bohowirewrapped's Blog

Adventures Of A Jewelry Artisan

My handmade spring loaded clasp

Published: 04-23-2012 01:52am

I love the process of making jewelry and jewelry components by hand and have a little bit of a persnickety nature where it comes to my findings. I always prefer to make my own and have a special place in my heart for the classic hook and eye and S types. There are times when those styles are inappropriate and something a bit more secure is desired. This little clasp is the perfect answer and is also more unisex than the fancier types. This clasp is very sturdy, it doesn't come apart or undone without a great deal of stress. It's also ridiculously easy to operate so it's great for bracelets. Check out the video below to see how easy it is.This... » Read More

Fairy Opal, Fairystone, Opal in Sandstone

Published: 02-27-2012 09:18pm

Fairystone, also known as fairy opal, is technically opal in sandstone. It is still fairly unknown to most people, and even to many in the jewelry trade. It is fascinating no matter whether one considers the appearance or the process of its creation. Fairy opal is technically opal in a sandstone matrix that is mined in Lightning Ridge. In nature the brilliant opal that laces through the sandstone is not showy, in fact it is downright drab with soft browns or muddy red color. The hand of man on this material does wonders. The sandstone matrix lacks the silicate that acts as a binder in opals, making the conglomerate quite fragile. It's tricky... » Read More

How to post linked pictures in the ArtFire Forums Using Chrome

Published: 12-20-2011 11:58am
Posted In: Tips and Tricks for ArtFire Sellers

It's too much fun to be able to share pictures of our work, interests, etc, to let anyone be left out when making clickable linked pictures is so easy in the Chrome browser. Here's now:Open your listing and choose where in the forums you wish to use your linked image.In the listing tab, right click on the image you wish to use.(I chose my pretty S scroll earrings with their glass stars), choose Copy Image.In the forums tab, start a new thread or choose Advanced Reply, right click and choose Paste. Return to the listing tab, click on the address bar and copy the URL.Return to the forums tab, highlight the image you pasted by dragging your mouse ac... » Read More

Concerning Earrings

Published: 12-13-2011 05:03pm
Posted In: The Challenges of Jewelry Photography Series

I'm kind of all over the place with earring photos because there are so many earring designs that I make. I haven't noticed much difference in my stats between the different kinds of shots, but perhaps that's because I use the most appropriate background as much as I can figure out how. Often men will prefer a shot of earrings that shows what the earring looks like in a human ear, otherwise it's hard for them to visualize what the earring will look like when worn. While I see a need for them being shown with something that gives an impression of how they look on a person, as we ladies know, it's a big no-no to use a real human ear unless you just... » Read More

A little surprise for the ArtFire guys!

Published: 11-11-2011 06:27pm

Last year ArtFire rolled out of beta and to celebrate I sent one of my little hummingbirds to their office. This is a video of that birdI think they liked it, they hung it above the coffeemaker. Meet the ArtFire staff, left to right are Tony, Kyle, Britni, Caleb, Eric, John, KevinMissing from the picture are Jessica, Jen, Michael and Aaron. This is a photo that Tony took of the little hummer. You can order your own hummingbird here.... » Read More

How to make a widget to display multiple category designations for ArtFire studios

Published: 11-11-2011 02:16am

Having the ability to make subcategories can mean the difference between a frustrating shopping experience and a pleasant one for your shoppers. On ArtFire we're given the ability to use widgets which are great for this purpose, and the excellent ArtFire studio search is such a great tool for this. Here's how I did it.The first thing I needed to do is make an image for my buttons. I made them in Irfanview, this is the album in PhotoBucket that I store them in.To make these images I made 2 templates in Irfanview, one for a blank image 150px x 100px, this size was used as the category header, and one for 150px x 50px, this size was used for the ac... » Read More

Butterfly on a Wheel

Published: 11-11-2011 02:16am

Every so often I remember to take "work in progress" pictures when I'm working on an art jewelry piece. After I made the sprirals in the "butterfly wing" for this latest piece a song by The Mission U.K played in my head while I was working on it. I called the pendant Butterfly on a Wheel and I actually remembered after I got a little way into it to take pictures.This is the barely fleshed out framework:I used sterling silver for the frame work with fine silver and gold filled very thin wire for the weaving. This is a picture of the next stage with a bit more wire wrapping and the first 2 of 3 raw rubiesthen added the fine silver frames and indic... » Read More

