Hiatus

Yes I took a hiatus. I hadn't lit a torch in two months. I got busy and put my metalsmithing on the back burner. At the request of my father I blew off the dust from my torch and created these turquoise pieces for his Australian mates to be given as gifts on his latest trip to Australia. Would I remember how to do this? Would things go smoothly? I was rusty...but I got into the groove and it felt good to work with stones and metal again. It is always an honor to get to adorn the necks and wrists of friends, family, and strangers.

Turquoise Pieces...from start to finish

Spring Cleaning the Dust

Warm weather makes me want to purge the things I don't need and catch up on the things I have neglected including this blog.  All the dead has been cleared out of the flower beds and just in time to see life springing up.  Green everywhere with splashes of color from tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.  A sign that gardening season is around the corner.  Fresh produce and herbs...hand grown...in my backyard makes me feel so self sustaining.  As spring rolls in, I hope I too as an artist grow....grow bigger and better this year.  One thing I will never lack in my work is passion.  It is always there spring, summer, fall, or winter no matter the season....my passion for metalsmithing doesn't know time.

 

 

Here is some of my work the last few months. I love mixing my metalsmithing skills with wire wrapped gemstones. A mix of skills = a mix of looks.

"Liv"in it up....at the bead fair

I have gotten my niece Livy into creating beaded jewerlry.  A 10 year old protege?  Perhaps.  So who better to go with to the bead fair!  She had $100 to spend (Grandma's are the best!) so we stretched it as far as we could.  Three hours, bags full of beads, and most of all memories that I captured here.

Thank you Olivia!  It meant more than you know.

Blizzard Day Baubles

Neglected pieces I start last week and tackled on a very snowy day home.

Amethyst Ring

Pink Chalcedony Ring

Druzy Agate Ring

Stones Santa Brought

Santa...with a bit of help....got me a bunch of new cabochon stones.

Amethyst Sage

Chopstick Agate

Natural Stone

Turquoise

Vistaite Picture Jasper

Wishing....Santa arrived more than once a year!!