JTV Blog

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

August 29 & 30 (today and tomorrow) wire artist and tool inventor Stephanie Eddy will talk about one of her specialties, the Original Lazee Daizee! Both of her Viking Knit tools will be offered with Bonus projects and if you haven't picked up any of Stephanie's easy-to-follow books, this will be the time to do so! She is also bringing back one of your favorites- matte wire spools in both cool and warm tones. (Warning! Stephanie just told me that she has a limited supply, so order early!)

To entice you, this is a photo of one of Stephanie's phenomenal designs titled: "Beyond the Garden Vortez".

September 2, 3, 5 & 6- JTV's Jewel School is getting ready for our annual Customer Appreciation Event (that will include appearances by more than 10 Guest Artists) so maybe it's time for you to stock up on beautiful strands of beads, gemstone cabochons, wire and whatever other supplies you might need, with our knowledgeable hosts, Kim and Mandy!

(Have you ever thought about using Wooden Beads? Lightweight and earthy, Jewel School offers a wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colors. Some are natural and others have been combined with resin for a lovely shine!)

In the meantime...

While you are waiting for our next Guest Artist to inspire you, perhaps it's time to pay a visit to Jewel School's "On Demand Video Collection". Within the more than 80 choices you can: learn how to make several popular chain maille weaves with Lauren Anderson and Christiane Ross; find Art Clay tips and projects from Jackie Truty and Katie Baum; work with Leslie Rogalski and Katie Hacker on beading projects and soooo much more - AND... this is all Free!!

Weekly "Cougarism"- Art VS Junk

OK, so Jan asked, "What is the difference between Art and Junk? Are there any guidelines?" This is a really broad subject so I am going to touch on what most of my readers are interested in- jewelry.

Be honest! Many of us have viewed something described as jewelry art and thought, "Really? Oh, please!", or "How could someone possibly wear that?!" We might then compare it to a piece of our own handcrafted jewelry and wonder why that is selling for such a high price, or why it won a certain contest while ours wasn't chosen. The variety of ways we each look at fashion trends, style, color and design are one of the traits of being human. (Isn't it cool that we are all so different?)

Now, take a step back and look again. What you may think of as "junk" may be thought of as the most fabulous piece of art in the universe by a renowned art critic, your neighbor, or even your mother! Probably one of the easiest ways to explain this situation is to quote a familiar phrase that is credited to author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder". Keeping in mind that history proves "fashion trends & fads" often reflect the current economy, today we are seeing a lot more jewelry made of recycled items, better known as "Found Art"; that can appear to be "junk" by those with an eye for more traditionally accepted designs. Here is where a lot of artists find their challenge. Do you change the style of what you have been doing for years and jump into the current trend? Should you modify your materials? The answers to these questions depend on your personal market and what your customers are looking for.

Although I know this has nothing to do with jewelry, I wanted to share a photo of one of my favorite pieces of "Found Art". Created entirely from trash, this gigantic roadrunner overlooks I-10 in New Mexico. The next photo is a close-up of his breast feathers.

I like this line from one of David Hume's essays, "Beauty in things exist merely in the mind which contemplates them." To me this means that every piece of jewelry you create has an owner! Sometimes it takes a while to put the two together (maybe even years) but a match is there if you are patient enough to wait; before getting frustrated and dismantling a piece that may have taken you hours to complete.

True story: many years ago I had a rose quartz cabochon in a wire wrapped design that I thought was simply horrible (because I had used silver when I thought I should have used gold and the accent beads were really kind of big for my usual style) so I wouldn't put it on my show table. (I didn't like it at all!) Later that afternoon a customer asked to see whatever else I had made in rose quartz and when I pulled out the tray that included my monstrosity, it was the only piece that customer was interested in buying!

No matter the medium (chain maille, metal clay, wire art, silver smithing, etc) when you look at a piece of your own handcrafted jewelry to determine whether it is "art or junk", in my opinion you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I like the overall design of this piece?

