Dog tags

 Introducing these new handmade fine silver dog tag necklaces.  I create each dog tag pendent by hand in my studio, one at a time. 

They hang from an 18" long sterling silver 1.5 mm ball chain.














          The pendant is available in three different motifs.  All the dog tags have an English word or phrase on one side and the Hebrew translation on the other.

"I believe"
"Peace"
"I am my beloved and my beloved is mine"

The dog tag necklace is available at my
Etsy store.  For wholesale inquiry please contact me.

Leather Bracelets

I sell to a lot of small gift shops in temples and they are always asking me to make something more affordable.  Ok, cheaper-but with the same style and quality all my pieces. So last month I was tinkering around in the studio, trying to come up with another great Bat Mitzvah gift.  I remembered that my daughters always come home from camp with an arm load of friendship bracelets, that they made or traded.  The bracelets stay on until they inevitably fall apart, and off.  They are really cool and a bit bohemian.  I really like them, so I see do many high end jewelry designer, so why not make a Jewish version.
I found a great American made company that makes leather cording in great colors.  I designed a bunch of silver charms, a chai, star, heart, hamsa and a shalom charm.  After a lot of experimentation I decided on a double strap design with a silver button closure. 

I'm still experimenting on the colors I should offer.  I've showed them to a couple shops and they have really liked them.  So Im making more and will have them on had for the URJ show in San Diego in December.

They are about $32-$34 retail. 

reflections of raw

Last night I participated in a different event for me, RAW ensemble St. Louis.  It is part of a national movement that stages art experiences all around the country.  It was a very different experience for me.

There were all kinds of Artists participating in the event, both visual and performing.  A couple of the musical acts went too long and were not that exciting.  The band Unifyah, Reggae inspired sound, was excellent.  Also the burlesque act, Jeez Loueez was quite entertaining.  There were some other performances that went on way too long or were a bit disturbing, like the male pole dancer.

The demographics of the "party goers" were mostly about 21-35.  And most were not interesting in buying anything, just looking.   Everyone was very impressed by my work and very complimentary, they didn't complain about the price, value, only wished that had more money to spend on something .

Thank you for everyone who came to RAW and also those who bought a ticket but couldn't make it.  Special thanks to Erin Mahoney, my cool hip young friend, who came early and stayed till the end to help me set up, sell, and take down.  I am pretty sure we both explained Judaism and the use of mezuzots at lease 3 dozen times.  My apologies to all Rabbis and Jewish scholars for any misinformation we may have communicated.

With all experiences I learn something.  Last night I learned that my new lights from Ikea were  a great investment.  I think my booth looked better great.  I met a lot of interesting people and most were very complementary and excited about my work. I also learned that if you grow up in St. Louis and have the name Kranzberg, their is always going to be someone who knows someone in your family!

I also probably will learn more things in the weeks to come, and hopefully this opportunity will lead to others.

inspired and renewed

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while.  May was crazy, emotional and hectic.  It definitely was not a great month for me, although there were some wonderful moments amidst the chaos.  But after my daughter's wisdom teeth and then getting both girls packed and off to camp, I was able to get away for a week and have some real time for just myself.  In June I went to New England and connected with some old friends and familiar places.  As a result I am feeling renewed and inspired! 

The last few weeks I have been spending a lot of time in my basement studio.  But don't feel sorry for me.  The heat in St. Louis is oppressive, so the basement is a very nice place to be, and with few interruptions I have been able to make some very exciting pieces.  I've made four new mezuzot, which I will feature on my blog in the following weeks.

I am focusing on making objects that inspire me.  Sometimes that is Jewish Ritual pieces, other times that is jewelry pieces.  The important thing for me is to have my heart and soul reflected in the piece.  I think that it shows in my work.  I know that when I feel that I have to make a certain amount of, lets say earrings, for a show, they are not as successful as I would like.  I am pledging to be to guild first by my creativity and whim and then by other factors. 

