Too Young?

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You’re never too young (or old) to pick up a hammer. I was privileged to stay with my  grandson for several days while his parents were out of town. On occasion, I would try to sneak in a little hammering on wire that I had configured while he was napping. Such a good little child . . . he wanted to help. Although I tried to interest him in his little toy hammer which had bells and whistles, he wanted mine. I was amazed that this 1 year old could wield the hammer and strike the bench block. I was, however, careful to keep my toes and fingers out of the way. He’s a strong little guy! I think his favorite part was the sound of the ping when the hammer met the block. Do you think we have a future designer or construction worker here? I think we just have a little boy who wants to do everything!

It makes me think how much fun we all have when we try different things. The wire work group with which I meet once a month tried etching and it was fun. I enjoyed this process, but was not fully captivated by it and realized that I can try something new without having to go “whole hog” into the endeavor. This is a phenomenon I’ve seldom experienced. I usually go overboard.  I looked around the room during our meet up and saw totally absorbed women working on their etching and seemingly not worrying about anything else. It resembled the concentration and joy I saw on my grandson’s face when he made the hammer go “ping”. Do you think we could market this to psychiatrists as “Creativity, the healthy way to improve your outlook”?

The pictures herein show some of the pieces I’ve done lately to “improve my outlook”. The first is a double strand of very rough cut turquoise and agate.

The next is a sterling silver wave adorned with cherry quartz, amethyst and pearls.

The third piece is made of shell with some spiney oyster and magnesite.

I’m definitely hoping for spring weather with the latter two pieces. I find that the boutiques are bulging with new spring clothes, so it’s time to think about pastel jewelry. All three of the pieces were new combination for me and another creative avenue. We don’t have to try something totally new to be creatively happy. It you can’t get to a brand new experience, just do a little juggling with the one you are currently tackling. I used to tell my gifted/creative students that if they were bored, it was their fault. They have to bring something to the learning experience. I think my grandson brought a great big hammer!

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Bowling

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How many pieces of jewelry can you make while “watching” the Super Bowl? Today was Super Bowl Sunday and the game watching from my favorite chair presented a good opportunity to get some stringing completed. I shouldn’t actually say I watched the game. It’s more that I listened to the game and looked up at the appropriate times. I must say this provided quite an earful stemming from the television noise and the cheers or the opposite thereof from my spouse. Included in the sounds were the three adult dogs who chorused the announcement of a skunk in the yard and the little yelps of the seven puppies who heard their mom barking outdoors. Need I say that focusing on the jewelry was a challenge?

Thankfully, several things did come together as shown in the photos herein. All the necklaces have earrings, but the pictures of a couple didn’t work out. I believe that all the major bead components for these pieces were purchased from Turquoise Magpie.

The stones/colors for all these necklaces were selected with Spring in mind. The boutiques are already filling with fashions for warmer weather and the clothes beg for these lighter colored accessories.

Seeing a warmer than Texas setting on television for the Super Bowl helped me think about Spring and realize there is hope for brighter, more pleasant weather ahead. I’m thinking that designers need some special video, lighting or music to jump ahead to the next season while still physically stuck in the current one. I guess the Super Bowl “watching” helped me get there.

I hope your team won and that even if you are not a Saints fan, you will cheer with me for the city that came back. Having lived in Louisiana for nine years and hearing first hand from those who survived Katrina, I can only find joy in this win for the city of New Orleans and the whole Gulf region.

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Going in Circles

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Some say if you keep going in circles, you’ll never get anywhere. But just think of all those times that going in circles pays off. I watched the national women’s ice skating competition the other evening. The circles they went in were pretty impressive. I made a pecan pie for my mother’s 89th birthday yesterday. She thought that was a delicious circle. AND, if we didn’t go in circles, albeit loops, we’d never find our way back home and I rather like it here at Dreamcatcher.

