Friday, September 27, 2013

CBC 2000 Giveaway Blog Hop!!


Welcome to the CBC 2000 Giveaway Blog Hop!   I recently signed up for the special CBC 2000 Giveway Event on Creative Bead Chat Group on Facebook.  CBC is a gathering place of amazing jewelry artists and I've met so many wonderful people.  So many talented artists donated their gorgeous creations for this event and I was so thrilled to be the lucky winner of Lee Anne Messerschmidt's wonderful creations!  

I've known Lee Anne for couple of years and I've always admired her work.  We met on Barbara Lewis' Painting with Fire Ning and share the same birthday!  She has a knack for mixing and laying colors on her enamel pieces.  I've always drooled over her work.  I’ve never met Lee Anne in person but I feel like we have been lifelong friends and we share the same birthday!   She truly mastered Barbara Lewis’ immersion enameling method and have made so many unique and delicious enameling pieces.  You can check out her Facebook page and see her enameled beautifies at Wired Hammered N Worn Facebook page!  I can’t tell you how ecstatic I was to be the lucky winner of Lee Anne’s goodies.

Here are the beautiful items I received in a package! 

With so many possibilities swarming in my it was hard to decide on the design.  I love the color mix she sent me and everything just complimented each other.  

I decided to mix the enameled components and the beauty of copper and made a necklace featuring the most adorable flower focal.  I just couldn't get over how cute the flower focal is!






I wish you can see the depth of the color of the turquoise blue the leaves Lee Anne created.  They simmer in the sunlight and there are layers of different colors that reminded me of the pristine ocean.  I used the two small leaves and made earrings.  I used the enameled head pins to connect the little birds.  Kept the design simple to show off the beautiful enamel colors.








There was a small little enameled disc with a little bird and I just had to use that piece to attach the leaf.  I braided a leather cord and threaded through couple of the larger enameled components to accent the necklace.  


As you can see I still have lots of goodies left over and can't wait to use them in future designs.  I haven't done much enameling lately but seeing all the beautiful enameled pieces.  Thank you so much Lee Anne for the beauties!  I will cherish them and think of you every time I wear them!   xoxo!

Please hop over to the other participants!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Bead & Button Show and Rebranding!

Bead & Button Show
It's that time of the year again where I make my annual pilgrimage to Milwaukee to attend the Bead & Button Show!  My work peeps have absolutely no idea my excitement when I tell them about B&B but it's the event of the year for me!  This will be my third year attending and I have signed up for 12 workshops!  Yes I'm crazy but I don't have other opportunities to learn from the industry's best in person often so I have to make it worth every minute!

I'm starting off this year taking Linda Darty, yes THE Linda Darty of the enamel queen, Enameling Master Class!  What a way to kick off the event!  It is a 3 day in depth workshop and I am looking forwarding to learning various enameling techniques.  My jaw literally dropped when I learned Linda will be one of the Master Class teacher as I have admired her book The Art of Enameling for years and it's been my favorite bed side and studio reading.  I will be like a sponge and absorb as much as I can from the Master of Enameling!

I'm taking two classes from one of my favorite teacher, Richard Salley, this year.  I saw the Fire & Ice Pendant in last year's class and I had to wait an entire year to learn how!  Talk about keeping someone in suspense!  I'm also taking his Make the Impression class.  I love the primitive and rustic look it can achieve.  Right up my alley!  I hope to see his beautiful and kind assistant Martina Stein.  I just love her!

After moderate success with jeweler's saw, I decided it was time to learn from the master of sawing, Thomas Mann.  Francesca Watson was raving about his class so I decided I really need to master this technique.  I've also admired Thomas Mann's jewelry for years.  The way he uses cold connection is so ingenious.  Looking forward to learning two key techniques which I will use for years in future work!  Check out his beautiful work at his website Thomas Mann!

I took Joe Silvera's class two years ago and was blown away with the set up.  I walked into his class and there is a large monitor in the front and high quality tools on each table.  The monitor makes it so much easier to see the intricate techniques he is teaching when you have many in the class so everyone gets a great view.  I signed up for the Basket Prong class this year.  Being able to capture delicate stones without the standard bezel will add another option to set stones.  Looking forward to his gentle and thorough style workshop.  Visiting his jewelry school in Berkley is on my list!  

This year's hottest workshops is being offered by Robyn Cornelius!   Almost all of her 11 workshops are sold out and most sold out within the first 10 min when registration first opened!  My partner in crime this year, Heidi Kingman, are taking this class together which I'm sure going to make it extra special.  I can't wait to apply my new sawing skills from Thomas Mann and Robyn to pierce such intricate designs and get the amazing colors through liver of sulfur!

