MISADVENTURES IN METALSMITHING...

(etch and patina copper face)

My daughter says I have an open invitation that invites crazy into my life and I am starting think she might be right.  My best friend confirmed it when she said she wished there were hidden cameras in my house so she could see my misadventures played out in real time instead of hearing about them secondhand.  Most of the time I get into these scraps because my head is in the clouds and I am not paying attention, who could with a cloudy head?  But this time was different, in my defense I was paying close attention, inexperience led to this channeling of my Lucy and Ethel moment.

(stamped etched copper)

In Ethel's famous last words, "This is easy, I think we (I) can do it."  That was my exact thought when I took on a lesson in applying patina to metal.  I think a little background is needed to set the scene properly.  About a month ago I took the plunge to do something that I have long wanted to learn, metalsmithing (as applied to jewelry making).  I gifted myself with a class on Valentine's Day and away I went on my learning adventure.

(etched and patina moon and trees)

After covering the lessons on patina and etching applied to different metals I decided to spend a day experimenting with both homemade and manufactured solutions to compare the different results and build up a supply of ready to use pieces.  The etching turned out beautifully and I was ready to tackle the patina.   I am not a complete novice where patina is concerned but there are some methods and products I have never used before...and so the adventure began.

(embossed patina copper)

I happily slathered, dipped, brushed, burned, inked, salted, and soaked.  Blue greens, rusty dreams, spectacular speckles, burnt browns, brackish blacks, giddy success plummeted to sudden distress with the very last thing I tried, something I had never used before.

(play pretties)

I read the directions carefully and plunged into the very last experiment.  Things were going well until my super sniffer begins to tingle with the most unpleasant, distinct, offensive, odoriferous odor I have ever smelled. My eyes started to water. I started to cough and gag.  My nose was burning.  My whole house filled with the green gaseous scent of rotten eggs!

(waiting to become a necklace)

I was immediately catapulted back in my memory to standing on the edge of a volcano that had the same sulfur stench and I suddenly wished I was the sacrificial chicken that I saw tossed over the into the abyss for an offering...no worries the chicken was not alive, it was one of those roasted ones from the Wal-Mart deli...I wondered why anyone would have a picnic on the edge of a sulfur infested volcano...but that is beside the point and a story for another day.

(lovely verdigris on copper)

I grabbed the noxious offender and it splashed on my hands turning my finger nails a sickly shade of yellow green. Coughing, choking, and gagging to the back door I flung the repulsive concoction as far as I could fling it taking deep gulping breaths of fresh cold air.  I scoured and bleached my hands, however, NOTHING helped the stench in my house.

(desk view)

I should have known that if you put anything that tastes as bad as liver and smells as bad a sulfur together into a usable product that it would be a recipe for disaster.  Oh, it did a beautiful patina but it almost did me in!

(butterfly pendant in progress)

Now to tackle those torches...pen torch, mini blazer, stubby torch here I come!

Blessings,

Sandy

P.S.  If you want to keep up with the artful happenings here at the Quill between blog posts you can follow along on my Facebook page here.  

STUDIO DESTASH, KITS ON ETSY...

While cleaning and rearranging the studio I put together several destash kits in themes and color families that I thought would be fun inspiration kits for collage, altered art, card making, ATC's, art journaling, etc. you are only limited by your imagination.

 Each kit comes with bonus surprise supplies not listed and I will fill the flat rate priority shipping boxes as full as space allows.

Kits run from childlike and playful, to dreamy vintage, masculine, and so much more.

I have also listed an art journal and embellishment kit all ready for your personal touches to be placed on each page.

All art kits and the journal are listed in my ETSY Shop.

blessings,

sandy

A Little Metalsmithing...

Here in my creative corner I have been in the middle of a studio redo...again...cleaning and rearranging to make room for a slew of new tools I got for Christmas and some new additions I recently bought, plus moving some things from the hubs shop to my creative space for easier use.  I took a small break to enjoy some actual creativity.

I was thrilled to see that Jen Crossley (A Mark in Time) had two new mixed media jewelry videos on Craft Daily, Metal Sketch Pendant and Mixed Media Tin Pendant.  I spent a lovely morning watching both videos and was fired up to try my hand at the Metal Sketch Pendant.  I headed out to Freight Harbor for even more tools so I could do the project.

(Jen used a simple chain for her pendant but I can't resist a little bead bling!  Once you learn how to make the basic pendant the sky is the limit for how you finish it out.)

For the most part I had the basic supplies on hand but I had to improvise a little on the cold connections and the mesh she used as I did not have the right things.  I loved dipping my toe into some really simple metalsmithing.  

My creative goal for this new year is simply to be a student.  There is so much I want to learn, explore, and experiment with.  Thanks to Jen for starting my learning experience off with such a great project!

I hope you all have a great week!

Blessings,

Sandy

P.S.  I have been doing a little more posting on Facebook than I have here on the blog so feel free to catch up with me there.

MUFFIN TIN CHALLENGE...

