Kimono tourmaline earrings

Fabrication project for my book featuring pink and green tourmaline.

Etched silver and turquoise earrings project

Project that I will be teaching at the Bead and Button show next week.............and also a project in my book.

New necklace at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (Museum Store)

New project for 2012............setting larger tube rivets in Lake Superior stones.

Madison Art Glass and Bead Show (2012)

Want to try your hand at the ancient art of Keumboo?

Peninsula Art School 2012 metals classes schedule

Peninsula Art School has posted their 2012 classes schedule (www.peninsulaartschool.com)........metals, painting, ceramics and don't forget the annual Plein Arts festival. I am teaching two classes this year. Basic metals fabrication and a cold connections class. Bring your found objects to the cold connections class and we will hook them up for you!

For the latest and greatest metals instruction classes and jewelry designs check out my new and updated website at www.kayrashka.com

New updated website: out with the old.........in with the new

Ringing in the new year with an updated website www.kayrashka.com
-stay tuned!

Etched Sterling Silver Bracelet...............bullet casing as the star rivet.

A little etching project.............with turquoise

Ring: Love it or leave it................I love it

Etch-a-rama at Shake Rag Alley

Fun day of etching at Shake Rag Alley...............with Dawn, John, Julie, Mike and Sue. Metal and the mordant...........magic.

Red Green Bracelet

Student projects metals fabrication class at Peninsula Art School (Fish Creek, Door Cty WI)

Some samples of the student work: Little bit of soldering, basic fabrication, rivets and cold connections. I think Gloria, Jan, Jennifer, Jeremy, Lauri, Melissa, Michelle and Tammy did a great job.

Labor day project..........finger candy~~~~~

This months issue Art Jewelry Magazine.....my Shield Earrings!

http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/en/Magazine/Current%20Issue.aspx

My Shield earrings project is featured on the cover of the next issue of Art Jewelry magazine (Sept. 2011).

Peninsula School of Art Etching/Cold Connections class June 2011

I taught a 3 day class at Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek (Door County) Wisconsin this week. My partners in crime were Angi, John, Loree, Lynne and Sara. A few samples of their projects which I hope they are quite proud of! I have given up on trying to realign that first photo but it persistently wants to stay that way.

Hinged Bullet or Not Bracelet~~~~~~

Prototype project in progress from one of the two Richard Salley classes I attended at the 2011 Bead and Button show in Milwaukee a few weeks ago. The rivet is not yet set...........it is a 22 shell casing that I will set into a star rivet. The band has a really fun etched pattern out of view...............will show later in more photos when finished. I am really pleased with how this project turned out. Amazing what you can do without any interruptions in a dedicated project class............such as gardens needing weeding and windows in waiting for painting.

Milwaukee Bead and Button show 2011.............

Thank you to all who attended my classes last week............I hope you found some value in your effort and time, learned some new techniques or a few tips and also walked out with a pair of earrings or necklace that you will enjoy.

Cold connections............................cold spring

I sort of can not complain about the cold spring we have been having. My house is more comfortable without excessive heating and cooling bills and I still get to wear my down vest. This cold spring has been great for my spring transplanting. This cold spring has been great to allow me to not feel bad for being indoors preparing for next weeks Bead and Button show in Milwaukee. A week after that I run up to Door County and Peninsula Art School to offer a few days of fun teaching a cold connections class with a twist of etching thrown in. Looking forward to the fun.........see you there!

Flower child ring.....................

Finally finished my ring............a year in the works. Took a class with Susan Lennart Kazmer at last years Bead and Button show. Rings are like candy for my fingers. This has been a good week for rings.

Lost and Found...................

I lost my PMC ring two years ago...............clueless to where and assumed lost forever. I found my PMC ring yesterday while digging out quack...........I love quack.

My fantasy...........day long immersion in my jewelry metals shop

Oh more than ever all I want to do is stay down in my shop working. Right now I have 3 pair of the same pair of earrings in process. Two are brand new and one is my prototype pair being upgraded. I have a pearl necklace in assembly one of which I have made many of but keep selling off my own stock. And my most exciting piece is a new riveted ring stack of silver flower like components and a huge coral pumpkin bead. Kind of a funky flower child ring. It should be quite exciting when finished and I will post a picture. New project for me............the birth of a ring........candy for my fingers! I think I just named the ring project :)

PMC silver charm making class at Shake Rag Alley (Mineral Point, WI)

Looks like there is interest in opening up an additional PMC silver charm making class at Shake Rag Alley on May 14. Right now this is tentative but the new class time proposed would be 9am to 1230pm. The originally scheduled class which is full is from 1 to 430pm. Check out the website:
http://www.shakeragalley.com/classes/beads-bangles.html
You can call the office for more information and ask for Karla at 608-987-3292 Perhaps some of the afternoon students might prefer the morning slot and open uip some afternoon seats. Worth a call anyhow.
We will be going thru the basics of working with PMC in order to make some small embellished charms by using a handheld torch. You can call or email me with questions: kayrashka@yahoo.com or call at 608-575-4559.
Cheers!

