My Chasing and Repoussé Back from the Exhibit

and ready to list in my online shop... Each photo links to its listing in my shop, so click on the photo for a price and more details.

Everyone's favorite, the Green Man!

This is the most expensive of the chasings that I will be listing. It is also the most detailed, most time consuming and most... well.. enchanting.

Oak Leaf Reflection

This piece shows off the best of my skills, with a chasing at the top and the reflected forged bronze leaf hanging from the bottom. I've been making oak leaves for as long as I've been doing chasing and repoussé, oh about 13 years now. The oak leaf chasings are very representative of my work and style.

and The Eagle

one of my favorite subjects this time of year, when the bald eagles are migrating North through Wisconsin's part of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Many of them will stay and nest along the river. There are a few mature eagles that stay all year round.

I'll be listing the bronze heart and steel bear next.

Butterflies and other pretty bits in progress

Many Etsymetal Street Team members participate in a monthly theme challenge. There are no votes or prizes. The goal is to stretch our creative skills and grow as metalsmiths and artists. I'm currently working on the insect theme with butterflies.

There are 2 different butterflies, each one about 2 inches at its maximum dimension. I haven't decided yet if these will be pendants or pins, maybe both.

Some other things going on in the studio...

Leaves and cattails in progress! Oh, you don't think those pipes look like cattails yet? They will. I'll show you later this week.

Wrought Iron Tendrils

I fired up my Whisper Daddy forge and did some hot work today.  I've got a lot of branch, flower, and leaf elements in progress for various projects.
 

I sold several of my Wrought Iron Tendril coat hooks from my online shop.  The buyer needed one more.  I made up four more, photographed them all together and let her choose the hooks she liked the best.  It's so nice to have a little variety to choose from, even within similar items.  You can see how each one is quite individual, even within a series.  Look for the remaining three to be listed in the home decor section of my shop over the next few days.

These look great all in a row on the wall, ready to hold your garden tools, bags, scarves, hats,... whatever you need to hang up.

While I was working on the hook tendrils, I found an 1/8 inch thick length of steel and one thing led to another.  I couldn't resist making some wrought iron tendril jewelry!
 
They are each about 3 inches long.  I plan on making 2 more of these tomorrow while I'm forging cattails, maybe 3 if I have enough of that 1/8 inch stock left.

Big or Little?

Many of you have noticed that I'm doing much more jewelry these days. A few people have asked which I enjoy more, the small work or the large work.

The truth is, I enjoy both. At this point in my life, the smaller pieces, the techniques, time frame, materials, fit my busy lifestyle. Jewelry and small art are so fun to make, quite challenging, yet less stressful than architectural work like railings. The small stuff is easier to ship too...

I am still working on a railing section with enticing elements like birds and flowers. (I really can't resist such things.) You'll see pictures as it progresses a bit further. For my online shop, expect to see more jewelry and lots of art.

Here's the jewelry update.
These copper maple leaf pendants sold about as fast as I got them listed.

I've set myself a little creative challenge- to start making earrings on a regular basis. I've set some guidelines for myself. 1- Keep it simple. 2- Keep it in my own unique recognizable style. 3- Make most of them in the $16 to $30 a pair price range. (You may also see some truly exquisite indulgences along the way.)

Copper Drop Earrings - Simply beautiful hammered and burnished bits of copper. I know what hammer I used by looking at the marks it made.

Reticulated Silver Panels with freshwater pearl drops. These remind me of ice melting in the spring.

Then see how the creative challenge inspires me in other pieces. The silver earrings inspired this series of Ice Cube Rings, reticulated silver panels on sterling silver bands.

Yes, you'll be seeing more rings, with pretty things like hearts and leaves, some as commissions and some for my shop.

Coming up- more tendril hooks, silver butterflies, chasing tools....
Remember. I can make any of the jewelry in gold. Just ask and I'll work up a price for you.

A Colorful Giggly Easter!

An Easter Greeting from my daughter

4x6, ink and easter egg dye drawing

Little critters in the Easter baskets!  all the way from Canada...
Popcorn Monsters by Banjopuppets!

Pegasus and her Princess flew in from Acorngirl in the Southeastern USA.

The handstitching is amazing.  I'm in love.

Have a happy, colorful and spring-smelling Easter!

Hearts and Leaves, No Bunnies

I know.  I should have bunnies right now.  Instead I have Hearts and another Ginkgo Leaf.

The matching set of heart pendant and earrings are on their way to their new owner.

And here's the back sides of them. They are created completely with chasing and repoussé.  You can see the little tool marks on both sides.

Yes, I can create more like this.  Yet every single heart will be slightly different, each one unique because I freeform sculpt each one with my little chasing tools and hammers.  I don't use a mold or form.