2. Am I basically happy with the way it turned out?

4. Are there any rough or sharp edges?

3. Is the finish of the quality I require before I either gift it or offer it for sale?

If the answer to any of these is no, then by all means fix it so you are pleased with the final results! If your answers are all positive, but: you're not happy with the color choices you experimented with; you think it's too big or too small; you wished you had used different materials or another stone; the shape didn't turn out exactly the way you had imagined, or you are simply not pleased with some other design detail - leave it alone! One day, someone will think that you made that piece just for them!

Reader Poll:

               Has your "junk" ever become someone else's "treasure"?     

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr

 

JTV's Exotic Gemstone Expert Larry Pereg on Sapphire, September's Birthstone

Larry Pereg has appeared on-air as a gemstone expert since 1996 in the United States and Europe. He has logged many thousands of miles travelling the globe while working in the gemstone industry. Countries he has visited in his extensive career include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Israel, Thailand, China, India and Tanzania! He has been in a mine 1,000 feet underground when rough was discovered and describes it as "an awesome experience." Larry earned his bachelor's degree in Education from The State University of New York.

Sapphires with JTV Exotic Gem Expert Larry Pereg

I’m often asked, "What is your favorite gemstone?" To be honest my birthstone is amethyst, and I love it. I was actually in the mine in Ametysta del Sol in Brazil, when beautiful Amethyst geodes were discovered, but that's a story for February.... And after being in the gemstone business for 30 years, and  developing the respect I have for all the people involved with bringing us these gifts of nature, I really can’t decide what my favorite gemstone is.

What is a treat is to be able to celebrate a different gemstone each month with the Jewelry Television customer! As you know the birthstone for September is sapphire. It is the most popular gem on Earth. Maybe it’s because it’s blue; maybe it’s the luster, it’ durability--hard to say. I think it’s just a beautiful iconic stone.

We've found sapphires in a number of exotic places--from Kashmir to Australia, from Thailand to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and what’s extraordinary is that they are different and unique depending upon where you find them.  Unfortunately, the supply of sapphires from some locations has become difficult or impossible to get. The Kashmir material has been depleted completely and the Thai Kanchanaburi mines are also not producing very much at all.  At Jewelry Television, we are very fortunate to have access to a wide variety of sapphires, a Royal gemstone if ever there was one.

For the longest time we thought of sapphires as blue, and only blue. The fact is sapphires come in a number of beautiful colors--pink, yellow, and green to name a few. Most of these fancy colors came from Sri Lanka, but then an amazing thing happened in 1998. In the very small sleepy village of Ilakaka in Madagascar (where there was a population of 40--that’s right 40--in 1998) pink sapphires were discovered. The global reaction was immediate and overwhelming as gemstone miners and families descended upon the region. Today the population of little Ilakak is over 60,000. This is one example of how explosive the gem business is.

There's more blogs to come on sapphire during the month of September. Stay tuned to Jewelry Television and jtv.com as new jewelry and sapphire loose gemstones are added daily to our inventory.

- Larry Pereg

Learn more about sapphire in the JTV.com Learning Library.

 

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

August 22 & 23 (today and tomorrow) tune in to JTV's Jewel School and visit with Guest Artist Leah Helmrich, who will share some of her wire bracelet ideas using Para Wire.

Leah said, " I am very excited about with my upcoming shows! I will be demonstrating fast and easy chain maille bangles. Bangles are just SO popular right now. I love the opportunity to show people that they CAN make fun and stylish bangles themselves! Viewers can have a whole armful of new jewelry in just a few hours with minimal supplies because each bracelet takes only 5-10 minutes to make. The best part about this style of bangle is its versatility! Beads, chain maille, charms- try anything!"

Photo courtest of Karen Helmrich

August 26 & 27 the amazing Patti Bullard returns to Jewel School, with her specialty Wubbers and more jewelry making tools from Euro Tool! Patti sent me this photo to share with you, of her new ocean-inspired necklace.

"Treasures in the Sand" shows a few of the techniques Patti Bullard will be demonstrating; made from brass, sterling silver, opals and one of the hottest new mediums in jewelry making--concrete!

