a 'thank you' in 3D

I whipped out this 'worry stone' keychain as a thank you to friend who gifted me a variety of steel ball bearings the other day. The idea of a moving ball riveted between two sheets of metal was given to me a few months back by my student Cindy. Thanks Cindy! And JV for the BBs.

coppersonja ♥s fuzzishü

coppersonja has put together a wonderful colorful and glass filled treasury and featured a fuzzishu necklace. Please go check it out here. We'll get an a.go.go 9 element on the front page of etsy one of these days ;)

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?

earthdesignsindia ♥s fuzzishü

Thanks to EarthDesignsIndia for featuring my 9 pc. a go go necklace in their 'closing the circle' treasury. My necklace is in good company with lots of cool pieces, go here to check them out.

sonyarasi ♥s fuzzishu

Knock on wood, Iowa hasn't gotten its first major blanket of white...but it's dark out most of the time and who can't use more 'merry & bright' in their life? sonyarasi has put together a great treasury of bright and dazzling etsy creations and was kind enough to include the 9 element a go go necklace from fuzzishu. Thanks sonyarasi! Check out the treasury here.

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.

artandstory ♥s fuzzishü

Thank you to ArtAndStory for including the a-go-go 9 element necklace in their Christmas treasury. You can see all of the shapes and sizes of Christmas goodies here.

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? ;)

Like quicksilver...

J102's cast pewter 'reflection' pendant photos are up. Go check out their awesome pieces (WITH artist's statements!!!) here.

This was the first project for J102 and was a quick little piece. Students learned how to carve their designs in plaster and cast with molten pewter. I hope to get some 'in progress' photos up here soon. This was also the first project that students were 'strongly encouraged' (read: harassed non-stop) to write artists' statements. Eventually we'll get to the point of holding critiques after they complete a project. :D Watch out, students!!!

My Precioussssss

Isn't my new baby pretty? I am so incredibly psyched to have gotten my hands on a rolling mill. Granted, it isn't the stacked Durston D2 130 that I've been lusting after...then again it wasn't $2,000 either! I'm looking forward to future classes being able to use this to texture their metal. It will be especially good for the cold connections project that J102 is doing right now. I am still working on getting a stand for it so that it may be used. I'm heading out to Bob's* this weekend to try and find something that might work.

This mill has a lot of history, the grandfather of the woman I got this from used to work for one of the major film production companies in Iowa. He used to collect the silver dust from the process, refine it and make jewelry. Since then the mill has been used by the grandkids to squish apples and various other objects. She approached me at state fair and asked if I might be interested in such an object. Of course I was!

I'm trying to figure out exactly what brand of mill it is and perhaps a little bit more about its history. If any of you out there have a clue, please let me know! I took her apart to try and clean it up a bit and saw a 'made in italy' stamped into the metal. There are also some letters/numbers near the top that you can see in the photo...looks like EC 82? Any ideas?

*I really really want to get one of Bob's redheads (see below) for the studio. Some day!