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Jewelry Making IdeasEvery week we have a new jewelry making idea in The WireWorker Jewelry Making Newsletter.  Click Here for a Closeup Wire Sculpted Cameo For this piece I used a combination of small pieces of hard wire for the outside prongs and 4 pieces of 21 gauge dead soft gold filled wire for the center 4 wires, which I sculpted and tucked into the rear. The short wires were turned over into prongs and buffed down to remove a rough edge. It's all made from scrap pieces of 20 gauge gold filled half square wire. This setting is not featured in any of my DVDs.  Click Here for a Closeup Silver Cross With Mystic Fire Blue Topaz I made this piece a couple of years ago, and its a big one, almost 6 inches long! I think you could use this one to keep vampires away! The body is made up of 8 wires across, and the center ones were twisted. The stone is about 15 carats, and it is mounted in a silver ring mounting, and I just wired it to the cross in the rear using small 22 gauge round wire. All the wire is sterling silver, 20 gauge, half hard. Wish I could tell you more but I can barely remember how I made it.  Click Here for a Closeup Crystal Pendant and Collar This collar was formed over an old coffee can, and the crystal pendant was formed with dead soft sterling silver wire. The method used was taken from the universal pendant setting as seen in my instructional DVD. The large curls on the collar were made around a small steel mini mandrel, but of half hard 14 gauge round sterling silver wire.  Click Here for a Closeup Multiple Crystal Pendants and Neck Piece All three crystals were done with the universal pendant setting, and the large crystal was crafted with dead soft, 16 gauge round wire. The smaller crystals were done with 20 gauge round sterling wire. the large coiled holder was done with 14 gauge round wire over a wooden round mandrel, which can be found at any hardware store. There is a neck piece on it created from 14 gauge square wire.  Click Here for a Closeup This is a very big special cut garnet gemstone, where the setting was created by using a set of prongs, much like a prong ring; using 21 gauge half hard wire.  Click Here for a Closeup These have been around for a while in different shapes and sizes. It's a bar pin, where you can put a pendant on, and make it a brooch. The bar pin has a flat pin wired into the back, and the chain has a hook on each side. All done with 21 gauge square wire.  Click Here for a Closeup This is a glass intaglio cameo that I made a setting for with 21 gauge square gold filled wire. When doing a see through object like this, bring the bail wires up in the back, so you cant see them. Also, the flowing extra wires, bring them in the rear, but short, so you can't see them from the front. This is laid out like a regular border wrap as in Pendants 1 of my DVD series.  Click Here for a Closeup This is a sculpted pin I made with a cz, a snapset, and a piece of drusy. I made a frame from 18 gauge round wire then did some free form sculpting with 22 gauge gold filled wire, with a pin on the back. Wear it up, down, or sideways.  Click Here for a Closeup This bracelet was made from 20 gauge half hard square wire for the complete harness, but the entire bracelet is actually a two piece process. BIRTHSTONE BRACELET #1. The bracelet harness was created, and just about any harness will work; check any of our free patterns section, bracelet dvds, or free drop down video on demand for complete instructions. #2. The inside window features an 8mm genuine amethyst with two 10mm gold filled beads on each side. #3. A piece of 18 gauge wire was used to wire the three together, so they wont move. #4. The entire center assembly actually is not attached to anything; it floats in the center with the 18 gauge half round wire holding it firmly in. By doing it this way you get a much cleaner look.  Click Here for a Closeup The green jade Buddha is a three piece project. #1. The Buddha is border wrapped with 20 gauge gold filled wire; same steps at Pendants #1 DVD. It's just bigger and round. #2. I made a diamond base, again made from a few strands of 20 gauge half hard wire and then attached the Buddha onto the diamond. #3. The bail is a hidden bail, but the bottom is not attached to anything, so you can get it on and off of any large set of beads. In this case, a strand of 12mm Canadian jade beads. #4. I then strung 12 mm Canadian jade beads on a very thing wire used for guitars; its steel.  