Trying the Ring Thing

Well, here it is, March already. I'm still recovering from my surgery and find I'm passing out around 8pm these days. I've started teaching my night classes again so that's going to have to change. I'm also awaiting my 40th birthday with mixed emotions. Getting back to work is starting to help me feel "normal" again but I'm still not feeling like "me". I'm not really worried about aging and I'm excited about the future (as I look out the window at the rain). I just wish I could eat that chocolate cake that I'm not allowed to have. Doctors. Hmph.

Anyway, I've been experimenting with fusing rings these days and put a few in my etsy shop this week. I've also redesigned my work space in the basement. Maybe I'll get a picture up here next time.

New Earrings I Like

Wow, being home recovering from surgery has given me all kinds of time on my hands. For the last few weeks I was really only lying on the couch but today I've got some energy. Why not blog again??

I've been able to create some new earring designs and have sent them off to Oak, a new store in Boston that will be carrying some of my pieces. I'm excited to see how this little cross-country experiment goes. I can't monitor the store in person but the owner has done a pretty good job of keeping vendors up to date on her website and blog. If you want to check it out here's the address: http://www.oakboston.com

Etsy Cross Promotion

Etsy Rain (my Seattle street team) has teamed up with Arts in Rhode Island to cross promote each other. Members on both teams pick artists to blog about- a fabulous idea. Today, I'll be posting about electronrings.

Marya, the designer behind electronrings, makes beautiful pieces of wearable art by felting pieces she's crocheted. Her work includes rings, necklaces, belly dance belts, and purses. These pieces are totally original and simply gorgeous!

Quoting from her profile:
"I get my inspiration from some of the smallest particles known to humankind, AND ancient architecture, such as the Nazca Lines in Peru, and the Hill of Tara in Ireland. I'd like to think I am "remembering" my designs, rather than just creating them."



Her work can be seen and purchased on her Etsy site: http://www.electronrings.etsy.com

Sick and Tired

Oh, it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Early this month I had emergency surgery to remove most of my small intestine and I've been trying to recover ever since! I'm still not back to my regular job and eating is a real chore. Needless to say, the jewelry making has been put on hold. I do have an order that needs to go to Boston next week so I'd better get crackin'.

On the odd chance that anyone has info for me about "short bowel syndrome", I'd gladly take it. I miss pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fusing!

Earlier this month I took a class on fusing and it's opened up a whole new world of ideas for me. A long time ago I took lots of classes on soldering, so I know how that goes, but it's messy and requires more time and equipment. The basic idea behind fusing is that you don't need solder or flux or pickle. You simply heat the metal with a butane torch (mine's a micro torch) until the silver begins to liquify and flows. Basic materials that I aquired to do this:

micro torch

butane

fire brick

old cookie sheet to sit the brick on

bowl of water to quench the hot silver

fine silver wire- 14 g.

tumbler

I'm using fine silver instead of sterling because sterling silver gets fire scale when heated. That's where the pickling comes in. With fine silver you simply heat it, quench it, and tumble it if you want it really shiny. The tumbler also work hardens the metal. Fine silver is especially soft after being heated so it's important to tumble it so that the piece keeps its shape.

So, I've set up a workspace in the basement for the metal work and I'm loving it! For me, designing metal pieces feels more creative than bead work. I love beautiful beads but I'm excited about the direction my work is taking. I'm planning on using the stones as accents in my new pieces and really concentrating on the look of the silver or copper.

the handbook to handmade

I arrived home from NYC last night to find my edition of the handbook to handmade: Volume I! How exciting! It looks beautiful and contains about 35 fabulous etsy artists. I happen to be on pages 14 and 15 and the photos look great. It was very exciting to be part of this project and now I'm busy thinking about where I can leave the book so the artists will get the most exposure. If you're interested in checking it out, you can look here for listings of the book.

STUFF

Well, I'm getting ready to fly out to NYC tonight and I've decided to bring all my Chanukah gifts with me and save a bit of postage. I'm happy to report that all gifts (except 2 books) are handmade by me, and others, and I didn't have to enter a mall once! I've had a great time going to crafts fairs and shopping on Etsy and I really like the gifts I'm giving this year. My husband and I have decided to try to have a "not made in China holiday season" this year and it's really hard! Especially shopping for kids who really want to fit into mainstream culture right now. Many are just not interested in being original, what they want most is to fit in. That's been a hard one to grapple with as a parent of a teenager. All we can do is set an example and hope....This is why I can't wait to see how they turn out.