This Blog Hop is for Marianna and for someone that is close to your memory:
" This blog hop is both for Marianna and for those people in our lives who mean a lot to us -- a mom, a friend, a brother -- anyone who has meaning to us. Create a piece of jewelry that tells that story. For instance, Marianna loved red and cardinals, so if you would like to make something in honor of her, you could use red, or you could use beads of birds, leaves, trees, nests, eggs -- things like that. If you have a friend you want to remember and thank and she's a painter, you could make a necklace full of the colors she often uses in her paintings.
Bead Soup Blog Party".
I'm not really a jewellery maker, I'm a maker of components for jewellery, but I thought that was still a valid reason to take part in the Blog Hop right!
I will make something from my pieces, but the time and energy I had went into thinking about the person I designed it for instead of rushing out a piece of actual jewellery. I'm going to put them together with sterling silver rings (made and soldered by me) and a ceramic clap (yet to be made by me as I am trying to work on a Nichrome hook fastening to go on it). There were also some nice handmade silver balled head pins, but (they were sold to somebody, so I now have to make some more specifically to go with my pendant piece).
This pendant was made for my friend Vikki, I don't get to see her very often at all these days - we used to work together and speak at least a couple of times a week - since we no longer work at the Bank, it is only very rarely that we can find the time to get together, and this piece is just to say thank you for being my friend.
She funny, vital and I like to think of her as a full on flowery blossom .... we both love the colour purple, so I decided that that was a good place to start.
I made a ball of clay big enough for the base layer, and then cut it in half and scooped out the middle of one of the halves to give me a base for the pendant. Then I re-rolled that spare half and cut out some leaves.
Next I added with the leaves to the base (staring at the bottom) and shaped them as I went using the slip and score method - I'm fairly new to working with clay, and you live and learn insofaras it is really difficult to add wet clay to wet clay and not have the entire thing collapse on you .... which it did several time!
By the time I'd reached the top there was so more shaping to be done. I then made a Nichrome loop for the top. Again, for anybody that doesn't know Nichrome is wire that is made to take very high temperatures, and is super hard stuff - it hurts like made to bend the stuff even using pliers.
Then the piece was left to dry to what is classed as "leatherhard". Unfortunately in getting to this stage some of the bottom leaves were a bit battered around so I had to try and repair them ... they broke off, and so instead of throwing the whole thing away and starting again, I decided to go with re-shaping the broken bits ... nothing in nature is perfect, and friendships aren't always perfect ... they sometimes look/feel every better for being a bit rough around the edges!
Happy with all the smoothing of rough edges and scoring lines added, I popped it in the kiln to bisque fire. This basically means that it is hard enough to take glazes, but not sufficiently hard enough to be durable.
Only thing was, when it came out of the kiln the Nichrome loop seemed to have slipped a bit to one side ... oh well, back to my comment about nature and friendship being all the better for not quite perfect hey!
I then glazed with a lovely (if a bit pale) semi-opaque glaze called "Orchid" and then went for it with some some I made myself using a Lilac Pigment, I made tired to achieve a few runs in it. When this was dry I added a clear gloss glaze over the top, and put it back in the kiln for it's full glazing.
Whilst all this was going on, I also made the Wood Violet Flowers by rolling out the clay and using a cookie cutter shape. Then adding a central hole and shaping them, bisque firing, glazing and firing again.
I think I might try and use some of my Fairy Small Bead caps as well, and so have been trying one out this morning with a copper balled head pin, a small dusky pink crystal bead and then a larger green crystal bead over the top, then adding the Fairy Small and coiling the head pin down rather than cutting it off and doing a loop - actually I really love it in the copper, and have just been wondering if I should add some copper in the with silver for a mixed metal look.
I have left a virtual box of tissues at the bottom of this post for all you super talented makers of gorgeous jewellery ... I make the components, I am rubbish at turning loops etc, and I am sure my lack of skills will make you sob in an uncontrollable fashion.
I can't wait to being my journey around this amazing Blog Hop. Thank you to our Hostess Lori for putting it together (hope you are feeling better), and everybody for taking part, and for taking the time to visit me.
Adlinah Kamsir Dream Struck Designs
Aimee Biondolillo Aimee's Jewelry Treasures
Alicia Marinache All the Pretty Things
Andra Marasteanu Handmade by Indra Marasteanu
Andrea Trank Heaven Lane Creations
April Grinaway Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Andra Marasteanu Handmade by Indra Marasteanu
Andrea Trank Heaven Lane Creations
April Grinaway Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Barb Solem Vivi Magoo Presents
Becky Pancake Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery Stories by Indigo Heart
Bonnie Coursolle Jasper's Gems
Cassi Paslick Beads: Rolling Downhill
Catherine King Catherine's Musings
Cece Cormier The Beading Yogini
Chandra Leitz Juniper Goods
Christina Hickman Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Chrizette Bayman Bead Soup Mix
Cindy Wilson It's My Sea of Dreams
CJ Bauschka 4 His Glory Creations by CJ
Crystal Thain Here Bead Dragons
Cyndi Lavin Beading Arts
Debbie Rasmussen A little of this, a little of that
Diane Hawkey diane hawkey
Dita Basu ankarshilpa
Donetta Farrington Simply Gorgeous
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell Deeliteful Jewelry Creations
Emma Todd A Polymer Penchant
Erin Kenny beadiful therapy
Erin Prais-Hintz Treasures Found
Gina Hockett Freestyle Elements
Gloria Allen Innovative Dreams Jewelry
Heather Marston CSW Designs
Inge von Roos Inge's Blog
Iveth Caruso Creative Atelier
Jacqueline Marchant Fiddledeedee Jewelry
Jami Shipp Celebrating Life!