I also have some exciting news, One of my pieces, The Hidden Star locket, is featured in a juried Art Jewelry show in a Gallery in Oklahoma City.  I won an Honorable Mention for the necklace, please visit this link for more information on the show. Spiritual Juried Jewelry Metalsmith Show

six necklaces

Locket

Tribal Necklace

  I have been in the studio the last couple of weeks trying out some new things while also clinging to the past.  The result is six finished pieces.  Some you may recognize, like the "Floral Lentil Necklaces" and the "Ring of Periwinkles Necklace", these styles are popular at shows.   I experimented with some new designs which I strung the metal clay elements on bead wire with gemstones and Hill tribe silver.  Both of these necklaces are 16" shorter styles with motifs that encircle the entire neck.  The "Tribal Necklace" combines hand cut silver tab beads with faceted Indian rubies.  The "Spiky Necklace" is just as it sounds.  A series of hand formed silver spike beads, in various sizes, with small Hill Tribe silver beads in between.  I have Test driven (worn) these styles and they are pretty comfortable to wear, so no worries!
I also attempted a working locket style, which I think is a bit rough around the edges, but I guess that's part of the charm?  Maybe, I don't know.

Spiky Necklace

busy in the studio....

Ive been very busy working in my basement studio making all sorts of pieces for my upcoming shows, especially the URJ show in December in Maryland.  It has been incredibly fulfilling to be creating all day.  I just hope everyone likes the pieces as much as I do.
I haven't added anything to my etsy shop yet because I have too many local shows coming up, but I thought I'd just post a few pictures to show you what I have been up to.  I also have been experimenting on some new ways to photograph the mezuzot, I like to show them hanging instead of lying flat.

mezuzah with amythest

This ancient building necklace opens up

If you are in the St. Louis area I will be at the Bnai Amoona Chanukah Bazaar, this Sunday October 30th, 9-1.  Come by and see me!

it's never good enough....

Recently, I a couple of my mezuzahs have been getting some attention.  Having a picture of one of my pieces in print or on the web is a real honor and a thrill.  The Brownstone mezuzah, which is a part of the Mizel Museum's collection, has in featured in Metal Clay Magazine, The Metallurgy Online Exhibit on Crafthaus, and was chosen to be in the 2011 PMC Annual Book.  The Zentangle Mezuzah is also featured in these publications.  I am very proud of both of these pieces, but I suffer from a common problem many artists have.....It's nice, but the next one I made was so much better. 

When I finish a piece, at first I am usually a bit disappointed.  Most of the time, the result isn't quite the same as the original vision.  Maybe I am a bit hard on myself because after a couple days, I get excited about the piece again.  Sometimes I have the piece professionally photographed.  Getting a professional pictures taken of your work is always a good idea.  I wish I could afford to do it more often.  I am quite sure that the quality of the photographs of the work was as important factor as the work itself in getting it published.  But as I examine the work I am constantly looking at the flaws in workmanship, and the improvements I could make in the design.   And, if I make a new piece based on what I think I have learned from the previous, it too has it's own list of flaws and design problems.  I guess this is what artist go through and why we are constantly challenged.  It one reason I love my work.  I love to create, improve, problem solve and then make more problems for myself.

Here is a new version of the Brownstone Mezuzah, fresh out of the kiln and ready to be patinaed and polished.  Don't even get me started.

my mezuzuah is part of a museum collection

I am honored to have my brownstone mezuzah selected by the Mizel Museum in Denver to be a part of their permanent collection.  The mezuzah is fine silver and is inspired by brownstone homes that I used to walk by in Boston and New York. It features a bay window and a street lamp.  I am honored to be a part of this wonderful Jewish Museum.  The mezuzah will be displayed as it was meant to, on a doorway. 

To read more about please check out the museum's newsletter, The Mizel Tov, and click on the link for the museum newsletter (It is the Spring 2011 edition).

the price of silver :(

I just checked the price of silver and it is hovering just below $40 an ounce.  The cost of silver has sky rocketed in the last year, with no sign of slowing down.  The predictions on just how high it will go are frightening!  I regrettably, have had to adjust my prices accordingly.  I love to work in silver and would like to continue to do so.  I hope that my customers will understand the what I have to do in order to be able to function in this market.   Silver clay or PMC, is nearly twice as expensive as sterling silver.  But the wonderful detail and technique I am able to achieve with this medium is definitely worth the price.  Some metal clay artist are switching to copper or bronze clays.  So far I have been disappointed in my results in this medium.  But I will continue to explore the possibilities.

