my work space is not working out

I have begun work on my PMC Mezzazah project. It's coming along very slowly. I have a lot of challenges working with this clay. But lately my biggest frustration has been with my work space. Many years ago a purchased an old wooden drafting table at a yard sale. It is full of character and patina, but alas I must confess it has never been a good table for me. It is off square, wobbly, and it slopes downward so that my tool always roll off the table. I have tried to fix the problem but nothing is working for me. I think that I need to re think the whole studio work space and redesign it. I spent most of yesterday losing bits of clay and tools. I think I may have to swipe the kid's computer desk/table and use a card table for the computer. I refuse to buy anything new right now. I will dismantle the drafting table once again and put it away. If any one wants a old drafting table with plenty of character, and nothing else, let me know.

Here's the mezzuzah so far. I'm still building it, but I may fire it today. It is nothing like I envisioned in the beginning, which I guess is how things go with silver clay.

Andrew Raftery

If you are in New York city this month, take time to visit the Mary Ryan Gallery at 527 West 26th street. There is a show featuring the works of master engraver and artist Andrew Raftery. Now only are Andrew's engraving technical perfection, but this unique perspective on modern life is both fascinating and refreshingly humorous. Andrew takes a traditional media and makes it relevant today, they are true originals.
I am glad to know Andrew personally, and count him as a good friend. He continually inspires me whenever we speak. Thanks Andrew, I wish I could be there in person!

300 origami lilies

I have finished making all the 300 lilies,enough for at least 15 centerpieces. The next step is to add the 22 floral wire stem. I have decided to wrap the stem with floral tape where it attaches to the flower. I find that the flowers tear easily and the tape reinforces them. This process won't take as long, it only takes about 30 seconds to complete this step.

Halloween in Williamsburg?

In June the girls and I visited Williamsburg. We rented colonial clothes one day for Tamara, age 9, to wear. She loved the experience. So for her Halloween costume I promised to recreate for her a Colonial era dress. Here is my attempt, made from grandma's old bed sheet. I think I'll add some bow trims.

end of summer

Summer is still hanging on her in St. Louis, Today was an absolutely perfect day. Here is a beautiful late blooming rose from my garden, visited by a bee. As once was wrote to me, "Late blooming rose, all alone, taken home, most special."

forever flowers

Here is my first attempt at the centerpieces for my daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Each of them is made galvanized steel wire (from Home Depot), floral wire, origami paper, rolled up magazines, sand and 4 wine bottles. There are 18 origami lilies on this centerpiece. I think the prototype turned out pretty good, bit the lilies are fragile and tend to tear around the wires they are attached with. I think I will have to additionally wrap each flower base with floral tape. This is another time consuming set, but it has to be done. To those of you who are wondering, I have completed 170 lilies as of tonight!

happy new year

In honor of the upcoming Rosh Hashana holiday I am posting my "rocking" Jewish star necklace, which I created from PMC (silver). I've been wearing it alot recently and have gotten a lot of positive comments on it. Initially, I wasn't that happy with the design, but it's definitely growing on me. I think I will continue to develop this motif. I am also working on my next PMC project with will be a mezzuzah cover inspired by the Little Tower necklace.

100 paper origami lillies.....

only 200 more to go. Check back to see the progress on Abigail's Bat Mitzvah centerpieces.

my little island house

Well here is my new little silver tower necklace I created out of silver PMC clay. I love the way it turned out, but I am not sure I like which necklace chain I selected. It doesn't hang as gracefully as the previous tower necklace I made with the double chain necklace. Even so, I think it was a good attempt.

This clay is not easy to work with, and making it do what you want it to is not easy. I am struggling with it more than I thought I would. I know it takes practice, I just wish the clay was not as expensive as it is...but alas, it is pure silver.

everyone has a cold this week...

so no time for any creativity. All we've been pretty much doing is watching TV and drinking lots of fluids. Oh well, hopefully tomorrow we will all feel better. Meanwhile enjoy this great article on this super cool house in Rhode Island. It's one of those places you've always wondered about...at least I wonder about stuff like that.
Here's the link to the New York Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/07/garden/20080807-CLINGSTONE_index.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

why I love project runway.....

So in my previous life I was a sportswear and knitwear designer in New York, and let me tell you the Bravo show is nothing like real life. Those designers on Project Runway do way more stuff than any one designer I ever met or worked with. These guys have to know how to drape, sew, fit on a model, they have to select appropriate fabric, buy the right amount of fabric and notions and all this in an incredible short time frame. I give kudos to all the talented designer on this show, they will never work this hard again.
That being said, I love to watch this show, and now that I have a DVR, I don't have to miss it. Here are my predictions for whom I think should win at this time....This season the guys all suck so I think the final three are going to be Kenley, Korto and Leanne. Now personally I hate Kenley, but for some reason, the judges like her and she will probably last a while. I think her 1940's aesthetic is alittle tired. Right now I can't decide between Korto and Leanne. Leanne is a real design driven designer and is winning alot of challenges lately. Korto makes everything look easy with great wearable sportswear looks. I think Leanne is funny cause she looks all innocent but she is pretty much a bitch, but I like her anyway. We shall see, hopefully it will be a girl on girl finale at Bryant Park.

catch up day

Today my girls were with their dad so I had some time to devote to my jewelry work. I am making several pieces out of the precious metal clay (PMC) which I fired last week. When I work I tend to work on several pieces at once and I create a big mess on my workspace. First I work harden the PMC pieces by pounding them with a hammer. Then I add ant fine silver components, using my new torch to fuse the links. Finally, I add sterling wire wrapped gemstone components. I worked all afternoon and evening and the time just flew by. I finally just stopped cause I cut my finger on the bench block....ouch!