Auction Bytes announces winner of their Readers' Choice awards

Published: 11-11-2011 01:49am

Auction Bytes announced their 2011 Readers' Choice awards for best online venue yesterday and I'm so happy to be able to say "Congratulations, well deserved" to the owners and staff of ArtFire for placing #1. This honor is especially nice because this year Auction Bytes didn't give multiple choice but instead allowed their readers to nominate their own choices. ArtFire placed #1 with a score of 8.2 followed closely by webstores.com with their score of 8.1ArtFire has done an outstanding job of creating a vibrant, healthy, organically grown family business based on the web. I hope that they continue to achieve their goals and remain a family owned... » Read More

The making of a wire woven sphere and a copper pendant, first pictures

Published: 11-11-2011 01:47am

The three dimensional shape and very small size of these beads makes them a challenge to finish because the wires are very close together and the wire has to do tricks for me to go where I need for it to go near the end. By the time I've come to the ends of the 30 gauge wire it has flattened out to be more like ribbon than like round wire. These first photos are of a finished wire woven sterling and fine silver bead and the frame work for a matching "mirror image" bead. I will add more pictures, including pictures showing how the thin wire winds around the frame, as I create the matching bead to the finished one.These 11mm beads use about 6 inch... » Read More

Badge for items that have appeared on the ArtFire front page

Published: 11-11-2011 01:46am

ArtFire is so special and gives us so many ways to promote our items that it seems a little bit too much to ask them for something I can do myself, so when one of my items was featured on the front page a while back I made this badge so I could remember it. I would be happy to have anyone else use it, please be my guest. It's not much, but it's my gift to the ArtFire Embers!... » Read More

A Few New Pendant Projects

Published: 11-11-2011 01:42am

I've spent too much time in my workroom and not too much on blogging for a while so I thought I would share some of what's been going on out there. I don't always remember to take pictures, though, because I get so caught up in the work. The beautiful shield shaped orange, gray and white agate cabochon for this pendant was created by my husband, Roger. I wanted to show of his brilliant cutting and polishing in a very simple setting, so I built a heavy solid copper foundation, then wired them together using a more or less primative style of wrapping. The French wire guards on this Australian opal necklace was hand wrapped from 26 gauge gold fill... » Read More

Seller's Information

bohowirewrapped

United States
Items Sold: 111
Last checked in:
Today
Seller Rating:
5 stars
based on 73 ratings and 21 reviews
Contact Seller

Awarded Artifacts

Fire Mentor Artisan

Fire Mentor Artisan:

These Artisans are well versed in the process and services of ArtFire. They have agreed to help new artisans and sellers get the most out of ArtFire. If you are stuck and need to ask a quick question, or just want to learn from the best, you should contact a Fire Mentor Artisan. Fire Mentor Artisans are wonderful guides and helpful mentors in our handmade artisan community.
Innovator

Innovator:

Almost every day we get suggestions from our artfire.com member artisans on how to make Art Fire better. We listen to every idea for improving the handmade community. While we can’t implement all of them right away, we do try to roll out innovations from our artisans on a regular basis. If an artisan suggests something that we use to improve the sight, they are awarded the innovator artifact. The artisans with this artifact have helped to make artfire.com a better handmade artisan community.
Certified Handmade Artisan

Certified Handmade Artisan:

If you see this artifact you know that the artisan has been through a juried review process and of the items listed in their shop are made by hand by the Artisan. This artifact is the symbol of total commitment to making with your own two hands. That commitment is very special, and it deserves recognition.
Maven

Maven:

The ArtFire Maven Team helps us grow and prosper as a community and marketplace. Through collaborative promotional efforts, maven exclusive product testing, and regular brainstorming and feedback opportunities, the maven team has helped to shape ArtFire into the vibrant and growing venue it is today.
Guild Artisan

Guild Artisan:

This artifact indicates that the artisan is a member of at least one trade guild. Guilds are a team system within the handmade community that provide for cooperative efforts to learn, teach, compete, and improve the community and the arts.