Summer Is Finally Here

Just got back from my daughter, Savannah, High School class trip to Washington DC. It was a 16 hour bus ride one way and it was worth it. What a beautiful city full of amazing museums & monuments. I am a history, science geek so I could have stayed in one museum for a week but we covered miles of ground in just a few days. The HOPE Diamond is amazing… of course I went to see that and the Hall Of Gems in the Museum Of Natural History. This is my daughter and myself at the Lincoln Monument.

Sorry I have not blogged in a while. I have moved most of my commentary to http://www.instagram.com/wildprairiesilver   

If you do not use Instagram it’s very fun. I think it’s like a magazine you design yourself. I will try and continue to post on here once in a while and keep ya updated. My show schedule (click this link) is on my website for the summer. My next show is July 21st & 22nd in Sheboygan Wisconsin.. Kohler Art Fair, space #106

Tomorrow.. I teach this class at Peninsula School Of Art in Fish Creek Door County. I do not usually teach. I like it/enjoy it but I do not have time. Why this earring???? We use several tools… rolling mill & hydraulic press, beginning soldering, and beginning wire wrapping. I think there is one more open spot in the class. Again tomorrow Fish Creek Door Co WI Peninsula School Of Art 9-4pm

Other classes ~ We are excited to say that Richard Salley is making a pit stop in my teeny tiny town. July 17th, 18th (Tuesday & Wednesday) He will be teaching the above two classes. They are pretty much full, but might be able to take on one person in each class. Main issue is that it is in Casco Wisconsin. No hotel (or anything else) – nearest hotel 15 miles away or more… Algoma, Sturgeon Bay, Kewaunee have hotels. It is NOT at my studio. My studio fits one person in it. (It is in my basement and it is an underwhelming place to visit.) If you would like to take one of these classes, please text Wild Prairie’s Phone at 920-365-6341 and we will let ya know if they are available. $275… need to be able to solder a bezel and saw out a shape before you come to class. I will be there to help out if you’re a newbie. Again space is available for one person, already almost full.

We have done about one or two diamond ring restyles a month. The above two photos are of peoples diamonds they wanted redone into something else. It’s been super fun. The budget for this completely varies depending on what you want and the amount of gold you want to use. All of them turn out a little different than the next. email if you are interested 🙂 joy@joykruse.com

White Sapphire & Faceted Moonstone Necklace… This is currently at J Jeffery Jewelers in Fish Creek Door County Wisconsin. We made this for the Royal Wedding but ya know the Queen just never called? We are still perplexed as to why she does know us. 🙂 🙂 🙂 And the Bride! She wasn’t even wearing a necklace! Talk about missed opportunity on their part. (Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!)

Diamond Necklace & Pebble Ring 

We created another website for stone lovers. I have had a supply site for years on Etsy called MidnightinSavannah.Etsy.com. I wanted to have a site that was not controlled by another company. (I had an ecommerce site go out of business and take all my business with it- yikes!) So, we made a new site that is not owned by another vendor for our stones and supplies: SavannahJewelrySupply.com 

On June 21st at 9am Central time we will have a huge sale via Instagram for stones that I have hand picked. The instagram site is @savannahjewelrysupply  We post the stone parcels and they all have a name. You just text us the name of the parcel you want ~ Studio Phone # 920-365-6341. We let ya know if it’s available or already gone. You send us your PayPal email and we invoice you for your stones. If you want more than one parcel we make a pile for you & invoice you when the sale is over. If you are out of the country then DM us on Instagram. US shipping is $5 & overseas shipping is $12.

