Category: Colour

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Colour of the Month – Black and White

If you’ve known me for any amount of time, you’ll know that I love black and white!  In fact, most of my clothes are black and/or white, and most of my accessories are RED.  So, when I saw that this summer was shaping up to be quite neutral, I was quite pleased!  I decided to make a range of jewellery to complement the season.

This week, I am sharing the necklaces that I made on leather.  The first necklaces features small white beads on black leather, and it is actually my favourite of the entire collection (and the one I thought I would like the least when I was planning the work)!  It is a versatile necklace that works with pretty much everything that I wear.

The second necklace features black and white beads on red leather.  Super funky, I also really liked this necklace, as it has all of my favourite colours!

The pictures below will take you to my online shop, where you can also see more of the jewellery that I have made.

White bead necklace on black leather, handmade glass beads by Julie Frahm

Black and white bead necklace on red leather, handmade glass beads by Julie Frahm

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On my walk this morning…

Everyone in our house has been sick at least twice this winter! It has been the worst season for us, ever. I am so happy that spring is starting to shine! A chance to feel better, and warmer!

I’m a little bit behind with all of my work, hence the newsletter will be out this week (it was supposed to be out last week)! I’m excited to share my “Colour of the Month” series for September. All of the jewellery will be available as one-off pieces in my shop from Thursday.

I do hope you have been well.

Morning Walk

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On my walk this morning…

It has been 2 weeks since I had a walk!  I am so grateful that I feel well enough to go out again.

Last day of winter, hooray!  Another winter over.

Thanks to everyone who visited me at Flinders Street Market on Saturday.  It was such a lovely day at the market, I really enjoyed it.  My next market is the Port Festival weekend on October 10 and 11.

Today I am photographing the work I am sending to Kirra Galleries for their annual Flame On exhibition.  I will share photos during the week.

I am also getting some work ready for my newsletter.  If you are subscribed, you’ll be the first to hear about the new work, and you’ll have the first chance to buy it.  I’m making some one-off pieces for my colour of the month series, which is Black and White for September.

Morning Walk

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Colour of the Week – Coopers Sparkling Ale

OK, I confess, Coopers Sparkling Ale is my favourite beer!

I love being able to use the bottles to make glass beads.

I featured jewellery made from a Coopers Ale bottle it in my Anti-Depression Glass exhibition.

In 2013 a necklace of mine, made from Coopers Sparkling Ale and 14ct Gold Leaf, was featured as a finalist in the Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables exhibition (see second photo below).

I also exhibited jewellery made from a Coopers Sparkling Ale bottle as part of the “Wear a Piece of Adelaide” Fringe exhibition held in 2013.

I love working with Coopers bottles for 2 reasons.  First, they are a South Australian company.  And second, they are a very environmentally conscious company.  Win-win.  Both things that resonate completely with my work.  South Australian, eco-conscious.

Here is a small sample of work created from a Coopers Sparkling Ale bottle.

Beautiful jewellery made from a Coopers Sparkling Ale bottle. The ultimate in recycling.

Necklace made from a Coopers Sparkling Ale bottle, with 14ct Gold Leaf

Beads made from a Coopers Sparkling Ale bottle feature in this necklace

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Op shopping

Every now and then I go on a mission to find a particular type of glass.  It might be Green Depression Glass, or white glass (which is really hard to find by the way), or like the other day I was on a mission to find non-matching sets of glasses.

These non-matching sets of glasses are also known as Harlequin Glass.  They were really popular in the 1950’s.  It can be tricky to get a complete set of 6 glasses, and more often than not you’ll find at most 5 glasses left in the set.

I didn’t mind what I found.  I had an idea for a necklace in my mind, and I needed the glass to make it happen!

So, I visited all of the Op Shops in Murray Bridge, and managed to find a few assorted glasses.  I was really pleased with what I found, but wondered if I might be able to find some more on a trip to Mount Barker.  Like I said, I was on a mission!

We tried a couple of Op Shops before I found one with THE most helpful volunteer I’ve ever found.  She was more than happy to look out the back to see if she could find what I was looking for.

Success, she found a mis-matched set of 5 shot glasses.  The colours were great, but the glasses were quite small.  Still, it was better than nothing.

“I’ll take them,” I said.  “Don’t worry too much about wrapping them.”

She was a bit taken aback with that comment.  “You’re going to smash them, aren’t you?”

I smiled.  “Yes, I am.”

“Well, if you like recycled glass you have to take a look at this great exhibition at the City Library that is on at the moment.  It’s part of SALA.  The artist has made all of these beads from recycled glass, you should see some of the colours.”

I smiled again.  “That’s actually my work.”

True story!

We talked for a little bit longer, while she told me what her favourite jewellery was from the exhibition, and where all of the Op Shops were in Mount Barker!

Harlequin glass, incomplete sets. I'll use these to make glass beads

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On my walk this morning…

It’s getting lighter in the mornings.  And brighter!  Hooray!

I am looking forward to being part of the Ink Crush market at Flinders Street Market on Sunday August 16.  I am working on a new range of beads and jewellery especially for the market.  I’ll share some pictures on Thursday!

SALA has been great fun.  From what people are telling me, they are enjoying their visit to the City Library to see my exhibition.  It really is a great space, and at the moment there is a lot of really interesting art in there.  Definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to everyone who supported my Etsy shop sale.  I really appreciate it.  The next sale in my Etsy shop will be February 2016.

Morning Walk Photo

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Colour of the Week – Green Depression Glass

I thought I would take a month to write about my favourite recycled glass colours!

It all started with Green Depression Glass!  I had never used recycled glass to make beads, it hadn’t even occurred to me, until it was time to come up with a brilliant idea for SALA 2009!  It was around the time of the Global Financial Crisis.  My daughter, Ciara, had just been born.  There was a lot of talk about the next Great Depression!  I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like for our family to live through that.

I have always loved Green Depression Glass, the colour is simply beautiful and very reminiscent of that era.  It also has a great story.  It was used in the Great Depression as a stimulus for the economy!

I put one idea with another….and my Anti-Depression Glass exhibition was created!  I exhibited this work at Lustre Galleries for the month of SALA.  I had (from memory) 9 different collections of work.  My favourite collection was the jewellery made from a Green Depression Glass platter.

You will see in the photographs below, the different types of Green Depression Glass jewellery that I have made.  Some of the photographs are of current work that is available, so if you would like to purchase any, simply click on the photograph.  I am taking you to my Etsy shop at the moment because I have a special 30% discount in there.  Simply use the code FLASH30 when you check out.

Long earrings. Handmade glass beads made from a Green Depression Glass Platter  A Green Depression Glass platter was used to make the beautiful beads in this necklace.

GreenDepBracelet1