Click Here for a Closeup This is a large piece of rutilated quartz, (160 carats), and it is just loaded with angel hair streaks. I did a border wrap on the entire piece with about 7 wires of 20 gauge gold filled wire. I think I tumbled the pendant for about an hour and a half. It was a thick gemstone, so I covered the entire thickness of the piece with wire. It is a more elaborate version of the setting featured in the DVD, Wire Sculpting Pendants 1, but it has the same principles. The collar is all done with 14 gauge dead soft gold filled wire. I also have two sections of sterling silver wire in there that I twisted together to get that filigree look. That design is taken from the DVD, Wire Sculpted Collars. As you can see when the two are put together, it makes for a very large and elaborate neck piece that will command a good return. My suggested retail price is $595!  Big Faceted Gemstone Ring This is a light citrine gemstone. The gemstone was not very expensive, but I still sold the ring for $125! It is about 25 to 30 carats, and it needs lots of support. I always use 20 gauge half round wire for these gemstones. I wrapped the shank with 18 gauge half round gold filled wire to give it a more finished look. This design is taken directly from our big rings dvd.  WIRE SPLITTING WHEN SCULPTING If you are sculpting with 3 or 4 wires you can achieve a dramatic effect by splitting wire and sending them in different directions see top and bottom. Design taken from Introduction to Wire Sculpture Vol 1 in our DVD library.  I just recently sold this bracelet for $330 from www.masterwiresculptor.com. It is a great seller and can be made from all sizes of stones. This particular gemstone is 25 carats. It is a combination of two bracelet designs. 1. The bracelet harness can be found in my DVD, Wire Sculpted Bracelets Part 2. 2. The front piece that holds the gemstone is altered somewhat, but it comes from the universal pendant setting.  I made this years ago. It came from the first mine ever in Louisiana to discover opal. I created a border wrap setting for it in 21 gauge half hard wire and then I slid a few 6mm snap sets with blue topaz onto two of the wires. On a smaller piece I might use 22 gauge wire and 4mm snap sets.  I did this piece about 5 years ago all done in a 21 gauge gold filled soft wire. It’s a faceted citrine stone about 22 carats. I wish I could tell you how I did it but I can hardly remember. I do know I used most of the techniques used in The Universal Pendant setting and I just kept twisting until something came out of it.  This is a complete neckpiece (pendant and beads) I did some time back. I used the design from Introduction to wire sculpture volume one. But I accented with some small 3/4mm fresh water pearls. Now when you do this make your sculpture first then add the pearls where they seem to fit. That location is subject on each sculpture that's why you make the piece first and add the accent pearls second. For the beads I used commercial grade 8mm amethyst gemstone beads enclosed with silver Bali beads and a silver Bali catch in the rear. You could use pewter and get almost the exact same look. I used 21 gauge dead soft sterling round wire, a 40x30 purple onyx cab and very thin round silver wire to run the pearls on. You could use 24, 26, or 28 gauge. wire depending on the size hole in your pearls and they will vary quite a bit. There's lots of formulas you could use but I compute the price by several practical things. In order of importance: #1. How did it come out? #2. Cost of material #3. Type of wire and stone used #4. Past sales experience with a similar product RETAIL PRICE---------------- $150 NOTE--I made sure I could stand to loose 10% should a customer ask me for a discount so if I only received $135 I'd still be happy!  OLD MANUFACTURED WIRE BROOCH This is an interesting old gold plated wire pin that dates from the 1930s. It is one of the many pieces collected by Preston and Mary Reuther for the Wire Jewelry Museum. The technique uses a combination of jig work and solder in the rear. Many jewelry manufactures combined both human and machine methods during this period.  This unusual wire pendant is just another addition to the Wire Jewelry Museum of Preston and Mary Reuther. The body of the pendant has a 'basket-weave'-like design and the wires trail outward to the points. This wire pendant indicates the extensive variety of designs you can achieve
with wire sculpture. If you want to know more, take a look at some of the
