Thinking, Designing & Creating...

Yes!

Back in the saddle so to speak. Two pieces currently in the works. Started working them at the same time. One is a heart w/ 2 birth stones. The other is a grouping of Hibiscus w/ 2 birthstones.

The heart is throwing me.

First I wanted it hollow - just an outline w/ the stones hanging in the middle. Then I decided I really liked the hidden hearts I've been working into some of my pieces so I made it solid w/ a heart cut through at the bottom. I couldn't decide so I got out the polymer clay (I KNOW, I KNOW I hate polymer clay - BUT I love playing with it). I created a heart w/ a little flip at the bottom and a carved out heart. Hmmm - me likey!

Then just because it would save time I cooked (ahhh I mean cured) the polymer and made a mold from 2-part molding material. Ahh the feel of fresh, new PMC clay! I filled the mold and cleaned it up enough to play with - BUT when you put the birth stones in it looks like a silly smiley face.

Oh brother!
And then ::key the hallelujah choir:: the UPS man rang my door with ::key them again:: my delivery from ACW ::one more time just 'cause I can::.... Silver flakes - fine, medium and rough. Ohhh what fun things could I do with this? Hmmm edge the heart... encompass the bezels? GO NUTS! :o)

OMG before I go on...
The timer just went off and poof there was a precious piece ready to come out of the kiln. Now - for those of you who have never done this before, when you incorporate gems in a piece for firing and you take the cover off and see the color COMPLETELY GONE from the gem (it was Ruby when I put it in... wasn't it??) and then when you pull it out and it starts to cool... the color comes back and I swear, I know it sounds hokey but - it's magic! :o)

OK enough about that - back to the hearts. Would adding an edging of medium fine silver flakes around help?

What about prongs? instead of setting the garnet and emerald in the piece, what about pronged settings? Would they just look like GOOGLY eyes on a silly smiley face? Hmmm what if...

OK now - for the hibiscus that stole my breath away when I opened the kiln.

Pretty hibiscus family - large, medium and two small. Birthstones representing the children - Moonstone and Ruby (those are the stones, not the children! ;o)). I played with some drawings in my design book and came up with a grouping that I liked. THEN because I knew I didnt have time to spend a lot of time carving - I reproduced the design on my computer and then created a PhotoPolymer Plate (PPP).

Because I'm still learning I tend to experiment. SO this one has a fine silver bezel for the moonstone (didnt think it would fire and put the bezel in and then tested a spare stone and POOF worked) and a PMC clay setting for the ruby. Plus I added a tweek of fine silver flakes on the tips of the two larger hibiscus stamens. AND now I'm thinking as I type this that I may put some 24K gold on the medium size hibiscus.

Off to finish the pieces - will post photos tomorrow. :o)

December 20, 2009 Puzzled Titanium

Titanium brings to mind all kinds of things - hard, metal, 'austere'... but then I discovered Crystalized Titanium from Holly Gage (www.hollygage.com). As I posted yesterday - it's terrifying to have something so special and then try and use it in a way that suits it.

A few months ago I ordered two "you pick them for me" crystalized titanium pieces from Holly. I gave them an idea of what I was going to create and she and Chris did a great job finding me two pieces that would work together with the design I had in mind. (Note: that the photos do NOT show the gorgeous colors well on these pieces.) Then the hard part started....

I needed puzzle pieces. All the pieces I found on the internet were too 'thin' or didn't connect in the manner I wanted it to. So I pulled out my old nemisis "polymer clay" and started playing. I created two pieces that fit together and then cured them. I used 2-part molding compound to make molds of the polymer pieces and then created the silver pieces.

I spent a good amount of time trying to make the edges smooth but still puzzle like (rounded on the top straight on the bottom) and then worked to carve the hearts into the center of where the titanium would sit on the pieces. The hearts were made so that a little bit of the titanium could show through the silver. I added 24K gold to the pieces - the recipients wear gold... and I think that the 24K gold and the gold chain helps bring out the pretty yellow-gold in the titanium. All in all I'm excited at how it all 'fits'.

As you can see I still have a hard time working "thin" I think these puzzle pieces are probably close to 8 cards thick. Which makes for a medium heavy piece. I was concerned that the titanium would need the thickness but then after doing some more research on Holly's website last night I discovered I could probably have gone thinner with out any problem. A quick trip to Kohl's brought me such luck! Two matching 24" flat chains - about the width of the 24k Gold stripes on the pieces. So excited!!

The pieces were fun to do. I played with them for a couple of months from start to finish working on them in between the other projects.

I only wish I could have shot them to really show the gorgeous titanium! :o)

December 19, 2009 Afraid to Fail...

