BIRDS AND BEZELS...

I have been trying to cross post my new work between Facebook (where I try to do a quick daily post) and here on the blog (where I seem to be doing randomly times posts) so posts will not be repeats but I failed to do so on these projects...if you have seen these on Facebook you may be excused and my apologies for the repeat :) If not, I invite you to take a peek at my newest metal mania...

This is the first piece I designed myself and used some of my newly acquired metalsmithing skills, a wee wire bird cage.  It is a bit wonky here and there but I love it.  

This bird cage that looks quite simple but let me tell you I poured seat over this thing for hours before I got a finished product.  I would connect one thing and when I had to reheat to make another connection something else would come loose, such is the nature of the beast of this type of metal connection.  I found it requires a lot of forethought so you don't undo what you just did. 

I decided to turn it into a lariat style pendant...

I gave it the wear test the other day and I wore it too long, it captured my heart and now I must keep it.

Having had enough of welding wire for the moment I moved on to fill a couple of the beginner bezels I had previously made (which I also forgot to post here)...

I began with the large house shaped bezel.

I wanted to find a way to incorporate my nature photography into some of the bezels and make pendants with them.  I found a photo I took of an owl that was nesting in our owl box in the back yard and encased it in resin...

I created a vine from various wires to simulate the vine growing up the tree trunk...

And fashioned a "leaf" like roof...

Lastly I connected a bail and collaged a created quote onto the back of the piece...

I set my sights on spring for the next piece.  This photo of a robin was the very last photo I took of my childhood play area in the backyard of the house I grew up in the day we closed the house and put it up for sale.  I sealed the photo in resin...

Created a multi-metal layered base...

And did my first ever cast metal piece from a twig I picked up in my yard, hand fashioning metal leaves, and vine like bail...

I am taking a small break from all this metal mania to step outside my studio into the great outdoors, where Dame Spring is gracing us with her arrival, for new inspiration.  But, I'll be back!

blessings,

Sandy 

BACK BURNER DREAMS...

To Put on the Back Burner: put aside for the time being, as a subject that is not of immediate concern but that may be activated later; postponed; a condition of low priority or temporary deferment

 "JOY" Mixed Media Statement Necklace

It is with a heavy heart that I bid you, my dear blog friends, a temporary good bye.  I have put this post off for far too long in the hopes that circumstances would change and allow me to actively participate in the amazing creative community that has given me so much support and confidence to pursue some of my most cherished dreams.  For now, those dreams have been pushed to the back burner of life where they can continue to simmer until it is time to pull them forward and bring them to a full bodied boil where their exquisite aroma can be savored and shared once again.

"HOPE" Mixed Media Statement Necklace

My mother's condition is steadily declining and I am needed to participate more fully in her care plans.  My daughters extended maternity leave is over and she has returned to work leaving her precious little one in my care full time.  Between parenting for my parent, co-parenting with my daughter and her husband while they work, maintaining home and family obligations my days rush by at a dizzy pace.  I currently can't find the energy or time to be in studio or at my writing desk.

"WISH" Mixed Media Wrap Bracelet

I expect as I get adapted to these sudden changes in life and find a new rhythm and order to my days that I will be able to pick up where I left off and return here refreshed and rejuvenated with a new creative energy.  Maintaining an online presence is of very low priority at the moment so I have decided to take an extended break until after the first of the New Year.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and support.

Many Blessings,

Sandy  

The photos in this post are of the last three pieces to emerge from my studio, I wish you all hope and joy!

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ALL WIRED UP...

 Tied, bound, twisted, wrapped, wired...

Handmade beads...

Found stones...

Glass beads, all wired up...

 I am lightly dipping my toe back into the creative pond by learning some wire techniques.  The plan is to make some pendants to go on these beaded necklace chains and use the found stones and handmade beads in combination for a future project.  It feels like a little swish of magic...

 To be creatively connected to you all again!

I would love to hear what you have been working on.

I hope you all enjoy a beauty filled weekend!

blessings,

Sandy

FROM SKETCH TO EXECUTION...

Sketch:  A rough design, plan, or draft, a simple or hastily executed drawing.

I am often asked where my ideas come from when creating art pieces.  Sometimes there is something tangible I can point to and say this is what inspired me and sometimes it is more of an intuitive inkling to want to try and create something that I have to work out on paper by sketching.  Both of these apply to the creative process of my latest art pieces that I gave as gifts for Christmas.

While sorting through some of my mothers jewelry I thought it was such a shame that it was not being worn and enjoyed.  Truthfully I, nor my daughter or daughter-in-law, share the same style or taste as my mother but there were some really nice elements to some of the pieces.  I came across a broken necklace sealed in an envelope that sparked an idea of how to create a new keepsake that could be worn and enjoyed by my daughter and daughter-in-law.

I began by sketching out ideas incorporating new elements, Etsy finds, and parts and pieces of some of my mothers jewelry to make unique necklaces that were tailored to each ones taste and personal style.  I rarely sketch directly in my sketch book, a bulky book seems to get in my way, I prefer to grab whatever paper is handy and my favorite sketching tool, a cheap black BIC ink pen, and scribble away making detailed notations.  Then I will glue the sketch into my sketchbook for safe keeping and reference.