Another class that sold out within minutes was Lisa Barth's Cross Wire Pendant.  I kept bugging the B&B peeps and when they added additional seats, I got in!  Yay!  I have long admired Lisa's metal clay and wire weaving jewelry.   I just love the way she combines copper and turquoise in her work.  I started a small collection of turquoise as it is my favorite stone.  I can't wait to learn how to capture these beautiful stones and showcase them in a pendant!

When I saw Sherry Serafini's bead embroidery display 2 years ago at Bead & Button Show Exhibit, her work literally stopped me in my tracks.  Her work is beyond amazing and they are mesmerizing.  Bead Embroidery is so opposite of what I normally do which involves hammering, soldering, torching, and wire wrapping.  Working with intricate teeny tiny seed beads is a bit intimidating.  This is going to be the most quiet class I will take this year! It will be like a meditation session and I will look forward to learning from the Master of bead embroidery!

I learned metal etching from the fabulous duo Cristina Leonard and Gail Lannum last year who taught me how to use ferric chloride etchant to etch beautiful designs on metals.  This year I signed up for John Fetvedt's Electro-Etched Copper Earrings.  It will be great to have an alternative non-chemical etching method under my belt.  John is known for his beautiful chainmaille work. 

I met Eva Sherman online and have admired her gorgeous copper cuffs she posts on a weekly basis.  When I found out she was teaching at Bead & Button Show, I had to squeeze in one her classes.  I'm so excited to take her Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder Copper Ring class.  I wear so many copper jewelry but don't have a copper ring yet so it will be a great compliment to other copper jewelry.  So looking forward to meeting her in person!

My final class is Wire-Woven Filigree Ring with Kaska Firor.  I love the look for wire weaved jewelry and the ring caught my eyes!  I hope I have the patience in weaving intricate designs.  Looks so tedious!

REBRANDING!
I've decided to brand myself and change my jewelry design business to Kumi Fisher Designs!  I had sentimental attachment to Malie Kai as they were my children's middle names but a difficult name to remember, spell, or pronounce is not good for business.  I finally feel more confident branding myself as I go through this creative journey.  Finding your creative voice and brand wasn't an easy process and I'm still learning and growing.  Events like Bead & Button Show has really helped me find my creative voice.  Looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new friends. 

I will have exciting news when I come back from Milwaukee.  

Mahalo for being part of my creative journey!
Kumi ♥








Sunday, May 12, 2013

AJE Earring Challenge Reveal #8 & #9!

Time is flying by this year and with lots on my plate I decided to combine the blog post for Reveal #8 & #9.  

Week #15 ~ Copper Leaf with Pearls
I was shaping copper wires to use with beaded head pins but it didn't quite turn our right.  After hours of trying various different ways and getting frustrated, I sat back in my chair and saw freshwater pearls within the chaos of my workbench.  So I decided to hang a hammered copper wire with freshwater pearls as the stem of the leaf.   Sometimes a great idea comes when you can't make something you originally planned work the way you planned.  











Week #16 ~ Enameled Beads Earrings


My girlfriend Lynda came over and we had a fun afternoon making enameled beads using Barbara Lewis' immersion method.  I tried to make a matching pair but when you are layering and mixing colors, it's not quite easy to do.  I think it adds a unique one of a kind look when it's not exactly the same.  Well, I guess I'm going for the organic look lol!  The challenge of dipping into multiple enamels is I forget to take copious notes and if someone asks me to make the exact pair, I probably won't be able to duplicate.  Note to self...take better notes!  I made a swirl headpin with copper wire, added some beads and attached sterling silver ear wires to complete.  





Week #17 ~ Leather Hoop Earrings

I love working with leather and making leather hoop earrings is my latest obsession.  I love the light weight and the color contrast between the leather and the beads.  So many possibilities and design ideas are spinning in my head.

I think I'm going to make varieties of these leather hoop earrings.  I'm stocking up on inventory for a reason...stay tuned for announcement soon :)








Week #18 ~ Copper Heart Earrings

I got a special Mother's Day order and I made a heart component which I used for a necklace then the light switch went on!  Why not make earrings with the same design!  Sometimes the simple design turns out to be the best bet.  I had fun shaping the wire to cute hearts, adding glass and copper beads on the stem, and attach them to ear posts.  Ta da!



