Rings and Things Bracelet Design Challenge

Blog partners of Rings and Things were offered a challenge to design a unique piece of jewelry using their bracelet cuff blanks.  I decided to use the brass cuffs because I am not really attracted to that material and after all this was a challenge.

This bracelet was my first attempt.  I used a lotus stamp to add some texture to it.  I wanted an Asian look, so I found a replica of an old coin, but it had a huge square in the middle and I am a wirewrap artist so I needed to figure out how to make that work.  Found a scrap of an old tea tin and used it to plug the hole.  As a cold connect I punched a hole in the middle of the blank and used and eyelet.   The pearl was strung onto thin copper wire and put through the hole of the eyelet and then wrapped.  Dropped the whole bracelet in liver of sulfur to give it a little patina and called that one good.  I wasn't really satisfied with how tame it was and so decided to try something more outlandish.  

I really like using tins and wanted to figure out how to make bracelets with the scraps.  I had tried a couple of different times and thought these cuffs might be the ticket.   Using my disc cutter, I cut out different pieces of tin in different sizes.  I punched holes in the tins and then domed them with my dappling block.  Now the challenge became attaching them to the cuff because my eyelets were either too short or too long.  I was having a serious Goldie Locks moment until  I found some brass spacers that filled the gap.  Now it was "just right".  I could use the longer eyelets and I was ready to make "flowers". I am planning on making more of these because I like the way it turned out even though my husband thought the Asian one was nicer.  I liked that it was whimsical and used up tin scraps.

Love to hear whether you prefer the tame or the wild and crazy one. So hey, leave me a comment .

You can also see what others created by visiting Rings and Things blog . Click here for the link.

Summer Time Studio Moves Outside

I enjoy the outdoors so in the summer it is really hard for me to spend time inside my studio.  My studio is a great little space, but the weather is so beautiful right now I like to take my work outside.

My favorite place to sit is by the Cook Shack.  I love to sit in a chair facing the morning sun with my wire work.  I usually go to my studio, gather up supplies, then take up residence at the Cook Shack for a day of creating.  I have discovered my lap top works out there so I can also blog and post on my sites which makes life even grander. There is a nice little sound of running water that comes from this pond that adds to the ambiance of the garden as a place to create.  When I need a break, I move the sprinkler,  pull a few weed, get some iced tea from the fridge in the shack then back to work.

However there are times when I need to work in the studio.  I can do wire working outside but if I am creating something with metal or drilling holes in beach rocks I need to move inside the studio.  I call my studio the Shiva Shop because a statute of Shiva is on top of the building.  Shiva is a creator and destroyer god so it seems appropriate since I am consuming natural resources to create pieces of adornment  When the days are blazing hot, the Shiva Shop stays cool so if I have to work in the shop I go there in the late afternoon.

Here's my bench with my bead boxes, wire, gems, and books. My bench is 8 feet long but that still doesn't seem like enough space.  I have it divided into sections and tend to do metal work at one end of the bench, art clay at the other and wire wrapping in the middle.  I have a chair in the studio at the moment but will soon be moving it out to get another bench put in there.  Funny because I started with a few beads in a box, moved to a cart, then a shelf and now I am outgrowing my 12 by 12 studio.  Luckily we have lots of little cabins on our place so I have moved my rock tumbler into another small building next door.

Here is my kiln for metal clay and enameling.   You can also see some metal working tools, my flex shaft, a vise,  torches and a basket with more supplies.  I have a fire extinguisher hooked to the side of the cart so it will be handy, but I  don't ever want to have to use it.   This cart is on wheels so I can move it around the room if need be.  I usually move it away from the wall when I am using the kiln.  Of course the basket of dog treats has to be taken off the top before I fire it up. During the winter, my two dogs insist on sharing this space with me.    All I have to do is say "Shiva Shop" and they run for the door.  I am pretty sure that "Shiva Shop" and "Wanna a Biscuit " are synonymous in dog speak.


Thanks for visiting my studio. Be sure to leave a comment so I know you stopped by.  If you want to visit other studios, you can click on this link and see all 300 plus blogger's creative spaces compliments of Karen Valentine's efforts.

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Pond Building Adventures

Waterfall covers up the bio filter

My husband and I decided we could be a reality TV show called Pond Stars.  Maybe people would mistake us for Pawn Stars and tune in.  They could hear us bicker about how to build a water feature and a bio filter.  But that is the short version and the story starts way before that.

My husband refuses to buy rock so instead we made numerous trips to the Cascades to pick up boulders.  A mineral permit can be obtained from the Forest Service for ten dollars which is a value.  Gas on the other hand is not a value.

We drove into the Cascades by Westfir and took logging roads into the Fall Creek area.  Dodging mountain bikers (who ride downhill way too fast by the way), we stopped along the road to pick up rocks.  Not just any rock, it had to be the right shape, color, and size.  In total four trips were made to the mountain, but I only participated in two of those. A girl has her limits after all.

