lessons learned

mary jane dodd

'nature is an endless combination and repetition

of a very few laws.

she hums the old well-known air

through innumerable variations.'

~ ralph waldo emerson

this is how i feel about rings - a few basic techniques needing to be learned well which are then repeated - but after that... well it's about raising the bar to whatever inspires... this week i added small gemstones to them... 

here inspired by conifers... 

here by the promise of spring... 

i was working on a version of a rustic engagement ring - using brass and nickel - soft silk and a raw diamond... 

lessons learned - 

the engagement ring is the second one i made... the first one taught me that even with the heat required to apply patina, soft solder will lose its hold... 

this engagement ring has a circle in the middle of the etching, so it has to be redone... as there is some etched pattern visible, i am thinking it must have sunk to the bottom of my container...

copper is a very friendly metal, it likes to snuggle - when it comes to chemical techniques, keep your brass and copper separate - unless you want plated brass... which is kind of cool, but not what i was looking for... 


** i just want to add here that i know these rings are simple in construction - i marvel at the skill of smiths creating truly magnificent pieces... one of my personal goals is to expand my knowledge in this respect... 

any casualties this week in your work? while they can be frustrating, ultimately we learn from them and keep moving - 

Featured Friday

I'm full of changes lately! First I added my monthly giveaway, then I added featuring other artists in giveaways the rest of the weeks of the month (let me know if your interested!), then I added a new shop, and now I'm doing a new blog feature! It's called Featured Friday and each week I'm going to do a couple of regular sections. Featured Facebook - where I share a link to my latest discussion over there, Featured Special - where I share this week's sale or special item, and Featured Giveaway - where I give an update on this week's giveaway and remind you it's the last day to enter :P So with out further ado...

Featured Friday

This week on Facebook we'll be talking about your favorites - come join in the discussion!

Featured Special

Pink Lemonaid Ring - 15% off!

(also on Etsy)

Featured Giveaway

I'm very excited to tell you that we have 32 entries so far this week! 

Today's the last day - so pop on over and get your entry in to win this bag:

when more looks like less

but helps you to express more... 


                                                                                                            mary jane dodd


take a feeling - like the infinite, the void, the source of all energy... how do you even begin to translate that? how does that vastness feel to you?


when i started to work with the shibuichi technique, at once it felt like i was on to my personal interpretation of it... there was an instant expansion in my thinking when i learned it... using energy - fire - to transform metal into a moving molten liquid... and then allowing it to assume its own beautiful surface texture... it feels very elemental and freeing when i do it... 

the ever changing present moment connects us to a time continuum... moments in time strung along a gossamer thread - delicate and yet strong... the power of one moment can exhilarate or devastate us... and yet it is part of our much larger life span... which is a small part of history's life span... but significant still...

learning how to patina was another huge step in being able to execute the concept... 


the inner workings ended up being heavily influenced by time i spent with my small children by the water... we would throw in different sized rocks and try to guess what each would sound like... 


and my spirit rattle was born::

the number of our moments is surely unknown to us - and are precious... staying present means you are participating fully and not just walking around on auto-pilot...

i posted this excerpt on my personal blog this week - it is very tied into the meaning of this ring and i wanted to share it here as well...


it is from 'the magic of findhorn' by paul hawken::

“The earth, once white and molten, represents a thought. It was a fire in the heavens, glowing as a sun, visited by the Deva of the Wind which came and blew across the surface, playing with the Fire Deva until all was mediated. The Deva of Water and Rain formed and collected in the skies and fell to earth.

Great clouds of steam issued forth from the surface, the skies were enlivened and heavy with its presence, and across the surface the Wind Deva began to cool, carve, and chisel away at the crust of the planet. It created pools and eddies, lakes and streams, and bigger bodies which we know as oceans.

With each successive change, a new Deva or impulse came forth until, like a procession, did the Earth receive the new hosts, each Deva bringing with it a variation of life ever present in the divine potential.