Amazonite Earrings 

Carnelian Turquoise Ring 

Awesome goodies from Bead and Button Show! Some of these will be for sale in our stone sale June 21st ~ It is held on Instagram @SavannahJewelrySupply  

We will have a large selection of faceted freeform gems as well on that day: Prehnite, Carnelian, Labradorite, Amethyst, Moonstone, Yellow Opal, Variscite, Amazonite, Chrysophrase, Pink Opal. Text to purchase right from the photo 920-365-6341

Moving up & moving out 🙂 🙂 🙂  If you have ever been to my studio, you know I work in my basement. It’s finally time for a new studio. Financially, it’s not worth it (my basement is ok) however, I plan to work until I am dead so I have to move above ground just for moral. It won’t be amazing like the pinterest photos of studios (it will be a garage with a lot of windows) but it will be amazing to me as it will be above ground with a spectacular view the sun setting on my wild prairie. I can’t wait to just pour some concrete and stand on it…soon… 🙂 🙂 🙂 I will have a Christmas Open House in the new studio and you’re invited.

Peace to all ~ Hope to see you at a show ~ Happy Summer ~ joy 🙂

Happy Summer….

Happy Summer Everyone… It’s coming to an end here in Wisconsin and I can’t even say it was hot yet. Photo above is in Wyoming ~ last summers road trip. Doesn’t it look wonderful. It’s almost fake looking and the photo is completely unedited.

This is a customer’s painting. They have asked me to make a pendant from this drawing. Hee Hee Funtimes!!!!!!!! I will keep you posted on the progress as the design for it is ready to go and has customer approval. It should be really fun to make. Heart falling from the wave is going to be a garnet gemstone. Painting is titled: Tsunami Love

And this is what you do when you are 13 after football practice…. Do you remember?????? I can barely remember summertime when I was 12 and 13 years old…. no job yet, great friends, old enough to be left to some of your own resources, no worries. My best friends were Amy and Shannon. We had a few summers that the three of us were inseparable. Great times, truly.

A stormy Labor Day weekend… this is the Bay of Green Bay almost to the tip of Door Co. (which is the top of the thumb of the mitten in Wisconsin.) It’s beautiful year around and I really find myself fortunate to live so close I can enjoy it anytime I want to. This was on a hike in Peninsula State Park.

My daughter…same hike… she’s looking more and more like me everyday. What a great kid.

Labor Day Cookout: These pies are made by one of my sister in laws, Aunt Diane. They tasted even better…. really, awesome. I couldn’t bake to save my life. She brings pie at a moments notice. I don’t know how she does it? It would take me the entire weekend to make a pie.

This is a terrible picture but these are two little gemstones that I had cut for me for a custom order. Thanks to Jewelry Point in New York… they had these to me in a few days. They are 5mm stones: Amethyst and Aquamarine… they are checker board faceted on both sides. I will set these in a setting that just holds them around the middle in 14k gold. They are for a ‘mother’s necklace’ so a few links will separate them and then a 14k gold chain, 16 inches for the rest of the necklace. Julie, the mom, can add more stones in the future if she has more children and from the sounds of it that could be a good possibility.

Thanks for the great summer Wisconsin. We are heading into my favorite time of year… Fall. Sweaters ~ blue jeans ~ boots ~ warm sunsets ~ cool nights ~ enjoying the harvest ~  leaves changing ~ calm before the storm ~ winter can’t be as bad as last year, not possible, right?

(I will take a picture of the above trees when they are in full fall color, gorgeous… )

Happy Birthday KT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KT helps me out all the time… she recently graduated from college and now has a real job… miss her, but she will still be around and help me at my shows, etc.. I hope!

This is such a pretty picture I couldn’t help but put it in here… very possibly the prettiest pic I have ever taken. Again KT Happy Happy Birthday! I hope you are out having a great time with your guy…. Yes, she’s taken.

 

Fresh out of the workshop today ~ Desert Drusy Stone Necklace

Chain is completely handmade as well.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/192593108/desert-drusy-sterling-silver-necklace?

This is a big rough gorgeous specimen stone… If you notice the nice recessed rivet at the top of the pendant. The rivets turned out perfectly and they are perfectly recessed in to the metal ~ was fun to experiment with…. This specimen stone is not too big for a shy wearer. Anyone can wear this piece, well, except maybe Roni ~ (Just kiddin’ ya Roni!)