titles we stock in wire jewelry books - visit: http://wire-sculpture.com/jewelrymakingsupplies/  Here's another example of wire name jewelry from an earlier time. This piece is also part of Mary and Preston Reuther's wire museum collection. Wire name jewelry was extremely popular during World War II with the servicemen for the ladies in their life. Why not try your hand at the popular skill of making wire name jewelry? Begin with your immediate family members. Visit our site - http://wire-sculpture.com/wirenames.html for a kit with everything you need to get started, today!  This week's Jewelry Making Idea is a 'blast from the past.' This piece of Wire Name Jewelry is from our Wire Jewelry Museum here at our company offices in historic Vicksburg, Mississippi. As you can see in these photos, Kellogg's used wire name jewelry in one of their earlier promotions. Preston and Mary Reuther are avid collectors of wire jewelry. They were fortunate to locate this piece of jewelry complete with the mailing envelope and the presentation card. It is in perfect condition! It seems that wire name jewelry is a classic - as popular then as it is now! You can begin today with this fascinating art form . . . just click here today to get your own Name Writing Package. Don't hesitate! There's still time to create plenty of Christmas gifts - and to learn a valuable jewelry making skill!  Here's the work of a beginner. Yes, a 'newbie' - a novice! Madge - a team member here at Master Wire Sculptor - was assisting at a jewelry making Boot Camp. She asked to 'sit in' on Mary Owren's Chain Maille class. She observed the class for about an hour and a half - and you are looking at the results! That's right - Madge picked up enough tips and techniques from Mary's class to create these beautiful 'maille' jewelry items - necklace and earrings!  Birthstones were the inspiration for this simple but elegant necklace. Rose began her design by selecting three gem stones that celebrate the months of the year of the birth of her children, her grandchild and herself! She next chose snap sets with attached bail – a simple rope chain – and gold beads to separate the gemstones and add definition. A birthstone necklace is a special accessory for your wardrobe!  Preston designed this wire name pendant especially for Rose – it’s her nickname. Wire name jewelry provides a very individualized gift for those you love - as well as being one of the hottest fashion accessories on the market. To learn more about creating your own wire name jewelry - check out our wire name jewelry making package at http://wire-sculpture.com/wirenames.html  Cell phones are now a fact of life for most of us. This playful design by Rose is an idea for a creative/innovative gift of jewelry for a cell phone! First, create the O-rings with your choice of wire. Determine the diameter you would like and fine or buy a cylindrical form of that size. Cut and wrap by hand using a mandrel - or use the Coiling Gizmo. For this design, Rose used a Lobster Claw Clasp. Be sure the size of clasp has the proper amount of closure space to fit snugly onto the cell phone. Enhancers allow you to individualize the piece. Beads, pearls, spacers, gemstones - let your imagination guide you in your choices! This same design can also work with the loops on jeans . . . just modify the length. Either way, this special piece of wire jewelry is sure to bring lots of compliments!  Wine Glass charms are one of the simplest and most versatile forms of wire sculpture. First of all, the wire design is basic. To begin, all you need is wire to fit the stem of the wine glass. Forget about using sterling silver wire that will tarnish. Check out our 20-gauge round non-tarnishing silver wire! Next, you need a mandrel. For starters, you can use any item that will help you form the circumference of the stem of the wine glass. If you want to invest in a tool specifically for this, check out our inventory of mandrels/gauges. And lastly, the variety of beads for your design is endless. And you can customize designs for specific events and times of the year - Valentines, St. Paddy's Day, Memorial Day, Summertime Fun, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas. Let your imagination run wild with fun wine glass charms . . . for yourself and your friends!  Click Here for a Closeup The Maille on this choker was hand made by Rose using techniques perfected by Mary Owren, the Queen of Chains! As you can see from the inset detail, the ancient art of Chain Maille involves intricate work that genuinely enhances earrings, bracelets and pendants.  