Judging by the number of assemblage-type images popping up on my Inspiration Art board I think I’m gearing myself up to get back into the studio.

What do you think?

This necklace has been sitting in front of me staring me in the face since my last post (oh! second to last post!).  I knew I wanted to add a “head” to the bottom and I had one picked out  but I couldn’t figure out how I was going to attach it. (it didn’t have any usable holes)

Out to the studio and found one of these frozen charlottes … I’ve actually made plaster casts of this wee one but wanted the aged look – not that I can’t age the plaster ones but well, I just wanted to use an original! … it already has holes at both arm & leg locations so it was simple to add wire.

I wanted the attachment to be clean – and the original head would’ve required more (besides I want to create a wire cage for her so she’ll have to wait for another incarnation!) – so a simple circle of flattened copper suited this baby well.

The copper mesh ribbon was a nice addition, I thought!

Something about the top still didn’t sit right. The transition from neckline to the flat of the razor felt …erm… uninspired. So I added a couple of chains w/some dangles for movement and interest.

I’m playing w/backgrounds for finished works. Can you help me? Which do you prefer? Wood or quilt? And do you like to see necklaces worn?

I’ve been bitten by the jewelry bug. Ironic given the only piece I wear is my …very plain… wedding ring. But there is something about creating sculptural pieces that go beyond being simply decorative. Generally I think people feel more of a connection with what they wear than what they put up in their homes. How about you?

In that vein, I’ve been trawling flickr (is there nothing flickr can’t do?!?) for inspiration. Oh! What wonders people are creating. I’ve developed some major creative crushes on a few artists … Amanda Scrivener . experimetal . Madelyn Smoak. Can I just say? *swoon*

It was Amanda’s Sweeney Todd jewelry that got me thinking about a straight razor I’ve had kicking around. Although, frankly, I don’t have the stomach to expose the blade. *shudder* So for mine, I’ve “locked” it via the lower jump ring.

I think it needs a second string above the razor and I’m pretty sure a head of some sort will be added to the bottom.

What I realize as I continue on this ‘new-to-me’ path is how specific our materials are. Much of what I’ve accumulated for assemblage is all but useless for jewelry. But. I’m trying to re-purpose what I have in an effort to keep the accumulation bug at bay. For example, I have virtually no beads and I’m desperately trying to resist the impulse to Buy! Buy! Buy! Ha. We’ll see how long THAT lasts, huh?!?

After a big push yesterday … thanks Tom for puppy-wrangling! … the necklace is DONE! I’m glad to have it finished. I hate deadlines hanging over my head and frankly, there were a few times there that I despaired whether I would ever get past the clasp and hinge!

Here it is laying and on a black background.

Light background and hanging. Clearly if I go into jewelry making I have to resolve my pitiful photo taking skills! For what it’s worth, the beads in the dangle are actually silver metal that have been tarnished so aren’t quite as black in real life. They look like magnetic beads. But they aren’t! The drop bead is vintage.

Detail of the handmade clasp, chain and added washer/bead combo (there’s got to be a name for this, yes?)

Blurry dangle detail. You can see the more silvery colour of the beads in this one.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the result of this experiment. Would I do it again? Likely I wouldn’t. Not this way at any rate. I have some other ideas for containment lockets but they don’t involve hearts! I think the shape is too ubiquitous to do poorly. (read: we all know what a heart locket is supposed to look like!) Perhaps reshaping the heart would work better? I don’t know. But I loved creating something small, something wearable, pushing my own limits and all the problem solving that needed to take place. A success in anyone’s estimation, I would think!

Thanks for visiting. Thanks for the comments and Good Luck to all those of you in the draw!

Check back on Monday for the randomly drawn winning name!

I have entered the embellishment stage of the necklace. The locket and surrounding “cage” being done. I still may age parts of this but the construction? DONE!

Initially I was going to do the entire thing in metal but after going through some options, I think a bit of red is in order. After all, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

Onward…

I can’t believe I posted the wrong address to Nourish & Sustain. What a doof! Anyway, you can still check out the works and even bid on them online, if you’re so inclined. The correct address is: marylouzeekgallery.com and here’s the  direct link while the show is on.

Below is a shot of some of the works. And if you direct your view to just above the word “comfort” you’ll see my piece “Teach a Man to Fish” (which is still available, I might add!).

