Here a Duzy, There a Druzy, Everywhere a . . .

August 5, 2013 Karen 7 Comments

I like to use a druzy now and then in a piece of jewelry; yet when showing it to a customer, I usually end up explaining the term. Wilkipedia says that “In geological usage druse or druzy is a coating of fine crystals on a rock fracture surface, vein . . . or geode.”I think that’s a pretty neat occurrence. . . it’s something beautiful and sparkly where there may have been little of interest previously.

In the past, I’ve mainly worked with gemstones that contain small pieces of druzy yet the color of the stone remains predominant. Lately, however, I’ve found a few druzies where the crystalline formation is large enough to stand on its own. They are somewhat delicate with which to work and I’ve done my best to capture them in bezels that will protect the structure.

I’ve been told that dying the coablt druzy, shown above, is rather difficulty, but I’m certainly pleased with the the perseverance of the lapidary artist who cut this one.

Is there a druzy in your future?

Color, Earrings, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques, Torch Work

Experimentation

July 24, 2013 Karen

This part of the summer when the boutiques I serve are closing out summer merchandise prior to bringing in Fall clothing, I have time to experiment with new ideas for upcoming jewelry designs.

I have to get into a different mindset for experimenting and remind myself that there’s no pressure for anything to “turn out”. I don’t have to produce anything; I just need to play.

Play this year has come mainly in the form of torch enameling. It started when I taught the Torch Enamel II workshop a few weeks ago. I had a super set of participants and we had such fun. Teaching always propels me forward as I challenge myself to make difficult processes easy for students. I worked on champleve and sgraffito and have carried some of that into the experiments I’m doing now. Below are a couple of things that seem to be working well.

I’ve also explored “holiness” in several forms and found it to be fun when incorporated with the torch enameling. I just kept singing “Holy, Holy, Holy . . . “ and things kept hatching. Hmmm . . . I wonder what would happened if I sang a different song . . . ? Any suggestions???

Today, I’m experimenting with different shapes and sawing. I’m conscious of the fact that it’s not production – it’s inquiry and learning. We’ll see what turns out. Wish me luck!

Creativity, Necklaces, Pendants, Wire Work

Sharing Ideas

July 6, 2013 Karen 3 Comments

I enjoy sharing creative ideas through conversation, problem solving, teaching and publishing. While these ideas used to come in musical or educational form, lately they’ve been in the design arena.

Think week I received the latest copy of Step by Step Magazine that contains my Tiara Necklace design and tutorial. The publication did a nice job of photographing the piece for the main page and I was glad the other photos that I took worked out well. I created this piece while playing with wire one day. I made my own “princess for the day” tiara, turned it upside down and used it as a necklace.

While preparing to post about this piece, I realized that I hadn’t yet shared the cabochon wrap that was in the June-July publication of the same magazine. This evolved when I used my Synectics training to think of an analogy in which one thing captures or holds on to another without help from the latter. I thought about the way a child hugs an adult by wrapping his arms and legs around the person. You can see the “arms and legs” of the silver wire wrapping around the stone in the photo below.

Seeing this pieces in print helps urge me to do more and I certainly hope the well doesn’t run dry any time soon.

Bracelets, Philosophy, Wire Work

Visiting Old Friends

June 12, 2013 Karen 2 Comments

The title of this blog entry could be insulting and/or misleading but I mean no insult. The older I get, the more I balk at the “O” term in most any description. Most of my friends are younger than I am and even those who aren’t certainly can’t be called old. So, if you are one of the latter, please don’t get your dander up!

My spouse and I had a discussion the other day about when you were a senior citizen. Is it when you go on Medicare or Social Security? We couldn’t come to any consensus, but determined we weren’t there yet. I seem to recall a similar discussion about “middle age” many years ago. We never thought we were there either! I can, however, state that we are pleased not to be adolescent! I think I prefer wrinkles to acne.

I revisited some “old” friends in my jewelry designs and wanted to share a few new photos with you. If we were giving these an age, the wave bracelet on the right is definitely a senior citizen. I’ve been making these for about 4 years and it’s been fun to update them every once in a while. The one on the left is just a kid and will hopefully age nicely.

This next group comes from a middle aged design. I think it is almost 3 years old. I can’t enumerate how many ways I’ve made this using different shapes and sizes on the top or focal of the bracelet. It remains one of the most popular of my designs and folks are still buying the tutorial for it in my etsy shop.

Finally, the design below is just a teenager. It’s a few months old and I’m pleased that Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine will publish this one with my tutorial in December. It, too, has many variations and will hopefully survive adolescence.

I don’t mind if some of these designs are called “old”. They seldom get any wrinkles and if they do, I can repair those. I’m just pleased to have them last and remain popular.

Ah, if only the same were true with people. I guess age is just relative to those around you. I think I’ll go visit Mamaw at the nursing home tomorrow and make myself feel younger. I think that just might work.