 I hope that you will drop by my shop and check out what things I have been working on.  I just completed a couple of new yads and I now can personalize your yad in both English and Hebrew!

mezuzah project-august

Ok, I'm late again.  This time I'm just late about posting because I finished this mezuzah in August. 

This design is like one I made last year, but better now, beacuse one year means more skill.  I love the modern texture and the non traditional approach to a mezuzah.

This month I have been very busy preparing for fall shows.  I'm having a trunk show at Essential Elements in October and the Best of Missouri Show is in November.  There are some small venues in between, I'll keep you all posted.

a charmed life

I am so happy and honored to be participating in the emc team, Etsy Metal Clay, charm swap.  If you don't already know, the emc team is a group of extremely talented etsy artists who specialize in working in metal clay.  I was juried into the group last year.  The artists lend support to one another by promoting our shops and also exchanging ideas, techniques and resources.
For the charm swap we were required to make 24 identical charms, 22 to exchange with the other artists, and 2 additional charms that will be made into bracelets that the group auctions off for charity.  Honestly, the last bracelet that was made (a year ago) was incredible and really priceless.  The charms  had to be in metal clay, silver or you could use bronze, copper or a combination.

So here is what I came up with.  They are not identical, but pretty close.  They are silver.  I decided to make a 3 dimensional charm since I love to construct my pieces.  I just send the box of charms off,  and I should get a box back next month with 22 different charms from all over the world.  I can't wait to see all the different techniques and points of view.  I might make a bracelet out of it, or maybe a charm necklace.  Oh, by the way, this one will not be for sale!

personalized yad

Here is the latest version of theYad.  This was difficult to make for two reasons. First of all the pointer of the yad is actually a carved hand.  I carved the hand separately using original formula PMC which is easier to carve, but shrinks a lot more than PMC+.  Then I fired the hand, and then embedded it in PMC+ which is the formula I used for the body of the Yad.

The personalization was then stamped on a thin strip of metal clay and then carefully attached to the Yad.  This version would make a wonderful Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift.

what is a yad?

Well, yad is the hebrew word for hand, and so a yad is actually a pointer, which is used when one reads from the torah scroll. 

I made this yad from PMC in silver.  I carved the pointer and made a decorative spirals for the finial.  I am also working on a version with a carved hand. And one that can be personalized.

It's a little funny to be that I am actually sculpting with the metal clay.  Sculpture was my least favorite subject in art school.  Funny how things turn out, Professor Shaun would be proud, well, probably not.

fusing fine silver

My fingers are killing me.  I've spent the last 3 hour in my basement studio fusing fine silver rings together on bracelets and earrings.  I love being able to use the torch without the fuss of solder.  The fine silver just melts and fuses together.  I am getting pretty good to this, but my fingers still hurt from opening and closing rings and trying to get them to fit together just right.  Plus I did a lot of cleaning up my PMC fresh from the kiln with a brass brush.  It's not exactly easy on the hands.  Oh well, I gave up on manicures years ago.

Here is a glimpse of a link bracelet and some really sweet periwinkle earrings. I am also experimenting with Jewish star earrings.....not sure about them.

making things for rachel's things

OK, I've been really busy in the studio the last few weeks, making PMC pieces.  I really love the metal smithing class, but I have to say that it's not really as fulfilling for me as creating with metal clay.  There is so much more fuss, and planning involved.  And to tell you the truth, I am not really turned on by all the hammering.  As far as the torch goes, soldering is a lot of fun, but the nasty pickle is, well...nasty. 

Back in my basement studio I am busy creating things is less time with more detail and weight then I can in class.  I am planning to be in a home show next month here in St. Louis to benefit The Reform Jewish Academy.  Someone from the school heard about my mezuzahs and invited me to participate in the show with other local St. Louis artists.  I am excited about getting back to my business after spending so much time on the Bat Mitzvah. The show also has forced me to get an inventory of items made, and also to get serious about my Esty shop, "rachelsthings" , which I have revamped and I am in the process of reopening. Here is just a sample of what I have been working on.