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/192602553/azurite-sterling-silver-necklace-one-of?ref=listing-shop-header-1

Chrysocolla and Aquamarine Gemstone Necklace ~ I worked for a long time on this necklace getting it to be ‘right.’ I just love it. It has great movement, color and the aquamarines have a lot of flash… Fun to see it come together.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/192603405/chrysocolla-aquamarine-gemstone-sterling?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Here are some pics just taken off our deer camera from down by the river on our land. Great pics of spring time movement in the woods ~ Enjoy!

Look at this Wisconsinite ~ First time on the deer camera ~ A Wisconsin Badger ~ Not a football player or a sports fan but the real deal. Pretty funny.

Tiny little baby fawn….

Coyote… Furry and Noisy.. woke me up the other night yipping right in the yard

He looks fake but he’s not. He must be all fanned out for his girlfriend. Great picture for the deer camera. It’s like the turkey needed a picture for his dating service.

Last one… little guy is getting bigger…. was a taken two weeks after that first one…

Happy Birthday again KT! See you at your graduation party!

 

Is Your Box of Swarovski Crystals This Big????

Got to head out to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee Wisconsin for just 35 hours of buying. The Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee is the largest bead show in the world. The offer over 900 jewelry related classes over a 10 day stretch. It’s a great show. I do not use that many beads any more but there are a couple great stone cutters there and it’s my only chance to pick the stones out in person for the entire year. Above is picture of the truck I parked next too. I think you have a serious problem if this is your box of Swarovski Crystals!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!!! Yes, I am sure they are vendors but can you imagine? It must weigh a ton. (Thank you Tammy Rae for the place to sleep: Lissa and Tammy and Chrissy and Jessica: thanks for the friendship! Hi Chelle! Good to see you too!)

This is Tatiana she is from the Ukraine… I have been joking around with a good customer of mine that we are both moving to the Ukraine for a break in our lives…. I just had to take this woman’s photo for that reason. Here is our ticket outta here with this lady!   🙂

Made these riveted earrings just before I left. They were a pleasure to make and wear at the show! Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/191983849/crazy-lace-agate-riveted-post-earrings?

This is just one box of stones I purchased from Gary Wilson. I helped out in his booth for a while as well and it was a fun learning experience to work at someone else’s show. Great guys, himself, and his son in law, Spencer. Thanks guys for the great stones and good times. I don’t have a picture of all of us and Lissa… what the heck! That would have been really nice to have. Gary got any pics?

Tourmaline in Quartz.. I purchased a few very similar to this one piece…. Yes, I will make a necklace out of it and I can’t wait to do it I already have it planned out in my head.

I cannot remember what this stone even is… hee hee….this will be a necklace too.

Rhodocrosite is one of my favorites because it’s pink. I have not found it in a while in nice thick beautiful pieces. These are just perfect for me!

Malachite Drusy and Azurite

Bought a lot of Crazy Lace Agate, again a favorite with Laguna, Dryhead Agate and Rhodocrosite

Dryhead Agate

Crazy Lace Agate

Labradorite…drool… I will not be able to keep these as a set. It’s just too expensive. I will split them up and make separate pieces from them.

Petrified Wood… This one I am going to keep for myself.

My Grandmother is doing better. She had a heart attack last week Saturday and is recovering her strength in a nursing home. She is 90 years old and will be 91 this summer. She pushed her call light because she wanted the nurses to see the jewelry I was wearing!!!!!!!!!! I was laughing my butt off at that. We look alike in this photo: same lips, same eyes… When she sees a picture of herself she always says, ‘Who is that old woman?’ She just cannot believe her own age and image. It’s funny how we just want to stay the same. Human nature I guess. This is my Grandmother years ago at about 22 years old. She had just graduated from nursing school.