Mahalo for visiting and wishing you a creative day!  Please visit all the other wonderful artists!
Kumi ♥


Sunday, April 21, 2013

AJE Earrings Challenge Reveal #7!

For Art Jewelry Elements Earrings Challenge Week #13 ~ I have been admiring Kristi Bowman's components for awhile and I was thrilled to finally use them to design a pair of earrings.  I just love the texture and colors of her copper components and before I even received them I decided I needed to combine them with turquoise.  I love the tribal design Kristi put on these components.  She has lots of eye candy jewelry and components in her Etsy store!



For Week #14, I had to show off the pair of earrings I made for the Artisan Whimsy Bead Chat 5 x 5 Product Testing Group.  Amazing how an aluminum strip can transform into such beauty!  You can read more details on my previous post.

Please hop on over to other wonderful artists who wrote about their creations!


Mahalo for stopping by!  
Kumi ♥

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Artisan Whimsy Bead Chat Magazine 5x5 Product Test Group

I was on one of my favorite Facebook group called Creative Bead Chat where jewelry makers share ideas, ask questions, inspire one another, and a place to socialize with like mind creative and wonderful peeps at the end of February.  We were having a great discussion started by Kristin Oppold from Yay Jewelry and next thing I knew 5 of us signed up to be testers for Melinda Orr for Artisan Whimsy Bead Chat Magazine's 5x5 Product Test Group for April 2013 issue!

This is how the 5x5 Product Test Group work ~ 5 members receive 5 items to design with and you have 30 days to create, test, try new techniques and submit your creations.  I loved the similarity in concept with my favorite show Chopped (although nobody gets chopped in this test group) :)  If you want to be future tester, sign up here.

For our test group we received aluminum strips in two widths, two gauges of copper wires, bronze wire, and brass wire.  I use copper and bronze wire in a lot of my work so I was familiar with their characteristics.  Both copper and bronze wires are very malleable and easy to work with.  I decided to make a Tree of Life Pendant and mixed the two wires to get a different blend of colors.  Personally, I wouldn't mix the two wires for future pendants.  I don't like that copper wires will age in time but the bronze will remain the same color because of the coatings.



Next was brass wire.  Unlike copper and bronze, brass is a lot harder.  I tried to shape it but I knew it was going to be too hard on my hands.  So if brass wire won't let me manipulate it, I decided I'm going to pound the heck out of it!  It was a great stress release :)  I really like how hammer textured brass looks.  I cut the wires in two different lengths and looped the ends.  I hung them on black leather cord for color contrast and surprisingly I ended up liking brass much better than when I started to work with them :)  I need to see how the metal tarnishes and will experiment with different ways to seal the beautiful shine it has.  If any of you know, let me know what works best!

I was intrigued when Melinda told us she was sending aluminum strips.  As I mentioned during our team discussion, I never considered using aluminum for jewelry in the past.  When I received the strips of aluminum, I was surprised how soft the metal was.  My girlfriend Lynda came over for creative play date and she brought her embossing machine with her.  We decided to run the strips through and the aluminum embossed the patterns beautifully!  I also hammer textured the other strip and it was so easy to apply the texture.  So opposite from the brass wire.  I've been wanting to try alcohol ink on metal and decided to try a new technique!  I wouldn't consider covering silver with ink because of the price of silver but with the affordable aluminum, color away!



The alcohol ink colored the metal beautifully.  I learned once you achieve the color/look you like, leave it alone!  I had to redo one set all over again because I just had to add another drop of ink and ruined the look I wanted to achieve.  Another tip is to seal the work once you are done and the ink is dry.  I used an acrylic protective sealant called Protect Your Memories II.  Without any protective sealant the colors chip and mar easily.  The sealant didn't change the color of the ink and was resilient to scratches :)  The color combinations are endless!  I kept the design of the last pair of earrings simple to show off the gorgeous color blends.  
  

I am so happy I got sucked in, I mean signed up, for the 1st 5x5 Product Test Group!   I would have never tried aluminum and used alcohol ink on metal otherwise.  As you may have guessed, I'll be inking like a fiend on aluminum now!  

Big Mahalo to Melinda Orr for including me in the tester group and introducing me to aluminum!  Go visit Melinda's store Orrtec for supplies :)

Check out what my teammates Linda Younkman of Lindy's Designs,  Ali McCarthy of Northwoods Creative Studio, Alicia Marinache of All Pretty Things, and Kristin Oppold of Yay Jewelry created on April's issue of Artisan Whimsy Bead Chat Magazine!  They all did a great job!!  Come join us on Artisan Whimsy!





