What is buzzing around my bench today!

 Today I am working on a pair of my queen bee earrings for an Etsy customer.  I created hand drawn templates that I glue to the sterling sheet. This keeps the details of each bee very similar to its partner.

I have done the initial sawing out and have drilled holes for the piercing.

  Here the saw blade is in place, ready to saw around the inside of the black outline.

Here they are ready for final filing and polishing.

Next step...  a run through the tumbler to harden the silver and then attaching the earwires and stinger!

Mixed Metal Flowers

New flowers are blooming over at Metal~luxe! 

I am working on some new designs and combinations for my favorite blooms.

The Evolution of a Design...

I had jury duty last week and spent the entire morning reading about stone setting and sketching some new designs.  I was the very last person chosen to go through the jury selection process and was never questioned.  Overall the day was a success!  I did my civic duty and spent my free time working on creative designs.

Here are few progress shots of one of the lariat necklace designs.

I will add some more as I finish it up.

This is the sketch drawn around the stones.

This is two of the dangles after the final solder.
These will get cleaned and polished before setting the stones.

This is just a shot of the original concept with the components to show how the idea comes to life.

Still lots of work to do...

Happy February!

It has been a productive year so far!

I am working hard in the studio this past month replenishing my stock 

and designing some new things for 2012.

My Atlanta friends can find my work at Kudzu and 

I will be showing some new work at the RAD show on Feb. 11th.

I would love to see your smiling faces!

My new goal is to try to post more studio shots and show some works in progress.

I am inspired by my fellow metal working friend Louise O' Dwyer

Who has been posting her works in progress.

~*~

100 years and counting......

This year we are celebrating our homes 100th year!  Built in 1910, she has survived the changes of the times.

  

This was one of the first homes built in the neighborhood.  At the time this was a new and "segregated" development with a trolley running down the street... one of the new homes with electric lighting.  Today the neighborhood is diverse and thriving with shops, restaurants and bistros within an easy walk.

  

She survived the depression of '29 and was divided into apartments in the forty's after the war ended and the soldiers returned home. The area took a downturn in the seventy's when the Marta rail was developed.  Speculators wanted to reinvent the area with apartments and condos, Properties were purchased and the homes were allowed to fall into disrepair...  

We purchased this home in "96.  Moved in just before Halloween, exhausted and aching, we sat down at the end of the day and watched game 6, the Atlanta Braves vs the New York Yankees in the world series...  

In this home, we have raised our children into adults, celebrated successes and endured the loss of loved ones. All in a nurturing atmosphere that somehow seems to come from the house itself.

Over the years we have made a few improvements and tried to keep the beast of age from overtaking her, this home has nurtured our family for the last fourteen years.  

This week we finished the last area that had not been restored... The stairway!  We stripped layers of paint away and revealed the hardwood floors and hand rails, bring back the original beauty of the area as it was designed.

Now, as I look around... other areas of the house are ready for new paint and floor refinishing........ 'D

Feeding the Hungry

There is nothing more basic and important than the excitement of holiday meals and special treats. Deep within us all are the memories of pumpkin pies... roasted turkey... perfect whipped potatoes... and special bites that have been handed down by culture, religious tradition and family.

The holidays are here and there are many... many folks and children that are not secure in their ability to eat a nourishing meal each and every day... much less have a wonderful holiday table laden with glorious foods. This year and for many more to come I will be donating a percentage of my sales to help feed the hungry. 

The economy is still struggling and many middle class families have slipped into unemployment due to no fault of their own. Food banks are struggling to keep up with the expanded need... 

If you are interested in donating time or money to Feeding America or your local food bank you can follow the links below. Feeding America has links to most local food banks and offers many ways that you can help out. 

Here is the link to Feeding America and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. http://feedingamerica.org/
http://acfb.org/
 

Fall is just around the corner...

