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I had such a great day yesterday - I had a proper cabochon-setting lesson with my great friend and regular "partner in design" mizgeorge, George Harper East.
I have made a few cabochons recently (cough cough) and now I have a good idea of what to do with them!
I made the ring with the red and purple cab, George made the one with the lime centre so she could teach me the method, step by step.
Then I made this amazing pendant - isn't it just fantastic?!
I've been shopping this morning, buying up all the bits and pieces I need to make more rings and pendants at home.
Ooh, I hope I can do anything like as good a job on my own!
If you'd like to learn to do pretty much anything in silver (or any other metal!), I can't recommend George's teaching enough. She's patient, encouraging, has all the best designs and is crazy clever!
Oh, and of course, if you need cabs to set, there's a few to choose from in my Etsy shop ;0) Or if you'd like to make your own cabs to set in your own ring, you might find my new eBook helpful too!
I've been rather quiet on the bead, photo and blog front for quite some time but I have been busy in the Lusherie and at my desk. I've been experimenting, researching, writing and generally obsessing over a new tutorial for bead makers to make these fabulous little (and not so little!) slices of art glass that I've named Bubbles, Urchins and Carousels. There is actually another type of cabochon in there too, but I didn't come up with fancy name for that one. Now that it's done I can finally get back to making beads - and have been making up for lost time already!
I sent cabs out to friends that work in different mediums, to see how they would set them, and here are the photos of what they made.
Solder-free settings by George Harper East ... watch out for a tutorial from her on how to make these.
And a more traditional silver ring from George too.
More beautiful silver work by Rita Bennett - a clever clasp and earring pair. The bracelet beads are Rita's own.
Lynn Davy works with teeny tiny seed beads. I think she's going to make the green one into the focal piece of a necklace and, as you can see below, the pink one has become the top of a charming little beaded box.
This silver PMC ring was beautifully made by Leigh Armstrong, and so was the polymer clay dragon - with a clever Urchin eye!
Here's another little Carousel set in silver clay, by Lesley Watt of TheaJewellery - I love the texture on the pendant.
All this lovely work makes me want to have a go at setting some cabs too ... watch this space!
If you're a jewellery maker and use cabochons in your work, I have lots for sale in my Etsy shop, or if you'd like a copy of the tutorial that's also in my Etsy shop, and on my website.
