Studio Day In you sketchbooks answer the following questions on the next available page. Are you finished with your sheet metal pendant? What were some struggles you have had or are having with the pendant? Draw a tree of life design that you might want to do (google examples if you need to).

Jewelry Day 14 Tree of life pendant

Agenda for today Review what we did last time. Listen to demonstration on how to make a tree of life pendant. Write down steps in sketchbook for when you are ready. Finnish and photograph pendant if not done yet. Finish and photograph bead spider if not done yet. Make a tree of life pendant.

Last time We wrote down the steps to making a bead spider. We photographed our pendants and e-mailed them to Mrs. Francesconi to start grading. We made bead spiders and began photographing those. If you were not here last time you will want to check with people at your table and go to the classroom website to find what you need to catch up. www.mrsfrancesconi.weebly.com

Tree of life

Supplies you will need… 8 inches of 16 or 18 gauge wire  12-14 feet of 26 gauge wire   Around 50 small (2-3 mm) gemstone chips or crystal beads – in whatever color you want: leafy green; yellow, red, orange, brown for fall; purple or pink for a fantasy tree  Wire cutters  Round nose pliers  Flat nose pliers  Round object for shaping the frame – around 1.5 inches in diameter (I use pill bottles)

Step 1 Wrap the 16 gauge wire around your round shaping object (pill bottle for me). I like to keep the wire on the spool while I’m shaping it so that I can just cut exactly the amount I need. Leave around 1.5 inches of extra wire on either end of the circle.

Step 2 Bend a 90 degree turn around 1.5 inches on one side of the wire. This will be your loop to attach to a chain. This is the same loop we have been using for earrings and bead spiders. You are welcome to make adjustments to this look to make it how you want it.

Step 3 Cut 12 pieces of 26 gauge wire 12 inches long and bend them in half. Wrap each piece of wire four times around the bottom of the circle, keeping the length of each end equal.

Step 4 Take a group of three wires and twist them a few times to make a root. Don’t twist more than a half inch or you won’t have enough room for the rest of your tree. Repeat in groups of three until you have twisted all the wires.

Step 5 Bundle all the wires together and twist them into the trunk. How long you want the truck to be is up to you, but don’t twist too much or you won’t have enough room for the branches and leaves. If you feel like you twisted too much, you can bend your trunk a little so your tree isn't straight up and down. Asymmetrical trees are more visually interesting anyway!

Step 6 Now is the fun part – the branches and leaves! Take 5 wires from the edge of the trunk bundle and twist them together a few times to make a branch. Then separate out one wire and add beads to it until you reach the frame. The number of beads will vary depending on the size of bead and how long you twisted your branch. Wrap the wire a few times around the frame, downwards towards the roots, to secure it

Step 7 Continue making big branches, secondary branches, and leaves until you have secured all the wires to the frame. Then go back to the lowest branches and wrap the wire downwards towards the roots, until you reach the wraps for the nearest root. Add a new wire if you run out. Do the same for the other side. Wrap all of the loose wires (downwards towards the roots), until you reach the wraps for the neighboring branch, arranging the spacing of the branches to whatever looks best to you. This will ensure that the whole frame is wrapped in wire, which I think looks neater than having spaces and also keeps your branches from sliding up and down Trip off extra wires and your done.

Studio Time First make sure you have good notes for the tree of life. Second finish your pendant and photograph once done to turn in. Finish the bead spider if you started that one, photograph to turn in. Lastly start your tree of life design.

Clean up Put saw blades away if still intact or throw away if they are broken. Put all supplies away nothing should be in your boxes except the exact amount of beads, wire, and sheet metal you are using for your projects. Put your sketchbooks away in your hanging file and keep your projects in your box.