Tuesday 30 August 2011

The Humble Jumpring

It has been some time since I have created an entry for the Blog. Reason being that I did not want to write just anything, it had to be relevant and of some use to you all. I finally decided on a topic, that being the JUMP RING ;')
One of the most versatile and undervalued component in jewellery making!
I always have a huge stock pile of jump rings available to me in all sizes as you never know when one will be the right answer to a problem.

I use them to attach chain to my pieces and also to end chain and attach a clasp, I feel it gives a much more finished feel.

Used here to cover crimp bead
I also use them to hide crimps at the base of a horseshoe protector, not only does it add interest it covers the scratchy crimp and wears better( I find) than crimp cover balls.


Connecting two beaded sections together







I also love to use them to connect two beaded sections together in necklaces & bracelets, I have found it adds strength to the piece but also allows the piece to move better and prevents it from becoming all kinked up. Another favourite way is two cross to jump rings over into one another this again adds strength. They can also add length in a piece where you need just a fraction to get the size right.


Large Etched jump rings make a feature of these earrings


There are many decorative jump rings available also, they make great focal pionts in a piece such as earrings.



Used in this piece to form a Spiral chainmaille detail
My favourtie way to use them is to create simple chainmaille sections in any piece I feel needs it, I find normal jump rings from my suppliers work well in chainmaille styles such as spiral weave and byazante weave.

Creating simple chainmaille sections in a piece replaces the need for chain and can also add depth and character to your item.

Tuesday 19 July 2011

1000 FAN GIVEAWAY

WOW
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, 1000 FANS SO FABULOUS ;')

I am extremely happy and honoured to have so many people interested in my Jewels
i love to wake everyday and interact with you all, the feedback it what keep me going, the urge and desire to create and bring you that WOW factor.

So in honour of you all i am having a few giveaway to suit both the buyers and the creators

1) YOU MUST BE A FAN OF THE PAGE
2) MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT GERMANO ARTS
3) A NAME WILL BE RANDOMLY DRAWN
4) MAKE SURE YOU WRITE WHAT ITEM YOU ARE COMMENTING ON ;')



GIVEAWAY NUMBER 2 PERUZI OLIVE GLASS FRIT STAMP CAB NAME DRAWN MIDDAY 21.07.2011


WON BY LOUISE ANNE OF TASMANIA


Wednesday 29 June 2011

PHOTOGRAPHING JEWELLERY

Photographing Jewellery! This has been on my mind to share for a while, these are my experiences on the best way to photograph Jewellery. I am by no means a photographer nor am I am saying this is the correct way. I do find this works for me & sharing what I have learnt may help others.

STEP 1: Use a plain white base ( I use a ceramic serving plate) or alternatively I have since discovered taking photo's outside in natural light against a gray background such as an old fence paling works even better.


STEP 2: Use a prop to position on or near the item ( I use flat garden stones)
I have seen people use fresh flowers and clear crystal bowls

STEP 3: Use natural light, a bright clear sunny day, position the items with the sun coming from behind you. 

STEP 4: Use the Macro setting on your Camera this picks up fine detail & ensure the non shake setting is on( I don't know the tech term for that one)



STEP 5: Position your piece to show the best aspects of the piece with no shadows being cast across the item,as above.


NOTE: Avoid early morning sun & late afternoon sun as I have discovered it emits a very yellowish hue over the entire photo: see example

Monday 6 June 2011

DESIGNING WITH PERUZI

A Long time ago in the world of Facebook I kept seeing this name appear in my Home News feed from other Facebook Friends"Peruzi", well naturally curiosity got the better of me and I had to check it out.
I became a fan but still didn't make any moves to purchase something, until one day a FB friend who lives way across the other side of the world posted a necklace she had made with a "Peruzi" piece. My eyes were opened *'* BIG AND WIDE.

"Wow" I thought I must look into this and see what I can do with this person's product. I made my first purchase through her little shop on http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=4921 a sweet bird Pendant.
 The necklace sold very fast and the response was incrediable."That's it" I though to myself I must buy more & now. From there an obession had started. I have bought several pieces and turned them into so many different little works of art, taking care to ensure each piece is as different as possible to the last. I find they tend to sell themselves as they exude such personality and are so delightful to work with. Made with so much care and love.
So here I am today sharing with you all my love of "Peruzi". I asked the creator of "Peruzi" Natalie Fletcher - Jones to share with us some  details about her fast growing business.                                    
Natalie is from the U.K.originally where she attended an Art school, however before finishing her degree she moved to Australia with her other half settling in South Burnett in QLD, where she comfortably lives with her chooks, cats and goats. Natalie has been a hobby Potter now for around 15 years, with the past four being dedicated to creating her own unique line of Pendants, Cabochons and Bead sets. 