MD built a rock retaining wall and I proceeded to dig the pond.  This is my fourth pond so I was ready to make it big.  I dug a hole about four feet deep and 8 by 10.  The dirt was used to back fill against the retaining wall so I didn't have to haul it off which was a plus.  The downside was that there is a dish for the TV in the middle of the landscaping, but hopefully the ferns will grow up and it won't be so noticeable.  I got the pond liner and filled the pond with water and spent another day shoving dirt in low spots and adding those flat rocks around the edge.  I become obsessed with projects so I spent way too much time on the getting just the perfect rock for around the edge.  Luckily we had lots of them from those four trips.

After looking at bio filters for a couple of hundred bucks, I decided we could build our own for next to nothing.   On line it looked like a couple holes in a bucket and some filter media was all you needed.  Of course we had no idea what size to make the hole and we were trying to use materials we already had.  Oh did I mention that MD also kept insisting we didn't need a filter, the filter material wasn't right and that this bucket thing was ridiculous and he didn't care what the people at the pond store said. 

After an afternoon of drilling holes in buckets we thought we had it.  We hooked it up and overnight the pond dropped four inches.  Back to the drawing board.  Your outlet has to be large enough so it flows out at a steady rate and doesn't air lock and the bucket overflow.  Luckily we had a bigger outlet so I went searching for another bucket.  Now more bickering.   I had rewired MD's drill because you had to jiggle the cord.  Well, I blew that one and now it doesn't work so he went off searching for his hole saw.  The hole saw hadn't been used for a while so the chuck was rusty and needed WD.  Now we are looking for WD, decided olive oil would work, back in business. But wait there is more.

In just a few days the pond had filled with mosquito larva. MD noticed this while drilling holes in the new bucket and insisted ( more like demanded) I drive to town (20 miles away) and buy fish immediately.  Since we were snapping at each other this seemed like a great idea.  I said, "You can do the waterfall while I am gone."  When I came home an hour and a half later,  it was finished and looked wonderful.  We dropped 30 feeder goldfish in the pond and they began scarfing up larva.  All was good.  We were Pond Stars. 

Full Moon Energy

I love the full moon.  For twenty years now, I have been celebrating a connection to the natural world and the power of reflection the full moon represents.  The word month comes from moon the 13 month lunar calendar is way more in touch than our current Gregorian calendar.  13 months of 28 days is 364 days.  Add a day out of time each year and you have a near perfect calendar.  According to Jose'Arguelles in his book  Time and the Technosphere: The law of time in human affairs, 

      "Time is a frequency, the frequency of synchronization. If a calendar does not increase synchronization, it is not performing its highest function....The Gregorian calendar keeps the human mind entrained in a diabolical disorder of meaningless named months of uneven measure."

By getting back in touch with the natural world and the internal clock within each of us, we can synchronize ourselves once again with nature and become more in tune with the vibrations of the cosmos.  I encourage all of you to watch the moon, feel her cycles and celebrate your connection to the Mother Earth.  I would love to read your comments about the powers of the moon in your life.

Artfire Collections- Power in those Eyes

In Your Eyes

Curated By: PlatinumMonar...

ArtFire.com

Click on collection to link

My Third Eye Pendant has been in more ArtFire Collections that any other piece in my shop.  There seems to be something about the eyes that really inspires artists to put together a collection.  When I make an eye pendant, I hang it around my head and wait until my husband notices and laughs. Gotta love that third eye. 

Eyes are considered Windows to the Soul  In Turkey, evil eye beads are hung around the livestock to keep them safe.  The Evil Eye does not cause evil, but protects.  The belief is that some individuals can cause harm with their evil eye, but the eyes looking back keeps this from happening.  I remember as a child my Dad definitely had "the look" which would stop me dead in my tracks.

I find talking to someone in dark glasses a challenge because I want to see their eyes.  I don't know how many times I have heard a parent say "look at me" to their unruly kids.  Lovers gaze into each others eyes.  According to Wikipedia the power of the eye can be found in numerous cultures.  Love to hear your thoughts or stories about the power of the eye.

To read the article click link.   History of Evil Eye  
     

Another Upside to Drinking Beer

Henry's cap upside down is Celtic Heart

 We all know that beer is a must with pizza and Mexican food.  Well today after a gorgeous day at the coast, I find an e-mail about one of my beer cap pins being included in a blog post.  My inspiration for using beer caps came when a friend asked me to make her a pin from a beer cap.  Since that day, beer caps have taken on a whole new meaning for me.  I often spend time in the beer aisle just looking at the beer caps.  Random beers come home in a six pack because I love the cap.  No taking these caps off with an opener because I don't want them scratched.  I was very excited to see all the people who recycle beer caps, cans, bottles into great jewelry.  If you click on the link below you can read the original blog. 

Beyond the Pull Tab

Social Networking through a Blog Hop

Found some blog hopping on Facebook and got to wondering what that was all about. Looked like a great way to connect to other bloggers and support each other. I am seeing it as a way of being a part of the oneness.

Now I am giving it a try. Looking forward to linking to your blogs in this blog hop. Wish me luck. This is my third try so hopefully it is a charm. Did you know that expression is because there were three fates?

You just click on the link and add the name of your blog or Facebook page. You can also look at others on the list and follow their blog if you like. I am definitely looking at everyone on the list. Look for my Iris logo in your followers.