Patti said that some of the highlights she has planned for her Jewel School shows are:

• New ways to use open-back bezels and the ideal tools to make them
• Polishing and finishing handmade jewelry
• How to design jewelry using strips of metal
• Dap it, file it, punch it up--tools and techniques to make your own handmade flowers

"Kim and I will be introducing a new Wubbers set that includes the three Wubbers Bail Making Pliers plus the brand new X-Large and Jumbo sizes of the Wubbers Round Mandrel Pliers. We will also debut a new nylon jaw pliers set by Euro Tool, that's great for working with metal strips and wire."

(To me, these both sound like shows that can't be missed!!)

Featured Customer-Artist

When Crystal Donwerth messaged me a few photos of her work via my facebook page (Dale Cougar Armstrong) I was pretty impressed and asked her to be my first "interviewee" on our new blog. Quick and simple, I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about Crystal's unique style of wire work.

Hi Crystal, thanks for agreeing to be a featured "Customer/Artist" on JTV's Jewel School Blog! If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you just a few questions about your wonderful wire designs. To begin, I think we'd all like to know how long you've been making wire jewelry and what got you started?

"I guess around 3-4 years, or since I discovered JTV. I wanted to find something creative that I could do, to express myself and that I could also share with the world. I have always drawn, used oil and water paints or oil and acrylic chalks; I also sew, cross-stitch and crochet. I enjoy working in wood, but those projects were not really easy to share with others. I could show people what I had made, but you cannot exactly go around with loads of 200lb wooden chests to give as gifts! I mean where would you put them all? So when I found JTV's Jewel School and jewelry making, it was like THIS is what I had been looking for all along, I found it! And I have been creating jewelry ever since. I have probably made around 300 pieces so far. I figure I must be doing something right, because a lot of the pieces I’ve made end up in my teenager’s room and their friends always ask for my jewelry as gifts for their birthdays and holidays."

What impressed me the most is the unicorn you have designed on top of this rose quartz cabochon. (It looks as though you are drawing with wire.) Because I haven't seen much of this type of design, I'd like to know more about your process. Do you sketch your idea on paper first and then make the form in wire and attach it to the frame, or do you just "freehand" the wire as you go?

"When I got a parcel of cabochons from JTV, THIS stone stood out among them all. It wasn’t the biggest, but I just couldn’t put it away! So while I worked with some of the other cabs, I kept this stone right by me. Eventually, a few days later, I 'got' what the stone was trying to tell me.

Now, how to make this idea happen? Well, I’ve been able to draw all my life, ever since I was able to hold a pencil; but I wasn’t sure THIS was even possible. First, I drew my unicorn and then I traced around the cabochon on paper (several times). Then I had to re-size my unicorn to fit the cab's top. Next I had to draw my unicorn without picking up my pencil, because wire doesn’t start and stop, your drawing can’t either or it won’t work. After that I could plan some breaks in the wire to help the design, like where and how I made the eye come up from the throatlatch. Now I was as ready as I could be, so I cut the wire a bit longer than needed "just-in-case", and started to wrap and design on the cabochon. I did consider making the unicorn off the stone, but it might not have fit right and I didn’t want to chance that. . .so even though it was harder, I think the finished product was well worth the extra time."

Wow, quite the process, Crystal, but I agree that it was definitely worth your time!  I was wondering, what is your favorite wire forming tool from Jewel School and how does it help with your "drawings"?

"I’d have to say my 3-step wire looping pliers. I used them to make the unicorn's mane coils. After that all I had to do was to figure out where I wanted the coils to go. I also use the 3-step loopers to make my own headpins, bead links and jump rings. They also make great 90 degree angles and bails."

So, do you choose the rock to go with a design you have in mind, or do you let the cab tell you what to do with it?

"Now this is harder to explain. When I want to make something I go to the stones. The one that screams the loudest or the one where I can see what it wants to be, is the one I create with. One could want to be wrapped in wire lace (which takes me days) or a stone could want nothing more than a plain bezel and a bail. What the stone wants is what I try to do. I have tried to make designs that I wanted to do, instead of doing what I see, but those never turn out well."

This collar that you created from copper and accented with crystal beads is very interesting; elegant yet earthy. Would you please share your inspiration for this piece with us?

