Circulate & Nimbus

I told you I was gonna have new jewelry pics!! Here are two of my lastest and greatest. Now, for just a moment it is going to sound like I am blowing my own horn, and I am, but it just because I am excited. This first piece is called "Circulate". This necklace turned out so COOL! (toot toot!) and I have to say, as I was finishing it, I kinda surprised myself with how good it is. Yeah, I think it's that good. I love it. I am a very insecure artist... don't ask me why, it's a long story and I don't want to get into it. But everyone once in a while I make something makes me pause and think "maybe I do have talent". lol. This is one of those pieces.

The design was inspired by a class project offered in the Bead&Button Show catalog.It's a class offered by Louise Duhamel called "Mysterious Treasure Bracelet". Naturally I had to give it my own twist. I only wire wrapped one side of each of half of the intertwining links, I used 3 different guages of wire, and made the links BIG! I started building and experimenting with this Monday afternoon and since I have seen this link or ones similar in 3-4 different desings in at least 3 different publications and all by different designers. None of them look anything like mine! So I think I have successfully changed it enough to "make it my own".



If you click on this photo and look at the enlarged image, you'll be able to read that little note I typed in. It says "This little spot is driving me NUTS". I am a perfectionist, I can't help it, it isn't controlable. That little space in the coiling is screaming at me to fix it. So as soon as this comes out of the tumbler, it is getting fixed. But doesn't it look great? It sits just below my collar bone, it's length is 20inches but wears more like an 18in. Lovin' it.



This guy "Nimbus" (yeah, I was having fun with the thesaurus in word), is the bracelet version of "New Industry", "Sunrise" and "Rocker". I am infatuated with raku since I upgraded my torch. The colors floating through these are just mesmorizing. There are blues, greens, purples, hints of pink and taupe too.



The design still needs tweeking. It is a bugger to get on with the way I made the clasp. I did the same clasp that is on the necklace but it just too hard to get clasped. Ease of clasping without getting your husband to do it for you is of the utmost importance to me. So, back to the drawing board for this one.

I am currently as gitty as a kid in a candy store!! The UPS dude just delivered a goodie box from RioGrande. It contains all the stuff I need to teach myself to solder!! I have been wanting to learn FOREVER!! You can bet that is what I'll be doing for the next few hours. :) I am giving the kids a pizza and a movie so I can go out and play, lol.

Tomorrow I have been invited to a very special Mother's Day tea party at Lauren's preschool. I hope to have some cute pics to share... so till then....