The Earth prepared itself to receive and serve the thought of a man and a woman. The Earth would be their temple and guardian; the heavens would be their guide and vision. Humans affirmed the link between the infinite spirit and the totality of matter. They related from the highest spiritual planes to the most concrete levels of form.

The Earth was for humanity to enshrine, to make holy, to blend their unique qualities and work as a family in cooperation with the Devas, the spiritual stewards of the planet.”

so a woman has a deadline -

and it's, um, today... 


she started out with the best of intentions - with a list that was refined during the week... components finished (each and every step)... and all that was really necessary was to sit in one spot and put them together... 


and then, she woke up and had one of those 'hey, what if i...' moments... 


did she:


a - stick to the list
b - generally stick to the list, but be flexible about it
c - veer completely off course and have a blast making 8 rings... yes, 8... 

'venture forth' came first... a translation of my earrings into a ring... there is a 'Q' instead of an 'O', to serve as a reminder that we all make mistakes, but must keep the big picture in mind...  set things right and get back on track... 


then came a 'what if i soldered 2 cupped discs together?' which meant i had to play with two levels of soldering... and figure out the order of some other steps... 

the 'emerge' rings have a lotus at the center of the base...

and then 'what if i etched some of the metal

and added some silk?'

or tried it with enamel...


and etched the back?

or figured out a ring to set off one of marsha neal's connectors for her my mom pattie etsy shop?

or played with etching, patina and silk?

and then there is one that is unfinished - the patina is setting - but i love the construction and wish i had taken a picture prior to adding the color... 

this one is very 3 dimensional... 

by the way, the woman chose answer 'c'... actually, she didn't choose it, it chose her...

oh, i did also make a leaf pendant to go along with one of lean weih's acorns (which i am not so sure i can part with)... 

and finish a special order for a friend - i made her a lotus disc to go along with the 'moon' resin and moonstone... 

let's see,  intake for the exhibit is until 1pm... i still have time!

A Hopeful Post

Pink Lemonade

I know, I know - I've pretty much been absent for the last two months. Seems like every time I think I'm going to get back to a "normal" routine something else comes up! I'm hoping that's going to change though and that I'll be back to my normal blogging and listing and creating self :) So far - so good. One morning accomplished! Oh wait...that's not much of a start is it? Well here's hoping for more than just the one morning!

Seriously though, I had some pretty massive migraines this week and we're not really sure why it was so bad. I had about three days where all I did was sleep! Argh. I think it was just a bad convergence of factors, but it was still frustrating. So I stayed home from my Market today (probably good, it's wet out) to relax some. Having said that - I'm still kinda "working" around the house :P But this way I can rest!

I'm so bad at relaxing >_>

In Pictures: America's Most Popular Diamond Cuts

Round

With one out of every three diamonds sold in the U.S. being a classic round brilliant diamond, this cut is far and away the most popular.

Scarlett Johansson and singer Fergie both sport classic rounds.
Princess

The princess diamond was created in 1980 but has catapulted into massive popularity, making it the second-most popular diamond cut in the U.S. Diamond analyst Kenneth Gassman estimates that princess cut diamonds make up approximately 13% to 20% of diamond sales.

Freddie Prinze Jr. proposed to Sarah Michelle Gellar with a princess cut.

Emerald

The third-most popular cut has long clear "step cuts," which emphasize the diamond's clarity and gives it a more subtle appearance than the "brilliant" cuts of most diamonds.

Nick Cannon proposed to Mariah Carey with a reported $2.5 million emerald-cut diamond.

Pear Shape

The pear shape, the fifth-most popular diamond, is also called a "tear drop" for its single point and rounded end.

The most famous pear-shaped diamond has to be the 69-carat pear-shaped diamond given to Elizabeth Taylor by her fifth and sixth husband Richard Burton. Taylor wore the Taylor-Burton diamond in a necklace.


Asscher

The Asscher cut has been around for a century but soared in popularity, especially in Hollywood, after being featured in an episode of Sex and the City in which nice-guy Aidan proposed to protagonist Carrie Bradshaw.

Kate Hudson and Elizabeth Hurley were both given Asscher cuts by their soon-to-be husbands.