 The name " PERUZI" Natalie says " Is totally invented. I wanted some thing that sounded kinda sophisticated/classy (in my mind anyway) and some thing European sounding (me being a european and all!) and I also really like play on words thingies, so it kinda worked in a 'to peruse' kinda way!"
Every piece of work that comes out of Natalie's studio is custom made all done by hand using a variety of clay types and fired using a variety of glazing techiniques. Natalie states" She LOVES what she does and adores breaking the rules & experimenting with things that are not supposed to go together". Natalies loves the effects of colour & texture with a mix of contempary & vintage. This I feel has become "Peruzi's" distinctive signature. Natalie has recently been creating an exiciting line of Pendants & Cabochons using real vintage decals, these have been an amazing addition to her already extensive line of product.
 Natalie also says that"Most of her sales and clients have come through her website but with the popularity of Facebook she now has quite few sales through her page". Natalie also supplies her goods to three or four different Galleries and Bead stores within Australia and is always looking for interested parties to stock her goods.


Natalie recently enjoyed the lime light of a feature article on her in Australia's top Beading Magazine Australian Beading, Vol 5 No 2 pages 21 & 22
If you would love to purchase a "Peruzi" original you can contact Natalie via her Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Peruzi.net or via her webpagehttp://www.peruzi.net/
                                      

Wednesday 11 May 2011

GIVE AWAY TIME

MY FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY ;')...... YAH!!

This giveaway is to mark the occassion of reaching 800 fans on FACEBOOK.
My number 1 Social media outlet.
So a HUGE thank you to everyone that has supported me from the beginning, you all know who you are;').
You have been here all the way and through the ups and downs and these been a few.
I have acquired some amazing friends through Facebook, I appreciate their input, feedback, support and love.
Everyone of you on Facebook that openly support me you are all amazing people and this is my way of saying THANKYOU xxxxx

Okay so I have two items to choose from,
1) You must be a fan on FACEBOOK
2) Leave a comment about which item you would like to possibly win
3)Have fun with it

HANDMADE POLYMER CLAY PENDANT

PALE PINK NIGHTSHADE EARRINGS


Wednesday 27 April 2011

A SIMPLE WAY TO PATINA

One of the reason's I started this Blog was to share things that I have learnt since my obession with Jewellery Design started. So slowly I will upload some photo's and a general technique for you to use to your advantage.
 I while back I started seeing all these Patinaed Brass findings on Etsy & had to know how to do it, so the search began and I came across this product Rub & Buff and I love it;').
So, how to Patina the easy way(without ammonia).

STEP 1 :
APPLY TO BRASS WITH A SOFT CLOTH/LEAVE TO DRY AS PER INSTRUCTIONS.
STEP 2: REMOVE EXCESS WITH SAME SOFT CLOTH BY GENTLY RUBBING.


STEP 3 :APPLY A THIN COAT OF SEALANT TO PREVENT PATINA WEARING OFF.
 


THE THING, DO YOU NEED IT?

The Thing!
Do you need a thing?
This question has been haunting me for quite some time now and I am slowly deciding on an answer.
I believe the answer to be Yes! You do need a thing.
Well.......... okay, what is it?
To me, it is something that sets you as a Jewellery designer apart from the rest. So maybe you create your own components and incorporate them into your work. Maybe it becomes a signature line? You may even move away from beading all together and create pieces to sell for other to turn in to masterpieces. What ever it is most designers develop it at some stage or another.
So, Do I have it?
This, I am unsure off. I have been told my more than one person over the past four years that I have a very distinctive design style and I must say when I am out and about I can pick my pieces so I guess I do in that regards. But is it a thing?
Yes!!!!!!!! I believe it is ;')
However I am always searching and learning to create a bigger and better things.
Something that is uniquely mine, apart from design style.
Happy Creating
Teena



Friday 22 April 2011

INSPIRATION

INSPIRATION ! WHAT IS IT?
in·spi·ra·tion/ˌinspəˈrāSHən/Noun
1. The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative: "flashes of inspiration".
Inspiration comes in many forms for me. The number one form is other people. People with whom I interact with either face to face or through social media. I adore the feedback, the comments and the suggestions. This positive energy inspires me to create more. To create things that are bigger(not literally) and better, to  show and have that WOW factor. I live for the reaction from others, I guess its my driving force, its what inpsires me to keep creating.
I have flashes of inspiration other ways also,such as the piece to the left. I had been out shopping with my husband and four kids (uh huh I have 4 kids). We stopped at a park after shopping for the kids to play. Whilst sitting in the car with my baby at the time watching the other kids play, it simply came to me from nowhere to create a chainmaille centre piece( a czech bead encased in chainmaille). Now I am not saying this hasn't been done before, as I am sure it has, but I hadn't done it. The challenge for me at the time was to develop kits that taught people something significant. To me that really should be the piont of a kit........ Anyway I couldn't wait to get home and get started, I had been inspired!. By what?, who knows. Maybe the joy of watching my kids play and laugh had relaxed my mind enough to allow it to think outside the square.