"My daughter was my inspiration for this piece. Her prom theme was the Titanic, so I found a replica of the real movie dress and surprised her with it. She wanted something special to wear for jewelry, but she’s allergic to silver (even .999 silver). When I saw the copper wire in square and ½ round it was PERFECT; in a burgundy dress, she looked BEAUTIFUL!"

So, Crystal, do you have a "real" job or is jewelry making your career?

"I think being a full time Mother is my first job, and making jewelry is my second one. They are both intermingled together. Even my kids have started to learn how to make jewelry. I have not been able to physically work in years because of my health and jewelry making gives me more time with those that are so important to me."

Crystal, thanks so much for sharing a bit of your personal "wired world" with us!

Last Week's Reader Poll

There is so much that I would like to share with you about handcrafted jewelry designs! Last week, Sara O's carnelian necklace inspired me to answer a query from one of our customers about the dreaded "artist's block". I really enjoyed hearing from several of our readers, about what they use as an "inspiration data base". If you haven't had time to read the comments, you're missing some good stuff!

Weekly "Cougarism"- Art VS Junk

Along with her ideas for an "inspiration data base", Jan also asked me a question that has her puzzled. "What is the difference between Art and Junk? Are there any guidelines?" Be sure to follow along next week, when I will share my thoughts and ideas on this very interesting subject!

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr

 

 

 

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

August 15 & 16 (today and tomorrow) tune in to Jewelry Television's Jewel School when Guest Artist Sara Oehler (aka 'Sara O') will introduce NEW, holiday themed project ideas for Soft Flex Trio kits! Sara says, "Whether designing for yourself, friends, family or customers, you have to get started early. I designed a free project idea for each of the 4 Soft Flex Trios being offered. These designs are exclusive to Jewel School and the instructions cannot be found anywhere else." What a great opportunity to begin thinking about and working on your holiday gifts!

Photo, courtesy of Patrick Pohnl.

One of Sara's new designs, reminds me of New England bittersweet we used to gather for autumn arrangements.

Photo used with permission; Moonshine Designs Nursery.

August 19 and 20- yours truly will represent Beadalon on Jewel School; with my favorite Beadalon pliers, a couple of unique metal smith tools and some brand NEW wire kits and project ideas!

JSI Happenings

There's still time to enter your personal jewelry design in the Jewel School Design Contest....but hurry!! The entry deadline is August 18- this Saturday!!

Last Week's Reader Poll

I know it's going to take some time for you all to respond to my poll requests, but I am tickled that so many of you wrote to tell me which of Katie Hacker's new earring designs was your personal favorite! Most like the black/cross earrings, while some chose the silver/blue (like me). Overall, we all agree that Katie's choice of colors and clever styles covers the spectrum of design.

Weekly "Cougarism"- Inspiration

Answering reader Cathy's request about how to overcome "artists block", Sara O's new design (pictured above) actually was my inspiration for this week's tidbit, as well as a new poll question!

Finding inspiration for either your next or future designs can be a challenge if you have a "brain dead" moment. Often I just put some cabs and beads on a white paper plate and move them around a bit. Sometimes an idea pops out and sometimes it doesn't. Many years ago when I worked as an advertising artist, we had what are called "cut books" to refer too. Using that idea I added a folder to my computer called "Inspiration" where I save interesting photos that might be used to wake up my brain. This is easy to accomplish, as I either carry a small digital camera with me or I use the one on my phone. (You never know when something jumps out and might be a future design element!)

Last week I took this picture of bright green grass in a lake; flowing with the waves it looked like a possible necklace to me.

More along the lines of a traditional cut book, I also have what I call my "Design Album", which is nothing more than a photo album where I put pictures cut from magazines to browse through. I often turn it upside down for a different perspective, thus the reason many of my chandelier earring designs evolved!

Reader Poll:

                  What do you use as an "inspiration data base"?

(To respond, please post as a comment below!)

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

Which pair of earrings in this photo are your favorite? (I really like the silver/blue on the far right.)

They were all designed and created by the amazing Katie Hacker, who will be the Guest Artist August 8th and 9th on Jewelry Television's Jewel School. Katie will be sharing what's inside her TWO, Brand NEW books: "Earrings 101" and "Necklaces 101", as well as some colorful kits from Beadalon. Tune in from 10:00am to noon, EST -that's today and tomorrow!!

