design...and decisions

Earlier I posted a fine silver pendant that I finished this week and then I thought...ok, it is a great shape, let's try it with a beautiful glass bead with a long silhouette and also make it young and current looking instead of just pretty. This is what I came up with and those of you who help me so much with your opinions, please feel free to do so. I am designing more things of this type and I really believe they add a little of the mixed look that I have always loved and is becoming well loved by all.

Through the viewfinder photography .....

It's so very, very nice when you are noticed and I was very happy to have Spearmint Baby ask me about my Children's Room series of TTV's. Shari Engleson ' site is a wonderful source for all things special for baby. Take a look.

Here is that series Children's Rooms and they are available in my Etsy store  . Just convo me.

I should expound on that series because i love the old fashioned look when it involves toys and the joys of childhood. The most fun of all to create.

This is my favorite one but not most people's. I don't even know why I love it so except it sets me back in time.

it's all about the finish.....

One thing is for sure. Until you actually work with metal clay it is very difficult to know exactly how you are doing as far as finishing and designing work. The few pieces I did last week have become guinea pigs and that is good because now they are much better. I have resanded, refired and worked on them the hard way.....after firing them. Believe me ...not the way to accomplish the best in a decent amount of time.  Also, because of them,  the pendant I just finished is much better in every way. The photos are of the front and back, 1 1/4 x 3/4's of an inch. Almost all the work was done in the greenware state so that I only had to soft burnish with my brass brush after firing. What a difference it made! I think reading Barbara Becker Simons book more and more has made me very aware of how important "the eagle eye", as Barbara puts it, really is,  for a great finish.

I also refinished my hinged pendant and it is much better but it took forever and will never be perfect.  The door is gold leaf on  polmer clay. I'm not sure if I like it better without the colored door??

This week has flown by.......

It is Friday night and I have been in my studio all week except for two shopping trips (my least favorite thing) and this is what I have to show for it.

First of all I decided the earrings I made were boring so I covered the fired pieces with paste type and used the syringe for some very loose squiggles. I think what I came up with is younger and they are a great  mother's day gift for my daughter from her daughter. Fine silver and pearls. Then,

 after watching Hadar Jacobson, so generously,  on her video do a hinged pendant I was determined to do something similar in type so I have these... 

Eventually, there will be a colored and gold toned door in the front of the pendant and I am thrilled with how they came out. I do not have my finishing down yet but now that I see how

 every little mark shows I will work on that. 

I am amazed at the generosity of the metal clay community. They have made so much information so very easy to find and that makes it possible to learn and practice a lot on your own. 

Tomorrow King Tut exhibit and then,  on Sunday, some weekend fun with my girls, tea at the Botanical Gardens..daughters and grandchild. A nice, actually perfect, Mother's Day!

 

I also had to change the little charms...The Sakura opaque pens work beautifully on fine silver and I smudged the star a little with alcohol. Happy with those now.