I’ve been going in circles with the metal work this week. It all started with a single left over circle from a pair of earrings gone awry and things mushroomed from there. Using the torch I had added color to some copper sheet metal and several natural circles appeared. The left over earring became a pattern and the medium circle necklace on the right developed. You can see a bit of the color created from the heat of the torch. Perhaps I went a bit overboard as I created a hand made chain out of wire circles. These circles are graduated becoming smaller toward the back. 

Since there was more of this copper, I cut some smaller circles and made a second necklace.

Undaunted by strange looks from across the living room, I made one more set of circles. Surely someone might want a bit more bling! The larger circles came from a piece of metal I got at the recycle establishment. They already had an interesting patina.

It’s quite a wonder this latter piece ever came together since I worked on it between trips to the lease pasture to help round up and haul the cattle several times today. I even took the components with me when I served a picnic lunch to the men and they laughed at me for working on the necklace instead of eating. Some days, it’s a real struggle to finish anything and I wasn’t giving up. The glare on this picture gives the copper a strange hue that is not really present.

The final photo shows the back of one of the necklaces which is the same for all three.

I’m thinking this journey in circles should continue into bracelets and belts now. It seems that I’m enjoying going in circles. Could it be I’ve been on the straight and narrow for too long?

Who knows? Next I may decide to try rectangles . . . , but somehow I don’t think it will be the same.

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Celtic Design

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Most of my designs are composed of freeform, asymmetrical or random patterns. I’ve favored this style for so long that I wondered if I could actually follow a pattern. Even though randomness is not always a bad thing, I still remember what happened when I let the children in my elementary classes “do their own thing”. It was very difficult to get them back to the routine. Therefore, I usually saved this freedom for the end of the day and then quickly sent them home to their mothers. By the next morning, they were usually ready to get back to the routine.

I observed this same phenomenon with the graduate students that I taught. One evening, in an early childhood class, I let them experiment with drops of colored water on waxed paper. Each student had a straw and they were to observe the movement of the drops blown across the paper as well as the manner in which they combined. The drops move like liquid mercury. I thought we had put everything away and started my lecture only to glance up and note two women in the back of the room racing their water drops across the waxed paper as they blew through the straws. I bent down and met them at eye level just as the first water drop crossed the finish line. I was laughing so hard inside that it was hard to be stern. We never did quite return to full intellectual seriousness during that class.

With the knowledge of how freedom can trump rigor, I was concerned about following the Celtic knot pattern. Thankfully, I don’t have to go somewhere to get straightened out. I can still create a balanced pattern. The necklace shown here, composed of Celtic knots IS balanced. I have several acquaintances who really like Celtic knots, but I’ve wondered about their meaning. I retrieved the following information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_knot

“Celtic knots are a variety of (mostly endless) knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, adopted by the ancient Celts. These knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts . . . “

This didn’t tell me much more than I knew, but the Christian connection is interesting. I like these knots because they are seeming endlessness. I had a great deal of trouble figuring out the pendant knot. The others on the necklace chain are not endless. Each is made of two separate figure eights that are brought together with jump rings on each end. This is more easily observed on the earrings.

This set has found a temporary home at Dovetails of Wimberley and if folks like it, the store owner suggested we make it in silver. We shall see whether or not I can replicate that knot.

You know, following a pattern wasn’t too bad. It was actually quite calming to know exactly what should come next in the design. (But I wouldn’t want to do this all the time!)

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New Pieces

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I’m short on time and short on words today, but wanted to put up some pictures of completed necklaces. The copper pendant with the sterling silver cross was born of my efforts to put more movement into pieces. The cross hangs from a hammered figure 8 piece of wire that allows it to swing inside the copper piece. The bumps on the outer edge of the copper were made with my doming set.

The butterfly pendant is atop a domed and stamped piece of copper. I used the torch on the butterfly to give it a bit of color.

This piece is made of ruby zoisite (large chips) and kiwi. I used plated silver beads and added some blue rounds to the necklace. I regret the color doesn’t show very well in the photo

This piece took several days because I didn’t know what I was doing. I wanted to do a layered pendant and use rivets, but in the end I just have layers and fake rivets. The oval is copper and the diamond shape is brass that I stamped with Ranger brand alcohol ink to add a bit of color.