Sunday and Monday (8/12 & 13) Jewelry Television's Jewel School welcomes Guest Artist Kate Richbourg, who will be representing some  innovative tabletop metalworking items from Euro Tool. 

JSI Happenings

At the Jewel School Institute, Angela and Christiane are getting things ready for Jackie Truty and Katie Baum. These fabulous instructors will be conducting their Art Clay Certification Workshops on September 17, 18 and 19; followed by our 3rd Annual Jewel School Customer Appreciation Event on September 20, 21 and 22.  

Weekly "Cougarism"

This past week I took a short break before my busy autumn season begins, and while visiting family out-of-state I saw a sign that was simply smart. It was made from a flap of cardboard that had been torn off a brown packing box and written in black magic marker was a street address and, "Porch Art Sale". Okay, what type of art was being sold on a porch on this lovely summer day? I was curious and took a short walk to find a simple cottage whose porch had been decorated with painted canvases covered with impressions of the local landscape. Even more interesting- back against a wall was a lovely piece of driftwood that had been cleverly used to display handmade macramé jewelry; decorated with local seashells and tiny pinecones. (BTW- Sara Oehler will be talking about using Soft Flex wire for macramé and knitting next week!)

Now I know that we all can't live in a tourist or art colony area, BUT... the points I want to make here are the cardboard  sign and the way the artist used local finds to display their works. By keeping things simple, and by no means intimidating, I was made to be curious and then drawn in by uniqueness. No fancy computer made stationary, signs or tags- and no plastic, "readymade" displays. If you sell your handcrafted jewelry and are looking for a different way to attract customers, how could you take inspiration from this costal artists' ideas? (I'm keeping my post short and simple this week.)

I really have enjoyed reading all of your comments, regarding what YOU would like to know more about on our Jewel School blog - keep them comming!!

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Announcing a New Weekly Feature!!

You are invited to subscribe to: our Jewel School Blog!

I am very excited to work with Jewelry Television's Jewel School Team to bring you something special here, each and every week. Some of my weekly features and photographs will be:

• What is this week's Jewel School schedule and who will be appearing as our special Jewel School Guest Artist?
• Will there be a featured product this week on Jewel School?
• "JSI Happenings"; what's coming up at the Jewel School Institute. (Right now you can register for Art Clay Certification Workshops with Jackie Truty and Katie Baum as well as Jewelry Television's 3rd Annual Jewel School Customer Appreciation Workshops!)
• My handcrafted jewelry maker's "Cougarism of the Week"; a useful tidbit of information. (Be sure to enter your special creation in our 2012 Jewel School Design Contest!)
• A Jewel School Blog Reader's Poll and the results of the previous poll

Monthly articles will include some of the following:

• Jewel School Guest Artist Interviews; would you like to know more about our Guest Artists and what makes them "tick"?
• Employee Interviews; have you ever wondered about what goes on "behind the scenes" at JTV's Jewel School? How many people does it take to produce a live show? What skills does it take to be a producer, director or camera operator? Who makes those wonderful designs "magically appear" next to our host when they are showing inspirations for a product? Why do our hosts talk so quickly? What is a "Buyer"? Why does one choose to become a "Host"? What happens in our "Call Center"? 
• Featured Jewel School Customer-Artist; an brief interview with one of YOU! Featuring a few photos of your work and talking about your favorite Jewel School products.
• What's behind a "Brand"? Informative articles about the special product manufacturers featured on Jewel School.
• AND...Surprises!!

These are just a few of the features you will enjoy by subscribing to Jewelry Television's Jewel School Blog! You are also welcome to share your thoughts with me, the Jewel School Team, and one another, by commenting on each post. (Please be aware that all comments will need to be approved and may be edited for content before they are posted.)

If you are not personally interested in subscribing, perhaps you know someone who might enjoy our new blog aspect and will pass this invitation along to them!

To get things started, please participate in-

My first Reader Poll:

What would YOU like to see me write about, in our new Weekly Jewel School Blog article?

(Please post your answer as a comment, below.)

Stay Twisted!!

Dale/Cougar