Here is the silver multi-heart necklace I am working on. It is inspired by a necklace which I made several years ago. This Y-style necklace was made from an old sterling silver charm bracelet that my dad gave me when I was a little girl. He said the bracelet had belonged to my grandmother. The hearts on the bracelet were very banged up, but I saved what I could and created the necklace. The new PMC heart necklace has 9 pure silver hearts which I created out of the silver clay.

I still have oxidize the metal and final polish it. Check back and I will post the finished necklace.

you wouldn't think.....

that I would be making a rosary, but actually I've made a few. The most recent for some good friend's of mine, whose son is getting baptised next month. Making a rosary is like making a necklace without the clasp. You have to make she there are 5 series of 10 beads separated by a larger bead. At the end of the necklace is a series of 5 beads, 2 big and 3 small, with a cross at the end. The rosary's number of beads and placement of those beads is important as it is used for a special Catholic prayer. After I make the rosary the family will take it to their priest to be blessed.

This rosary was made with sterling silver wire wrapped pearls and faceted blue topaz disks. I think it came out beautiful, pretty good for a nice Jewish girl.....

working silver

I spent all afternoon and evening working with one of the packets on precious metal clay. It was challenging, as usually. I think I am getting a little more confident with the medium. First challenge is having to work quickly in the beginning so the clay does not dry up and becomes unusable. Then you must have the patience to wait for the clay to come to the right consistency so you can cut and build with it. Today I tried to plan a strategy, so I could make the components for the jewelry I wanted to create. Hopefully in the next week or so I'll post a multi-heart necklace, little house necklace and another link bracelet.




Here are some of the great textures sheets I use to texture the silver clay.

clay is king

A new shipment of PMC3 arrived today. That's Silver Precious Metal Clay. I ordered it from clay-king.com, which is a company I found on the Internet. The company sells all types of conventional clays, pottery supplies and kilns. The clay was $73.95 for 50 grams, which is a good price and no minimums and no charge for shipping. It took a little over a week to get my order which was shipped by US mail. That's a little longer than from Cool-Tools or Rio Grande. but, I liked no shipping and no minimums. Hopefully this weekend I should have some time to work with it.

Abby starts school on Wednesday, but Tamara is still hanging with me till after labor day. So for now, I am still only a part time artist.

gone swimming

The girls and I celebrated Michael Phelps 8 Olympic golds. Watching the medal ceremony made us all tear up a bit. I remember watching Mark Spitz win his 7 gold medals. I even had a life size poster of him in his swimsuit wearing them!

I came across these really cool pictures by UK photographer Gigi Cifali, which are of abandoned pools. Very cool and kind of creepy. Check it out
http://yatzer.com/postDetails.php?post=1129

You can also access the artist's website from this link. You'll have to cut and paste it cause I can't figure out how to make it a link.

alot of hoop-lah

Here is my version of the trendy, popular wrapped gold hoop. These hoops start out 1 1/4" in diameter before they are wrapped with gold fill wire and black onyx, green or brown stone, silver or turquoise. I just made these 5 pairs and they will be available for purchase at Ladue's best boutique, Essential Elements, tomorrow for $70. My thumbs are killing we from all the wrapping! But they looks great.

crown jewels

I've been finishing up some of my clay metal pieces these last few days. Here is a crown pendent, that I made from a mold of an old button.

today is clay day

Well I opened my 50 gram pack of PMC (precious metal clay) and made some pieces that I will be firing in my new kiln. First of all let me tell you that the whole process today was a bit intimidating and a little scary. Sure the silver clay is expensive, but it's also hard to deal with. I want to make the components as fast as possible so that the clay will not dry out and crack. This freaked me out and some of the pieces I was planning to make did not come out as I would have liked. After working for a couple of hours I have decided to take a break, and refocus,(of course keeping the unused clay sealed up to stay fresh.

Here is a picture of the beautiful bracelet I finished yesterday. I made it from links and toggles that I made in previous workshops. I attached the links together with fine silver rings which I fused.

little tower

I completed the tower pendent that I made in my class with Kate McKinnon today. I strung it on a long 36 inched double stranded silver necklace which I oxidized with liver of sulfer to match the silver pendent. The acent bead is carnelian. I like the way it came out.

I am working with fusing fine silver with my nifty new blazer micro torch tonight. It so much fun, I've lost track of time. I'm making lots for silver rings and bails to add to my PMC clay projects which I plan to start this week. Stay tuned...