New Copper Metal Clay!

Hi all, just updated my site with some new Copper Clay Morsels.  Still new to metal clay, but am really happy with how these turned out!  Here is a sampling...

Sizes in these photos are a bit wonky, but there are dimensions listed in the postings.  I am definitely having fun with metal clay and hope to have some white copper and maybe some bronze as well, sometime soon!

Oh, and a reminder...if you use TURKEY14 at checkout, you will receive a 20% discount though Monday, Dec. 12!  I've uploaded some newer jewelry as well!

Hope to see you soon!

Happy Memorial Day!

What Memorial Day is all about...these are shots from year's past, but they mean the same!  Thank you to all who serve our country...past, present, future.

Ornament Swap Hop!!

The fabulously talented and sweet Sally Russick organized a Holiday Ornament Swap/Blog Hop!  She paired all of us happy participants up and the ornament making commenced.  The only requirement was that the handmade ornament include an art bead of some sort. 

After much internal debate on the direction I would take, I decided to make a Stephanie Lee "PipeDreams" inspired piece. I embedded some metal filigree medallions on each side and then stared at it for a few days before the inspiration decided to hit me! I punched some holes in the bottom and wove some copper wire in a fishnet/lace pattern and attached some pretty red crystals. I took a big metal filigree bead and halved it, somewhat flattened it, then enameled it a Christmas tree green shade, and wired it onto the top with more copper wire and a red crystal.

With the other end of the wire on the top component, I hung several lengths of copper chain that I embellished with a whole load of stuff...czech glass flowers and other beads, a couple of red birds I enameled.  I added some strips of pretty sari ribbon that I got from lovely Barbara Lewis.  I then fashioned a swirly hook out of some steel wire and added a bow of more sari ribbon.

I was totally ready to stop when I remembered the enameled/resined cardinal component I made last year and hadn't known what to use it with!  I had to add it...I know it sent it over the top, but I just had to.

My creative partner is Crafty Hope Smitherman!  We hit it off immediately!  She is a fellow 'Bama girl!  Rooooooollllllllllll, Tide! Roll!  She sent me the sweetest package of goodies, including candy! That is my kind of girl!  A very cool Christmas tree of resin, complete with a gorgeous polymer clay star and pretty green enameled bead is very happily hanging on my tree!  Oh, and the handmade pom-pom garland?  Very clever and Christmasy!  Thanks again Hope!  Here is a sneak peak at what she sent....I loved it!!  To hear more about her creative process, go check out her post!

Go visit the other pairs and check out the lovely ornaments that they made and swapped!  Wow, this really puts me in the Christmas spirit now!  Thank you, Sally, for hosting such a fun, inspirational blog hop!!

Erin Prais-Hintz and Alice Peterson

Sally Russick and Kim Hora

Susan Kennedy and Kathleen Lange Klik

Patty Gasparino and Cindy Wimmer

Hope Smitherman and Melissa Meman

Jennifer L. Justman and Sandi Volpe

Jenny Davies-Reazor and Christine Altimiller

Rebecca Anderson and Jen Velasquez

Jeanette Blix Ryan and Tamara Soper

Holly Westfall and Mallory Hoffman

Grateful...

for family, near and far,
for friends, online and off,
for house and home,
heart and mind,
grace and strength,
creativity and inspiration.

I am blessed.


Prototype for new design...I plan to add it to a new rosary soon!

Might not be around again until next week...although we have no special Thanksgiving plans, our little family will be spending as much time together as possible! I plan to cook a traditional meal for Thursday, then I have my biggest show of the year on Friday! If you are in the area, hop on up to the Frederick Holiday Artists Market, 15 W Patrick Street, Frederick, from 10-6! 


So until next time, have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Challenges, Swaps and Hops!

Oh, my!

Looks like I am going to be busy this month!  I have signed up for 3 distinct and fun events for November, now I need to get cracking!  Stay tuned!!

Happy 4th!!

Memorial Day...

Took a day off my day job on Friday, so we have had a glorious 4-day weekend! 

Friday I got up and took B to school, let J sleep, and worked in my studio (dark, dank basement) enameling and soldering and playing.  It was fabulous...will do a show and tell later.

Saturday, we made an impromptu decision to go visit J's "Pop" at Arlington Memorial Cemetary.  Primitivo Mabborang Meman, 1910 - 1996, was born and raised in the Philippines. He joined the US Navy and served in World War II and Korea...he was a Pearl Harbor survivor.

We were happy to see that all the stones had gotten their Memorial flag...it was quite a sight to see the rows and rows of head stones decorated with the red, white and blue!

B has on his game face...his dad and I reminded him to be respectful at all times and he took us seriously...my boy!

Since we were in the area, we decided to go to visit the Pentagon Memorial, honoring the 184 victims of the crash of American Airlines flight 77 into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.  It was a beautiful day and the water in the little reflecting pools under the benches was sparkling in the sun and reflecting up onto the metal above...very moving.