    Mahalo for visiting!
    Kumi ♥

    Monday, April 1, 2013

    AJE Earring Challenge Reveal #6

    Wow what a busy couple of weeks it was!  I participated in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party and I was in the first reveal date on March 30th.  You can scroll down and see the beautiful beads I received from my partner Donna Millard and what I created.  

    I still managed to make two earrings for Reveal #6 :)  I'm so glad I joined Art Jewelry Elements' Earring Challenge to continue to push my creative mojo.  Here is my Reveal #6!

    Week 11 ~ Beaded Jewel Earrings
    I gave one of my girl friends a necklace for Christmas last year and she asked me to make her earrings to go with it.  I purchased a kit at Bead & Button Show 2 years ago from Eclectica Beads and love the necklace!  They carry so many great kits and I can't wait to see what they have in store when I go in June.  Because it's such a unique design it was hard for my girlfriend to find a pair of earrings that matched.  When she asked me to make earrings to match, this is what I came up with and she loved them!  I don't work with seed beads much and it's so difficult to thread the beading wires into the little tiny holes but the end result is so worth the achy fingers.  Check out there website if you want to pick up the same kit.  So many different color combinations with so many different beads!!



    Week 12 ~ Owl on a Twig Earrings
    I've been admiring the most adorable owls created by Rebekah Payne of TreeWings Studio for weeks.  I just had to make the earrings to show off her cuties.  I perched the owls on Vintaj tree branch with 20g Vintaj wire.  I just can't get over how cute they are.  Rebekah has tons of other cute critters on her Etsy store.  Hoot!



    Please hop over to all the other wonderful artists' blog to see what they created!  Mahalo for visiting!

    Kumi ♥


    Friday, March 29, 2013

    Bead Soup 7 Reveal!!

    Aloha and E Komo Mai!  I signed up for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party 7 and here is my reveal!  For those of you not familiar with Bead Soup Blog Party, the way it works is you sign up to participate and you are partnered with someone from around the world.  Then you put together your Bead Soup which must contain a focal, clasp, and other components.  We all exchange our soups and must wait to reveal what we've made until our designated reveal date.  We must use the focal and the clasp but doesn't have to be used together.  I love the surprise aspect and the challenge of working with materials that you typically don't work with.


    I was assigned to Reveal #1 and am so excited to share what I created with the gorgeous soup I received from my uber talented partner Donna Millard.  Donna is an internationally known lampwork artist currently living in Wisconsin.  She has over 25 years in working with various forms of glass and you can purchase her gorgeous work on her website or Etsy store.  

    This is the soup I received from Donna!  Each item was carefully wrapped and every time I opened a packet I was in awe.  I must have said "Wow!" 100 times.  So many beautiful glass beads and brass findings!  I am one lucky gal!!

    I typically work with metal and wires so working with delicate glass beads was a bit intimidating.  I also wanted to come up with designs that showcased Donna's beautiful beads.  This is what I sent to Donna.


    The first design idea that came to mind was using the beautiful flower button.  I made a triple wrapped leather bracelet with 4mm round olivine and purple velvet Swarovski crystals.  I love how the sunlight created a stained glass effect on the wood!   The flower button makes the perfect focal point of this bracelet.  I've always used metal buttons and now that I see how beautiful the glass buttons are, I will definitely incorporate glass button beads to make other wrapped bracelets in the future!





    The second piece I made were earrings using the flower, leaf, and rondelle glass beads from Donna.  I used 1mm leather cord to tie them altogether.  The leather gives a branch like look.   I used the brass ear wires she sent me which tied in with the design.  The beautiful glass beads look gorgeous in sunlight. 


    The next piece I made was another bracelet.  I love viking knit and decided to use the Vintaj bronze wire to compliment the clasp and charms Donna sent me.  I also added one of the glass leaf bead as an accent.  I threaded three 20g Vintaj wire through the flower focal and braided olivine Swarovski crystals to create the focal piece for the bracelet.  



    The last piece I made was a necklace using the focal Donna made with her flower bead with crystals and brass findings.  I lightly braided 1mm leather cords and knotted the leather to secure the lavender and light green glass beads in place.  I added some copper beads as an accent.  Finished the 30 inch long necklace by tying the leather around a Vintaj finding.  



    I really loved incorporating glass beads with leather.   I am definitely going to be in the hunt for lampwork beads! 




    Mahalo Nui Loa to Lori Anderson for once again taking on this daunting task of bringing 500+ people together to share our love of jewelry making!  