The seed bead pendant has been close to completion for quite a while. Now I can check it off the list of UFOs (unfinished objects. . . check . . . Hurray!)

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Swingers

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I’m NOT one, but I do like jewelry in motion. I also like designs that have dimension. Following the post here on January 2, I took the bracelet shown wrapped around the pasta can into one of the stores where I market my designs. (I took it sans pasta can!) Although it didn’t have stones on it yet, the owner especially liked the depth to the bracelet armature.

Since then, I’ve been playing with how depth might be suitably worked into various designs. I made several “something or others” out of wire and they sat on the work table for 10 days. Finally, some of these came together as swingers last night. It’s difficult to see the depth on the necklace pendant, but there is about 3/4 of an inch between the front and the back swirls. The stone dangle wraps around both the pendant swirl and the necklace allowing it to swing.  

It’s a bit easier to see this on the earrings which, by the way, didn’t want to quit swinging long enough to have their picture taken.

Whether these are winners or not, they were certainly perplexing as a design project and will, hopefully, spawn other dimensional ideas.

Now, I wonder about that other kind of SWINGER . . . sorry, I can’t write about a topic that I know nothing about. You’re on your own with that one.

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Little Things . . .

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. . . Mean A Lot . . . or so the song goes. I had forgotten some of the words to this piece and looked them up on the internet. That’s where I found a vocal rendition by Kitty Kallen which you can hear at the following address:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=501bwTRmkYY     Some days I might think the song a bit sappy, but today it’s a reminder to quit rushing around and try to be nice.

This song has been tuning its way around my head for about a week. I first thought of it when someone asked me to make some necklaces for little girls – little things. I enjoyed making those and then I realized that most of the jewelry pieces I’ve made lately are fairly large. Where are the little things?

With that in mind, I dove right in and designed some different pieces. First, I tried to picture the women I know who wear smaller or lighter weight necklaces. I thought about the particular style of each and went from there. I was pleased to find a heart in my drawer of turquoise and accented the necklace for it with black onyx and sterling silver. It was looking awfully traditional until I added the donut achieving an asymmetrical look.

The fossil in the next piece is an unusual gray color; therefore I used hematite and pearls with it.

In the brown necklace, I tried to get a semi-chunky look in a small, short necklace. I wanted it to be completely eclectic and that proved to be quite a chore. I didn’t have quite enough beads of any one kind and must have restrung this one five or six times.  

The fourth piece  is my favorite. Again, I wanted something that was a mixture of beads and this one also was restrung numerous times. I particularly like this little pendant and the Celtic bead that adorns it. I’ve just started trying to work with sterling silver wire and think I’m going to like it.

There’s a line in the song that says  . . .”never cared much for diamonds and pearls” . . . “little things mean a lot”. . . While the connotation has to do with sentimental demonstrations of caring such as “touch(ing) my hair as you pass my chair” and “say(ing) I look nice when I’m not” . . . , let’s hope someone likes my “little” things. In the mean time, I’m going to try to remember the small gestures I can make that will be meaningful to others.

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Little Lights

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At dusk the other evening I drove past a yard surrounded by paper bag lanterns. This is a sure sign that Christmas is upon us. While I realize that those lights take many more sophisticated forms than they used to, such as some that use light bulbs rather than candles in the bags, they still remind me of Rudolpho Anaya’s children’s book, The Farolitos of Christmas. Anaya tells the story of an old San Juan tradition wherein some of the people dress like shepherds and enact a play showing the journey taken to visit Jesus. On the way to the church these pastores stop and sing in front of the house with the brightest lights. Although this has always been the little girl Luz’s house, one particular year, her abuelo, grandfather, is not healthy enough to chop the wood and build the fire and her father is away at war. A disappointed Luz wants to help, but can’t find an answer. Although she is too small to build a bonfire, she continues to think about the situation until one day she makes an analogical connection that guides her to a solution. The girl watches at the store while the merchant pours sugar into a brown paper bag providing the idea for building little bonfires, or lights made with bags, sugar and candles. These beautiful farolitos light the path for the Christmas celebration.

