It's Earring Time!

One of the downsides of living in a house built in 1849 is a leaky stone wall basement. But in between mopping it up, I've had the time to work on earrings.

The first order of business was to make a second display. I used the same format as for the guitar string earring display

 Then I started to fill it. The first creations were a set of three using sterling silver sea themed pieces in beautiful abalone frames the real artist had kicking around. I used non-tarnish silver wire but sterling ear wires. The first features a whale tail.

Next came the anchor.

And finally, the shell. (sorry for the bad pic)

Now I am starting on the local agate and jasper I finished and drilled last summer. I plan on dressing them up a bit with some of the beautiful copper beads in my inventory and I'm pretty happy with the first pair.

So much for my day job. Normally, I make Viking Knit Chain in the evenings using 24 gauge copper wire but I am currently experimenting with a slightly thicker 22 gauge and really liking the result.

The real artist, not to be outdone, has finished her first sketch book using her home made dyes This beauty is totally hand fashioned, including the binding and we might have a few in the store by next season.

Stay healthy and sane!

Latest Viking Voyage

As some who read this blog know, the "Real Artist", who lets me share her studio as long as I keep my mouth shut, is also a "Real Viking". Wencke, (her Norwegian name, we call her Vickie) is not one of those fake Vikings who wear the horned hats and watch Minnesota play football. She is a pure blood. And as such she is always off on new voyages of discovery. This time, it's all about dying (the colour not the event).

So now I'm back to the point in time when our daughters were young and I was always afraid to open a door in fear of the science experiment that lay behind it. This morning I found this sitting in the kitchen.

What is it, you say? My guess was an old tin can wrapped in fabric but according to Vickie, I was sadly mistaken. This was a can that she had carefully prepared to be covered with rust- not just rust but premium rust- so that when she folded some material around it, it got dyed by the rust. This, apparently elevates it from junk and rags to...ART!

Here is another cloth that has been dyed lavender by a liquid derived by soaking black turtle beans which, apparently we will now eat. Oh joy.

And this is only part of the voyage which, according to the Viking, will take two years. It didn't take that long for them to discover America! Another aspect will be to use the dyes and hand fashioned objects to make marks and thus transform a mess into an "object d'art".

Trust me, those hands will never be clean again. 

Apparently we are having the beans tonight.

Pray for me.

The Phoenix Collection Gets Larger

Last year I decided to try working with a new material- used guitar wire. And since I have a son-in-law, grandsons and neighbours who play guitar, I had plenty of strings to experiment with. The wires have as much "memory" as any wire I've worked with so it's not the easiest job but it does open up some amazing unique opportunities.

Since the strings were being "reborn", I called it the Phoenix Collection with new jewelry pieces rising from the ashes. Guitar strings that once made beautiful music now make beautiful, unique jewelry. They sold well in the shop and on line so I have decided to expand the selection. Since I started fabricating I've made several pairs of earrings with many more to come. By spring, this display will be full.

 I also want to do about a dozen single strand and multi strand necklaces incorporating Vickie's amazing polymer clay beads. Here are some of the latest.

The first features a "faux" amber trade bead with amazing detail and the second incorporates "faux" jade and a small trade bead. But by far the most ambitious undertaking to date has been the 9 string braided piece with a beautiful local stone and carnelian beads.

Regrettably, the wire doesn't photograph so well so these are even better in person so if you are coming this way, let me know and you can take a look.

Of course, I'm making other items as well, such as this large shark tooth wrapped in silver and hanging on a sterling silver chain- gorgeous.

Stay sane and healthy my friends.