The little Dremel - a dream



Dremel Stylus 1100

It seems like I am always wanting to drill a hole in something. When you make all kinds of jewelry, it is inevitable. A hole in the polymer clay for the eyepin, starting the hole for a tiny screw in the wood pendant, always something.

But the tools my dad left me were way too big and too heavy, and doing stuff with an ice pick is dangerous.

Then I discovered the Dremel Stylus 1100. Take a look at this little guy. An artisan's dream. They are correct about it fitting in your hand and holding its charge. There's even a little sander tool, which comes in handy real often.

So now the eyepins are easy to insert, the starter holes are simple to do, and the tool is so lightweight it doesn't bother my fibromyalgia. Yay!

Picture This

Getting the right picture for a pendant or pair of earrings can sometimes be frustrating. In order to get started, I open several pictures for ideas in Photoshop. Then I create a new file for my own image. But a lot of times, I just don't know how to get the effects I want.
  

There are a bunch of tutorial websites for Photoshop, as well as websites that offer free brushes. I have been doing this for years and I still find something new.

  

Check out http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/photoshop/1 or http://mediadesigner.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=19756.

  

Into any search engine you can type "tutorial photoshop" or "photoshop hair". Just replace the word "hair" with the thing you are trying to create.

  

Here's a great tutorial showing how to change Tom Cruise into an avatar. http://www.photoshoplady.com/tutorial/awesome-avatar-transformation-using-photoshop/2661. That particular one offers a free pair of ears.

  

Between the idea pictures and the Photoshop tutorials, after a while I can usually get the results I am after.

Making Picture Pendants - Super Glue

I have used Super Glue, in one fashion or another, since I started making picture pendants and earrings. It is a pain in the butt to use. I finally started using Loctite's Super Glue Gel to reduce the "getting it all over the place" syndrome. It is thicker and comes out slower. Well, except at the very first, then it shoots out of there like water out of a fountain. After the first couple of tries, it settles down and comes out at a decent rate.

Someday, I hope to find a glue that goes on evenly, doesn't frost as it dries, and only sticks to jewelry pieces instead of everything else. Ah, the search continues.

Looking for pendant dishes

I create pictures digitally. I love doing this. Best job in the world, bar none. But how to turn them into jewelry without spending a ton of money or a ton of time is a challenge. I tried the polymer clay route. With many different versions of transfers. I liked Fimo the best. Well, that is before they changed the recipe. After that, I couldn't get anything to work right. So I moved on.

I tried putting the pictures on wood. Eh.

Then I tried creating my own bezel (pendant dish, pendant blank, some place to put a picture on jewelry) and having it manufactured. It was an interesting process. I was tired of it when I was done. But now I think I have found a good combination. Pretty, fairly lightweight, affordable, and did I mention, pretty. How long I will stick with this type of picture jewelry I do not know. But I really like the product this time, soo.....

Unique Pendants and Earrings

There is a new website selling unique pendants and earrings. This picture jewelry is made for someone who doesn't want to run into a friend or coworker wearing the same thing.

This is for people who want to stand out, get noticed, and get compliments!

Take a look: www.classywares.com

Bags by Chilli - wow!

I just found www.bagsbychilli.com and wow! What a great idea for a photo or a graphic image. This is a really cool trend.

I'm thinking a person could even put together a picture collage using Corel or Photoshop. You could portay your whole life, show your future, or convey an opinion. I'm trying to decide; ragdoll kitties or labradors and dachshunds. Hmm, so many choices. Ooh, an advertisement for a business would go a long way also. You plop your purse up on the counter to pay and the cashier says, "Oh, I've been wanting to find a new Avon lady."

You even get to choose the liner color and the leather color. Pricey, so choose your colors and your picture carefully. Might be wearing it for a looonnnggg time.

Making Picture Pendant Jewelry

I added a polymer clay frame to this pendant, along with a Swarovsky crystal pearl and a little bead cap. Now days, I usually add a jump ring as well, so a chain or cord can slide right through.

It's important to match the color of the crystals, beads, and eye pins to the colors in the picture. Otherwise the whole piece looks "slammed together" instead of created together.

A bead or charm can be added at the bottom also by very carefully drilling a hole in the clay along the bottom and attaching an eye pin. Open the eye pin gently just enough to insert the loop of the charm and then close it again so it can't slip out.

In order to get the pieces color coordinated beforehand, I lay them out on my workbench in the order of attachment. That way I can try out different crystals, beads, eye pin, and the chain or cord colors before putting them all together. There are less oops with this method. Plus, I usually come up with more ideas for future pieces while I am picking out the pieces for the one I am working on.

A word about Swarovsky crystals and pearls: wonderful! The shine and sparkle is like no other. It adds class to whatever polymer clay jewelry you are creating. It can get pricey though. I usually get mine from http://www.artbeads.com/ - I like their product quality, free shipping, and quick mailing.

Eye pins I usually get from http://www.craftsetc.com/ - I like the kind with a big "eye". Just easier to work with, but harder to find. It's best not to work the eye pin too much. Or perhaps I should say not more than once. Opening and closing the eye, weakens it. It is best to just open the eye a wee bit and close it gently with needle nose pliers after the charm is inserted. Some jewelry makers use the plastic coated pliers, but I prefer the needle nose pliers.

So, jazz up that picture pendant jewelry with crystals, pearls, and bead caps. The extra work involved pays off and you'll be glad you did!