I am also inspired regularly by other designers, the way they put colours together or the complexity of a design they exhibit may inspire me to strive harder.

New beads can inspire me also. Sometimes when I am stuck. I go shopping looking for the unusual and the quirky to get the juices flowing. Nothing I love better than when those beads arrive.

Then there is a friend whom I spend sometime with on the odd occassion who is a VERY creative person on so many levels. I find that whenever I am with her, things she says or pionts out often sends me into a whirlwind of inspiration. She comes into my workspace with fresh eyes and makes comments or asks questions which make me really think.
         I guess you could say she is my Muse;')..........

Thursday 21 April 2011

Lampwork Beads

Lampwork Beads...... What can I say I absolutely LOVE THEM. It's only been a recent love affair starting with a friend who took me a bead show here in Melbourne and I meet some Lampworkers who had the most amazing beads and they were cheap, but definatley not nasty ;')

Then I noticed a fellow designer across the water in Alaska, her name is JO CONWAY designing almost everything with Lampwork. I was hooked.....Here designs have and always will blow me away, her FB link is below.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Borealis-Glitter/106182446078229
Jo has recently embarked on the journey of making her own Lampwork beads and let me say she is a quick learner and making some great beads already. If and when they are for sale... who knows? We can only hope she sells them ;').

I have lampworking on my list of things to learn. I have done Polymer clay and Silversmithing this year, both of which I use in my work and am honing my skills on the them regularly.

I tend to use a Lampwork beads in earrings the most, reason being its adds interest and I find earrings so difficult to design.
I was thinking about that other day and I would honestly have to say earrings are the most challenging as the size that sells tends to be small and that leaves a minimal range of designs. In saying that, though I must be on the right track most of the time as Earrings would be my number one sellers, followed by Necklaces, Rings and then Bracelets.

When it comes to buying Lampwork, I do like a bargain and can spend hours scouring Etsy( my second home) for bargains. Here are some of my favourite Lampworks online through Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mandrel2?ref=pr_shop_more
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeByFire
http://www.etsy.com/shop/firebabies

These people I have bought from and regularly they are all o/s but there are some awesome Aussie ones too.

http://www.bellissimojewels.com.au/
http://www.jawjee.com/
http://www.beadywendy.com.au/

So if you have an oppurtunity to have a look at these talented people, I am sure you won't be dissappointed, let them know Teena sent you ;')

Happy creating

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Here are some examples of work I did for an online bead store, these were published in Creative Beading Magazine. I did loads more plus a stack for Australian Beading Magazine over a period of 18 months. The opportunity to design and create kits  to be published in the beading Mags was amazing. It taught me to think out side the square and challenged me at every turn. Although I no longer design for this store I still try to use these lessons learnt in my designs today, in order to keep things fresh and interesting. I feel its important to continue to develop and evolve and push yourself even if its right out of your comfort zone.
The picture directly above was way out of my comfort zone and started my love of "STEAMPUNK".

The pink one to the right was based on a design I used and entered into a Vintaj Brass design comp, which won ;') (lucky me). The out of the box moment here was the use of the bead caps, to create a fantastic back drop for the vibrant lucite flowers. I recently incorporated this technique is a Steampunk necklace with fabulous results, the watch face being the centre of the flower;').
This one here was based on an earring I did using a layering technique. As bib style necklaces are always in, in some form or another it was a unique take on the style. The effect is outstanding. Trinity Brass's Antique silver range is divine. I adore the deep vintage colouring. I never been one for the full shiny silver look, a bit here and there is nice. The Antique silver certainly lets the colour of the bead shine true.

Products I use

I tend to be a creature of habit. Once I find a product that I like and works well I will stick with it.
I have been using for quite a few years now Vintaj Brass and more recently a newer company called Trinity Brass, both are of excellent quality and offer me the designer the most amazing designing scope. The main reason I use both of these companies is the wearability, they do not make the skin go green or itch in 99 percent of the cases do not cause ear problems. This I have found imperative to the continued success of selling my items as SO many people have allergies or irritations these days. I am posting the links to there home pages so you can find out more.

Welcome

Hi :-) My name is Teena

Me & My youngest 


Nice to me to you !
I have been designing Jewels for a while starting back in 
2006 approximately. I work from family home, where I am also the mother of four children.
My desire to create jewels started out simply as a way to making gifts for family & friends, with never the intention of it becoming a business. However as some of you may now,one thing leads to another.
I started attending markets & with a fantastic response, this spurred me on to bigger & better things, seeking better quality components & teaching myself continual new techniques. Something of which I have never stopped doing. I have had amazing opportunities,such as working with an online bead store,designing kits which also lead to being published many times over.
I am currently studying at NMIT in Melbourne "Object & Jewelry Design" in my constant quest to better myself & my designs.