    Another big Mahalo to my sweet Bead Soup 7 partner, Donna Millard who gave me incredible gifts of her gorgeous creations!  Donna's lampwork beads will definitely be added to my future collections!  I'm so happy we got to know each other and I hope to meet you in person one day Donna!!  xoxo ♥

    Hop on over to all the other Reveal #1 blogs with your favorite beverage and savor the beautiful creations.  Enjoy!!
    First and Last Name
    Blog URL
    Alicia Marinache
    Amber Dawn Goldish
    Barb Solem
    Bev Breisinger
    Birgitta Lejonklou
    Breana Fry


    Brenda Sue Lansdowne
    Bridget Torres
    Carol Dee Myers
    Carolyn Chenault
    Cassi Paslick
    Cece Cormier
    Cheryl McCloud
    Cindy Wilson
    Crystal Thain


    Cynthia Riggs
    Dana Hickey
    Dana James
    Darlene Fortier
    Deana Hager
    Deanna Cox
    Deb Brooks
    Debra Behrends
    Denielle Hagerman
    Denise McCabe


    Diana Frey
    Diana Welte
    Dini Bruinsma
    DiYana Alcalde
    Dolores Raml
    Donna Millard
    Dot Lewallwn
    Duane Clark
    Dyanne Cantrell


    Eleanor Burian-Mohr
    Elisabeth Auld
    Elizabeth Owens Dwy
    Emily Greer
    Enikö Fabian
    Erin Grant
    Eva Kovacs
    Eva Sherman


    Gina Hockett
    Grace Rotenberg
    Gretchen Nation
    Hannah Rosner
    Heather Davis
    Heather Marston
    Heather Powers
    Ingrid McCue


    Jacqueline Marchant
    Jan Petek
    Janeen Sorensen
    Jane-Michael Stallings
    Jasvanti Patel
    Jayashree Paramesh
    Jayne Capps
    Jean Yates
    Jennifer Cameron
    Jennifer LaVite


    Joan Williams
    Jodie Marshall
    Judy Riggs
    Julie Anne Leggett
    Kat Barron Miller
    Kathy Lindemer
    Kim Hora


    Kim Houston
    Kim Sparks
    Krafty Max
    Kris Lanae Binsfeld
    Krista French
    Kristen Stevens
    Kristi Harrison
    Kumi Fisher


    Laren Dee Barton
    Laura Bracken
    Laura Demoya
    Laurie Hanna
    Laurie Keefe-Cecere
    Lea Avroch
    Leanne Loftus


    Lee Anne Messerschmidt
    Leslie Schenkel
    Linda Anderson
    Linda Djokic
    Linda Murphy
    Linda Sadler
    Lisa Liddy
    Lisa Suver


    Liz DeLuca
    Liz Engriser
    Lola Surwillo
    Loretta Carstensen
    Lori Anderson
    Lori Bergmann
    Lori Bowring Michaud
    Lori Poppe
    Lori Schneider


    Lyn Foley
    Maddison Langford
    Magdalena Sikora
    Mallory Hoffman
    Marcella Austenfeld
    Marcy Lamberson
    Maria Clark
    Maria Rosa Sharrow
    Marianna Boylan


    Marie Covert
    Marti Conrad
    Mary Ellen Merrigan
    Mary Harding
    Molly Alexander
      Nan Emmett
    Niky Sayers
    Pam Chesbro


    Pam Farren
    Pam Sandy
    Pam Traub
    Pamela Gangler
    Patricia Buchanan
    Patricia Johnson
    Patty Miller
    Paula Hisel
    Peggy Gabrielson


    Perri Jackson
    Rachel Baron
    Rachel Stanley
    Rain Hannah
    Rana Wilson
    Renetha Stanziano
    Robin Reed
    Rochelle Brisson
    Rose Rushbrooke


    Ruth Szapa
    Sally Russick
    Sandi Volpe
    Sandra Pendragon
    Sandy Richardson
    Sarah Small
    Shannon Hicks


    Shari Replogle
    Sheila Daniels
    Sheila Davis
    Shiraz Biggie
    Shirley Moore
    Skylar Bre'z
    Staci Smith
    Stacie Florer


    Stacy Pomerleau
    Stephanie Weiss
    Sumi Rani
    Susan Sheehan
    Suzette Bentley
    Tamera Norris
    Tracy Choy
    Tracy Stillman
    Valerie Norton
    Vicki Holliday

    A Hui Ho! ('till we meet again)
    Kumi ♥