A Taste of Spring

Spring is easing in this year, slowly but surely.
The bleeding hearts are blooming. I haven't gone out searching for any wildflowers. I'm satisfied with the flashy, yet coy reddish pink of the dicentra.

I do love the wild, or half-wild, violets that grow in the margins between yard and woods.

Yes, I have gotten a little studio work done, silver ginkgo leaf pendants. Four of them are for a custom order.

They actually have more of a white silvery satin sheen. In the photo, they are reflecting too many of the dark colors around them.

In the house, I've been completely redoing the kids bedrooms. If I have any energy left, I will take photos. Son gets a big heavy old style tv, complete with rf modulator, so he can play Wii in his own bedroom, with plenty of space. Daughter of course gets lots of pink flowery fluff, so much fun for Mom! :). Now if I could just find some yellow eyelet curtains..... If you see some, let me know.

fyi- I am completely giving up any serious gardening this year. I am devoting myself to all of the little home finishing jobs that we've talked about for the past 4 years but not done anything about. We still need trim in some places. We need a total interior paint job. I'd like a minimum of landscaping around the house - that sort of thing. Let's not even mention that "temporary" railing in the loft. It's time to "finish" this house.

Working to Use Less Propane

I am working with some different thicknesses and metals for my leaves, in order to reduce my use of propane.  My forge runs on propane.  As you might imagine, the cost of propane goes up as the cost of oil goes up.   This could be a huge strain on a business that runs on propane- but I'm flexible.  There are so many ways to work with metal!

Copper and Bronze Ginkgo Leaves.  I use propane to anneal them, but they don't need constant heat.
 
Wax as a final surface treatment really brings out the heat colors on copper.

 
These are steel yes, but a thinner steel.  I pay special attention to the edges and surfaces, to maintain the feeling of strength that I give to all of my work.  Look at the difference in surfaces.  The one on the left has been burnished back much more and highlighted with brass goldtones.  The one on the right keeps its true forged steel black.

And of course a few more pendants, another copper oak leaf and a forged steel maple leaf.

back to the studio now.  It's a welding day- for cattail railings and branchy shelf brackets.

Copper Oak Leaf Jewelry

I've got some nice big copper oak leaves that I've been making into talisman-like pendants.  The leaves are my design, well nature's design, about 4 inches long from the top of the stem loop to the bottom of the leaf.  You may click on each picture for more details.
 
I have a local friend cut them with his computer aided plasma cutting system.  This is my first time to have non-ferrous (copper and bronze this time)  metals plasma cut and there are size limitations.  The surfaces are more rugged, as the plasma cutter sort of burns away the cut lines.  Of course I like the way that looks.   Smaller shapes and other metals will still need to be sawn by hand.

I had to have one of the oak leaf pendants for myself.  I like large bold pendants on long 24 inch endless chains that slip easily over my head with no clasps.

I am finally starting to own a nice selection of my own jewelry!

2nd Butterfly Finished!

 The 2nd butterfly pendant is finished!  It is created with chasing and repoussé, no molds or forms, completely one of a kind.

and a side view, just because

Both the first and the second butterfly have been claimed and will be flying off to their new owners very soon.

I love it when new owners claim their pieces even before they are completed.  Then I know the pieces have a story to tell and will stay close to someone's heart for a long time.

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.

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.

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.

Fiber Art Fun (and metal leaves)

First- the metal. Here are a few new pendants. I've got a lot more commissioned jewelry to work, several larger jobs to design and bid on, and a show opening in Monroe Wisconsin on March 6th.
I'm busy.

However, this potential work week has been completely consumed by snow days, sick days, no-kindergarten days, and a running errand days. I didn't get more than about 90 minutes studio time, but I did get bits of fluffy stuff put together now and then in the house.

