RinTinTin

I've had a hankering lately to play with materials that I've taken a break from in the past year, including tin--both vintage and new. I shared this story earlier in the week on my Facebook page, but I do believe it bears elaboration here. 

My husband and I host a family Christmas party every year. Last year someone brought cookies on a red and white tin plate which got left behind at the end of the night. For all of the past 12 months, Matt and I have kept the plate stashed on top of the fridge, loathe to throw it away because it was kind of nice, but not wanting to keep it because it's not really our style. Being slick, flat tin, it would occasionally slide off the fridge and clatter to the ground, eliciting expletives and foul moods. 

the devil platter on the workbench

Last week I decided that enough was enough. I took metal shears and cut it up for use in hollow tinned metal baubles. Annoyance eliminated, jewelry gained. 

Using a technique elaborated by guru Tracy DiPiazza of pipnmolly, I cut out circles in the tin, gradually dapped them into half spheres, soldered them together using my soldering iron, filed, sanded, oxidized, and waxed. In the past I have typically hung each bauble with a lightweight wood bead of some sort. However, since I've been headed in a "less is more" direction the past year, I decided to let these little wonders speak for themselves. I simply torched up some fat-bottomed copper headpins, dotted them on top with some additional silver solder, and hung them from my long copper ear wires.


I did a whole series in different prints and colors. And when they were all done I sat on my couch and let them pour through my hands, making the most delightful muted popping noise. 

Quite the transformation--from annoying clatter to music for the ears. 

Happy New Year!
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Feet of Clay

As we close the curtains on one hell of a year, I'm reminded on how very important it is to be humble. When everything is going right in your life and you can do no wrong, well, that's an amazing feeling and a great place to be. But it's also an easy place to be. It's the trying times, the dark times, the times when you're weighed down by a 2-ton pile of boulders---those are the times that shape us and show us who we are. And motivate us to work harder on who we would like to be in the future.
 
Staying humble---remembering that we are all human, finite, imperfect...that we all have feet of clay---is an essential component to emotional and mental health, and ultimately, happiness. 

Today's earrings seem to have resonated with quite a few people, so I'd like to share them with you, dear readers. You know how much I love to discover old, obscure bits of anthropology. One of my latest finds are pumtek beads. Dating back as far as 400BC, the Chin people in Burma created pumtek beads from opalized wood indigenous to the area. They were worn as protective amulets, prized as heirlooms, and are signature for their striped and zig zag "lightening" patterns. Incredible.

I have used two of these precious pumtek beads to create little bud earrings using graduated stacks of rusty bead caps topped with dots of blackened silver solder. Time-worn, humble, and of-the-earth.

Thank you to each and every one of you for reading this year. Your support, uplifting words, and kinship are rays of sunshine to each of us on this blog. May your 2017 be full of light!

Happy Wednesday,
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Rusty Green Ceramic Earrings

These earrings feature some of my newest and first ever Ceramic beads. I am having a wonderful time experimenting with glaze and texture.

 Working with porcelain and making beads are not new to me. But making porcelain beads is. This will probably be a life long learning experience for me and I am ready for the challenge! 

There is so much to do and so much to learn. I cannot imagine this ever getting old. We'll see. 

 These beads have a leafy pattern imprint and "turquoise lagoon" glaze.

I really love how the colors look rusty. 

Like an old rusty green metal thing you'd see out in the woods.  

Yeah? Click for more inspiration on Pinterest.

 

These earrings can be found on my website

at ArtandSoulJewelry.com

☮ Cindy

Junkyard Queen

"One man's junk is another man's treasure"...

It's an aphorism that we've all heard before, right? I've always found it curious how something that some would consider junky, worn out, used up, and ugly could appeal so much to me. There's something about having a soul, having lived through a storm or two, having a story to tell. A little metaphor for us humanfolk, don't you think? The things that make us the most interesting and emotionally rich aren't always the things that make us pretty.

 



I know I'm not the only one out there who loves the junkyard aesthetic. I channel this primitive rustic look in all of my jewelry, but I was particularly tickled with how this recent earring pair came out. Rusty washers handmade by Kiyoi Designs out of steel metal clay, little blue kyanite shard "collars", and perfectly mismatched etched agate and carved wood bead toppers. 

 



These babies sold in a snap to my dear dear friend Susan who is a vintage-loving antiques freak like myself. I loved them so much that I created a second similar pair to share the love - available now in my shop. Embrace life's beautiful imperfections...y'know what I mean?

Happy Wednesday <3
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Amber Iron

It's going to be a short post from me today.  I woke up at 5.30am following a nightmare and I don't function well with too little sleep!  I have managed, however, to fix up some new earrings to share with you today. I'm picking up where Nikki left off yesterday, with more crustiness.

The rusty droppers are some I made a while ago and they've been hanging out on my desk, as beads do, waiting for a fit.  I particularly like this rusted iron patina, which I've dotted with yellow dye-oxide.  You wouldn't think they have a polymer clay base.  These earrings are available now in my Etsy shop.  Similar beads can be found in my bead shop.

Before I go, a quick reminder about tomorrow's blog hop.  I hope you'll think about taking part.  I've got mine made!  There are also some beautiful earrings up for grabs, along with some fabulous components and a rather splendid earring stand and there's still a chance to enter.  Click here to read all about it and get involved.

Bye for now, Claire

(something to do with your hands)