Every inch of this unique neckpiece was handmade, with the exception of the bead. Rose attended a Boot Camp at which the instructor introduced students to the Coiling Gizmo - an ingenious device for making coiled wire. The lower portion of the piece is silver wire coiled over gold wire. The bulk in the lower half makes it sturdy and without movement. The top portion is hand-made S-hooks topped with a hand-made coiled wire clasp. As you can see from this photo, the top portion has movement. The combination of the two halves enhances the unique qualities of this special piece of jewelry. LeRoy Goetz - artist and inventor - introduced the "Coiling Gizmo." This tool speeds up the process of making coiled wire beads and ornaments.  Rose's latest creation is a Memory Wire Bracelet. The faceted barrel magnetic beads are interspersed with Smoky Quartz Chips to give this piece a neutral color in an elegant and popular style. The magnetic beads, when in stock, are sold in packs of six and are great for bracelets or necklaces! To make your own version of this great piece, use some of our memory wire, and take your pick from a huge variety of gemstone beads. Just about any combination makes a great seller, plus they are easy to make!  These sterling silver earrings are made from chains that are made by hand using techniques perfected by Mary Owren, the Queen of Chains! We Hope to See You There!!  Click Here for a Closeup This creation is reflective of age old Native American jewelry making techniques, but uses some of the latest materials to achieve it's stylish, yet cultural appeal. The necklace is unique in that it does not clasp, but rather it conforms to the shape of the person wearing it. The vintage look of the golden leaves will surely attract the eyes of browsing customers at any local craft show or home party. Good Luck, and Have Fun!!!  Rose, our jewelry making machine, has sculpted this beautiful golden pendant and placed it on one of our gold plated neckrings/chokers. The pendant features an impressive oval lapis lazuli cabochon set in gold filled, half round wire. This type of piece is a great seller in any market, and the techniques used to make this piece can be found on Preston's "Wire Sculpted Pendants Volume 3 DVD". Good Luck, and Have Fun!!!  This simple little set was put together using only a few simple jewelry making supplies and just a few minutes. All of the fabulous little gemstones beads that you see are mini turquoise chips. You can customize your own set with your choice of different Bali pewter beads to use as spacers. To make the bracelet, use elastic beading cord, and to make the earrings, use some silver earwires and silver earposts. Pick out the findings you like the best to make this set a truly personal creation! Have fun!!!  Our in-house jewelry designer, has created this elegant pair of dangling cross earrings. To make these pretty pieces, they used some beads from a 16 inch strand of Mother of Pearl, Cross Beads, and simply customized the earrings with her favorite combination of Chains and Findings. You could really have a lot fun finding just the right style for you or your customers. The possibilties are endless. Have fun with this little project, and Good Luck!!!  Click Here for a Closeup Our in-house jewelry designer has created a beautiful cameo pendant. This piece can be put togehter very quickly with just a few supplies. The supplies used to make this elegant piece include a 24 inch Gold Plated 1mm Fine Serpentine Chain , a Four Prong Setting for 25x18mm Cabochon/Cameo, a 6mm split ring, and any one of our fashion cameos. Cost of Materials to Make One of these Necklaces: $5.67 SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $19.95! (this piece has a more modest markup, but there is minimal labor involved)  Click Here for a Closeup Our in-house jewelry designer has come up with a multi-purpose piece. This gorgeous creation can be used as a lapel stickpin, a hatpin, or even hair jewelry when placed in a French Twist. Imagine this design combined with a scarf! The supplies used to make this awesome piece include 8mm Black Bi-Cone Swarovski Beads , Silver Plated Stick Pin Clutches, a 6 inch Nickel Hat Pin/Stick Pin, some 6x4mm bali beads, and one 16x9x6mm sterling silver bali bead. Cost of Materials to Make One Lapel: $7.59 SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $19.95! (this piece has a more modest markup, but there is minimal labor involved)  This bracelet, a very simple project, is unique because of the freely moving beads. Our in-house jewelry designer, put together this piece using: The tools you will need for this project include:
