Something for me and something for you...

It is lovely to have time to create and nothing I “have to” make. This necklace has been in my head for months, an old wall hook; rusted and left, some washers, sari silk, an owl in resin, a bullet casing (thanks to one of my students for that), vintage beads and carved cinnabar all combined with copper, brass and steel.

I couldn't resist wandering around the garden and taking pictures of this piece in different lights, on different backgrounds, it has been so, so long since I made a feature piece of jewellery such as this.

I always enjoy the contrast between strong and delicate, old and new, salvaged and made. I think this one is for me.

The old water tank, above had been put out for roadside collection, I rang my brother and convinced him I needed it; is to become my herb garden, a job for next week.

I have cleaned up my garden a lot this past week and been amazed by the number of nests tucked in bushes, obviously my purr-babies don’t scare the birds away. This nest really made me smile, authentic twigs, insects, and leaves on the outside and green acrylic filler on the inside – another contrast.

The magnetic post it-note holders were an eye opener. I was attempting to make something using found objects for a possible class and bemoaned my attempts. Until I realised the only objects designed for art were the Collection images I have had for many years, and five split pins.

All of the other items are salvaged and re-purposed.

I will send one of these pieces (your choice) to the first person to identify all the non-paper elements. Good Luck!

Just Sharing...

Another crazy couple of weeks and yet I have still managed some creative time and a laugh or two (usually at myself) so all is well in life. Many thanks to all of you who commented on the earrings in my last post, I am often uncertain when I try new things, this weekend I am aiming to do some more in a similar style. However, for this past week or so it has been back to paper and pieces of history floating on my desk.

One of these giant pegs has gone to a new home as a result of a monthly 1-4-1 swap I am a part of, the others will reappear at Christmas.

A page from an Altered Book Round Robin with the theme Still Life.

A breath of spring; the print I was blessed to receive from Julia's blog give-away.

Tags made for no reason other than the fact I felt like playing wi th paper and thread.
A rare picture: Charles and Phantom keeping each other warm on a cold morning.

A little whimsy

For some reason I have managed to photograph the tassels on this piece true to colour and yet the canvas seems lighter, perhaps it is the layers of paint and gel letting in light. This was a fun piece which will turn up at a friend's house in the weeks to come.

Thank you for all your kind support, the car is still missing and if it remains so until Thursday then the insurance will come into play and I can begin to look for another one. I lost my mojo for a week there and was quite blue, but I am back focussing on the good, on the wonderful sunshine filled summer, my amazing friends and yes even my little 'not' guard dog.

Tassel Dolls with Secrets

I adore all the doll parts that are being rescued from the grounds of old doll factories in Germany, the idea of recycling and repurposing parts which have been under ground and long forgotten gives me pleasure.
These tassels feature heads which I bought direct from Germany. None of them are perfect, they would not pass the quality inspections of 2008, and yet they are beautiful. Their skirts are made of fibre, ribbon, fabric and trim from my collection and hidden within each are secrets. Secrets stamped on sterling silver charms or wrapped around hand rolled paper beads. Little jewels, glass beads and charms are stitched so as to be hidden from the casual viewer and yet visible to those who get to know the lady well.
The four above have all gone off to dear friends, and there are two more for sale on my Etsy. I have five more heads and another theme in mind, so perhaps I will play with them tomorrow.
I am off to my second birthday party for the day - male again, so no chance for pretties, but nice to relax with friends.

Swaps

Natalie B is hosting a canvas niche swap on INKrediblyRT. The canvas was supposed to feature an inchie - I am not sure what happened along the way. .. but this is the canvas I sent her. The inchie is in fact a framed photo of the face on the fist beaded doll I made (in Kelsey's class) and the focus is on a removable and wearable doll.

I was actually so pleased with this piece it spent a few days sitting on the shelf with some of my dolls (made by Dot) before it headed north.

These bracelets were fun to make - gifts for a VERY pink friend.

As far as stunning jewellery goes look at the necklace Kim made me! This style, inspired by Kim's friend, and sometime muse, Nina is simple perfection and so lovely to wear. Kim and I have swapped before but this one was because Kim was my Mystery Muse partner, also on INKrediblyRT.

The journal below is the gift I sent my MM, Genevieve, this month. I could not get a good photo but was pleased with the end result.

Art I am happy with, beautiful gifts and so many Earthly treasures, now I just need to banish the clouds.

Handware and a visitor.

I am quite surprised at how simple this piece appears after the hours of hammering, twisting, drilling and wrapping as I experimented. The old clock keys are a treat to work with, the volcano beads a perennial favourite and the central button a gift from Dad. I did feel bad about drilling the button but I could not get it to hang well using the shank.

Dawn blessed me with a Gizmo - a simple and amazing little tool for making the copper wire coils. I decided on the loosely woven silk ribbons for a tie closure because this one needs to be worn high and will need to be different lengths depending whether it is worn over turtle neck jumpers or against the skin.

Look at this lovely little Gecko, I have no idea why he ventured inside but his soft velvety skin, and delicate feet were a treat to behold late last night.

Look what my Dad made me!

I asked me Dad to make me a new mail box. My old one was in a silly spot, it was hard for the postie to reach, and his bike was eroding my sloping verge. The final straw came when a part of the wooden on the old one rotted and it began to swing like a hammock in the wind.
A couple of weeks, an old cream churn and some ‘stuff’ and I now have a large, weather proof mailbox. All that is left for me to do is add a number. I want to make one out of metal bits so it may have to wait until the next school holidays.
When the lawn grows back and the bush sprouts new leaves it will blend beautifully. I do love my rather clever Dad.

Vintage Posy, the piece below, sold the same day I made and listed it on my Etsy. I was blown away – and am so thrilled it is travelling half way round the world to a lovely lady in the USA.

A little bit different ...

~sold~

This piece started off as an abstract assemblage on a cat food tin lid - somehow it became a vintage posy. Either way it was fun just to sit and play without a plan.

Talk soon ...

Meet Rachel - A Woman

This is Rachel. This piece has been sitting on my desk for months. My inner self was at war, try for the simple, understated minimalist look, or add, add, add - my usual style. In the end I let my muse have it's way and my head and my heart met in the middle. The skirt with its variety of circles within circles mirrors life and talks of all that is hidden under clothing. The simple torso (an old pair of pliers forms the heart shaped body) and brings the eye to the spark plug - which has the word champion showing through the rust. People are wonderful; women are heroes; so few realise it.

Some of the washers were built up with wonderful layers of rust, others were worn to paper thin layers and then there were the new. Thank you to Michael deMeng for teaching me to make paint layers look like rust (in the wonderful class I took in March). I left one segment open at the back of Rachel's skirt just so I could slide a small candle in should I wish.

The name you ask? She needed a name, and as I glued and painted and layered I thought of the women of Avonlea, of Anne of Green Gables, and the way the shoulders sit had me thinking about the character Rachel ...

It is a blissful to be in the middle of a sunny winter's weekend, enjoy yours -wherever you are.