I was fortunate to meet the author, whom some may know from his adult books such as Bless Me Ultima, when I was teaching at Texas State University. I told him that I was so pleased to know the story of the little lanterns and asked how he learned about it. He laughed, saying, “I made it up.” I suppose the gift we give in writing fiction is to make others believe our stories are true. He certainly had me believing.

We simulate little lights in many ways. In our designs, certainly the bright faceted crystals sparkle to simulate light. Since I love a more natural, earthy look, one of my favorite sparkles is citrine, pictured in a double strand here. It reminds me of the color of the farolitos.

Sometimes we create our own lights. My mother had little lights sparkling in her eyes as she told me about her “date” at the nursing home and my friend sparkles when we talk about her upcoming marriage. Both of these occurrences put a little sparkle in my own smile.

Some of us buy our sparkles while others bring their own. Those that bring their own seem to pass them on as in the single candle that lights the others. Let’s just hope that in this season of tough weather, heavy traffic and busy schedules we can still “pass it own” with our own farolitos.

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Back to the Blog

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Many weeks have elapsed since I last wrote and it’s time to get back to the blog. We held our annual cattle sale here at the end of October and it has taken this long to get a good grasp on all the shipping, registration transfers, etc. With only a few more to complete, I can see the proverbial light at the end of the barn.

We enjoyed having our family with us to help at the sale. Grandson Gabriel certainly encouraged us to keep the proper perspective letting us know when we needed to eat and sleep. 

Fall brought beautiful leaves and I became intrigued by the possibility of capturing their great shapes. The first picture is of the real leaf I picked up and you can also view my attempt at replicating it in copper.

I also liked the shape of another leaf and achieved a different color for it using a shorter dip in liver of sulphur.  This picture was taken before I added a few bead dangles to the leaf where it attached to the necklace. It has already left home and I can’t take another pictures; so you’ll have to imagine it with the embellishment which gave it more personality.

It is good that I captured the leaves before the current rain storm. Most are now gone and today looks like the bleak mid-winter. Thankfully, this atmospheric condition will be temporary here in South Texas. We’re seldom too far away from another sunny day. I hope you’re making it a sunny day wherever you are.

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Mixed UP Metals

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In an attempt to complete some pieces that have been on the design table way too long, I worked with a copper piece today. It was one that I must have cut over six months ago. Several weeks ago, I picked up this piece and tried to do something with it by adding fine gauge wire and some gemstones. After making numerous holes in the piece, I realized that I didn’t really have a plan and just let the wire and stones meander across the surface of the copper. It looked all “mixed up” to me, but a kind friend saw it and admired it. “OK”, I thought, “maybe I shouldn’t throw it away.” Instead, I put is aside AGAIN! Today, I picked it up, added the chain and put it on leather. It’s finally complete. I believe in creative incubation, but I think this was excessive! The learning I take from this piece is that perhaps I shouldn’t be so quick to throw something out. Some of my work may just need to go to the time out bin.

The second metal pendant resulted from a continuation of my efforts to make mixed metal pieces. I added one of Ralph’s Rocks from Wildtype Ranch (mentioned in an earlier post) to this piece and am pleased with it. The rock hangs atop a copper shape with sterling silver rondells wired to the side. It has a hammered brass circle at the top. I’m finding it difficult to include the brass with the other metals and am hoping to get used to working with it. Brass doesn’t seem as “earthy” as the other metals, but I think small amounts of it may work in the designs.

As I continue the mixed and/or mixed up metal work, I hope to include more gemstones as accents and more unusual shapes and color combinations. While it seems my hope should be that whatever hatches is pleasing and wearable, I know from my educational training that this goal could hold back the creative process. It’s better to remain open to all possibilities and then later alter the ideas to fit the need. A bad case of the “too”s, as in “that would be too big,” that would make it too bright,” that would be too crooked,” etc.  can hold back creative function. So for now, I’m leaving the word “too” in the same wastebasket at “can’t”.

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