First Place

I went to one of my regular thrift store stops this afternoon, looking for something specific.

I did not find that specific thing but instead found this platter for $3.98 which will be cut up for components in future jewelry projects. I already have several similar platters in my supply box, but this one has a unique detail that made it irresistible.

I love this central engraving detail that suggests a story full of wonderful details. Stone Harbor is a shore community in south Jersey (that's New Jersey for those of you who do not live in my area). I was a kid myself when this Baby Parade took place (but not young enough to have been a participant).

The creative wheels are spinning, and I already have ideas of how 'Baby Parade' will be put to use.

More Colors of Autumn

Even though heat wave number 8 of the season is heading in tomorrow, the early signs of autumn are everywhere. Acorns and walnuts are dropping, the first blush of color is showing on the leaves of the dogwoods along our driveway, and school preparations are underway.

I am continuing to focus on warm, autumnal colors with some of my jewelry pieces and finished these necklaces this weekend.

Irregular beads of faceted citrine were strung with faceted briolettes of carnelian and sterling spacers and connected to a chain of soldered sterling rings with a sterling clasp.

I have been holding on to a string of large jasper beads, waiting for the right inspiration. I finally put some of them to use in this lariat-style necklace. I love how the patterning of the minerals resembles graining that might be found in some wood species. The jasper was wrapped with sterling wire. Faceted carnelian beads dangle and small garnet beads were used to connect the sterling chain to the sterling ring.

First Bezel

'Rings & Things' comes to my area twice a year with their travelling bead show, and I usually arrange my schedule so that I can get there to stock up on supplies. I made it to the recent show intending to only buy the sterling findings that I needed, but I was seduced by some of the beads.

I bought this strand of green amethyst which was quite expensive, but the stones are so completely lovely. I've already made one pair of earrings with two of the stones and am plotting out some necklace ideas.

I also saw a few strands of beautiful Australian painted jasper beads. I've never used beads like this but found them to be so uniquely fabulous. I bought one strand with no idea of how I would put them to use.

Even though these stones are drilled to be used as beads, I thought I would use one for my first attempt at a bezel. I liked the idea of creating a bezel frame for the stone to best highlight the intricate patterning created by the minerals. I considered this to be an experiment and used some scrap copper that I had milled with lace. I also used this copper to test stamping with my dismantled typewriter striker keys. A strip of fine sterling silver was used for the bezel. I'm happy with the 'fit' that I was able to make for the stone.

Because both sides of these stones are interesting, I chose to cut out a window in the copper. I don't think that the floral patterning of the milled lace is especially compatible with the jasper, but being a test piece, I can live with it.

Preparing for Autumn

With signs of Autumn appearing, I'm starting to focusing on materials that complement the colors of the season. This weekend, I chose green disc pearls and faceted garnets and sterling for a necklace. The pearls and garnet beads were wrapped with sterling wire and joined with links that I shaped with 18 gauge sterling wire.

I assembled two lengths of the pearls and garnet which were attached to sterling chain with a clasp. At first, I thought I was done but seeing the necklace on the display form left me underwhelmed. There was not enough substance, but I didn't think that I wanted to add another layer of pearls and garnet beads.

Instead, I chose to add a length of sterling chain.

Much better!

When making links for a specific project, I usually make practice pieces to determine the length of wire that needs to be cut for each link. With the price of sterling silver being what it is, I avoid waste whenever I can.
I discovered Parawire a number of years ago and always have their products on hand. I used their 18 gauge wire to make test links, finding out after a number of attempts that 1 3/4" was the length that I needed for my sterling links.

Display Redo

I have events coming up in September that will require having inventory at a couple of locations over the same weekend. I've been working at producing enough work to adequately stock both shows, and then realized that I needed another display piece. I pulled out a display that I had assembled around 10 years ago and put into retirement around 4 years ago when I decided it no longer spoke to me.

I like to think that my work has evolved over the past 5 years and my displays have also evolved. Since much of my jewelry incorporates recycled materials, it is important that the displays do the same. I rescued this window frame from the curb. After removing the glass, I infilled the openings with pieces of wire grid backed with black fabric. I inserted some circular brass hooks along the outer part of the frame for hanging necklaces.

Overall.....the best I can say is that it's not horrible. It's too dark to properly highlight pieces of jewelry on display. This is a very sturdy window frame , and I thought it was worth the effort of making some revisions to make it useful once again.

I removed the wire grid and black fabric and then used my electric sander on the surface. I thought that the battleship gray paint was too flat and wanted to get more of a distressed look.

I like how the grain of the wood became visible in some areas. Also, the ghosts of hardware past could now been seen which adds to the character.

While I know this look will not appeal to everyone, I like haveing areas where the wood peeks through different layers of paint. As with the recycled materials that I use in my jewelry, this window frame has a story to tell.

I love the way many layers of paint create an intersting patina for this beautiful lock. I thought of removing the paint, but quickly dimissed the idea. I decided in favor of letting the window proudly show it's age.

I bought a few yards of cream colored burlap, attaching it to the back of each opening with a staple gun. One layer of burlap let too much light through, so I added a layer of polyester batting and then covered the back with another layer of burlap.

I can display earrings directly on the burlap. I usually display my earrings on business cards, but think this may be a more inviting presentation.

