Guess who's on TV?!

Iptv came and did a wonderful segment on the studio fuzzishu make & take workshops at the Iowa State Fair. They featured several of my students and their finished projects. Check it out!



We are nearing the end of fair so if you haven't already come out to make something AWESOME, what are you waiting for?! ;)

ISF 2011....T-minus 6 days?!

NEW WORKSHOPS AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR

In honor of Studio Fuzzishu's 4th year at the Iowa State Fair we are introducing four new metal jewelry projects that you can make and take home with you the same day. Workshops start every half hour or so, daily 9am to 9pm Aug. 11-21 in the Cultural Center.

New Project No.1 - Mixed Metal Stamped Pendant

New Project No.2 - Mini Mantra Bracelet

Projects 3 & 4 Coming Soon!!!

(hint - they are name tag for your pooch and a yearly charm that can be used for a keychain, charm bracelet, pendant etc.!)

New Project No.3 - Pooch Tags

New Project No.4 - Annual Fuzzishu Charm

And, of course, your favorite project and mine, the one that started them all, the silver ring!

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Dear blog readers, I am going to give you the opportunity to win one of the new workshops for FREE at state fair OR, if you are out of state/country, one of the new projects made by yours truly just for you ;)

To enter to win simply leave a comment below telling me which project you would like to make/have and why.

BUT WAIT, we are giving you more chances to rack up entries. If you follow the fuzzi- blog, share the giveaway on Facebook and Twitter and promote this giveaway on your personal blog you'll receive one extra entry for each act of social media. Just come back here and post a SEPARATE entry for each of your postings or followings. Entries will be accepted until Tue. at 9pm Central time.

Update 8.8.2011 - Thank you for the entries so far! However, please make sure you leave me some way of getting a hold of you if you win. You can email me with your screen name or leave a contact on here. I will post a blog announcing the winner but you don't want to miss your opportunity!

A special mother's pendant

I am so very proud! Earlier this spring I exhibited in the Believe in Girls conference held by the Girl Scouts and demonstrated a possible career in the arts. A while after the conference one of the girls called me and arranged a ring making workshop for herself, her mother and her grandmother. We had a blast.

Just recently she called again and wanted to make a special necklace for her mother's birthday. She had bought the stones, come up with a design and needed a little help (and the tools!) to bring the piece to life. I helped with the bezels and stone setting but the sawing, filing, stamping, etc. was all her. Yay! She did such a great job and it was awesome to be able to help her make something special. You too can come to the studio to create a one of a kind piece, just give me a buzz.

Steampunk Pendant @ studio fuzzishu

We had a great time making some steampunk-esque pendants the other night at the studio. The students were given packets of odds and ends and a short time to come up with their designs. After a few demos they began to create their pieces. Everyone did a fantastic job! We ran out of time before oxidizing the pieces to give them that antique-y feel but I think they turned out great either way!

Multiple Choice

And now....for our 'Name That Workshop" Contest Official Vote....(see original post here). The title with the most votes will win fame, fortune, and fuzzishu earrings. ;)

The title of the workshop should reflect the fact that students will design and create a set of jewelry based on a theme of their choosing. Please leave your vote (the number of the title) in the comments section.

1. 'You Decide'
2. 'Imaginings'
3. 'Whatever'
4. 'It's Up to You'
5. 'Guess What'
6. 'Jewel What'
7. 'Think It,Do It'
8. 'What Now'
9. 'Design it and Do it!'
10. 'Think once, Make thrice!'

11. 'Imagination in threes'

12. 'Three pondered pieces'

13. 'Thinking of three'

14. 'A Theme in threes'
15. 'Brainstorm to Bench'

16. 'Creative Juices'
17. 'Where the wind blows'
18. 'Theme J103'
19. 'Solder-n-Sweat'
20. 'Jumpring Jive'
21. B.E.N - bracelet earrings necklace

What do you think?

Name that Tune! Er, Workshop!...