Crocheted Pink Octopus, by special request, for my daughter

litte Embroidered Heart Ornament

Needlefelted Ball Ornament, made with Whimzypinzy's handdyed alpaca locks

The same ball ornament

I've got another octopus in progress for my son. I'm also teaching myself to spin- slowly with a lot of odd looking fluffy unreadable results. I'll post pictures of that if it looks like yarn when I'm done. If it doesn't look like yarn, I'll felt it.
I'm reading an Anne McCaffrey book and have a pile of several other non-fiction books to browse. And the internet...plenty of browsing on the internet.

ahhhhh... I'd better get that designing done now.

Jewelry, Cookies, and Crafts

Jewelry first

Two are already claimed.  The other two will go on Etsy soon.  I'm working on some other custom jewelry too that should be done in a few days.

Now to the cookies, kaleidoscope pinwheels from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book - basically butter cookies dyed with high fashion artificial colors and coated in sugary sprinkles.

and now the crafts.
After hours of tv, cookies, and computer games, my son announced that he must make a felt craft. I pulled out wool felt and two felt craft books to give him ideas.  He decided on the ipod case from Heartfelt.

front

back

He cut up the wool felt (recycled from outgrown pieces) and stitched them together.  I sewed on the button because the daredevil didn't want to poke his finger with a sharper needle.  He cut out the star, which we decided to glue onto the back.  He says I can use it until he gets his own personal mp3 player. 

Daughter decided to personalize her own clothing with some fabric markers (with my complete approval.)

 
She did a shirt for me too, but I think hers is better.

Kids do the best crafts when it's their own idea. 

New Work in my Etsy Shop

I'm not keeping up with my blog schedule this week, but I have listed new pieces in the pendant and earring sections of my Etsy shop.

Wrought Iron Cross ...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Aqua Blue Glass Bea...

Knitsteel
$10.00

Aqua Blue Glass Bea...

Knitsteel
$10.00

Handforged Steel Ru...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Handforged Steel Ru...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Studio Updates

 I never knew it would be this tough to stay on a blogging schedule.  I've been busy.  The kids have classes, their last official classes of the summer.  I'm preparing to go teach a workshop at Touchstone Center for Crafts in Pennsylvania.

I'm working on a small commission, not pictured in this entry. 

I listed 2 new bronze ivy pendants on my Etsy shop.  I also updated my banner and avatar. 

 
 I'm working on gazillions of chasing tools for the workshop and resisting the urge to list them all on Etsy immediately.
   
 
I'll be listing tools after I return in mid August. 

I'm working on more pendants in varying price ranges.  Here they are on the welding table, waiting ...
 

I've been playing with a little copper vessel form that I started sooooooo many years ago as a raising sample.  It will be a sweet little bud vase when it's done.
 

These big acanthus leaves are calling my name, but I absolutely must finish some other things first.  So I keep looking at them.  I've got some even bigger blanks waiting for me up in the storage area, sigh.

I do not lack for creativity or motivation.  I have piles of things waiting for my attention - bamboo, bas-relief panels, flower blanks, and more. 
I don't think many of us lack for creativity.  I think most of us are just afraid to start on an idea that isn't good enough or isn't fully formed.  If you can't think of something, just start, even with your most vague of ideas.  Work it out in progress and the ideas will keep coming.  Don't wait for the right tools or supplies.  Use what you've got.  Save all of your samples.  They are great for trinkets and collage pieces.

Pendants

These pendants are all for sale in the pendant section of my Etsy Shop . They are all hot forged, except for the silver bird pendant.

Flying Bird Pendant...
Knitsteel
$25.00

Oak Leaf Pendant fo...
Knitsteel
$25.00

Handforged Bronze I...
Knitsteel
$15.00

Handforged Bronze I...
Knitsteel
$15.00

Handforged Oak and ...
Knitsteel
$20.00

coming soon to www.knitsteel.etsy.com

 I wasn't going to do smaller pieces for awhile, but I changed my mind.  These will be on Etsy soon.  One of the 3 bracelets is already sold, but the new owner still has to choose which one.

steel oak leaf bracelets with some added goldtones over the steel

This is on my husband's arm. On my arm it goes way up on my upper arm, right at or under short sleeve level.

more leaf pendants, 2 steel, 2 bronze