It's "Maker Monday!" .. my series of posts where I feature something the daughter or I are working on, and encourage the maker lifestyle.

As you know, we've been going through things and trying to clear out a bit...
We've been going through all our books -- this also includes all the jewelry making books and magazines that I have saved over the years. Now, I will preface this by saying that before we moved back to PA, I did get rid of quite a few magazines. That said... there were still a TON of them that I had packed. Then the question became, what to keep... given the amount of room we have.
I've decided to keep one particular magazine, because I adore it. And I've tucked a couple dozen of those issues under the bottom shelf. But this still left me with loads. As a result, I have decided to try to pick out a project in one of the magazines each week or so, and see if I can do it. It will:

expand my skill levels
help me use up some supplies and add inventory to my Etsy shop and
perhaps be fodder on occasion for my blog here.

This is what I did today...
In the Spring 2014 issue of Wirework, there is a necklace design by Brenda Schweder called a "RainChain" necklace. She uses a wire jig to fashion several of these components, along with circles and links; to complete a statement necklace piece.
As it so happens, I have a wire jig, although I haven't really used it much at all. This was a perfect opportunity though.... so I selected the pegs and began fashioning a shape similar to the design in the magazine. I wanted to keep things similar, but felt a more dramatic change in the size of the circles was important to me. I chose 18 gauge copper wire, because I love copper, and I had some. Plus, I figured if I messed it up.... it was better than using sterling.

After I made the components, I hammered them like she had in the article.
Like her example, I decided to wire wrap a bead into the center of the design (although she wire wrapped a bead into each one... I felt that just one would be plenty enough for the look I wanted).
I chose to use crab agate rounds... because the orange tones of the stone went so well with the copper.
I then added jump rings, and made my own ear wires... which I most always do.
and ta-da!

While mine are similar in design to what she had outlined for her necklace, it still has my personal touch and aesthetic.
Keep creating folks! and I'll see you all tomorrow...