Sonoran Oasis

What is it about the beauty and sound of water?  This came to mind while visiting the desert botanicals this afternoon.  In this desert it is life, comfort, coolness, tranquility, sensory stimulation, the sound, the splash, the contrast of cool and wet to all that's hot and dry.

Nature nurtures the soul and the mind...  It's a place to gather your thoughts, maybe forget, dream or just be still.

Happy Birthday!

This one is for you Rae Rae!  Happy Birthday to you!

Copper and Paracord Survival Bracelet

I finished this bracelet a few weeks ago and I really like the colors and how it came out.  Again, milled copper and I made the bracelet of dark brown paracord and used a curved black plastic clip in the back.  Just taking the basic survival cord bracelet a few steps further.  This has a nice look and of course, if you ever get in a bind, take the bracelet apart and you can use the cord for various things and the metal may also be used as a reflective item.

Cool Texture...

I really didn't set out to find all this, but when nature knocks... you just have to gather.  Wonder if only I could see the potential here?  These leaves will make some really nice imprints on my metal.  I see some really nice shapes and the smaller size leaves are great for the smaller pieces.  This will be coming to some metal in the near future.  I just ordered some fine silver and the ideas are clicking away.  I will be making some more bracelets and pendants soon.  Can't wait to get back in the studio!

Victorian Christmas Tree Pendant in Sterling

When I finished this, I took a look at it and could almost imagine a Victorian Christmas tree.  It just had a vintage, old world look to it.  The swirls at the top remind me of tinsel and the silver beads look like tiny ornaments.  The wire work around the pendant was pretty involved and I used two base pieces, ball chain and a much thinner gauge sterling wire to hold it all together.  I spent so many hours working on this pendant and it's a large one at close to 2 1/8" tall from the top of the bail to the bottom and 1 1/8" across.  I'm working on a couple of chain options for this one.  This one can be worn either way as there is a nice oak leaf imprint on the back.

This will be the last one in this series before the holidays.  I'm working on some other fun themes with the same type of metal work.  Lots of ideas and pieces are in the works!

What's Old, is New... Again

I think anyone who makes or creates things has their favorites.  I would have the categories of alright, good and absolutely fantastic.  It happens to me every time I make things.  For example, I will make ten beads and there are all the good ones, couple of clunkers here and there and then the ones that are fantastic.  Your little treasures.

I made this pendant a while ago and thought I had done an interesting darker patina.  At first I kind of liked it and then it just sat there.  It was one that kind of needed something, but I wasn't sure exactly what.  All the pieces go into the velvet zipper case, some find new homes and some wait a bit...

I really didn't want to do too much with this pendant, but I decided to get out the sand paper and steel wool and get to work.  I began the process of removing some of the patina here and there and even got a little generous with the rubbing of the surface to create a whole new look.  What I discovered is that there are some really nice, fine leaf textures that were milled in and the wire work around the edges looked better.

The bail was kind of an experiment and I had it come around like a horse shoe and that meant that it would have to be worn on a cord.  I wanted it that way and I still like how it looks worn on the black cord.  Guess what?  The pendant I really wasn't all that sure about has been hanging around my neck the past three days.  Sometimes you can work on something to the point, where you've ruined it and sometimes you let it sit.  It could sit a day or a month or two.  When you pick it up again, you look at it differently and have a fresh perspective.  I've learned it's alright to try to make what's old, better and in a way, new again.

New Hand Made Sterling Pine Tree Pendant

I completely hand made this pendant in sterling silver.  I milled the sheet, sawed out the tree, soldered the pieces together, engraved and hammered the tree, then completed the intricate wire work.  The wire work looks like a beautiful frame around the pine tree.  I also added links to the chain with sterling beads.  It adds a little interest to the necklace.

I used two pieces of wire and one thinner gauge to connect the silver chain around the outer edge.  It was detailed work and a true challenge to be working with such fine gauge silver and not have the metal bend or kink.  One small kink in the metal  can effect the threading and wrapping.

It takes me several days to work through all the steps up to adding patina and finishing.  I work on something like this, take a break and then work on something else.  It's good to take little breaks here and there because the next time you work on the piece, you are all fresh and ready to go!