Bloom Necklace

One of my favorite pieces from my last semester of metal-smithing is this necklace- partly because I am so pleased with how it turned out, but also because it took me four semesters of metal-smithing to complete the project.  I've come so far in my ability to envision a piece of jewelry and then bring it into being. It is  fun to look back at the small steps it took to complete the entire piece.

 My "Bloom" Necklace

I hammered the fold-formed copper piece during my first semester and soldered it to the nickel back at the beginning of my second semester.  Towards the end of that semester I cut out the flowers and soldered them onto the pendant base, but I didn't know what I wanted to do with it next.  It didn't feel complete and I didn't really have a direction or idea.  So I chose to let it simmer rather than push it.

A year later I took my third semester of metal-smithing and one of the first things I did was use letters to punch in the word bloom.  Finally, towards the end of this last (and fourth) semester I added the rivet, the crystals, the leather, the liver-of-sulfur and the chain.

And I am keeping this one.  It has been kind of cool to stretch out the process and see how my abilities slowly increased and allowed me to fully develop an idea.

The "Bloom" Pendant up-close

Enamel Pendants

A few of the things I've been working on this semester in the metals shop.

My first Tree Branch pendant.

I cast the branch in bronze, then cut the flowers out of a sheet of copper.  I shaped the flowers and then enameled them in a kiln.  Finally I attached them to the branch. 

My second Tree Branch pendant

I'm happier with the enameling, but still like the first one best. 

Red Flower Remix

I've had this red and copper wire necklace hanging around for at least a year, maybe another summer, too. But I think I made it last year. I loved the necklace, but it has sat on my table for a year or so...

It is pretty, but it doesn't really fit in with what I am creating now.  So today I began the process of recreating it.  I am not sure how it will turn out.  I hope it will be smashing, a lovely floral & lace bauble to caress the neck of any maiden. 

The first step in the remixing process was to unwind the wire down to the flowers I am keeping, only the three in the center.  And I shall work out from there.  One big change: I am going to use chain and a lobster clasp so that the necklace has more flexibility in length. 

At this point, I don't know what else I'm going to do to it...

Bead Table Wednesday

I've got a pretty big mess on there right now... 
Today, I finished up a heart necklace with the red flowers at the middle left of the picture.  I wired the flowers with Swarovski crystals onto the heart frame sitting under them in the picture, and then used the chain just below the heart & red flowers.
Tomorrow, I'm going to work on the crystal in the top middle of the picture.  Don't know exactly what I'm going to do with it, but I might just put it on a chain.  I'll have to wait and see....

What I've Been Working On...

It's a Friday Art day!
I finally got around to taking some pictures today.  I wish I did this more easily.  I really have to fight to get things photographed now.

I found these fabulous butterfly filigree pieces at Michael's (yes, sometimes I find some fun & unique components there!), and I've had so much fun working with them.  I've still got a green one left, and I hope to finish it off tomorrow.

I played around with some buttons I've been admiring & saving. This green and brown one is my favorite.



And last but not least, I have been twisting wire into little hearts... 

I saw some heart pendants in a chain store, not sure whether it was Walmart or Fred Meyer, and I thought "What a cute idea!  I bet I could make something like that, but unique and prettier."  I am delighted with the way they turned out.  The large one was my first try, and I had fun with it.  However, it was a trifle big for me.  So I endeavored to make the rest of them smaller... 

The brown and blue one is my current project, and lacks a chain still.  I finished a cute copper and turquoise one on Saturday, but it was sold before I even got it out on display!  A young woman walked into our tent, looked at the little silver one, turned and saw the copper one, and said 'That's the one!'  So it is already gone.  I'll try to do one similar soon..  Not exact, but similar.

Energy, Bead trays and Polymer Clay

For the Bead Soup Blog Party Post, go HERE.

*****

I feel like I'm coming out of a fog. It's been nine weeks since my surgery and I finally have energy.

Energy to play with the kids at recess.

Energy to plan fun things for Spring break next week.

Energy to care how the house looks.

Energy to care how I look.

Energy to be creative and spontaneous.

Energy to truly enjoy my girls.

Energy to create.

This is what's on my bead table right now- a collage- style green glass, ceramics and shell necklace. I'm still thinking about how it will go together- You are seeing just the preliminary lay-out. I tend to have an image or drawing in mind, then I lay out elements and play with them (moving them around, switching them, pulling out more stuff). Finally I put it all together.

My favorite thing right now is to combine different styles and methods (wire-work plus stringing, etc.) And making my own components really adds to the pleasure of creating.

This is what I'm working with on my component tray. Right now, I'm just working in polymer clay.

My surgery stole so much time and energy that I had to drop my metal-smithing class. I was terribly depressed at first, and then I chose to make it a good thing. I decided to focus on polymer clay for this semester to see if it's a medium I like. So far, so good. I haven't created anything yet with my components, but I'm going to soon.

Here you see a wing pendant and a butterfly pendant. They've been cooked and now they are waiting to be painted. The painting is my favorite part! I love adding individuality to each piece.