And win! I am offering a new workshop in 2011 and it is the Class-Yet-To-Be-Named. I'd love your input. I'd love your input so much I am offering a jewelry prize (joie earrings) to the person whose suggestion I like most. Plus you'll be famous (in Iowa...ok, not really. Just at studio fuzzishu) for having named this awesome class.

What is this class you ask? Go on, ask. I'll wait. ....

It is a class in whence students brainstorm several themes and narrow it down to one then proceed to design a set of three jewelry pieces around their theme. ie - themes 'romance and rock'n'roll', 'forests', 'circles', etc. Let's say Student X chooses 'forest' for their theme. They might then make a branchy looking bracelet, a pair of leafy earrings, and a ring with winter berries on it. They can use any material and any techniques they may have learned up to this point. It's a more self directed class. I am there purely to advise on a technical level.

To enter this contest simply leave a comment or email me with your idea and your email/a way to contact you. You may enter as many times as you like. Keep it fun and creative!

So...any ideas yet? 'Cause I'm fresh out. fuzzi-mom affectionately refers to it as BEN, you'll have to ask her why yourself though. ;) Good luck and happy naming.

Oohhhh Waaaaatttaaaaa Goooooo Sssiiiiaaaaam...*

[ a plethora of texturing tools]

This Sunday was the last segment of the Mantra Bracelet workshop at the Des Moines Art Center. There were 5 students and I think they all did a wonderful job. I know we all had a bunch of fun with 'hammer therapy' and the feeling of accomplishment when the piece is done and being worn? Priceless! The students hustled their buns and finished these earthy and heavily textured pieces in only 4 hrs. I will also be offering this workshop at the fuzzi-studio after the start of the new year or if there is enough interest expressed (they'd make great xmas presents!)

maggie - "love you to the moon and back"

megan - "faith, hope, love"

betsy - "believe in who you are & what you do"

eden - "carpe diem"

katie - "if it is to be, it is up to me"

*My grandpa was always a bit of a jokester. This used to be a 'mantra' he would have us kids say faster and faster 'til we 'got it'. Get it? ;)

Steampunk-ish at the Des Moines Art Center

This evening concluded a short but intense bracelet workshop I was teaching at the Des Moines Art Center. Luckily we had a very small class and even though everyone was a beginner with no previous metalsmithing experience they were able to learn quickly, be adaptable, hustle and almost finish in the allotted time ;)

Students learned how to add textures to several kinds of metal using stamps, hammers and the rolling mill. They also learned how to use cold connections to finish their neo-rustic steampunk style bracelet.

This basis for this project was found in the Dec. 2007 edition of the Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist magazine and is the property of Helen Driggs. A tutorial on how to make the bracelet can be found here.

Here are a few of the finished bracelets. It's interesting to see how one own's aesthetic taste and method of working changes the final piece despite everyone beginning with the same materials and instruction. I think they did a great job and look forward to seeing everyone again soon!

C is for Charms...

New to the Iowa State Fair for 2010! You've made a ring, now create your own sterling silver charm or pendant to match.


They make excellent gifts for new mothers, teens, grandmothers, mothers and more. You'll start with a small silver blank and learn how to file, stamp, solder and finish these small pieces of jewelry all in about half an hour. Hope you'll join us!

Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek of some new products/workshops studio fuzzishu will soon be offering.

Refrigerator Art For Her Neck

Remember how Mom liked to hang your art on the refrigerator? She'll love this even more!

Create a sterling silver pendant accented with 14k gold for or with your Mom. Have a crafty mom? Give her the opportunity to make her own. It only takes about 30 minutes and each pendant is as unique as a fingerprint. Contact Rachel to reserve a time.

Steampunk Saturday

Yesterday we went to a....


in Kansas City. The bead show was fairly impressive for a small show and quite crowded but the main draw for me was the steampunk pendant workshop. It seemed like a fun opportunity to do some cold connections in a style I don't normally use. Here's the piece in progress...

Although the workshop was from 1-4pm we still didn't have enough time to finish up. Here's the (mostly) finished piece. We had a blast and I hope to be offering some steampunk workshops at my studio soon. Please email me or leave a comment here if you are interested. Thanks!