic chainmaille weave to make earrings, bracelets and necklaces. 
You will have to fill in your email id to download the ebook



Hope you find it interesting
Cheers

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway

 This Giveaway is now Closed. 
Hey Guys, The sew Mama Sew Giveaway is Back with a bang and I am participating for the 5th time with a hand sewn accessory. 

What will you win?
My Neon Blue, Green & pink Lace Necklace that I talked about in my "There's something about lace " post. Its a combination of two laces hand sewn together with a neon pink chain as embellishment and has a silver tone lobster clasp. Its perfect to be worn as a collar necklace or a bib necklace

& This darling  Jute silk hair clip with pearls (Or I could make it into a brooch if you like)

Want to participate?
I had a lot of trouble with rafflecopter last time, so this time around, I am going to simplify things. Here is how you enter the giveaway

Mandatory entry - You leave one comment stating "What is your favourite summer jewelry or accessory or what is that you like wearing during summers?" (Make sure that I have access to your email address)

Optional Entry - You leave one comment stating how you follow - GFC, Facebook, Email or Bloglovin. To "Follow me"  click on the below options or follow through google friend connect (GFC).
  If you follow through multiple ways, you can list them all in the same comment. Each way you follow will be considered as one entry in the giveaway.
People who follow through email, please click on the post link to come to this page and leave you comments only here.

This International giveaway is open until May 10th at 5 PM. PST (5 AM IST, on May 11th). The Winner will be announced and emailed on May 11, and the prize will be shipped by May 15th.

Visit sewmamasew page for the list of other bloggers participating in this Giveaway.

Good Luck..Cheers & Make sure that I have access to your email address

Every Color has a story - I

Hello people, I have been in the mood for series posts lately. so along with the pic of the month and bridal series, both which are monthly columns, I thought of adding in one more for fun. A series of color palettes and how they could be used in design.
I have been wanting to make an ebook of color palettes for a long time now for people always say that my color combinations are new and sometimes unconventional. But I guess it never really got around to doing it. So Finally I woke up this morning and decided to put my slightly chilled out week to good use by making color palettes.
Starting this month, Every Color has a story!! will not just talk of colors but also of stories/incidents associated with them, with my life. My motive is to entertain and educate at the same time, lest I sound like myself during my design process lectures...:D LOL!!

Indian Summers are harsh to say the least, and there is no romanticizing it. But what I love (or used to love) about summers as a kid were the blooms it brought. Cassia*, may flowers, bougainvillaea, OMG what beauties!! As a sick kid I was denied ice cream, cold drinks, playing in mud, playing in the sun or even with flowers, but fortunately I wasnt allergic to cassia and coconut trees, so these were my respite. There was this open ground in front of my house, with just a type writing institute and a single Casssia Fistula (Sara Konrai, Tamil) tree next to it. I would have spent countless hours under that tree, mesmerized by the beauty of these flowers, dreaming up a kingdom where cassia flowers bloomed in plenty and I was a warrior princess :)
Even today the sight of a sara konrai is enough to bring a smile to my face .

Idea illustration - Sayuri Archives Season 7

* Cassia Fistula also known as Amaltaas, is a tropical ornamental tree with hard reddish wood trunk, long grape-bunches like yellow gold flowers and fruits as cylindrical pods. Many countries including India, Thailand, Ghana, Nicaragua, and Vietnam have issued stamps to commemorate this tree.

NOTE: All palettes come with Pantone color pickers (solid coated, solid matt or process coated). You can use the convertor in the pantone website to arrive at the exact shades for your end use whether it is textiles, paint or paper.
You are free to use the color palette in any and all product design work, but please refrain from putting it in your portfolios and give due credit.Thanks!!

I hope you find it interesting
Cheers

How to dome without a block - tutorial

Copper Flowers from my mother's garden has been the most popular post of this year on my blog so far. In that post after outlining my flame paining experiment, I had said that I would soon reveal how I domed my flowers without a doming block. We crafters and designers generally are attracted to tools and supplies more than anything else. While I splurge on supplies (beads yaay!!) I try and save on tools by only buying those I really need. I have also been a lucky recipient of many tools from cousins who presented them to me. When I wanted to work more with sheet metal I went and bought myself a steel bench plate (block) and hammer but not a doming block as I thought it was unnecessary. However I started craving for it. So once I flame painted my flowers I was desperate because I wanted to make them 3D but didnt have a block.Irritated  I went back into the kitchen and that when this brainwave hit me - SPOONS!! The fact that I could totally use big sturdy spoons as doming blocks was an eurekha moment and I would like to share it with you as the second tutorial for this this.

 

So what do you need? A sturdy wooden surface, the metal sheet you want to dome, cut in circles or punches as flowers(like I have here), strong aluminum or heavy duty brass round spoons like the ones in pics. Indians - I am referring to the oil or ghee spoon (enna karandi in tamil) that we all regularly use at home and a basic doming hammer

For this tutorial, I am using 2 different sizes of spoons and a punched out copper flowers. There isnt any step wise procedure. Just put the flowers in the spoon, hold the handle of the spoon and hammer with the round side of the hammer. Very Simple!! The amount of curvature depends upon the size of the spoon, size of the hammer head and the amount of force that you use. I wanted a gentle dome, so a couple of hits were enough for me.

In some pieces I had made a hole before hammering and in some after and I realised that it is better to make the hole before ( and file the edges to smoothness) so that the final shape doesnt get affected by any additional hammering or filing.Once all the pieces were domed I flame painted them. You can read the rest of the procedure here. Here is the final result as shown in my previous post

I dont know if this technique will work for thicker sheets but its worth trying as its free of cost. :D

I hope you find it interesting. 
With the Google reader going out of style...you can Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Cheers