Necklace and Bracelet - Focals by Marsha Hedrick

Several months ago, I happened upon an Etsy shop owned by Marsha Hedrick.  The name of Marsha's shop is AmazingPorcelain.  Marsha is a registered Oklahoma Choctaw Artist that makes a variety of porcelain jewelry components.  But what caught my eye were some matte black pieces.  I have since learned that she hand digs native red clay from near Tucson, Arizona.  She then works the clay into something usable.  Apparently, it is not black when she digs it but she explains in one of her listings that it is high in iron oxide so when it is fired in a wood fire and hen smothered in dung, the clay turns black.

The other thing that I found intriguing was the design on her black pieces.  She calls them Swift Creek Stamps.  They are reproductions of Swift Creek potters who would use wood paddles with designs carved in them to paddle clay over molds to make bowls and other pottery pieces.  The paddling compacts the clay and makes it more durable.  She has reproduced some of the Swift Creek designs into stamps and uses these stamps to make these amazing clay components.  They have a very subtle shine finish known as burnishing created by rubbing the ornament with a soft cloth before it is fired.

I completed a bracelet and a necklace using her Swift Creek components.  I made them to match, but the designs are different on each.  I hope I did them justice and I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Yellow Stoneware Bead Necklace

I finished the necklace using the gorgeous yellow stoneware bead by Natalie Pappas.  I used tri-cut czech beads with picasso finish and czech striped iridescent beads on hand forged, oxidized and tumbled copper wire. 

I finished the neck strap with hand rolled and sewn gray silk cording and a handmade copper hook and eye clasp.







It is a bit longer than I normally make, but it just seemed to be

better this way.  I like the way the bead dangles on the handmade

bail made of square copper wire.  It is 20" long.