On Vacation!

Greetings, friends!

Just a quick note to let you know that this blog is on vacation for a week, while I'm busily working on my friend, Helen's altered book spread and making jewelry...I'm on a roll.  

While I'm otherwise engaged, do check out Helen's beautiful blog by clicking on her name.

See you all next Monday...talley ho!

Deborah

More Wire Craziness!

Since I seem to be on a wire and metal wavelength this week, thought I'd share another experiment with you.  About 20 years ago I began crocheting wire.  I don't know what possessed me to do that, but I did it nonetheless.  The only wire available at the time was 18 gauge copper wire from the hardware store, which is pretty hefty.  I crocheted my little fingers off and made a large sculpture.  My hands were almost non-functional by the time I was finished, but I was determined!  Sorry, never took a picture of that mad creation and don't even know where it is.  Some things are better left forgotten, I think!

So now fast forward many years when gazillions of people are working with wire.   There's a whole gorgeous palette of colors available in a variety of gauges, including much finer wire than 18 gauge.  It's a lot kinder on the hands when crocheting.  So once my hands recovered from the industrial-strength crocheting I did years ago, I decided to try it again and combine it with my passion for gourds. 

Here's what I came up with...it's called "Ridges Have Ruffles"...

This piece was A LOT more fun to do!  Here's a closeup of the wirework...

The fine gauge wire creates a flexible "cloth" when crocheted that feels quite pleasing to the touch.  Because of the way this was crocheted onto the gourd, floppy ruffles developed, giving the piece a whimsical feel.  I still enjoy this piece!

Ta-ta for now!

Deborah

I'm in Love With Metal!

Yes, it's true...I've had a long love affair with metal in all forms, most recently with wire--silver wire, copper wire, colored artistic wire, any kind of wire.  I've long worked with sheet metal to incorporate it into my jewelry and other artwork.  Recently I began embossing and painting metal, and it's my new playground for color!

The possibilities are endless, and I just keep playing...can't seem to help myself.  This weekend I made a pair of lightweight earrings just bursting with color.  Combined the painted, embossed metal with silver....

I was just thrilled with how these earrings turned out!!!!  The design looks like stained glass to me and combines the purples, teals and maroons that I love.  The earrings are quite long and bold, and I think I'll be working on more new designs!

Wishing you all a great week....see you on Wednesday,

Deborah

It's Finished!!!

This past weekend was deliciously rainy and blustery--real autumn weather.  I hardly stepped foot outside the house and decided to commune with my muse.  Thankfully she came to visit!  I finished the copper and embossed/painted metal piece I was working on.

I made a fine silver, fused chain for the necklace, which took the better part of Saturday.  Using a small torch after preparing the wire is a labor-intensive process and one that I find well worth the effort.  It's always magic when the wire fuses into a perfectly round link.

So here's the "ensemble" I made...

The dangles on the necklace and earrings are olive green, freshwater pearls and a silver and copper/silver bead that is 3-sided.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this set and plan on doing more pieces with the colored, embossed metal...definitely a new look for me!

Let me know what you think.....

Thanks,

Deborah

Fun With Embossed Metal!

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I've been having great fun embossing and painting metal.  So far I've used the embossed metal in collages and in altered books.  I've had some great ideas for jewelry but just hadn't gotten around to trying anything.

So this past weekend I decided I was devoting the whole weekend to artwork and finally got around to doing a couple of pieces of jewelry with the embossed, painted metal.  Actually, I decided to work on a necklace with matching earrings.

Using the embossed metal, I cut out a design.  I decided to overlay it on a piece of sheet copper.  I textured the edges of the copper that extend beyond the embossed metal.  Here are the pieces...

When the necklace is assembled, it will look like this...

Here are the earring pieces...

And the earrings after they're assembled...

I'm going to hand-forge a necklace of sterling silver links but haven't gotten that far yet.  The earrings will be trimmed in silver.  Might even add some danglies to all the pieces...who knows?

So stay tuned for the finished pieces!

Ciao for now,

Deborah

A Day in the Life...

This month I agonized over what to create for the altered book I was to work on from my art group.  The book that was passed to me this month has the theme of, "A Day in the Life".  I decided that I'd document the incredibly decadent life of my indulged cat, Peanut.  He's so photogenic--I just love taking pictures of him.

So here's the first page that I did in my friend's book...

There are holes cut out of the page, showing pictures on the page underneath...cool, huh??

So here are the inside pages, detailing a day in the life of His Highness, Peanut.  

I'll be adding captions to the pictures to tell the story of his, oh-so exciting days!  When I finally decided on what to do in this altered book, I had great fun designing the pages.  I just love looking at my little furry friend, because he's just so darn cute!

Till next time,

Deborah

Altar Screen Meets Zentangle

OK, I think I went a bit over the top with this piece!  I was SO gung ho to do another altar screen that I just about bit off more than I could chew!  I started again with the blank, tri-fold screen that I told you about in my last post.  I just love those screens!  They're affordable, a great size and easy to work, whether you're painting or collaging.

I made this screen when I was consumed by Zentangle® mania.  It's called "Art and Soul," because the quote that I stamped on the front says, "Art is the Soul made visible".   I dyed tissue paper and layered it on the blank screen.  Then I went crazy with my Micron pens!

The challenge with this screen was laying on the color so that it was pleasing and there was continuity from panel to panel when the screen was opened.  What do you think?

Here's the back view...

And here's the back opened up...

Even though I started to feel that this piece would never be finished, I realized that I truly did enjoy working on it.  The colors drew me in, almost like falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland!

Hope you've enjoyed the scenery,

Deborah

Altar Screens

I've always had a fascination with art screens large and small.  Someday I'd like to make a room-sized screen, but for now I've had to content myself with small screens suitable for a table-top altar.  I think what intrigues me is the fact that screens have multiple panels.  It's always a challenge to make each panel its own and yet part of the whole.

I made this screen at the New Year, as I always do a piece of artwork to mark the beginning of another year.  This has been my tradition for a few years now, and it seems to set the intention for me to create throughout the year. 

This screen is called "Ring in the New Year"...

I began with a blank tri-fold screen that was made of brown paper bag type material.  The panels are hinged, making the screen easy to open and close.  Stampadoodle, a wonderful paper craft and more store in Bellingham, WA sells these sorts of things that are just waiting to be embellished with their wonderful papers, paints, inks and such.

Since I love to collage, I poked through my extensive collection of images and words to cover the front and back of each panel.

I added paint and penwork to tie the images together around the theme of light.  I slit the top of the center panel to insert an image of the sun.  Each end panel has a beaded doo-dah on the top to open and close the panels.

I also love mandalas, so I used a mandala that I colored for the back panel.

I was sorry when this screen was finished--it was just so satisfying to work on!  So I did another screen...stay tuned for my next entry to see it!

Ciao for now,

Deborah