Snow!

Wow! We haven't had snow like this in about 15 years!!! gorgeous, sparkling 8 inches of snow! The dogs were wary at first and then really dove in! Since I am snowed in the house, due to my long, downhill, curvy driveway, I have a whole day of jewelry making ahead. I have a new wholesale account- yeah HodgePodge!- and so I am working on a line of Ephemera pendants for them. They are the same style as my Ephemera Necklaces on http://melaniehazen.etsy.com, but will be some exclusive designs just for the shop!

Ocean Vertebrae Bead

Ocean Vertebrae Bead, originally uploaded by melaniehazen.

This isn't a new bead, but I was looking at my pictures and remembered that I LOVE this design. I need to get on the torch this weekend and do more of these. It's encased raku powder, and the aqua tones were really surprising. It's a slow process... wrapping two spirals of clear, melting in- without burning up the color in the raku powder, and then encasing the entire bead with a third full layer of encasing and melting smooth. It's a labored process, but a labor of love.

Key (no. 1)- Necklace

Key (no. 1)- Necklace, originally uploaded by melaniehazen.

So I have totally fallen in love with keys of all kinds, but especially vintage keys! I am going to be working with these a lot more, but for now, I am doing simple charm necklaces, featuring 1 key, 1 crystal and 1 charm. I think it's a cool blend of the bright and the weathered.... I'll post more pics of additional key jewelry as I get them photographed.... got to go to my local odds and ends shop and buy more old keys!

So what do you think of the key theme? what cool ideas do you have about keys or other vintage stuff that can be transformed into jewelry?

Whispering- Earrings

Whispering- Earrings, originally uploaded by melaniehazen.

So this is a totally new style I am developing. I love the smooth, swooping shape of these earrings. I also love hammering.... maybe it's weird, but hammering sheet or wire is very cathartic for me. I am also trying out another photography strategy... i like the "book look"... as a librarian, the pages of books appeal to me. But to twist that idea, i am opening the pages for the pic and then finding a word or phrase to use as the title for the piece of work...i have done this now on a couple of listings and i really like the outcome so far... this one.... Whispering.... and these earrings really fit that name i think. I'll post more titles that "found me" later.....