Home… Sweet… Home….

Custom Piece

Just finished this custom piece for a great lady far far away from me… She lives in sunny California and this pendant will be on it’s way to her tomorrow. The stones were the customers own stones.

I will be heading to Bead and Button Jewelry Expo in Milwaukee Wisconsin at the end of this week. I was planning on a long weekend at the show but the stars might not align for me and a one day trip might be all I can escape for. My Grandmother is not doing well this week and it is day by day. My Grandmother is 90 years old and has Alzheimer’s. She lives with my Mother. Both wonderful woman, strong, stubborn, loyal and hard working  but my Grandmother’s good days have turned to just good moments (not even whole days) and every week I can see her fading more and more….

Hopefully the next time I post it is from Milwaukee but we will see what this week brings. …. Just wanted to leave you with one of my favorite sayings. It is so true.

My One and Only

My One and Only….

I really could not have enjoyed making a piece more. This necklace has everything I love ~ a huge crazy lace agate stone, a huge piece of sterling silver to capture the stone, and a handmade and hammered heavy link chain. The pictures are a joke. I can’t capture it’s weight in the pictures. I bet it weighs a pound… ha ha ha ha!!!!! Am I insane? It looks amazing worn short like a choker.

My One and Only Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/184653993/crazy-lace-agate-stone-sterling-silver?

These beautiful blue Caribbean Ocean colored Chrysocolla stones are to brighten your day! Simple and sweet colorful necklaces. Links: https://www.etsy.com/listing/184647262/chrysocolla-stone-sterling-silver?  and https://www.etsy.com/listing/184655109/chrysocolla-stone-sterling-silver?ref=listing-shop-header-4

Blue Flame Azurite and Sapphire: https://www.etsy.com/listing/184656529/azurite-stone-sapphire-sterling-silver?ref=listing-shop-header-2

Crazy Lace Agate Earrings.. Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/184657155/sterling-silver-agate-stone-earring?ref=listing-shop-header-1

 This is a Roni sized necklace…. Hi Roni!!! It’s rough and rustic with little moving details and citrine gemstone accents. https://www.etsy.com/listing/184646280/stone-sterling-silver-necklace-one-of-a?

Sara’s Ring: Made this ring as a custom order last week. It is a 8×6 oval diamond, white gold engagement ring with two other wedding bands. The thicker wedding band is cut out to fit the oval diamond locking it in place. The other white band is for Sara to go to work as she is a veterinarian. She wanted the engagement ring to be a brushed matte finish and look like she just dug it out of the ground. The other two rings are polished. It is hard to make a 1 carat diamond look rugged. She is wearing it now! Thanks Sara & Ben for such a great custom piece. Wedding is this summer ~ Best Wishes to them both!!!!

Need a heavy headpin? I made three hundred of these this week, jeez… someone out there is busy wire wrapping something???? Thanks for the great order from my supply shop. These work great on focal pendant beads and large hole beads, like handmade glass beads of Tammy Raes: http://www.glassbytammyrae.etsy.com .  I have these available in any gauge you need but 20 and 18 gauge work the best.

Super Sized Sterling Headpins Handmade: https://www.etsy.com/listing/184652519/sterling-silver-large-headpin-20-gauge?

Bead and Button Show….

 

Bead and Button Show was again great! It is the largest bead show in the world and gives you goosebumps when you walk in the doors for the first time. Don’t get me wrong as to it is not all fun….it is fun but a lot of work. You have to be organized and be ready to stand, haul, walk and talk for hours on end.

I want to thank Lissa from Silver Waves Jewelry for her help. It made classes absolutely great and the hauling done in half the time.

Met some great people while I was there: above picture is of Thomas Mann’s Bench Pin. I got to meet him and speak with him briefly about his sculptures in New Orleans. He has been a jeweler I have admired for years in not only his designs but the building of a company. After we spoke for a while he gave me these ‘Pocket Hearts’ which I will treasure and keep in my satchel for good luck. Thanks Thomas Mann for the talismans tokens!!!