To jump start my studio time in this new year I participated in the Muffin Tin Challenge sponsored by Heather Powers of Humblebeads.  The challenge was to fill each individual cup of a 6 or 12 cup muffin tin with beads, wire, findings, etc. to complete one piece of jewelry per cup.  Once the supplies were assembled and cups filled you simply arranged everything into a sassy design and assembled each project as quickly as possible.

 (Easier said than done if you only found out about and decided to do the challenge on the fly the day before it ended....guilty....thank goodness for all those play days making up findings and embellishments or I never could have pulled this off!)

I don't actually think I did this challenge right as my jewelry does not consist of beads only but in mixed media style with plenty of beads on each piece....AND as if all the hurry and scurry were not enough, I am disqualified...my link went up three minutes after deadline...I tried so hard to make it but Blogger was being a pistol and loading photos so slow.  My reward is having 7 pieces of finished jewelry done!

Here is my muffin tin all filled to over flowing:

Don't these look delicious half baked?

                                                                                            

 Fully cooked:

Part 1 of a set of 3 stack boho beach style bangles (this was a bonus project from leftovers in my tins, I had a few strays and scraps and you know I can't waste a good leftover)

A combination of teal, silver, and champagne make a refined feminine triple strand magnet clasp bracelet for dressy occasions: 

Simple soothing sea tones of aqua, green, and white mimic the oceans hues and sun bleached shells:

The charms of nature are abundant in this design a wire nest fulled with tiny pearl eggs, handmade leaves and branches, flowers, and a scampering squirrel and curious bunny charms delight the nature lover:

                                                               

A book lovers delight, "The Librarian" is made from vintage finds such a card catalog pull, card catalog index card, and old brass key accompanied by lovely glass, stone, and brass beads as well as a tiny handmade book:

"Winters Frost" is a delicate rosary style chain piece that consists of tiny glass stones, pearls, and mother of pearl buttons in clear, white, and pale blue hues to mimic a winter frost.  The focal point is a metal leaf with a frosted tiny bird bead and a vintage chandelier crystal.  Handmade/beaded fabric beads as well as handmade leaf and nest embellishments round out the design:

I think the last one is my favorite, "Nature's Wonder" is an asymmetrical design of natural stone beads, natural wood beads, and handmade elements combined with fiber and vine like wire wrapping that invites one to wonder at all natures beauty:

 This was a fantastic exercise and I plan to incorporate it into my studio time. Thank you to Heather for a great kick start to my new year crafting!

blessings,

sandy

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, MERRY CHRISTMAS...

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...a time to heal...a time to laugh...a time to dance...a time to embrace...a time to keep silence...a time to speak...a time to love...a time of peace..."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

The past 14 months have taken quite a toll on me in many ways and there is so much I could but won't say about this passage of time other than it was a season of turbulence and it has come to pass.  I have entered into a new season.  While the physical world outside my window lies fallow in its drab bare bones winter chill I have entered a season more akin to spring, blooming and joyful, a time of healing.  While I have been absent online I have been, am being, fully present just living.

I've taken time to laugh...one little grand dressed in a glittery costume sprinkled me with magic "pixie nuts" so I could fly and made me giggle.  Another grand pronounced me "so old school" and cracked me up.  The Handy Hubs and I fell into a fit of laughter that rolled in waves until we lost our breaths and our eyes watered, it began again every time we looked at one another.

I've taken time to dance...the tiniest grand adores music and does this little circle spin wiggle clap giggle in time to the tune.  We have adopted it as a family thing and it is amazing fun to have old and young alike circle spin wiggle clap and giggle together.  

I've taken time to embrace...mostly I have embraced my family spending lots of time with them, gathering them back home in my nest and smothering them with mothering love.  Little celebrations of nothingness just family, food, fun, conversation, laughter, and heart sharing, those things that really matter.

I've taken a time of silence...especially here online and mostly in my heart.  I have needed this time of withdrawal as part of reestablishing my life and creating a new pattern that fits new circumstances.  A lot of things felt like pressure to me and I had to assess what was most needful to direct my time and attention to.  I have embraced this time of silence to think, feel, pray, and process.  It has been my wintertime season of laying fallow like a farmers field.  It felt as if I had emotionally been plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a growing period in order to restore my productiveness.

I am now taking time to speak...to hopefully encourage you all that there are seasons of strife in life but they are just that, seasons, they do pass.

I am taking time to love...loving my family and friends by making them a high priority right now.  Loving my faith that keeps me afloat.  Loving my home back to its former state by cleaning and  sprucing.  Loving this Christmastide with its physical shine of tinsel and glow. Mostly I am loving the heart glow I get from a tiny little baby in a manger full of hay, born in a stable long ago on Christmas day.

I am taking time to enjoy the gift of peace...a peaceful mind of knowing I now have a great team of caregivers to help share the care of my mother.  Peaceful emotions reign now that situations and circumstances have settled themselves.  A peaceful heart that rests in the hands of Him who can handle burdens bigger than I can even imagine.  A peace of knowledge that rests in the truth that to everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under the heaven...

I wish you all the most blessed Christmas and happiest of New Year's.

blessings,

Sandy

P.S.  I will catch back up with you in the New Year!