Or how a simple necklace/locket turns into a multi-day extravaganza on how NOT to make closures!

Oh. I know. It LOOKS innocent enough. All sweetness and bright coppery goodness. But don’t be fooled. As a quick glance at my work area can attest:

THAT is the mayhem that the so-called “innocent” locket created. And that’s just today’s flotsam and jetsam. Part of the problem is not having a soldering area in the house. Because frankly, I would’ve simplified the design with some well chosen joints had they been at my disposal. Still. I’ve learned TONS!

For example, when creating something that has to move, think about how it moves. Sounds like a no-brainer but there IS a reason there is a certain amount of play in things like hinges and doors.  And if you need to keep something closed, figure out HOW before cutting, filing, sanding, attaching said something. (I’m still working on it!) And expect for the f*&(&#?!!ing thing to break when you really really REALLY don’t need it to. (like when you’ve FINALLY figured out how the hinge is going to work and it’s…almost…done. Yep. That’s when.) And though copper is really easy to manipulate, it might be just a bit TOO easy with this application.

After all is said and done though, I’m thrilled beyond reason with how this is turning out. And I can see some more jewelry making in my future. Maybe not lockets!

I’ve said it before and I’ll likely say it again, assemblage is all about problem solving. And while my OWOH necklace isn’t an assemblage per se, the process is very similar.  My initial attempt at creating the locket part of this piece has been met with all sorts of problems, not the least of which is figuring out how to get it closed and keep it closed. I’ve researched closures and the majority of heart lockets are hinged on one side with a resistance clasp (for want of a better read: proper technical term!) on the other. This would require very developed soldering skills. Which I definitely do not possess. And while, I plan on eventually being able to handle something like this, today is not that day.

So. How do I keep the locket closed?

Trust me, I’ve pondered every variation, been down every avenue including nuts & bolts – cool but I can’t count on my recipient wanting something quite so permanent – and finally settled on a cold connection solution. It won’t be as “closey” as the traditional method but it will be more fitting with the Steampunk direction I was looking for.

The downside with all this ruminating, researching, pondering is that most of my time has been brainside NOT worktableside. However, because of the changed closure I did have to refurb the heart.

Not a whole lot different but the direction is significant. And unfortunately, the next stage is going to be equally “thinky”. I try to keep positive realizing that with every false path, I learn a TON! Case in point: I am now a Wire Rivet Master!

On another note, am overwhelmed how many visitors have stopped by through the Magic Carpet Ride. If you scroll down and read this, welcome! I hope you enjoy what you see.

Having never created a piece of jewelry from scratch before …on my own… this whole process is brand new for me. Pondering my sketch, I figured I need to make the locket first. I cut out my hearts and got out my dapping block. As I started hammering away, I realized that my two-dimensional hearts weren’t going to meet at the top. Duh!

I googled some locket photos … oh! like I’d actually put on my boots and coat and hat and head out to the studio? uhm. No! google is so much closer … and still couldn’t figure out how to make them round, dimensional, but still meet.

Then ravioli came into my head. I know. Crazy inference. But it kinda sorta works. Think about it. Essentially a two-dimensional shape that still holds something 3-dimensional. All I need to make is the pocket part.  So I started hammering out a bit of an edge. Could work. Kinda.

So that the OWOH post stays at the top, I made it sticky, but I wanted to keep the process of my giveaway linear. (well THAT was an awkward sentence!) ANYWAY.

The gist … throughout the 4 weeks of The Magic Carpet Ride of One World One Heart, I will be making a piece of jewelry – my first from scratch – and you’re invited to see the process.

To start things off here’s my initial sketch:

The heart piece will actually be an opening locket. Oh boy! Nothing like setting my sights high huh?!

And don’t forget to check out all the participants by visiting A Whimsical Bohemian‘s site for the entire (GIANT) list! Let the blogging event begin!

This fall I’ve had a burning desire to create “crafts” … I don’t mean tole painted door knockers (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) but multiple little things that don’t require as much … what? … time? thought? commitment? Something like that!

Anyway. I resurrected the shop I started last Christmas (for my daughter who never quite got her act together ) and you can find the link over on the right hand side. Yep. Just under the “Travelogue …” bit.

Here’s a preview of a couple of the pieces I put up, some copper ornament/pendant thingees – twosies I guess they’re called, who knew? And a couple of necklaces I made a long time ago but never did anything with.