Diversions, family, food

Strange Happenings at Dreamcatcher Ranch

May 24, 2013 Karen 2 Comments

These things have happened over time - the last year and a half to be exact. Once we found dinosaur footprints on the floor of the house and another time a note led us to a science experiment in the wagon. On a separate occasion there were cow prints strewn about and then there were those ants (raisins) that crossed the carpet and led to the sugar bowl.

Today, however, there was something different. At first we didn’t see it, but then at snack time it caught our eye. What was that gold ribbon doing hanging out of the refrigerator? Do you see it down at the bottom?

We followed the ribbon and found a piece of paper at the other end.

I asked my grandson what it was and he retorted that he didn’t know because he couldn’t read. He’s four. He suggested that I should read it. Since I remained silent, he simply followed the ribbon back to the fridge and . . .

. . . found it connected to a bowl of something strange. “It looks like mashed potatoes,” he said. What do you think?

Upon close examination and a quick read, we finally determined that we had cookie dough in our refrigerator. We learned what to do with it by reading the paper, but I’m not sure it told us to stick our fingers right in. It is, however, impossible to roll those little sugar cookie balls without getting messy and there’s only one thing to do about messy fingers . . . lick them!

In the end, we had good sugar cookies which we decorated with a dollop of cream cheese and a blackberry. We put a tiny bit of cool whip on each prior to eating. Tomorrow, I’m told, we are continuing our “experiment” by trying a different topping. I can hardly wait to see what that will be. I think I may have heard something about peanut butter.

I just wish we knew why these unusual things happen at our house and why they only happen when the grandson is here. . . hmm . . . any thoughts? Do these things happen at your house too?

Metal Work, Pendants, Techniques, Torch Work

Color Your World

May 13, 2013 Karen

What colors your world? There is probably an obvious literal answer if you simply look outdoors. Here in the Texas Hill Country, we’re enjoying the Spring growth that follows the blooming Bluebonnets and other wildflowers. We’ve had a bit of rain and our pastures here at Dreamcatcher Ranch have greened nicely. You can see someone else who colors our world in the photo below.

It seems only fitting that I try to add more color to my metal work and “Spring” it up a bit at this time of the year. Of course, the torch enameling has helped with this, but there are other techniques. I’ve used various purchased patinas to help provide more color but largely stayed with Liver of Sulphur. Yesterday I varied my approach and was relatively pleased with the results.

I added some ammonia to the LOS solution before dipping the butterfly. It’s hard to identify in the photo, but it reveals more of an iridescent look. I created the circles on the butterfly using a technique created and taught to me by Carolyn Gebert. She demonstrated how to place the metal inside an embossing template and hammer it. I also used a torch enameled piece of metal inside the bezel. The circles were formed (or malformed) by hammering them on a sandbag. Then, I torch fired each piece. It’s always exciting to see what develops with this process and I have no idea how to exactly repeat what I achieve. I soldered a tube rivet onto the larger circle and used an amethyst crystal. The other two circles are adorned with small sterling silver balls. I think these three will become a necklace. I realize that the Spring colors outdoors will soon change as our usually harsh summer commences but perhaps knowing they are short lived helps us appreciate them even more. Cognizant of the fact that the colors on the metal can also dissipate in the atmosphere, I sealed all of these pieces with an automotive spray paint sealer which I’ve used before. You can’t preserve everything . . . but I try. I’m just glad that my world gets colored in many different ways and hope yours does too.

torch enameling, weaving, Wire Work

Out on a Whim

May 8, 2013 Karen 4 Comments

Whimsy. . . an excessively playful expression . .

I think the title fits the fun I’ve been having making woven copper branches and adorning them with depictions of nature.

The woven branch idea happened quite by chance. I was meeting a friend and knew I would be too early for our appointed time; so, as usual, I took along some wire work. Yes, I’m worse that a compulsive knitter! I planned to work on a bracelet like those shown in a recent blog. I cut the wire strips and copper sheet before leaving the house and stuck them in my bag. Unfortunately, when I pulled things out in the car to work on the bracelet, I had left the sheet out of the bag. So, there I sat in the Academy parking lot wondering what I could do with four 9 inch lengths of heavy copper wire and a spool of 26g weaving wire.

Yes, I could have just sat there and waited patiently, but creataholics don’t do that! I put those four heavy wires together like a column and started weaving around them in a circle. The pattern was rather addictive and fun to try. Later, when I returned to the piece, I realized it resembled (in my imagination) a branch and I added leaves here and there.

I had already made couple of little torch enameled butterflies and they lit right on that branch. Whimsical?

The next day I tried 5 base wires in the column and liked it better, although it took longer to complete. I used an owl bead on this one.

Now I’m filled with ideas pertaining to other things that need to go on these branches. Yet, I guess I’d best see if anyone else likes them first. Even if they aren’t winners, it good to go out on a “whim” once in a while!

Bracelets, Cold Connections, Creativity, Metal Work, Torch Work, Wire Work

Creataholic

May 4, 2013 Karen 2 Comments

Anyone who knows me probably realizes that I’m a creataholic. I tend to make things all day, everyday. Yes, I still wash the clothes, cook, play with the dogs, yell at my husband (not really!), etc. but I really like to make things!

