HAPPY EASTER!

I can't believe that Easter is almost upon us!
It is the most important festival of the Christian
calendar.

We also enjoy giving and receiving chocolate
eggs and having 'family time', with the kids or
grand-kids on holiday from school ...

I had every intention of designing a special project
for all you creative wire fiddlers out there, but time
has got the better of me, so instead, I am going to share
with you some Easter inspired pieces that I've created
in the past, which I hope will trigger new holiday ideas
and get your pliers and wires wiggling and jiggling ...

Here's my bead decorated EASTER EGG which could
be attached to a card, or suspended as a pendant!

How about creating a NEST RING, using freshwater
pearls for eggs, Peridot chips and copper wire?

Above is a BASKET of EGGS, but equally use
coloured beads to make them look like confectionery.

Here are some fun little BUNNY EARRINGS!

Last year MADCOWBEADS published this
tutorial, you can take a look at how to make
these Easter Bead Bunnies on this link:
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3773013/easter-bunnies-399k?da=y

Or, how about creating a PENDANT CROSS?

Also, you could always make an EASTER CHICK
card!

As for the perfect accessory? Here's my FLOATING FEATHER
Necklace!  You will find all the materials and instructions to
make this at LONDON JEWELLERY SUPPLIES!

 
  
With
Earrings
to match!

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So on that short and sweet (chocolaty) note, I bid you ALL
a very happy and wonderful EASTER!

P.S.  Why did the Easter Egg hide?
...
...
...
He was a little chicken!

'ROSETTE' TUTORIAL

* R O S E T T E *
   TUTORIAL
       by Linda Jones

I began making these wire stacking rosettes last
year and have found them to be a very popular
design ... not only that, they are easy to make
for beginners and intermediate makers alike!

The design began for a magazine project for 
"Make Jewellery", using the 2012 fashionable 
'Tangerine Tango' colours, which I managed to
source from London Jewellery Supplies with
their semi-precious oval carnelian beads ...

      

 

The Rosette is a perfect accessory to be wired on to
a necklace, brooch back, hair grip/or band, ring,
earring post ... need I go on?  I'll leave your imagination
to work for itself!

Follow the steps below to learn how I create the frames.
Use a combination of different sized cylindrical mandrels
to make the stacking circles.

1.  Begin by wrapping 0.8mm (or, 1mm for a large frame) 
around a circular, cylindrical mandrel, until the wire just 
crosses over by approx. 1cm on each side and cut from the spool.

2.  Using the tips of your round nosed pliers, create a
small link at the end of one of the wires.

3.  Using your flat or chain nosed pliers, bend this
link 90 degrees in towards the centre of the circle
and thread the cut end through the link.

4.  Using the tips of your round nosed pliers, secure
the cut end AROUND the link to close the circle and
form a completed round wire frame.

5.  Place the circular frame on your bead mat (or any
flat surface) and with the tips of your round nosed pliers
twist and tweak areas of the frame to create a
ragged edge.  (If the frame becomes very distorted,
use your fingers to rearrange it, so that it looks vaguely
circular in shape!).

6.  Now comes the fun bit!  Place the wire frame on a
steel block and whilst thinking of something, or someone
that makes you angry, use your Whammer or wire
thumping hammer, to flatten and spread alternate areas
of the frame!

7.  Cut a long, manageable length of 0.4mm wire (approx.
12" - 31cm) and secure the centre of this wire to one area
of the frame.  Wrap the wire across and within the space
of the frame, weaving and securing it at the opposite edge, 
as you go...

Depending on the size of the unit, you might require another
2 or 3 lengths of 0.4mm wire to fill in any large gaps or spaces.
Equally, you could thread some small beads onto the woven
wire, especially around the edges of the frame ...

8.  For a large unit, you might need 3 ascending sized 'rosette'
frames, all to be stacked together and held by the focal bead
(or selection of beads) at the centre of the frame.  
Whereas a small rosette will just needs one central bead!

9.  Secure all the frames together by threading the central bead onto
0.4mm wire and pushing the stem through the centre of all the 
rosettes.  Bind the wire back around to secure.  If the unit feels
loose, cut some more wire and weave between the frames to hold
everything in place.

Also, encircling the focal bead with a Gizmo coil or small
seed beads can give it a finishing touch!

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Below are some of my experimental designs to provide you 
with some more inspiration and I hope you also have fun
experimenting with this idea! 

I created this rosette decoration to put in a pot plant!

 

Above and below, are a couple of Rosette Brooches 
incorporating coloured wires.

You can even weave and thread beads into the frame ...

... or around the frame!

Here is a choker style necklace with hammered ribbon
wire and woven pearls.

Remaining on a pearly-girly theme, this gold and silver
wire rosette connects at the front from each side of the
ivory coloured pearl strand necklace.

... and here's my finale!  Using amethyst chips and silver beads, 
plus a mixture of woven copper and silver wires.

HAPPY WIRE "ROSETTE" MAKING!!

*P.S.  If you don't like the raggedy edge,
just keep your frames round ... with no hammering
required!