So close but so fearful!

I'm working on pieces for two very special people and I'm terrified to finish. Not because I dont think they will like the pieces but because I have Holly Gage titanium going on them and I'm afraid to mess up!!

The project are two puzzle pieces - that actually do fit together. They are silver w/ 24K gold (one of the recipients wears gold so I'm working gold into the piece and adding a gold chain to it - mixed with the yellows from the titanium it should look very nice) added to it. The rainbow colored crystalized titanium will sit on top of the puzzle pieces.

Probably a little to advanced for what I know how to do but I'm either daring or stupid... LOL not sure which! You choose!! :o)

Fingers crossed I'm headed back into the studio...

November 16, 2009: Birthday Present for Mom

My mom loves Christmas. And she loves Christmas shirts, sweaters, jewelry, everything. Of course - you can't wear Christmas jewelry all year now can you? Well... Mom's birthday was today - Nov 16 - and I've been working on a couple of pieces for her.

Interchangeable Christmas Pendant and Earrings. These little pieces are made for Christmas - molded from little holly leaves from my back-yard w/ red charms but can be worn during the rest of the year by switching out the red charm for the green/blue charms!

The Pendant is molded from a leaf mold made from 2-part mold compound. The bail is designed into the leaf like a stem that rolls forward to form the bail AND then loops up to form the hook for the charm. The charms are red/black glass beads with a gold glass bead on a stainless steel head pin that was hand twisted to make the loop.

The Earrings are made from metal clay paper - yes, metal clay that is as thin as paper. Sold in little 3" x 3" squares you can fold it just like paper. I used it and traced around the leaf to create the pieces. But the thinness of it worries me.
I really prefer the thickness of the molded pendant and when I create these again I'll use the mold for sure. The earrings 'stem' also is used to attach it to the sterling silver earring wires and jump rings and, like the pendant, curls down to create the hook that holds the little charms. The earrings have 24K gold added to them and the beads are green/blue glass beads on a stainless steel headpin tha twas hand twisted to make the loop.


The shot to the right is what the earrings look like "carded" Shows the interchange-ability with the red charms on the earrings and the green/blue charms on the card.

October 17, 2009: Ahhh Sweet Success!

After buying all kinds of tools and 'getting ready' - honestly I think I was avoiding. You know, you buy everything you need, you read, you research, you quiz people, you draw - all while avoiding the one thing you really want to do 'create'. Anyway after the enamel class I decided... this is it. Just do it as the commercial says - so I did.

I made a mold of the maple leaf that I enameled in Enameling on Copper class. Then I made a silver clay maple leaf. AND... I fired it! OK so not a big deal but to me, yes. I needed to get past the hump of worry. Just do it.

I used my little micro torch - that is what drew me into this little addiction. The fact that I didnt need a big kiln to fire the pieces. I could fire it with a micro torch - the same thing the Iron Chefs would use for creme broulette. And I did it - it came out sooo cute! Then to add to the panic - I added 24K gold to the leaf! Yes, you read that right... 24K gold! Talk about nerve wracking. Not only had I never done it before but I'd never seen it done in person - only what I learned on the internet. God I love the internet!

Then I combined this sweet little silver maple leaf (well maybe not so little - I'm still working on the thickness thing! :o) ) with my enameled pieces from class - and with some gorgeous chocolate pearls from Fire Mountain Gems and poof - the kitchen sink was born! It's got a little bit of everything - copper, enamel, silver, gold, pearls - everything! :o)

I think this will forever be my favorite little piece. My first "on my own" and my first big step into metal clay.

September 2009: Art Closet

When my office moved into my house I lost the extra space that I would use for an "art studio" but this need to be creative has taken over. So I look for space - spare room - but if I have visitors where would they stay? Living room? Negative any place out in the open is free reign for my 'kids'. (Note: my kids are 4-legged and fluffy.) Anything out in the open has potential to be kicked off onto the floor, chased and even in Shadow's case - picked up and carried through the house. So I start looking closer.

Back to the guest room I decide to use the closet - coincidentally my drafting table slides right into it - the doors can shut and POOF it's 'kid proof'.

The first project to really get started in the "closet" is a pin for my mom for Mother's Day 2010 - the design is done, techniques are yet to be completely learned. I won't start it til I get everything down! It will be fine silver with enamel, 24K gold, and will have 'gems' attached.

The second is painting of my carved Cardinal. Did I mention I love to carve wood? My last project was a female cardinal. She was carved and burned and all she needed was color and I moved and got caught up in work. The picture shows her carved, burned and sprayed. She has two coats of gesso and the first coat of color - no going back now!