I also finished a sterling silver Gingko Leaf Pendant for my online shop.

Again, every leaf is individually handsawn and hammered out, using no molds or forms.  Every one is unique and has its own special magic.

In a Front Page Treasury and a Blog Feature!

First of all, Bloomstudios put together a beautiful treasury that made it to the front page this morning. I usually miss these, but Juliepersons saw it and let me know.

Next- Sweetwater Designs did a great feature on me at her blog. Go take a look.

Self-Indulgence

I treated myself to a set of my own copper bangle bracelets. They make a lovely noise when I move my arm. Don't mind that ground-in studio dirt on my finger....

Contact me if you want your own set or if you are waiting for me to list some more individual bangles.

and more ornaments for next winter's Christmas tree

The parts, cap and nut, were lightly needled and then washer felted. I put all of the pieces in a lingerie bag and washed them on hot with some dirty sheets and let them air dry. Then I needled felted the parts together, did a touch of shaping with the needle, and added stems.

The Hearts of March

You knew I couldn't stop making hearts once I'd started....

Delicate Hearts

about 1-1/2 inches long, Both already on their way to a new home

Blue Hearts

needlefelted, about 3-1/2 inches or 8.7cm tall and wide

This and That

Spring is finally coming. The snow is just starting to melt and the back roads are muddy. The eagles are passing through, some staking out territory in the Mississippi River Valley. Some ducks are back along with a few gulls. I saw the first heron come flying in to one of the backwaters, also looking to stake his claim early. The vultures will wait until it warms up some more. There is still time for more ice and snow before the trees leaf out.

In these delicate moments between winter and spring, I find myself working on more delicate pieces, a little smaller, perhaps more intimate.

This piece was only in my shop for a day or two before it sold.

I've been teaching myself to spin

I have no idea how much yarn is there. I'm going to use large gauge needles and start knitting with the idea of a hat. If it ends early, then I've got some kind of headwarmer.

My son is clearly an artist and loves making tshirt designs with fabric markers. Yes, they do seem to hold up through the wash.

If he keeps this up, I'll give him a section in my shop.

Here's a selection of my husband's recent jewelry work

1. Bamboo Brooch by Bill Fiorini, 2. Silver Bamboo Ring by Bill Fiorini, 3. Bamboo and Fish Roe Brooch by Fiorini, 4. Bracelet by Bill Fiorini, 5. Silver and Bamboo pendant by Bill Fiorini Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

I'm not ready to give him a section in my shop yet. I think these pieces need to go out to exhibit a bit more before they find a new home.

Lucky Charms!

No no, not the cereal (even though it is one of my favorite sugary processed cereals)

Sterling Silver Lucky Shamrocks- already off to their new owner

It's a pin and a pendant. Take a look at the back.

Another pendant

Those went over so well that I decided to make another for my online shop.

This photo will give you an idea of the scale.

and Monkeys! Maybe monkeys are your own special lucky charm. I finally put together the last of my monkeys into earrings and just a few tie tacs.

Spring is coming, even though our yard is still covered in multiple feet of icy snow and the driveway is mud. I'm starting to think of butterflies and bunnies, more hearts, and lots of flowers- in metal and in fiber.

Exhibits, Ornaments, and other new stuff

The show is up and beautiful at the Frehner Gallery of the Monroe Arts Center in Monroe Wisconsin!  This is the arts center, an historic Methodist church, saved from destruction and transformed into an active Community arts center.

Suzanne, the gallery director, went above and beyond the call of duty to install the show.  She did such a fantastic job, using fishing line to hang the work and keeping it perfectly asymmetrical, just the way I envision the pieces hanging in someone's home.  Now how often does that happen? 
I sold several of my leaf wallpieces right at the opening, pieces similar to what you'd find in the art section of my Etsy shop.

I did steal bits of time in the house to finish up some more wool felt ornaments.

The little acorn is made from vivid green roving and royal blue yarn.  It measures about 1 x 1-1/2 inches.  The heart is made from wool batting and alpaca locks and measures about 3 x 3 inches at its maximum dimensions.  I've got these safely tucked away in my ornament box for next Christmas, but am more and more tempted to sell them.

You might have already noticed this.  I've started selling the book Moving Metal: The Art of Chasing and Repoussé

by Adolph Steines in the commercial supplies section of my Etsy shop. This is the book that I recommend most often for medium to large chasing and repoussé work in my workshops.  I did not learn from this book, but I still look to it when I need some creative approaches and technical insight for my own work.

I'll be making chasing tool sets again in April. I've got 3 requests already.  Please contact me if you'd like to be put on the list of people to notify when the sets are ready.