This is where we turn our creative juice into juicy creations! Part 2

MCHs Bench Roll Call Mini Series Part II

Room to Think (Studio Makeover) - Jennifer of JKistlerStudios

I love garage sales (AKA yard sales). I love scoring a great deal on something I need or can use that otherwise I couldn't afford to buy. A few weekends ago I saw a dining room table that just shouted "work table!" to me. As in, "I would feel like such a professional working at this table!" It's dark wood, one piece (no annoying opening for leaves), and has a bit of successful-CEO-desk vibe to it (at least compared to my other studio tables). More ...

Jennifer Wins Our July Challenge

Congrats to Jennifer of Envy Designs Jewelry who won our July Magical and Mysterious Challenge.

Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 31 votes
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 19 votes
3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 16 votes

By Technical Vote:

We've a tie this time:

1) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 3 votes
1) Alutiiq Petroglyph Bracelet from Stuck on Silver with 3 votes
2) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 2 votes
2) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 2 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio
3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach

Jennifer will pick a theme for our next challenge in September. Our August blog feature + giveaway is coming soon, please stay tuned! Thanks to all who's voted and supported the MCHs!

This is where we turn our creative juice into juicy creations!

MCHs Bench Roll Call Mini Series Part I

It could be the kitchen countertop ... it could be an old hand-me-down desk ... it could be an iron desk from the corner office ... No matter what it is, we jewelry artists call it the bench -- our little piece of heaven where we spend hours after hours perfecting our jewelry. It could be neat and tidy but many times it's quite messy.

Let's show you where we turn our inspirations into reality!

My Fabulous Work Station! -- Dawn of DaVoria Jewelry

I fell in love with this hoosier cabinet when my husband and I were browsing in an antique shop a few weeks ago. I had been wanting one for the longest time to use as my work station. More ...

Magical and Mysterious Treasury

heartsabustin created a Treasury with the theme Magical and Mysterious to showcase the entrants in our hinge technique Design Challenge.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjAxODMyOHw1MDM4OTg4NTE

Go give us some love!

July Challenge - Magical and Mysterious

Ah ... it's Summer! And I guess many of us Metal Clay Heads are busy with vacation, activities and sunbathing; therefore, we have less number of entries this time. But they're of much higher craftsmanship than ever before! Our theme this time is set by last challenge winner Anise of Seavbeach -- Magical and Mysterious. The technical challenge is using hinge(s) as part of the design. Here they are:

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio

I used real Maple leaves for this design, which is a lovely pendant with a hidden treasure of gems on the back. The front is a gorgeous Maple leaf curled naturally with an antique silver finish. The back has two tiny Maple leaves on a hinge that lifts to reveal the secret stash of Alexandrite. More...

Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
-Alexander Graham Bell More...

Alutiiq Petroglyph Bracelet from Stuck on Silver

Hinged fine silver bracelet celebrating five expressive Alutiiq faces from petroglyphs found in the Kodiak, Alaska, archipelago. Approximately 27 grams of fine silver. 7"x 5.4" with jump ring and S-hook findings. More...

Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry

This pendant is made from recycled silver to represent the 'Book of the Dead', and has the raised form of Anubis, the god of the afterlife, who after death would lead the deceased to the scales of justice, to weigh your heart against the 'feather of truth' to determine you worthiness (represented on the inside front page) to move on the the afterlife and meet with Isis and Osiris. More...

The public poll on the right is open for two weeks. The technical poll, also open for two weeks, is restricted to MCHs team members only. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our August blog giveaway. Poll will be close on August 3rd.