Introductions

                                           Detail of Samba
Hi! I'm Dawn Blair, of Dawn Blair Jewelry. I am a self taught jewelry designer, but enjoy friendships and creative encouragement with my friends on Jewelry Lessons. I am only one of several designers that will be contributing to this blog. We are are designers from beginner to advanced, sharing our thoughts, questions, designs, and processes with each other, and anyone who happens to stop by. Enjoy! -Dawn Blair

Hi. My name is Dawn E. Bryant. I am an artisan jeweler/artist/photographer who lives in the beautiful Sandhills of Nebraska. My studio, Dawn E. Bryant Originals, is housed in a remodeled Burlington Northern caboose, BN12329, located at the junction of Highways 2 and 83 in north central Nebraska. I work in sterling and fine silver, copper, stone, glass, wire and beading. My jewelry design is earthy and rustic, focusing on leaves, vines and flowers, as well as naturally occuring "landscape" stones and sometimes, my own artistic mini paintings. I am self-taught, both as an artist/photographer and as a jewelry designer. My jewelry design has been learned through reading books and through the lessons available on http://www.jewelrylessons.com/, where I am also a teacher, posting my own tutorials written for that site. Join me, along with my friends, as we encourage each other, challenge each other and learn from each other. :)  -Dawn Bryant

                                                        Dragonfly- by Penny
Hello, my name is Penny Mills I am the last member of this trio and the least experienced.  So you probably will want to take advice and helpful hints from the other two.  I will be the expert on what not to do. I live in the country just outside of St. Marys (population 7,000), Ontario, Canada. Boy!! Is it hot here, really hot!

The reason for the three of us getting together is very simple one. We love to make jewelry. I had never made a cuff, didn’t have a clue how to. I noticed Dawn Blair had said she never had made one either. Then, Dawn Bryant said she would like in on this too.  So the Great Cuff Challenge was born. This design, by Alexander Damian, is our inspiration piece. He graciously gave us permission to publish this photo, and has urged us on in this challenge!

 

You can take a tutorial and have two people work on it separately, and I can almost guarantee you will end up with two completely different looking items.  You will be able to draw some comparisons, but there will definitely be a difference in technique and style. Your own personal touch will be there, even if it is your first piece. 

As I mentioned above, I am the newbie here and am so much learning from my blog friends and others.  One of the biggest highlights of my new found love of wire wrapping is the people I have met. It would take too long to mention everyone that has inspired and encouraged me along the way. It is truly amazing.  Speaking of amazing, I met and spent the better part of an afternoon chatting with Helen Goga, editor and publisher of The Wire Artist.  I met Helen, Becky and Alan, and what a wonderful group of people with a bottomless pit of information. I bought a nice selection of tutorial and plan (as I progress) to try them all! This was an afternoon I will never forget. You know when you meet someone and something just goes “click”, well that happen to me with Helen.  I have made a friend and (one that may get sick to death of my questions) but none the less a friend.  I once thought of myself as a very introverted person, this new hobby of mine has sure changed that.

Okay girls!  1 2 3 GO! Let’s make some cuffs!!

Last one done buys dinner..??

-Penny