It is extremely rare that the outcome of the project will mirror the original sketch.  Often allowances have to be made in the design leaving room for adding to, taking away, or minor tweaks to the original.  For these two jewelry pieces I had the concept but they both seemed to need an extra drape and in one case I made several different sketches moving the main elements around until I found the one that was most pleasing to the eye.  I also knew that I wanted each piece to incorporate some sort of photography, which sparked the idea of using watch cases to encapsulate the photos.

I found a supplier on Etsy that had some new watch cases in stock that were delicate in design with diamond chips for embellishment and thought they would be perfect for one and for the other I ordered a wonderful old pocket watch case from and Etsy seller in Europe.  I also ordered some pastel pearl glass beads in shades of the ocean and some Chez glass bronze transparent luster beads on Etsy.  I purchased some quality chain for both pieces.  All the rest of the beads and elements came from various pieces of my mothers jewelry.

The next step in this particular design process was pure play, moving beads around, pairing different combinations and color families until everything looks right.  I snap a few photos to reference for placement.  Then I began the stringing/wiring process.  Trying on, adjusting, messing up, starting over, tweaking, and finally finishing each piece. 

My daughters style is feminine, delicate, and always with a fun funky quirky edge to it.  She adores some elements of Steampunk jewelry design so I decided that hers should be along that vein.  I used one of her bridal portrait photos, enhanced it with paint, and added on an extra layer by using real dandelion seeds from my grandmothers field pressed under the glass.  The glass orb on the end of the necklace also holds dandelion seeds.  Her necklace is generational, seeds from her great-grandmothers garden, beads from her grandmothers jewelry, beads from a no longer worn bracelet of mine, and her own bridal portrait with one glass bead left over from a project she did as a teen.

 This design perfectly marries the hard and soft and captures the right amount of quirky by using rich chocolate velvet ribbon, metal, wood, stone, glass, delicately designed hammered copper chain, with the soft sweetness of the photo.  I am not a jewelry designer/maker but this statement style pendant necklace turned out better than I dreamed it would.

My daughter-in-law loves fashion and jewelry is her favorite accessory.  Her style is always trendy and fresh with a twist of classic elegance.  I thought designing something with a twist on the classic pearl necklace or locket would be perfect for her.  I encapsulated mini beach photos of my daughter-in-law and my son in one watch case and their son and daughter in the other as "lockets".  Glass pearls in ocean hues mixed with clear glass beads and cultured pearls as well as other elements from my mothers jewelry round out the design.  This design depicts a special family memory of introducing her children to the beach for the very first time.

  

 The gilded shell from one of my mothers necklaces perfectly reenforces the beachy feel of this statement style pendant necklace.  I am kind of excited to design one for myself now.

 

 

 While I had to deconstruct some of my mothers jewelry in order to use the beading or other elements, in the end it was worth it to have something that is a new keepsake that will be worn and enjoyed rather than it being put away in a drawer.

I hope that you have enjoyed a small part of my rough sketch to execution design process.

GIVE AWAY SIGN UP...

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED
 

 I have been trying to think of ways to express thanks to all of you who take time out of busy days to drop in and visit.  I am more grateful than you will ever know for this online community.  I have made some really treasured friendships.  I find so much encouragement through you all.  I can't tell you how many times in conversation I will say, "My blog friend...(insert your name here)..." because I do think of each and everyone of you as friends.

 One small way I can say "thanks" is to host a give away but that only benefits a small few and I wanted to include everyone.  While I am hosting a give away today I wanted to give something more.  Over the next couple of months I will develop a free online class called Step-By-Step Saturday.  Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in and create alongside of me a project from start to finish.

 Here is how the class will work, the class will be created as its own blog so there will be no jumping links to find the next weeks step, everything will be contained in order in one place.  This will be a public access blog with no codes, etc.  As it stands at the moment I think the class will be between 6 and 9 weeks, this could change slightly as I develop the class according to the steps in the process.  I plan to have materials lists for each week posted in the class introduction so those can be gathered ahead of time.  Each new step will be posted on Saturday, tentative date for class start is the first Saturday in January.   

 Many of you, after seeing sneak peeks of my new art work, expressed an interest in creating something that uses your own heritage bits and pieces so that is the direction I am going in.  We will be creating a substrate as a foundation for building our piece on, covering some fun techniques, making embellishments, and having a messy good time together!  I plan to launch the class in January 2013, this gives me time to get the tutorials done, glide through the coming holidays, and hopefully gives you something to look forward to in the coming new year.   

 Also, I plan to try and use a lot of really common supplies without you having to go out and make purchases for too many special things.  This is going to be a really fun and great challenge for me and hopefully something you will enjoy.  Now, for the give away!

 The hand made cuff you see featured in this post is my small thank you for your friendship offering.  The cuff base is completely hand stitched fabric, lace, and fiber with an overlay of embroidery.  It features vintage mother of pearl buttons, hand made duponi silk flower embellishment, hand wired glass bead/vintage pearl flower and leaf sprays, as well as hand tatting (done by my best friend Pam).  The fabric cuff has an insert of an adjustable metal cuff blank and is lined with a soft flannel for comfort.  

 To sign up just leave a comment...that's it!  Anyone and everyone is welcome to sign up, no restrictions apply to this give away.  Sign up will be open for the next week with a winner being announced on Friday, October 19, 2012.

I am still plugging away at my first heritage piece, stitching rumpled roses, making silk flowers with hand beaded centers, and embroidering/beading trim... 

 I am off the studio see if I can complete this piece today!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!