Noisy posts.........apologies!

If anyone got a nonsense note that I posted here..........was having some technical issues and was posting some test messages. I think I have figured out the problem. Cheers..............the sun is finally out for a day.

Metals Fabrication Class at Shake Rag Alley (Mineral Point)

Hi
Some 'action' shots from my metals fabrication class at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI (http://www.shakeragalley.com/).    Thanks to Abby, Mary, Carrie and Pam for spending the day with me.  Included a photo of Abby's necklace but my photo does not do it justice.  I did not have a tripod when I took the photo.  Cheers! 

Bead meets metal.................latest piece

Mom's jewelry box

Outpost empress................

http://artoutpost.blogspot.com/2011/03/david-hockneys-fresh-flowers.html

A fresh view.  A few things that impress me.  

How to spend a day...............

Wouldn't it be nice just to spend a day in my shop making a few pieces of jewelry?  Get them off my list of to-do's.   That is how I would like to spend a day. 

Registration is open at Peninsula art school!

http://www.peninsulaartschool.com/

2011 Peninsula Art School (Door County) Class schedules are open available and open for registration................I will be there for 2 classes this summer.     Want to work on cold connection techniques?  Spend a few days immersed (that is a fun word when thinking about metal work)  learning how to work with beads and found objects and creating some unique methods for connecting, combining, stacking, setting and all that fun stuff!!  I have a wicked fun ring project to show you.  Let me know if I can answer any questions.  It is a great getaway weekend...............local lodging discounts are available......just inquire.   See you!

Here is a fun way to connect to other creative minds..............to buy and sell your jewelry wares. You can even connect via Facebook quite easily. I have not checked it out comprehensively but it seems to have possibilities. Social networking and some free publicity. Can't hurt can it? Good luck. Check out the link below.

http://yardsellr.com/talk/jewelry

Metals Fabrication Class at Shake Rag Alley (Mineral Point)

Upcoming class in April at Shake Rag Alley for you to broaden your skills working with metal.  Opportune time to take your skill levels up to learn how to turn a flat piece of silver sheet metal into a dimensional, textured pair of earrings.   Walk away with the knowledge of what tools are needed to set up your basic metalsmithing space.  I will have sample projects to try out but encourage you to create your own designs.  Shake Rag Alley is one of my favorite places to teach at and Cheryl Smeja's studio where we will be is a wonderful place to spend a day.   Go to http://www.shakeragalley.com/ to sign up.

Friends................

Sitting down with a glass of wine during the blizzard of the century which is only 10 years old of course.............appreciating the warmth and safety of my house and comforts of good friends.

Article for Art Jewelry magazine

Finally............30 or more hours of fun writing a project piece with photographs on how to make these earrings:  Soldered Shield earrings and variations on the theme.  Unfortunately it won't get published for a year................but patience is a virtue.  These are one of my all time favorites. 

2011 Class schedule is ready!

Happy New Year everyone!   Nicely in the midst of winter and it is a great time to settle back and finish some of those jewelry projects we all started last year.   But in the mean time I want to announce that my 2011 class schedule is up and posted on my website http://www.kayrashka.com/.   A few classes are yet to be added to the schedule.  I will be teaching at the Madison Art Glass and Bead show, Shake Rag Alley Art School, Peninsula Art School and the Milwaukee Bead & Button show.  I am teaching more project specific classes this year including some fun techniques:  etching, drilling river stones and setting rivets.   I hope you find my projects interesting.  Registration has just opened today for the Bead & Button show and one of my eight classes filled!  So...........just some encouragement if you were thinking of one of my 3 hour classes they seem to be going fast.   To register go to- http://search.beadandbuttonshowstore.com/beadandbuttonshow/search.asp?mode=search&ins=T648

Good luck and see you all this spring and summer!  Let me know if I can answer any questions about the classes.

Kay

Etching and Riveting jewelry class at Shake Rag Alley

Had a fun day with Joann, Joan, Tammy, Jenny, Nadine, Julie, Laurie and Cathy each working on an etched metal and coral pendant at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point. I was a little nervous for all of them in the final moments when they were setting their tube rivets. As you can see from the photos...........I think they were too as they were all so intent on finishing.  Here they are setting the tube rivets.  Look at the fruits of their labor and creativity!