I can also display my pins more effectively.
Now I'm thinking that I need more creamy burlap for a total display makeover!

Back to Boston

Last week, my one son and I had to make a trip to Boston to see a retinal specialist. While I wish that such a trip was not necessary, we decided to take advantage of our time in New England to visit a few colleges/universities that are on my son's "schools to be considered" list.

My son is not only kind and delightful, he is smart and a wonderful student. We reviewed his college wish list with members of the high school guidance office, and got to work. The presentations that we heard during our visits were so inspiring, I found myself wishing that I was back in world of academia.

I thought that the visits would help my son to condense his wish list, but he was completely enthralled with each school.

The odyssey is underway.

While in the Boston area, my son wanted to visit some of the places that he has heard stories of. I lived in the Cambridge/Watertown/Newton area for around 10 years and have my share of entertaining tales from that period of my life.
I showed him where I learned to sail on the Charles River. Community Boating Inc. in Boston is open to anyone who wants to learn to sail. As a young, single person I thought this would be a fun way to meet people and learn something new. The primary and most memorable thing that I learned is that the water of the Charles River is actually somewhat cold when you fall in.
We drove by my favorite third floor apartment in Newton Center that I found by leaving humorous fliers at homes where I thought I would like to live. One hundred fliers resulted in one phone call and the perfect apartment. How could I not love an apartment where I would wake up in the morning and smell bagels baking at the nearby Rosenfeld Bagel Company!

The spot that my son most wanted to visit was this Harvard Square corner. I spent many Saturdays under that tree.
After losing my job with a small landscape architecture firm in Boston, I did find a part time job as the 'Salad Bar Lady' in a Harvard Square restaurant. Thank goodness, for the public's safety, that restaurant is no longer in business. (Oh, the frightening things you learn as a restaurant insider.) Working part time allowed me to continue my search for a job as a landscape architect, but interviews were hard to come by. I unfortunately had a lot of free time and to avoid being in the apartment that I shared with a crazy boyfriend/girlfriend couple, I would spend the day walking around Cambridge since it was the only thing that I could afford to do.
During one of my epic walks, I stopped at the sidewalk craft show at the First Parish Unitarian Church at Church Street and Mass. Ave., just across the street from Harvard Yard. Being an aspiring ceramicist fresh from my class at the Cambridege Center for Adult Education, I stopped to admire a table of pottery. I began talking with the potter, asking him about his glazes (after all, the disappointment of my ugly, dumpy pot was brand new to me). He was so kind and generous with his knowledge and encouraged me to continue my pursuits with clay.
I thanked him for his time and had walked around half a block away when I heard someone yelling, "Oh, Miss!!". I turned to see the potter running down the sidewalk, calling for me.

Huh?!
When he caught up to me, he asked if I wanted a job selling his pottery on Saturdays. This was the most unorthodox job offer I had ever received, but I listened to my inner voice and said "Yes". (I remember it coming out like a long, questioning with just a hint of suspicion "Yeesssss??!") I think he appreciated and understood my surprise and told me that if I liked the idea, to show up at the corner the following Saturday at set-up time. One week later, I was there unloading pottery from his old Ford pick-up truck, and that was the beginning of several years of employment and friendship.

I found that I enjoyed being a part of the street fair community that included "the potter", his then-girlfriend who sold jewelry and imported goods from Guatemala, the other potter who became a friend (she on piano, a Berklee School of Music friend on violin and I on flute would get together every other week to play classical music), the sausage vendor who was working with Harvard law students to file a lawsuit against a major restaurant chain for stealing his name (I refused to take part in their crazy deposition), the Harvard Square homeless guy who latched onto the fair and who I saved soda cans for. We resembled a dysfunctional family. After finding a job with a Cambridge landscape architecture firm, I kept selling pottery on Saturdays.
Even dysfunctional family members can kind of love each other.

Lunar

The moon has been so beautiful this week that it provided inspiration for last night's work.

I started out with a sheet of silver nickel which I annealed and then milled with some plastic netting from the produce department of a local store.

I selected those areas with the most interesting texture to cut discs which I then filed, sanded and domed.
I had started out with the intention of making some pendants, but revised the plan when I had my domed discs ready. I thought rings would be the best way to capture the look of a full moon since I would not have to interrupt the surface to accommodate a chain (although I could have done that with a rear surface soldered bail, but...........nevermind). I chose some brass segments that I had on hand for the ring base.
The disc was soldered onto the brass segment. My first soldering attempt did not take, and I was a little startled when I unclamped the pieces and the brass segment came rolling at me. I couldn't react quickly enough and watched with wide eyes as the segment rolled off the soldering station, onto my lap and then onto the floor. Darn (actually....that's not what I said), and yet another piece of clothing ruined. Brass that is around 650 degrees will do that. The image above is what the piece looked like when I removed it from the pickle solution. I cleaned the surfaces with a brass brush and a little bit of pumice powder.

I like the end result and think that the disc did retain some of the 'lunar' character that I saw in the milled sheet metal.

How appropriate that the name Cynthia has its origins in Greek mythology and means goddess of the moon.

(My trick for photographing a ring? A small dab of Sculpey can hold a ring of this size in place while remaining hidden from view of the camera.)