I spent so many years learning about and teaching about creative thinking that it’s really fun to get to actually “DO” creative thinking. No matter what I’m making, I find myself asking “how many different ways can I ……?” This phrase is generated following the ideas of Alex Osborne about fluency. One of my other favorite phrases from the formal Creative Problem Solving procedure (Trefinger) is “In what ways might I . . . ?”

One of the tasks this week has been considering those two questioning phrases in terms of a new woven bracelet I’m developing. The form utilizes a simple weave wherein two outer pieces of wire are woven together with a copper strip about 1/2 inch wide. I’ve been punching holes in the copper strip so it could be part of the weave.

The prototype bracelet is the one at the bottom of the photo. I torch painted the copper strip to get the red color and left the copper wire its natural color. It will, of course, oxidize later based on the environment. The other two are the first answers to the “how many ways” question. I embellished the one on the top right with some natural turquoise cut in button shapes with two holes. The bracelet on the top left has fewer holes and I cut them all in the center rather than on both sides of the copper strip. It has quite a different look from the other two when viewed close up. Both stone embellished bracelets were dipped in liver of sulphur to which I added a tablespoon of ammonia. It gives it a slightly different patina from plain liver of suphur.

Now the challenge will be in finding other ways to change this basic design without losing its simplicity. I may just have to conger up some basic creative thinking processes to help me continue to vary this design. Hmm . . . there’s something about fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration . . . and then there were those Six Thinking Hats (DeBono) . . . (so many choices).

Creativity, Metal Work, Necklaces, soldering

Revisiting a Friend

April 25, 2013 Karen 1 Comment

Recently, I rediscovered an old friend – a metal necklace that was popular before I moved on to other things. One of my boutique customers suggested that she could use another of the disc necklaces shown below and I revisited the design for her. Of course, I couldn’t just make it like the original and enjoyed exploring different texturing techniques for the discs.

I couldn’t just stop at “same old, same old;” so I explored alternative shapes and finally chose the rectangular shape, also in graduated sizes. I layered smaller rectangles on top of the first group and then balled some sterling silver for embellishment. I like the way this piece lays on the neck when worn.

Finally, I went a bit overboard with the mixed metals and started dapping and dimpling various circles before also layering them. These are soldered onto a piece of copper tubing that I annealed and hammered. I found this piece much more difficult to make than the first two necklaces. It was next to impossible to clean the layered/soldered/dapped discs and in soldering one part of the necklace, a silver disc decided to partially melt. Hmm . . . Then I had to go back and melt part of another one in order for this artistic flaw to appear planned. Shush – don’t tell anyone!

I want to experiment with some other shapes as well, but am aware that shapes with severe angles, such as diamonds, may not conform as well in multiples. Currently, I considering some free-form shaped ovals and hoping they won’t just look like funny little ghosts. Do you have any shape ideas?

You just never know what might hatch in this studio.

Diversions, family

Family Traditions

March 29, 2013 Karen

I used to get a bit down in the dumps around various holidays. People on television would discuss what they “always” do with their family on this and that holiday and friends would inquire as to what we were going to do. When I would try to think of our specific holiday traditions, I didn’t think that we had any in particular. My parents always felt that you could celebrate just whenever you got together and you didn’t have to do the same thing at the same time on just the right day every year. I seem to have embraced that with my own family as well.

Yesterday, however when we were privileged to have our grandson spend the night, I realized that the things we did together were actually my family traditions.

It was just a simple thing that I thought we would enjoy doing together; yet, after my grandson started to question me about why we did this and that, I realized it was tradition. You see, we were making Wilson Biscuits from my Dad’s recipe.

I can’t actually say that the mess we made was traditional, but then I think I was a lot older than four when I made these biscuits for the first time. At one point my grandson wanted to know why we didn’t roll out the biscuits the “proper way”. He meant we should use a rolling pin. Thinking quickly, I told him we were doing it the Wilson way and just using our hands. Hopefully he will remember a little about our traditional way of making Wilson Biscuits. By the way, he used his great great great grandmother’s biscuit cutters. The oldest one is not shown in the photos.

On the second day of my grandson’s visit, we made Easter cupcakes. I hadn’t made these in years, but remembered doing them most Easters with my own children. I guess it was one of our traditions. My husband showed the little guy how to share the batter bowl with someone. They drew a line down the center of the bowl and each person ate on his own side. I think Sir (what my grandson calls my husband) was sad when the batter on his side was gone. It is traditional to lick the bowl at our house.

I’ll bet some of you decorate cupcakes in the same manner with green coconut grass and jelly bean Easter eggs. It’s really hard to keep from licking the spreader while you are doing the icing.

The cupcakes turned out well and tasted great. Do you think he’ll remember and ask to make them again next Easter?

Now that I’ve realized that traditions don’t have to be grandiose, I’m going to pay better attention to activities we’ve enjoyed together first as children, then parents and finally grandparents. Perhaps we have more family traditions than I realized.

Happy Easter to All!

Dreamcatcher Designs