Smash and grab.

After the first flush of excitment over my enamelling adventures had worn off I was left pondering - "what next?" Fortunately after a few cups of coffee and a slight increase in temperature, by mid-morning I was rearing to go - guess my imagination had a chance to thaw out (it has been really, really cold here!). However, to get on with the project in mind, I needed to pick up some supplies from the oppie so I bundled up in parka and scarfe and hit my fave local - the parka and scarfe turned out to be a brilliant call on my behalf as this op shop is a large, cavernous (oh and did I mention FREEZING ) shed! So this is what I picked up for the princely sum of $3 - most have chips or cracks which makes me feel better about SMASHING them!

Aren't they lovely colours? And here is what became of them ...

 

 
It is not quite resolved yet - I want to string it with different material and I still need to make a hook clasp for it. Also I am a bit undecided about the overall format because although it is comfy ( leather at the back ensures this), it is a bit weighty so I might remove a few elements. The glass was indeed collected from a beach, the crockery as you know came from the oppie and I cut out and enameled the ring myself. I didn't pluck the stick pearls from an oyster or wherever they come from - they were in my stash! Oh and I forged those sterling links too - not a drop of solder in sight - I melted a couple of rings trying to solder them - I am just not very good soldering! So, I used the part of my brain that continues to behave laterally (despite all that gin) and forged me some links! Unique and rustic would be a nice way of describing them!

And because I thought I might try and keep my hand in using Photoshop I thought I would treat (?) you all to my version of the "Anatomy of the Neckpiece"! (sorry)
The lighting is pretty dodgy but I gradually remembered which tools do what - if you don't use Photoshop often enough it is really easy to forget how to do things 'cos there are soooo many options! This will be an exhibition piece too and I welcome your feedback!

Feathers,lace and studly stuff ..

Do you remember all those feathers I printed a while back? Well, I have finally made them into a wearable piece - maybe not something you would wear everyday, but it does function as a piece of jewellery and if you had the chutzpah for it, it looks amazing on ...

 

 

So, the brief was to create a piece of jewellery from non-traditional materials. I decided I wanted to add a printmaking element and was originally pfaffing about with screenprinting images of jewellery onto clothing - that is another story - and finally settled on making something that would juxtapose the softness of the feathers,the inherent feminity of lace and something a little "hardcore" with the studs! It is constructed from leather and studs (yes I did make that collar from scratch!), silk threads,printed feathers (cockatoo I believe!) and is lined with red velvet ribbon. Done and dusted now - just have to wait for the assesment - phew!