Source: Kenneth Gassman, The Diamond Source of Virginia, Blue Nile.
source : http://forbeslife.nl/2009/04/17/engagement-weddings-diamonds-forbes-woman-style-retail_slide.html?partner=contextstory

Catching Up Once Again :)

Well everything has been a little sporadic from me lately do to the medication withdrawals and the migraines from 'em...but here are my latest listings from etsy and artfire! Tell me which one is your fav and I'll give you an extra entry into my top commentators contest!

Crafty ADD #28

Wow - It's been two and a half weeks since I've done an ADD post - if that's not confirmation that I've been pretty out of it, I don't know what is! I got a wee bit done in that time though...

Crochet

The first strip is complete and I've gotten a start on the second. Waaaaay behind on this project!

Cross-Stitch

The quote reads "Nothing is hopeless, we must hope for everything." It's just cut off by the embroidery hoop :P And it's by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm getting close on this one! Which is good - cuz it's a present :P Well that, and the next project is for ME and I want to start on it.

Jewelry

Another ring! I really need to get these posted on-line huh? I'm feeling pretty sick today, but I'm going to try to get at least one ring on-line by the end of the day. We'll see how I do...

This hemp necklace started out with a plan for different beads, and then I discovered that the beads didn't have a wide enough diameter! So I went shuffling through my boxes and found these beads that I'd totally forgotten about! I think they go perfect with the white hemp.

And this is my current project. I started it because it's basically "mindless" and all the other projects I have in my head right now take thought, and I just haven't had the brains to work on them lately!

The good news is I seem to be getting back into the swing of things, even though I'm still not feeling good, so hopefully this will be a more productive week on many different fronts :)

Crafty ADD #27

It's been just over two weeks since I posted a crafty ADD update - and with good reason. I lost my Granny last week, for any of you that didn't know, and that put the rest of life on hold. I did get a wee bit of crafting done on the trip up for the funeral (hey come on, this is how I cope!), and of course I got stuff done before, and even a little after! So here's my loooong ADD update :)

Crochet

Have I ever mentioned that I hate rolling the yarn up into balls? Oh wait, I'm sure I have... Ok, so maybe hate is the wrong word, but after spending an HOUR rolling this up (there were some massive tangles to unravel) that was all I was doing that particular night.

This picture doesn't show adequately the progress I've made, so I'll just tell ya :P On the first strip I've done the first edging row around all the squares and tied in all the ends. I need Mom's help to do the next edging row so I started in on the next strip. I need to step up the pace on this project >_>

Cross Stitch

I started another book mark! This one's going to be a present :D I'm having fun with it - don't think it will take me too long either - which is good :)

Jewelry

I'm in love with making rings! I know I haven't gotten any up on my site yet (hey, I have a GOOD excuse this time!), but I'm still having fun making them :) And they don't take that much time! Hmmm...in fact...I may make another one when I'm done with this post :P

This pretty bracelet is going to my consignment shop - but if anyone falls in love with the colors I will gladly make it for you!

Remember seeing this one in one of my previous ADD posts? I bought a clasp and finished it :)

I have a couple more pieces to show off - but I'm saving those for a specific post :P

Crafty ADD Update #26

Another week - and more crafty stuff! I have officially created a new category in these updates - the miscellaneous category :P Why? Well I have some random things that I do (like paper stuff or whatever) that I don't do frequently enough for them to really have their own category. This way I no longer have to worry about that. You'll love my Misc. item this week :) Oh - and a note about crocheting - it didn't happen this week. Oopsie. I got very caught up in beading, which you'll see!

Misc:

I made myself a light box! That picture makes my living room look a lot darker than it is...but I have a light box! *bounces* The box is a little cockamamie which is why you see a pill bottle peaking out from one corner. I need to figure out a better solution to that... I also want to get a third lamp that can do overhead light because I'm still get some shadows just having the two lights. So my project isn't finished...but it's a big improvement over where I was at!

Jewelry

I made the rope to go with my Peso Pendant that I made last week! I'm really please with how this turned out and I'm looking forward to taking more pictures so that I can list it :D

Rings! I've made my first rings! Woohoo! Plan on listing these this week as well :) And making more!

