It’s a long wait between studio dates. Very unsatisfying.
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Killing time
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Little Christmas
So, I’ve just discovered a lovely little custom – in Ireland, this day is sometimes observed as “Women’s Christmas”. It is a day when the women , who have been slogging along all year, and all thru the holiday season to keep the household going and make everything good for everyone else, get to put their feet up and let the men take care of house and kids. A fine idea, and one I think should be exported widely. No offence, you gents who are already valiantly keeping the homefires burning. Stay at home dads and single fathers, I figure you’re entitled to the day off as well.
The holiday season was long, and yet went by in a bit of a blur. Great season at Sign of the Dove, winding up a pretty good year for my business. Many things done around the house, for my family, for my parish. Good times had, laughs shared, and plenty of cooking and baking. But I’m tired now, and getting up in the cold dark to take my boy to school has been an unhappy back to ‘normal’ for both of us. So I think I’ll put my feet up and have a cuppa and enjoy the last of the Christmas cookies. The 2011 paperwork can wait one more day.
Happy Nollaig na mBan!
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An expanding universe
My work is going out there into the world, spreading across the globe. I have work in another shop, J Miles, in the Huron Village area of Cambridge. Hi Judy, and Thanks!
I’m told that this bracelet is on it’s way to Saudi Arabia, if it’s not there already. Purchased at Sign of the Dove Holiday Artisans’ Cooperative a few weeks ago. Nice!
Captive Persian in Purple
And copper cuffs have been sent off to Tennesee and Wyoming. Which is lovely
, but means I don’t have one to wear myself. Must be time to get back to the studio.
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Busy, busy, busy
I’ve been a working woman for sure. Right now I’m in the thick of preparing for the opening of The Sign of the Dove Holiday Artisans’ Cooperative store. Producing inventory, prepping my display materials, publicity work,…it goes on. We’re looking forward to a good season (the co-op’s 40th!) of beautiful craft. If you’re in the Boston area , look for us in the Mall at Chestnut Hill.
And all the while I’m counting down to my next studio date. Hmmm, I should perhaps be concerned about being so eager to hit things? Anyway, I’m hoping that I can get some of this work through the jury and sell it in the shop this season. Like the piece here:
Object of longing
I just don’t know if it’s possible to make enough to be bothered with the process of getting it into the Dove this year. Next year, for sure. This year, well, if not the Dove than my etsy shop for sure. Look for it.
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It’s a random universe
I find that very little of my design process is deliberate. For all the time that I might spend consciously trying to come up with a design, I seem to have a better results just listening to the randomness of the universe. A couple of half finished pieces sit next to other on the bench and I see something in them. I’m staring out the car window waiting for my son to get out of school and a thought pops into my head. This morning while doing something else
, I looked at some cabochons I made some time ago and hadn’t yet found a home, when it occurred to me to do this:
accidental idea
I like the way the tie wraps around the wrist, and I like that this can also be worn on the neck as a choker. Random idea.
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I like to hit things…
Metal things, with a hammer. I had a conversation about it with another jewelry maker the other day. She quite agrees with me and has a fine collection of hammers for hitting things just so.
I was able to rent some studio time this week, which was fabulous. I’ll be doing this for the forseeable future, until I can set up a studio at home. Lord knows when that will be. Until then, squeeze this work in where I can and maille the rest of my free (snort!) time. This is one pendant I was able to work on. Gosh, I’m really learning to love copper.
Really simple, but I like it. I did a cuff that I really like , but I want to do more finish work on it before showing it off.
In the meantime, I have to ask – if you’re going to make a tin that looks like this:
paging the Doctor
Posted in Metalwork, Misc.
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New day, new season
School is back in session, which means I have more time to work. Yeah! I love my boy, and I miss him when he’s not around, but I’m glad to have the space to work on my jewelry while there is daylight.
Also, I was able to drop off some items at Karenna Maraj Collection in Belmont. I’m excited to have my work available in a new venue, and Karenna really has a great little shop. My pieces are in good company. This new pendant is there now, waiting for a new home. Sterling silver and fossil agate on a long leather cord. I can see this looking great with a turtleneck, now that the weather has turned so chilly. Brrr. I love fall, but I especially like it with some sunshine to take the edge off. The cool dampness we’re currently experiencing in the Boston area? Not so much.
Latest Pendant
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Do you see what I see?
So, sometimes the disorder on the workbench or laptable works to my advantage. I had two pendants lying around, and they wound up so close to each other that they formed one shape. I looked, and I thought I saw an owl. Now, I’ve been seeing owls everywhere lately. They seem to be a big trend on Etsy and Pinterest, so maybe I’ve been brainwashed. But I took the idea from those two pendants, got out the pliers and the aluminum, and tweaked the patterns and messed around a bit and came up with my little friend here.
Athena's Owl?
He still needs work. The beads for his eyes are just placed there temporarily , can’t decide on them. Athena is often depicted with an owl as a symbol of her wisdom, so I’m very pleased with the concept.
Posted in Chainmaille, Misc.
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Copper Stars
The last thing I have to show for myself this summer, in metalwork anyway. Folded and patinated stars, on handmade earwires with stones I can’t identify. Cute
, no? They’re bigger than most earrings I make, but light, so they aren’t difficult to wear. I like the look of the patina, but I left the backs untouched for contrast. These were really fun to do.
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Experiment in fold forming
I’ve had my last class in metalworking for a while. Boo! Wanting to try something totally different, I spent my last hours playing with fold forming. I started with a project from Judy Freyer Thompson for mini stars, or flowers. A photo of those is coming, when I’ve finished making them into earrings. When I finished those, I took a bit of scrap copper and just messed with it until it became my new bracelet. I deliberately didn’t clean off all of the mess , letting the pretty brightness of the copper show through in some parts but not all. I love the organic-ness of the look. I’m anxious to try more of these – the technique is so much fun!
Posted in Metalwork
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