Jean Yates Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!
Jessica Murray Whimsical Monkey
Joan Williams lilruby jewelry
Jo-Ann Woolverton It's a Beadiful Creation
Joanne Browne josjewels1
Jodie Marshall Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art
JuLee Wolfe The Polymer Penguin
Julie Bean Blue Pig Blog
Karen Mitchell Over the Moon Designs
Kelly Hosford Patterson The Traveling SideShow
Kim Ballor Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity
Kim Dworak CianciBlue
Laren Dee Barton Laren Dee Designs
Lea Avroch LA Jewelry Designs
Leanne Loftus First Impression Design
Liddy McLaughlin Liddy McLaughlin Art
Linda Florian Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations
Linda Inhelder Must-Haves Jewelry
Lori Bowring Michaud Artfully Ornamental
Lori Poppe Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean
LouAnn Elwell Southpass Beads
Mandi Effron Craft-o-licious
Marcia DeCoster MadDesigns
Marcia Dunne The Alternative Foundry
Marie Covert Creating Interest
Marjorie Savill Linthwaite bennubirdrising
Marlene Cupo Amazing Designs by Marlene
Martha Aleo Ornamento
Marti Conrad Marti's Buttons -n- Beads
Mary Ellen Parker BeeTree by m.e.
Mary Govaars MLH Jewelry Designs
Mary Lindell Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry
Maureen Connolly Mrs Beadsley's Workshop
Maybeline Tay The Jewelry Larder
Melissa Elgin The Addicted Beader
Melissa Mesara one-eared pig beads
Menka Gupta Menka's Jewelry
Michaela Pabeschitz la mar de bonita
Mischelle Fanucchi Micheladas Musings
Mona Rae Baroody Who Does She Bead She Is?
Nan Emmett Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth
Nancy Pedersen Something Heartfelt by Nancy
Pam Farren re-maker
Pam, the Crazier Sister The Crazy Creative Corner
Rebecca Sirevaag Becca's Place
Robin Kae Reed Artistry HCBD
Rochelle Brisson a creative chelle
Rosa Maria Cuevas Helena de Troya
Sabine Dittrich perlendschungel
Sandi Volpe Sandi Volpe
Sandra McGriff Creative Chaos
Serena Trent All Things Made Jewelry
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
Sheila Davis Stone Designs
Shelley Graham Turner Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey Knot Just Macrame
Sherry Baun Unicorns Jewels
Skylar Bre'z Brising Beads
Stephanie Haussler Pixybug Designs
Tania Spivey Moobie Grace Designs
Terri G. Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter Tapping Flamingo
Terry Matuszyk Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry
Tracy Martin Nutkitten's Jewelry
Zia Parks Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe
Zoe Marcin Beads, Tea and Sweets
Hugs
Kay
16 comments:
I can see that this is going to be truly stunning - and how thrilled your friend will be to receive something that you have made - every single component - what a treasure
Beautiful work! I admire your attention to detail it really shines through.
Lovely work!
Love what you have made - it will be so awesome for your friend when she receives it. Truly a treasure.
~cryssT
I think this is an amazing tribute to your friend...and I really enjoyed reading about how you make your pieces!
Thanx for sharing your story. Your pendant is wonderful. Vikki is lucky to have you for a friend.
All of the elements are beautiful - I'll check back to see the finished piece. I enjoyed reading how each piece came to be.
It's lovely so far, I know your friend will be touched. I've never worked with clay so this was fascinating for me to read, too!
Wood Violet Flowers what a unique concept. Beautiful work and I am sorry you don't get to see your friend much these days.
I love your story, and the little tutorial...I've never worked with clay, but it's definitely on my "to do" list! Your components are lovely.
Some body has to make the components ... And you do it oh so well! What a beautiful tribute to your friend, Vikki. I know she'll be deeply touched.
Hope you are enjoying the hop.
Hugs
Terri G.
Thank you for sharing you components and memories of your friend! I lost my best friend in 2008. Keep making memories with your friend. Someday, it will be all you have. Happy hopping!
I especially love your description that in life and nature and friendships nothing is perfect. I am sure that your friend will be delighted with this creation. Thanks for sharing your story and creation. Enjoy the day. Erin
Very nice
I've never worked with clay. Your work is amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Peace and Love.
That's going to one gorgeous labour of love! I have to say as soon as you brought up the copper I thought, "what fun, a mix of metals - two friends coming together". Whatever you choose I'm sure she will love it
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