BOOT CAMP

Art Jewelry Boot Camp is a series created to inspire all jewelry artists to learn, to reach, and to expand their talents. Bi-monthly, we will introduce a new topic to encourage you to start expanding your talent toolbox. For four weeks, each Monday, we will post in depth tutorials based on a theme. We invite you to give them a try and keep playing and working!

During week five, We will invite you to post your progress, your trials, your tribulations, your successes, and of course, your jewelry on your own blog! There will be a link tool at the bottom of week five’s post to add your blog post. If you’re not a blogger, we also have a Flickr group set up for you to add your pieces to....If you’re a Tweeter, Instagram-er, or Pinteret-er, please join us by tagging your progress or photos with the hashtag #AJBootcamp.

We’ll spend weeks 6-8 sharing our favorite designs, sharing tutorials from well-known designers and wrapping up our discoveries!

If you’re new to making jewelry or not a seasoned metalsmith, DO NOT FEAR! This series of challenges is for seasoned makers and newbies alike! If you’re still intimidated by the techniques, consider joining in the challenge by purchasing or using elements from other handmade artisan makers!

The only rules for each challenge are:

1) Use the techniques of each challenge to make NEW, ORIGINAL jewelry.

2) The components MUST be handmade. If you didn’t make them yourself, they need to be purchased from someone who did.

And a small disclaimer: This is an opportunity to share and grow among like artists. This is not an appropriate venue for self-promotion. Please do not include sale links (to Etsy, to your personal website for sale etc.) You are welcome to blog and include links, but our goal is sharing and education, not flagrant self-promotion. Those who do not adhere to this will be removed at Love My Art Jewelry’s discretion.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOOT CAMP, Please check back on Mondays (feel to stop by the rest of the week too!).

If you're participating, please add our badge to your blog!!!!

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Boot Camp Tutorials

Jan / Feb 2013 Balled: / Art Head Pins

tutorial on traditional balled head pins
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-jewelry-challenge-balled-headpins.html

double balled headpin earrings
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-jewelry-boot-camp-balled-headpins_28.html

rosy headpins
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-jewelry-boot-camp-balled-headpins.html

head pin charm tutorial
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/balled-headpin-charm.html

about wire / gauge and hardness
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/02/wired.html

nichrome wire for ceramic headpins
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/02/nichrome-wire-in-ceramic-beads.html

headpins as cold connections
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/02/art-jewelry-boot-camp-balled-head-pin.html

March /April 2013: Textured Metal

video by Barb B.
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/art-jewelry-boot-camp-textured-metal.html

alphabet stamps as texture by Staci S.
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/boot-camp-alpha-texture.html

hammering to distress metal by Kelli P
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/hammering-to-destress.html

textured earring tutorial by maryann C.
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/textured-earrings-tutorial.html

textured wire spiral donut connector by staci s
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/textured-wire-sprial-donut-connector.html

textured metal slide bail by Barb B
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/texturing-metalnow-what.html

textured metal frame
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/04/textured-metal-wire-frame-pendant-form.html

found texture by Kelli P
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/04/finding-texture.html

more found texture by mary jane d
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/04/texture-boot-camp.html

textured ear wires by Stacie F.
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/boot-camp-how-to-texturize-earring-wires.html

metals you can texture by Staci S
 http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-kind-of-metal-can-i-texture.html

May /June Wire Work Out

wire bead and ring by Kelli P
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/05/bootcamp-3-wire-work-out.html

wire wrap for beginners
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/05/wire-wrap-for-beginners-video.html

tips on using wire
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/06/basic-tips-on-using-wire.html

twisted wire
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/from-road.html

free form wire work staci s
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/05/free-your-mind-for-free-form-wire-work.html

wrapping briolettes by staci s
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/05/boot-camp-3-wire-work-out.html


July / August Securing the Perimeter : clasps

wire clasp tutorial
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/boot-camp-securing-perimeter-aka-clasps.html

button claps by Mary Jane D
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/boot-camp-button-fiber-closures.html

twisted crusty toggle by Kelli P
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/twisted-crusty-toggle.html

snap closure for beadwork by Carol Dean S
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/its-snap.html

copper tube clasp by maryann c
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/copper-tube-clasp-boot-camp-tutorial.html

adventurous clasp design by Stacie F.
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/adventures-in-making-new-clasp-design.html

wire toggle by Staci S
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/boot-camp-tackling-toggle.html

clasps- secure or pretty or both by staci s
http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/07/clasps-practical-pretty-or-both.html