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $19.95!  This is a simple project that anyone can make, it is practical as well as attractive. All you need are a few gemstones and then decide what to put them in. In this idea, our jewelry designer inserted a gemstone into a 6mm Gold Filled Round Snapset w/ Bail and put it on a 20 Inch Gold Filled .5mm Rope Chain. She then put two more stones into a couple of 6mm, Round Gold Filled Snapset Studs to make the matching earrings. Very stylish, and easy to make with any birthstone. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $24.95!  This is a simple project that anyone from an expert to a beginner can make, and it is practical as well. First, you take a 3 foot black cord and you fold it in half, after it is folded, wrap the cord around the toggle and pull through to make a loop. Pull the two ends of the cord through a small or medium bead to the top of the holder. After that is complete, use the same process and string a larger bead to the first bead. When you have the desired number of beads, just knot the cord and adjust to desired length. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $4.95!  with Matching Pearl Earrings! To make this set, you will need one 30x45mm Lapis Cross Pendant and some white pearl beads. To construct the necklace, simply string the pearls together, and close the ends with your own choice of gold filled hooks and clasps. You can attach the pendant with a custom made hook made from any of our square gold filled wire. The matching earrings can be made simply by stringing the same pearls onto some extra wire and hooking them onto your choice of earwires. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $29.95!  Show your patriotism this July 4th, with this very patriotic bracelet. Our in house jewelry designer used some of our cord and put a gold plated magnetic button clasp along with a 2x3mm gold plated crimp connector to make the bracelet. After that she put some of our 6mm garnet gemstone glass beads, some of our 6mm blue topaz gemstone glass beads and our 5mm round crystal quartz beads. Makes the perfect jewelry item for July 4th. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $9.95!  We put together this beautiful set of earrings using two of our 12mm Hand painted cloisonne beads and a couple of gold head pins. Only a few minutes to make, but can be worn and cherished a lifetime.  Our in-house jewelry designer put together this elephant necklace using a white rubber cord necklace and a white howlite elephant bead with a gold color head pin going through it. Simple to make and fun to wear. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.95! ( Remember, this is survival jewelry, cheap to make, easy to sell, quick profits! )  Our in-house jewelry designer put together this beautiful necklace using one of our beautiful silver and turquoise pendants and a silver plated choker. Very simple and easy to make! RETAIL PRICE $19.95!  Our in-house jewelry designer put together this patriotic pin using some safety pins that were just laying around the office and a few of our red, white, and blue Czech Fire polished beads to make this patriotic pin for memorial day!  Rose, our in-house jewelry designer, put together these attractive magnetic earrings using some of our sterling silver bali beads, and a couple of magnetic beads. After she strung them on a couple of silver head pins, she then put those on silver earwires. The design is simplistic and attractive. RETAIL PRICE $14.95!  Our in-house jewelry designer, put together these jaded, cross bearing earrings by first, taking some of our 8mm round yellow jade beads, and a couple of 7X10mm crosses. She then strung them on a couple of 1 3/4 inch silver plated ear wires. The design is simple and easy to make. RETAIL PRICE $14.95!  This easy-to-make necklace can be made simply by using any of your gemstone arrowheads and stringing them onto one of our 40 Inch Gray Leather Suede Cords. RETAIL PRICE $9.99!  We have put together this piece using just a few supplies and a little effort. We began by using a tube of our Super Glue II to attach a beautiful 25X18mm, blue rose fashion cameo to a Setting for 18x25mm Cabochon/Cameo with Loop. The pendant is then attached to 16 1/2 inch Gold Plated Neck Ring to creat this beautiful finished piece. RETAIL PRICE $19.95!  This necklace features a pendant, whose main attraction is the 50mm Jade Donut that has been wrapped in Round Gold Filled Wire, feel free to pick your own gauge and hardness. The entire setting, including the bail, is hand crafted with the wire, and the piece is completed by stringing the pendant on a strand of 6mm Round New Jade Beads. Feel free to browse through more donuts and beads to find the perfect color and look for your pieces. The possibilities are endless, so hurry and get started today. RETAIL PRICE $34.95 - $49.99 (depending on the type of gemstone) for the entire set!  