Cuttle Bone Casting!

Moon Phases, Sterling Silver and Copper Alloy

Last weekend I had the pleasure of assisting Erin House with her Cuttle Bone Casting Workshop at the North Coast Metal Arts Guild. I have a pretty good amount of experience in mold making, but practically none with casting, so I was really excited. What fun! I can see how people could get hooked on Cuttle Bone. Quick and easy to carve or press an object into the mold, and it produces great texture, however, it is a little stinky.

Pools, Sterling Silver, Sterling Silver and Bronze Alloy

FAM: January

Hibernation and Rebirth

"Clutch" (Ring)

Sterling Silver, Brass, Silk, Wool, Thread

Hibernation and Rebirth seemed like a fitting theme for my January Four A Month series. As I wrapped and twisted the wire and later tucked in the silk I marveled at the amount of energy it must take birds, insects, and other animals to develop their nests, cocoons and dens; each one a unique and marvelous creation that is a direct reflection of  the maker and its surroundings. All with the purpose of creating a safe resting place to protect new life, transform, or restore energy. Nature is beautiful.

"Cocoon" (Brooch)

Brass

"Arrested Flight" (Brooch)

Brass, Silk, String

 "Life Cycle" (Neck Piece)

Brass, Copper, Silk, String

2012!

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for all the kind words and support over the past year. Here's to an even better 2012!

1st on the agenda: make some new work! I'll be joining in a new jewelry challenge this year called FAM (Four a Month). The idea is to create four pieces that are related each month. I'm really excited about this challenge and have been meaning to get to some series work for quite some time. During the 2011 RAW (Ring a Week) challenge I focused on rings that all incorporated origami and was very pleased with the results.

My goal for this years challenge is to make it all the way through. I was a little bummed that I only made it through 13 weeks of RAW as finishing RAD (Ring a Day) in 2010 gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. Fortunately, I think concentrating on series work that is a little more flexible may be just what I need to get moving again. For January I plan on working around the theme of hibernation and rebirth. Wish me luck!