I also met the young woman in charge of Rosy Revolver Jewelry Co. I have always admired Rosy Revolver Jewelry for it’s unexpected, bold, yet feminine style. Jessica is an amazing talent. I hope she will consider teaching at Bead and Button. She would be a great addition to the current line up of great metalsmiths at Bead and Button. Besides if she decides to teach we can get a beer together or whisky or water or whatever our tired brains can tolerate after teaching all day.

Jerry at Bead and Button: Thank You for your work. You make all the classrooms perfect. Thank You!!!!!!!! Jerry is in charge of the nuts and bolts on the classroom floor. He is great. He will never read this because he is too busy making something for next year so that we can have cool stuff in our classrooms.

Last person I would like to thank is Bret from Arrow Springs Torch Company. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bret set up some great torches for me and will supply all of my torch needs next year so I am not hauling torches. I basically haul my entire studio to Bead and Button. It’s crazy. Meeting Bret was great. I don’t have to haul my three torches, regulators, etc…. Bret is going to bring them. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! I can teach a real silversmithing class with lots of torches for everyone to use. No limitations….. on fire power. Awesome. Next year we are making some real settings, a ring, a pendant and bracelet! Yippeeee!!!!!!!!

This is just one of the many stones I purchased at Bead and Button. There are about 5 companies there that supple cab stones and I get all of my stones for the year with the exception of purchasing from TheAgateWorks.etsy.com. The Agate Works is in Green Bay WI so I can visit them in person. I don’t purchase cabs online. It just doesn’t work out.

Can’t wait to set this stone. Wow…. I’m in love.

I don’t have a single picture of class. I will get on from Lissa as we took a lot pics with students, etc. Again, thank you students. Please comment on class if you can. I had a lot fun and I hope you all make and make and make and make….. See you next year at the Largest Bead Show In The World: The Bead and Button, Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Show This Weekend

Kohler Art Show this Saturday. I have never done this show before. I guess it’s swamped with people. Here are some pics of things in the making for the last few weeks….

These are some of Tammy Rae’s beads just out of the tumbler…
Here they are done….

That’s a pile of necklaces! I make the chains they are on as well. I purchase the small link chain in a spool and solder on a tiny jump ring on each end with a chain extension and a hand made clasp. It’s a nice touch instead of purchasing a pile of chains commercially made. A lot less expensive too and 14 chains took me half hour, which is quick!

This is a 40 inch handmade chain out of he tumbler. This on the other hand took a lot of time but I real enjoy making chains. Each little cup has a different detail in it.

I have about ten more one of a kind pieces done but will have to show you pics when I get back from the show. I’ll take lots of pics of the show. Suppose to be great! Wish me luck!

New Necklace, Charms, Booth

Andrea asked if I had a picture of my booth set up and here it is. It’s always a work in progress however. Just made some barnwood necklace displays this week to mix up with the metal. The metal was too strong…over powering. As I added some wood crates, etc… it seemed to soften it up. We will see if that works out next weekend in Appleton at Octoberfest on Sept 29th.

Just made this necklace yesterday. I had made a similar one not too long ago and it sold right away and I missed it. So, I made another version. Maybe this one will stick around awhile? Here’s the link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/109858010/feather-from-the-sky-stone-sterling

What is this? Well, remember my little Initial Charms and I was saying they are such a wonderful seller even though they are small and I forget about them sometimes. These are the corresponding birthstone charms to go with the initials. I never had them organized or make them the same. Now they are standard and I can put them online and have them at a show and it’s not a guessing game for the customer as to what it looks like. Kinda of a relief for me too. They are made and done about a zillion of them for Christmas. I just like the chart. It’s so not me. I actually made a chart. That in itself is amazing. I organized something. Whoa! Old dogs can learn new tricks.