I actually *gasp* made things for myself this week too! The spirals I made earlier today to go with the shirt I'm wearing, and I did the bead woven earrings earlier this week. The seed beads are kind of an iridescent peacock color. I bought them last week and knew right away that I wanted to weave some earrings with them. By the time I was half way through the first one I knew I was keeping it for myself! Which really is a good idea since I don't have any of my own bead woven earrings. Bracelets - yes, ring - yes, necklaces -yes, but I had no earrings! i had other styles, but it was high time I had a pair of my own bead woven earrings.

This lovely bracelet is made using a chevron weaving technique that I learned from this month's issue of Bead and Button. I love how delicate it turned out! All it needs to finish it is a good clasp, I want to go buy a really cute one for it :)

Oh yes, and I finished my paw prints bracelet, and forgot to take a picture of it completed before I gave it to my friend! Ooops! Don't worry though, I do plan on making one for my shop, eventually....

Bead Soup - and More!

Sorry I've been awol for a couple of days. I've been really sick. I'm on the mend now...I think...but not really sure. We'll see :)

Anyway, I had to show off the bead soup I got in the mail - and the new stuff I bought be before I got sick!

I'm participating in a Bead Soup Swap hosted by Lori Anderson and I got my beads in the mail this week! This picture doesn't do them justice, my brother shot a quick snap for me a couple days ago when I thought I might manage to blog while sick. Um. Yah RIGHT. That didn't happen.

The bag on the left are extra beads...and I plan on playing with those at some point after I make my Bead Soup Necklace :) I'll probably dump them out on my tray and see what inspiration hits. I'm betting I'll net several pairs of earrings and some new charms out of that conglomeration!

The bag on the right is full of gorgeous lampwork beads that compliment the focal and nifty toggle clasp that you see down on the bottom. I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do with them, but I plan on spreading them all out on my bead board and playing in the next day or two. The unveiling isn't until February 10th anyway, and I didn't want to work on the project while I was on quarter brain power while sick :P

Now for my shopping....I bought a ring stick! This means that soon I'll have rings available in my shop :D I've made up two already, and I'm excited to make more!

They also had a seed bead sale when I went in to by the ring stick (and a few other basic supplies I didn't bother photoing) so I got these! The white I needed anyway, the brown seed mix has so much potential, I've already used the iridescent beads (you'll see pics soon!), and I know EXACTLY what I'm going to use the red beads for :D

Crafty ADD #25

It's Monday - so it's that time again - time for me to share all the stuff I've been working on this last week! I had a pretty good week craft wise :) Let me share with you...

Crochet

I didn't get quite as much done on this as I would have liked last week, I kinda got caught up in beady things, so I'm resolving to do more this week!

Drawing

That's right - I actually drew something! Now if you ever ask me I'll tell you that drawing and all that "traditional" artsy stuff is entirely NOT me. But... We're doing monthly challenges with one of my groups now (Bittersweets Daily Challenge) and this month's was ACEO's! I've got another idea (in a different medium) up my sleeve but I decided to pull out my pencils and do this as well :)

Jewelry

I re-did and finished my ring for myself! Now I'm excited to get a ring stick so I can start making them for my shop - I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from this!

"Treasures of the Sea." This broach is my entry into the Etsy Bead Weavers Monthly Challenge. It's simple, probably won't win anything, but I had a lot of fun with it :) Hopefully I'll have it listed later today or tomorrow.

Remember that coin I showed you earlier this week? Well I reworked the beading around it. It's a lot tighter and looks much better now! I'll be doing the necklace for it soon :)

This was the first piece I did while lying on my back with a migraine this weekend. See, as long as I'm lying down my migraine stays at a semi-tolerable level, so I decided to figure out a way to bead lying down, and I wanted something easy to start with! I picked up this assortment of beads a few weeks ago, planning on making a necklace like this, and so that's what I worked on as I adjusted to lying down and beading :) Hope to get this one listed soon as well.