Hot Sand and Cool Metal

Hello all,

I almost titled this post "Randomness" which as you will see, is entirely appropriate.
Because sometimes you just feel random.  Or is it scattered?  Naw, it's random.  :)

First, want to see something you didn't know you wanted to see?  Sure you do.  So here you are...

Yes, they are exactly what they look like!  Hand molds of those near and dear to me who live far away.

Then there's this...

My finished jewelry used to be all over the place in here 

but now......

It's all in here.

 Wanna see?  Sure you do cuz you're all so agreeable...

Keeping company with all of my show displays.

  I actually prefer it all out where I can appreciate it, but you know.  Not everyone shares the same design aesthetic.  grumble mumble.....

Notice the half mannequin?  The one with it's back to us that stands all by itself and doesn't have to be hanging from a hook to stand still for the camera?  The one I now get to texturize and paint?  woohoo!  What to do with it....what to do....?

Things to be listed, eventually......on a rainy day.....or a stormy night......or once upon a time....or when I simply have time.....

Are you ready for some pretty random now?

oooooh-awwwwww

how about some pretty random of a totally different kind?

For those of you who have been with this blog from the start, you'll remember the giveaway.  You'll also remember Joren the winner of prize #1.  Why do you remember her?  Cuz she's the one who has grandma's teeth in her curio.  And the way she wrote about it was so engaging, funny and endearing that even the other entrants were voting for her.  Yes, now it's all coming back to you, isn't it?

Well here she is...

She emailed me this picture of her holding the current issue of Jewelry Affaire, open to my article. Too sweet of you!

Love it!  Thank you Joren!  So nice to see the face that accompanies the wit, isn't it?

Where, you ask, is the hot sand and the cool metal?  It's coming.  Patience is a virtue........

and you know I'm gonna torture you with flower pictures cuz it's springtime and things are blooming, so you might as well try to enjoy them.

It's not after all, a doily collection.  (inside joke.  you know who you are, the one I'm threatening to compile a doily collection for so I can bequeath it to you.  yes, YOU!  Come to think of it, I might actually have a doily collection.  hahahahaha)

The mutant Colum-mums are doing just fine.

 (mutant columbines for those of you who missed it previously)

FINALLY

Here's some hot sand for you to feast your eyes on

CRIFFIES!  in Venetian blue or seafoam as Kim of

Numinosity Beads 

refers to them.  Aren't they pretty?

So I went a bit Numinosity crazy....

You will most likely never see the fiesta beads or the psychedelic nail for sale, cuz I have every intention of keeping those.  I know, what's up with me and these colors?!  Hey sometimes I use actual colors.

So then I sent Kim some keys and hardware to see if she wanted to play with them a bit. 

And she made a glass bleeding heart!

LOVE IT!

I thought she would keep some for herself, but nope, she sent every single wonderful thing back to me.

Aren't these amazing?  Each one is completely unique.

This is what can be done with hardware and glass in the right hands!

STUDNIKS! 

And ridgy I don't remember how she described this shape beads

with more gorgeous criffies!

They remind me of little girls twirling round and round so fast that their full skirts stand straight out.  Right before they fall down laughing.

the grand finale.....

So when we were done with my purchases and our trades, this is what I ended up with.  

A whole pile of Kim's fabulous lampworking.  Now that's some cool hot sand, Kim. 

But alas, they did not all live happily ever after...sniff sniff

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT drop your gorgeous criffies on a glass top table.  Cuz they don't like it. 

 Or to be more specific, don't be hurrying like crazy and moving the pile of glass goodies really fast so that one actually flies off of the pile, through the air, ending in an unfortunate hard landing on the glass table.  It was really quite sad.  But all is not lost cuz I bet I can grind that edge smooth or......

As if all of those beauties aren't enough Kimwonderful, this is her incredible collage work and packaging. 

Marcia, are you sitting down?

That's a paper lantern there on the left, and a bookmark tag in the front and a postcard in the back and the envelope it all came in.  Yes, those are aqua deer scampering all over the world!  (hmmm sounds a bit like the uber multi-talented Kim, doesn't it?)  It's like a delicious party in a bag. 

Scrumptious random, eh?

And now, here's some cool metal

Remember those low relief paper patterns from

rolling mill resource

that I shared with you a few posts back?

Finally, I had a chance to try them out....and discovered that they are amazing!

See for yourself

This is how it looks going in.

and this.....

is half way through......

while this....

ta-da! is the metal all roller printed

I used the pattern twice and got the same great results, even though they are sold as one use patterns.

Equally good results from a variety of patterns.

The depth of the design wasn't quite as deep in the copper as it was in the aluminum.  I'll have to experiment with copper a bit more.

Too much pressure eats the paper!

The paper sandwich even looks good. 

I love this product and heartily recommend these patterns.  For all of you metal clay artists, they are designed to work with metal clay as well. 

Oh you wanted to see jewelry?

O.K.

Sea Urchin Blade earrings

Waterfall

and now this...

Dark Blossom

More random coming up...

Many years ago a friend gave me a little box full of old Cracker Jack charms.

So I made a bracelet.

Aren't they fantastic?

Here's some more cool metal

from

FRANCE!

Most of you are familiar with the beautiful jewelry and hair ornaments from

Lucie Tales

Did you know that Lucie also has a vintage shop?

Lucie Tales Vintage

where I purchased these

LOVE THEM!

I'm thinking hand dyed silk ribbons and black (of course) beads and hmmm maybe some chain, minerals and metal all combined into delightfully dark and charming bracelets.

Lucie had no way of knowing this, but one of my dream vacations is spent leisurely scouring the Paris flea markets.  Hunting up the odd bits and pieces of European history that could be used to enrich my jewelry pieces.  Lucie made my dream come true, in part.  Look what she included with my order...

BEAUTIES!!

look at that rust! So yummy

so many possibilities

Merci beaucoup LUCIE!

I absolutely adore the beautiful delicacy of these pieces you so generously shared with me. 

Be still my heart.

 

UPDATE: I found the picture I mentioned previously, of the prismacolor technique done on reticulated copper.  I've added it to the Patina Recipes post, but here it is as well.

That's it folks!

Hoping that you all have a happy and peaceful week ahead of you.

Here's a little preview of what will be in my next post.....

Adieu (French)