We have put together this pretty pendant and earring set using just a few items, a short time, and little effort. For the pendant, we attached one of our Mini Crystal Points to a 9mm Fancy Gold Plated Seven Prong Bell Cap and strung the pendant on an 18 inch Gold Plated 1mm Fine Serpentine Chain. For the earrings, she used the same bell caps and crystals, and then she attached them to a pair of Gold Filled Ear Wires. RETAIL PRICE $19.95 for the entire set!  We have put together this heart gemstone ring and earring set, using a few simple supplies and little effort. The heart-shaped gemstone used on both settings can be found in our fiber optic gemstone assortment. To make the ring, the gemstone was attached to an Adjustable Gold Plated Finger Ring. For the earrings, we attached the gemstone to a pair of Gold Plated Clip On Earring Settings. RETAIL PRICE $19.95 for the set!  We have put together this cameo pendant necklace in a just a few minutes, using a few simple supplies and little effort. The pendant is a one of our Danielle Blue, 25x18mm Fashion Cameos, set into a Hamilton nickel plated setting. After attaching a sterling silver jump/split ring to the setting to create a large enough bail, she strung the pendant onto an 18 inch 1mm Fine Serpentine Silver Plated Chain to create the finished necklace! RETAIL PRICE $39.99!  We have put together this pair of earrings using some of our newest products , such as 4mm Amethyst Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads, available in packs of 12. In addition, the pair also includes some of our fabulous 8mm Amythyst Swarovski Crystal Balls. To tie together these new, beautiful Swarovski beads, We used 4mm Ball Posts, 1 inch gold filled Ball pins, and a couple of gold filled, friction ear nuts. RETAIL PRICE $24.99!  We put together this lovely Rosary set that features a necklace and matching earrings. We put this set together in a short time using 6x4mm Spacer Bali Style Pewter Beads, 8mm Faceted Smoky Quartz beads, Silver Plated French Earwires, Small Silver Plated Barrel Clasps, Silver Plated Crosses with Floral Design and Hole for O-ring, and some Beading Wire. The finished product is quite beautiful and should be easy to sell anywhere. RETAIL PRICE $94.95 for the entire set.  This 18x13mm faceted man made pink rose zircon was put together with an easy mount sterling setting, two bali-style pewter beads and one of our slim line neck rings with a magnetic clasp. Total cost is about $14.00 RETAIL PRICE $39.95 This is a great low end seller in any arena! NOTE - This is survival jewelry you can sell inexpensively so remember to Keep it cheap!   We have designed these cool gemstone butterfly pins from scrap silver wire, two cheap pearls, a base metal pin back, some glue, and a gemstone butterfly bead. Total investment______________________$1.00 Retail Price__________________________$7.00 This is a great low end seller in any arena! NOTE - This is survival jewelry you can sell inexpensively so remember to Keep it cheap!  This is a great low item seller that you can make quickly and sell in any arena. All you need is a FEW TOOLS, a BIG LAPIS BUDDHA BEAD, a BASE METAL HEAD PIN, and an inexpensive SILVER PLATED CHAIN 18 INCH. TOTAL INVESTMENT------------------------$5.00 RETAIL PRICE----------------------------------$19.95 300% PROFIT________________________$14.95 NOTE - This is survival jewelry you can sell inexpensively so remember to Keep it cheap!  Easy-to-Make Earrings You can make these at home in just a few minutes. We used some of our crystal beads, cloisonne beads, and a few gold filled findings.  You don't have to be a professional wire sculptor or bench jeweler to make some simple buy/sell items that can add revenue to your bottom line or help pay for that craft show booth and still keep your jewelry booth looking good. I sort of scavenged around our website and this is what I came up with.
NOTE: For this particular setting, all you do is place the silver setting on its back on a flat surface and take the cz and set it into the prongs. Push it down oh so slightly and tighten the prongs on each of the three ends of the triangle with the tips of your chain nose pliers. This is a small stone and small setting so be gentle when you squeeze the prongs together. Snap on your bail and add the chain and here is your "diamond drop" looking good enough for any night on the town or even a very economical brides maid's gift! |
