This coming spring and fall 2023 I have several classes available to choose from at the Art and Soul Portland Retreats. There is a spring one (April 11 – 19) and a fall one (October 8 – 15). I am offering both soldered jewelry and soldered art workshops at both. One of the classes I recommend taking if you are a first timer to soldering, is the Soldering 101 workshop. In this class you will learn the basics of soldering which will give you the foundation for continuing in the …
Faux Tin Type Art
While antiquing I am always on the hunt for vintage tin type photos. These precious little tin photos have always inspired my jewelry and art pieces with the stories they tell. Finding these gems is beginning to be more of a process than before as there aren’t that many around. Using a technique I learned years ago and am now finally putting into practice, I am able to recreate the appearance of a tin type photo using photos from my vintage stash. Because these are created on tin, it is …
Mixed Metals
In my pieces I love to mix different metals. Copper, brass, and silver are among my favorites to work with. When I find inspiration from an object or from a photo, I make a mental note of it for using in a future piece of jewelry. Take for instance these cuffs. I purchased some blank brass cuffs in different widths a while back. I also purchased a lot of different size chains in different metals and they have been sitting around just waiting to be made into something. I knew …
Summer Collection
Every summer I scour the highways and side roads for wildflowers to use in the jewelry I make. Queen Anne’s Lace grows prolific here in my area, so it is not hard to find. Last year I picked a bounty of it and now I am in the process of creating some pieces with them. I love these wildflowers because of their natural color palette and how organic they look once soldered inside glass pendants. They are a favorite of many of my customers, me included. This new summer collection …
Keepsake Box
Coming soon to the shop will be these keepsake boxes. Expanding on my creating keepsakes line, these are perfect for those who would like a home decor item instead of a jewelry piece. These sweet boxes are personalized with your keepsake photo set in resin inside of a resin frame affixed on top of a book box. These boxes can hold special items like old letters, photos, jewelry, or your tv remote! They make the perfect coffee table decor. What special photo would you use? Does it hold a special …