 

RACHEL NORRIS

ARTIST SHOWCASE
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RACHEL NORRIS
*********************************

(Above: ROSE Necklace by Rachel Norris)

We've started the year, bathed in stunning wirework 
craftswomenship! with Feature Artists such as 
Ruth Jensen, Louise Goodchild and now ... to complete 
the trio ... RACHEL NORRIS!  

How many wirework artists can lay claim to having  
a piece of their jewellery exhibited in the Victoria and 
Albert Museum in London?  Well, Rachel can!!  

I had the good fortune to catch up with Rachel recently. 
So, sit yourself down, with a brew of some sort and enjoy 
a little insight into her working life ... 

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WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND, RACHEL?

I was born in Derby and have lived in Nottinghamshire,
Bedfordshire and all over London, Surrey, Devon and now
finally, in beautiful Cornwall, where my heart is and I am
not moving ever again!!

(Above: PEACOCK PIN by Rachel Norris)

DID YOU ALWAYS ASPIRE TO BE A JEWELLERY
DESIGNER?

I come from a long line of family artists (my mother
was a wonderful watercolour botanical painter) however,
I actually ended up being a specialist in Vascular
Ultrasound, which is my main profession.  But even
then, I have been doing medical illustration in my spare
time and I have illustrated, written and edited books in
Vascular Ultrasound. 

However, jewellery and gemstones were always a 
consuming passion for me and it was later in life that
I realised that I could perhaps start to make and design 
my own jewellery.

        




















(Above: Silver Clay pendant by Rachel Norris)

DO YOU HAVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING OR ARE
YOU SELF-TAUGHT?

I went on a silver-smithing 6 week Adult Education
evening class about 6 years ago ... but I was concentrating
on the process of soldering and setting of gemstones and
did not really understand how to use or really work with
wire and did not progress any further ... Then I had a baby
in my mid-forties and everything stopped for a few years ...
so it was not until Jewellery Maker TV started, 3 years
ago, that I began to make jewellery properly and from
basic beading techniques, I taught myself to work with
wire and have not looked back since!

       

  














(Above: Wirework PEARL pendant by Rachel Norris)

WHERE DO YOU WORK FROM?

My work takes place at home in my sitting room, as
my son is still pre-school and so he has been brought
up with beads, wire and tools around him.  I use
numerous household objects to twist wire from, as well
as clamp vices to hold and work from my lap, sitting in 
an armchair!! 

   


















(Above: GOLDEN BIRD brooch by Rachel Norris)


HAVE YOU FILMED ANY WIREWORK TUTORIALS?

I have been a guest designer for Jewellery Maker TV for over 
two years and specialise in making and designing wirework 
jewellery.  I have filmed 4 DVD's teaching various aspects of 
wirework jewellery making with JM and love to inspire people 
to make and learn to make all forms of jewellery.  I have also taught  
on a jewellery making workshop for JM and am in the process
of setting up similar workshops more locally in Cornwall.

Last year, I was judge's favourite on Paul Martin's Handmade
Revolution on BBC2 and as the head judge was the Director of
the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, I had my winning design
exhibited in the V and A for 2 months, which was a wonderful and
exciting opportunity!     

     


















(Above: The Gecko and Dragonfly Necklace by Rachel Norris which was exhibited in the
Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2012)

WHERE DO YOU SELL YOUR WORK? AND HOW DO YOU
PROMOTE YOURSELF?

I sell by word of mouth.  I post on FACEBOOK and then I have 
requests to make a piece.  I get commissions from friends and family 
too.  I do have a WEBSITE and welcome anybody to have a look around ... 
(I must update it more regularly though!!). 

(Above: GOLDEN BIRD OF PARADISE by Rachel Norris)

WHAT PIECES ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

I have just finished the 'Golden Bird of Paradise and Flower'
Necklace set (see image above) which has Amethyst and
Peridot stones - a design I had been waiting to make for some
time! It took about a week to create, in between all the other stuff
to do in life, but it was worth it!  

I love the dragonfly as a natural form and its body shape and 
veins in the wings are perfectly suited to wirework.  The Gecko 
and Dragonfly Necklace also has a special place in my heart, as it 
was the one that made it into the Victoria and Albert Museum last 
year!

(Above: 'HEART' Necklace by Rachel Norris)

HAVE YOU ANY ADVICE TO PASS ON TO OTHERS?

Pay attention to detail and place your wires carefully as you
create a piece.  Enjoy making your design and never make a
piece when you are in a bad mood, as the wire will not work
well for you!!

    















(Above: FISH brooch by Rachel Norris)

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE ASPIRATIONS AND PLANS?

I want to make further  DVD's and one day write a book about
jewellery making and it would be an ultimate for me, to make
it onto the catwalk in London with one of my pieces!  I like to
create big statement jewellery and I think they would be suited 
to that! It's worth thinking big ... one can but dream!

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Thank you for sharing your stunning work with us, Rachel, 
your dream is most definitely attainable!  and do let us know 
when your workshops are up and running in Cornwall, so 
that we can help 'spread the word'. What an amazing treat 
that will be!  ...  A visit to lovely Cornwall,  plus + ... 
a Rachel Norris workshop!

(Above: Flower and Dragonfly Necklace by Rachel Norris ... definitely ready to be seen on the catwalk!!)