Today we are celebrating J's 54th birthday!  We went to the pool this afternoon, and will be having birthday cake and ice cream later, along with a few adult beverages, I envision.  That is, if the cake hasn't completely fallen apart...J asked for German Chocolate cake, with the pecan and coconut frosting.  I made it, but I did a half & half...using chocolate frosting for 1 half.  The chocolate side is fine, but the pecan and coconut side keeps sliding off the cake.  I think I am just going to scrape it all off and serve it in a bowl on the side!

How about you...how is/was your Memorial Day?

Last Week...

I was quiet...busy, but quiet.  Eating, working, praying, loving, gardening...not necessarily in that order!

 

1 of many photos of the devasation in my hometown, Tuscaloosa, AL, after a behemoth tornado hit  this week.  Keep them in your prayers.



Thought for the day...

Today is the start of the busiest week in the year for some folks..Holy Week!  I probably won't be here too much this week as I sing in a professional choir for one of the only Catholic churches in the area to offer the "Tridentine Mass".  I have rehearsals and services most nights of this coming week, up to and including Easter Sunday.   So, I will leave you with this...I stole this from a blog I read....I don't think he would mind!  Totally appropriate for today and the coming week, I think!

"There is still good in the world and it is growing bigger and stronger and faster than ever...If you let it".

A blessed Palm Sunday to you all!  

Hearts, Flowers, Chocolates...A Day Later :)

My Daddy would say, "a day late and a dollar short"!  I meant to say "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY" to all of my lovely friends who stop by to see me here, yesterday, but it just wasn't in the cards.  I hope you all experienced a day filled with love...and chocolate!

I went out at lunch and found my honey a gorgeous orchid - he loves them and used to be pretty good at growing them, but he hasn't had any for awhile.  I fell in love with the gorgeous color of this one and decided he just had to have it!

He got me this very sweet little wire dress-shaped display! I can't wait to use it on a show table - I love it!

The pendant is from my other sweet boy, who saw it weeks ago and told his Dad that he had to get that for me. He was so excited to see me open it! I gave him a handmade certificate good for 5 iTunes downloads, along with copious amounts of candy

I have been doing some cleaning/organizing in my work space, which also contains a bunch of stuff that I just don't know where to put. In emptying some boxes, I came across some things that I brought back from my parent's house, after my sibs and I cleaned it out when my Mom died over 10 years ago.  I found this little box...

I don't know what year these were purchased, probably mid 70's, but look at the price!  12 Valentine's for $1.25!  I always loved Holly Hobbie :)  Here's what I found when I opened it up...

Weird little collection, huh?!  I picked all this stuff up off my Dad's dresser and stashed it away in this little box!  Prince Albert rolling papers - he used to roll his own cigarettes with Prince Albert tobacco that came in cute little cans...wish I had some of the countless ones he threw away over the years!  There was also an old broken pocket knife that he couldn't part with, an old whet rock, and a lead weight that I guess he picked up and was keeping for fishing, maybe?  He was a bit of a hoarder like me, and couldn't throw it away.

I can't wait to go through a few more boxes to see what I come up with!

2011 Wishes...

of health and happiness to all you lovely folks who are kind enough to come visit me here.

I have been laying low since before Christmas, J was sick with bronchitis, and I seem to have overextended myself with some commitments, so decided to take it very easy, sleep late when I can, and just enjoy time off!  Since my last custom order was mailed out, I haven't even ventured a look at my jewelry bench!  Santa did bring me a cool new book and a new tool that I will be showing you soon, however :)

We didn't do any traveling for the holidays; have been staying close to home. Tonight we will be sharing a nice meal, have a bottle of champagne (with chambord for Kir Royales - yummy), and some apple cider for the boy for later and each other's company.  The best New Year's plan :)

Here is something to show from before I got too lazy...made this before my last show in early December, and just didn't get photos taken.  I'm very proud of it!

Flattened copper tubing, with textured copper, sterling, and brass discs riveted on.

I'll be back in 2011...see you then! 

the light at the end of the tunnel...

Okay! Had my last show of the year on Saturday and it pretty much sucked :)  I know these things are always hit-or-miss, but geesh, the place was packed with folks, it was very festive, people stopped to touch everything, ask me questions, but then would just wander off.  And I kept seeing folks with bags so I know they were in the buying mood for some things.  I always second guess myself - is my stuff too pricey? not pricey enough? too artsy?  not artsy enough?  Arrggh!

I still have several custom orders to finish and a deadline to meet which I hope to complete within the next couple days, then I look forward to practicing some new things I have been learning through some online classes I haven't had time to keep up with. And of course, getting the house ready for Christmas and doing fun holiday things with the family :)  B and I went to his Cub Scouts den meeting yesterday and did some fun art projects and I think we will be making holiday cookies together this week.

I still intend to have a holiday sale, so watch for the announcement at any time...I need to get my latest show inventory loaded into my shops.

In the meantime, here are a few new earring pairs that I created this fall...same basic design - formed and textured wire, but 3 totally different looks.


bronze wire embellished with copper

 

copper wire, embellished with sterling



sterling with pink sapphires and tourmalines

Happy Monday to you all - I'm hoping that light I see at the end of the tunnel isn't that proverbial oncoming train :)