Fall is just around the corner and I am SO wanting to get out and enjoy the cooler weather! I know... lots of people love the summer. They don't mind the heat and the bugs, they like to get suntanned and be outside in the hottest of weather. But... I gotta say that I am a cool weather girl. Let me bundle up and go outside seeing the steam off my breath! I yearn for my outdoor fireplace to be burning each night while I curl up in a chair and enjoy conversation with friends and family... 

We southerners don't really get any truly cold weather, but as the days grow shorter my mind slips away and thinks about the refreshing breeze that is just around the corner... waiting for the leaves to turn and start their gentle decent to the ground, piling up in yards and setting the scene for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

While I anxiously await the cool weather I will continue to work away in the studio... Now instead of envisioning my current creations accessorizing summer fashions, I see them wrapped in shawls and wearing cashmere and wool... More long necklaces with leather and substance...

Catching up and some NEW designs!

Spring has been a busy time for me and while I have a virtual stream of ideas running through my head... I have not been able to actually create as much as I would like. I have several things started and "in process" in addition to working on production pieces and I have continued to study form-folding and manipulation techniques on copper and silver. At this time I am finishing a class on texture and stone setting skills.

I did get off to Franklin N.C. to the wholesale gem show and picked up some fabulous South Sea pearls... which I have had a burning desire to dive into!

Despite the slow economy people are still calling me and my food styling business has been steady. I manage to keep semi-regular studio hours and overall life has been very good!

Learning to enamel with Linda Darty's new book!

I just read "The Art of Enameling" by Linda Darty and it was GREAT! I have been wanting to explore some enameling in my metal designs and heard about her book. I was told that the book's photo gallery was reason enough to purchase it.... So true, beautiful work, incredible photos and close attention to the details as she explains different techniques and processes.

As a beginner I like to explore many different techniques and let my knowledge of a given subject guide me in future efforts. Linda explains the different processes in a easy to understand fashion and completely covered my initial interest.... torch firing, small kilns and incorporating precious metal clay with enamels, as well as plant a seed to move onto more complex projects.

So far I have just experimented with small kiln projects. Learning how thick to apply enamel to provide an even coat and figuring out how to get the powder to adhere to surfaces. I ordered a sample box of enamels from Thompson Enamels and I must admit that I am as fascinated as I am overwhelmed by all of the different color choices! My attempts are still in an infantile stage, but I am having a great time experimenting.

If you are familiar with enameling and would like to offer suggestions on technique or materials... Please feel free to add your knowledge. I would enjoy learning more about what products you use to adhere the enamel powder as well as tricks that you have learned.

I dedicated a full day to reading the book initially and have gone back several times to study a process more fully. I can tell that this book will get a great deal of use over time and would recommend it to anyone who loves enamel work and would like to learn more about it.

Free little knot ring!

I have been trying to think of a way to say thanks to those people who purchase more than one item at a time...? It happens on a regular basis and recently I figured out what to offer. My little knot ring is the perfect little token. Its handmade by me, symbolizes something sweet and it is more about my effort than the cost of the materials.
So here it is...
Visit my shop at http://www.metalluxe.etsy.com

I am on fire now!

After months of working with a small hand torch I came to the point were it was time to go for the big flame and get an oxy/propane torch! I had requested it for Christmas and was researching torch setups when I saw a friend at a gallery show I was in. After checking out my new work he asked about what type of torch I was using. I told him my setup and he mentioned that he had a torch setup that had been his dads, that I could have...
It arrived with the handle and various tips, plus the regulators for the tanks. It is a beautiful set. I would guess it to be from the fifty's. It has a lovely patina. It still took a bit of time to get the hose, tanks and odds and ends together, but finally it is up and running!
I do feel special working with this setup. Not sure how his dad used the torch, but now it is making jewelry, firing enamels and soldering silver and copper! I have always been attracted to used tools... the stories they must have... the ways that they have been abused, and cared for... I can tell that this torch was cared for by its former owner and now by me too!