Feather Progress

This is the first project we were assigned in class. It's about positive and negative space.  I decided to do a feather type design for a pendant.  I am using red brass metal for this one and am liking the way it is turning out.

The sketch for the feather

Just got done sawing it and starting to file it.

Here is it on it's way to be done.  I beveled the inside design to give it a bit of depth. I've only sanded up to 400 so just wait till it really has it's shine on!  The stem will end up being curled over in some way so that a chain can go through it.
My teacher wants me to make a mold of it in my casting class to cast it in silver too.  Hmmmmmm.....

So far so good!!

Marriage Of Metals

This assignment in class is a pretty cool one. It's taking two types of metal and making it look like one. Sounds easy right? Stick with a simple design and it won't make you go too crazy!
First you choose your metals. I chose sterling silver and copper.  You rivet them together so they won't move as you saw out your design.  Then you glue your design onto the metal and you're ready to saw!

I have the silver on top of the copper ready to saw.

You want to use a very thin blade called a 8/O (pronounced eight-aught), that requires absolutely NO talking to anyone or any interruptions or else you break a lot of blades.  I learned this from watching the other students in class, so when I went to saw I hid away in the garage, plugged in some music and concentrated.  I ended up only breaking one blade!!! Phew!
This fine blade makes it so when you solder (connect) the two pieces together there is barely any gaps.

Here I've already sawed through the bottom inside of the heart design and I'm starting to saw through the top of the inside heart design. You can barely see it, that's how fine the blade is.















After I cut out my design using one blade (I broke the first one at school while looking up at something that distracted me! See?)  I was so excited I had to show the family what I'd done. My son thought it was the coolest ever! Thanks :)

 Pieces of a jigsaw puzzle..

Then I put them together to show them how they will kind of look in the end. Minus the soldering and filing yet to do!

This is almost how they will look when finished, except they should look like they blend together.  Hopefully I'll be soldering them together this Thursday!  Stay tuned for the finished items soon!!

Prototype Turtle..

Friday in casting class I got down to business with carving in wax. I decided on a turtle with some symbols on its back. Easy right?
A bit tricky at first, but I'm starting to understand it. I'm more of a clay person. The taking away of negative space is a new one to me. Next week
we get to use soft wax, but in the meantime, this is fun learning new techniques!

Make a Mess Here.

Ah! I've got a piece of space to create in the garage now! I don't have to worry about the metal shavings on the carpet in the house.
I got busy working on a feather for a class project on negative and positive spaces. The metal I'm using is Red Brass. I finished cutting it out (with my Mom's jewelers saw) and next up is lots of filing!
Next I made some more jump rings out of copper wire. I'm going to make some more Byzantine chains for bracelets.
It was a good afternoon :)

First Week of School and Me!

So I got the first week of my jewelry classes under my belt.  The first one is the same class I took last semester,  the Jewelry/Metal class.  You learn all the tricks and trade of it all,  soldering, sawing, filing, and more!  The next class is a Casting class and that one is all day! Wow!  After getting a huge amount of information on it last Friday, my head has been reeling taking it all in.  Still, I'm really excited about learning new ways to create jewelry.
The one class I'd love to take is the stone setting one. That one doesn't work well with getting the kids after school so somehow I'll have to take that one in the summer time.
I was all ready to come home and create over the long holiday weekend and ended up with a cold that put me in bed!  All these ideas flowing in my head will have to wait.  Today I feel better and thought I'd let you know how it all went anyways.
Soon, I'll have pictures to show you of work in progress!! Till now it'll have to be a picture that makes me smile :)

I have a thing for cheetahs...they were my mom's favorites. They always make me smile!

Where Was You At? By War

Here's bit of music that I love.  This one reminds me of driving down the Big Sur coast with my honey when we were first dating!