I’ve been quite busy lately, and didn’t really have the time for posting. I have quite a bit of new stuff, and I have no idea how to fit it all in one post 😛
For example, I did made pieces featuring an extinct creature, just as I planned. Said creature is Homotherium, a saber-toothed cat from Pliocene and Pleistocene, that lived in both Americas (though the evidence from South America is scant… but it’s there), Europe, and Africa. It’s sometimes referred to as scimitar-toothed cat, because of the shape and size of its canines. the pieces in question are: a necklace, and a pair of earrings. Both etched.
It was fun to make those… I wanted to retain as much of the correct proportions as I could, so I took a picture of a Homotherium latidens skull, drew a life-restoration of a head with it as a base, and then scaled the image down so it would fit on the pendant, and then scaled it even more, so it would fit on the earrings. I’m pretty happy with how those turned out.
I also decided to use my saw a bit more than usual, and actually managed to cut those earrings in one go each! As for my sawing skills, that’s pretty awesome. Apparently, we started to cooperate, my saw and I.
Moving on… I made two more pairs of earrings, one with a flying raven, and one with wolves. They’re also etched.
I’m really, really happy with the raven ones, and not sure about the wolves. I’m trying to decide if I want to put those in my shop or not. Maybe I will even reach something akin to decision in foreseeable future…
I also wanted to make a cuff for quite some time now, but first the etching on my first attempt didn’t turn out the way I wanted it, then I had other things to do, then I forgot all about it… and finally last week I made it! And not just one, but three. Though to be honest, i could make another one, as I’m not convinced about etching on one of them. But this would mean making a fourth attempt on one design, and everything just cringes inside of me on that thought.
And also, those three cuffs are an evidence that etching, at least in salt-water process, is somewhat unpredictable. All of them etched for three hours, yet all etched differently. Not only that, the etching differs within one cuff, from left to right. I will show you what I mean:
I have no idea what can be responsible for effects like these.
So those are the pieces I finished, but I’m also working on some 🙂
For example, remember the locket? Well, since then I managed to throw away one attempt, almost finish the second, and just then realise one wall got soldered on skewed, and now I’m almost finished with the third. And, the way things are looking right now, I think I will actually complete this one:) I really like it so far. I also entirely hanged the design, for a more difficult one- but that’s just me. Here it is:
I’m only a chain, a finished hinge and a bail away from finishing it 🙂 The chain to connect the locket to a pin that will act as a part of a closing mechanism ( I hope you know what I mean). At first I wanted to make it myself, but after several minutes of trying I understood that I will go mad way before I ever finish it, so I will just buy it. And also, I spent 4 hours on a hinge alone. I just hope that setting the hinge pin in place will go a lot easier than soldering the hinge knuckles on… that was one irritating experience!
But, all in all, I’m very pleased with how it looks right now 🙂
And the other piece I’m working on will be a mixed media pendant. I got the idea after reading something, where someone was complaining about how many interests they have, how they don’t have the time for all of them, and someone wrote about them trying mixed media jewellery. And I had to do just that! And I’m also very happy with what I came up with:)
I’m especially pleased with the frame: I knew it will be wrinkled and all that, and I had no idea how it will look after I fold it. But I really, really like the effect I achieved. I definitely plan on making several more of those. However, as happy as I am with it, I have to mention a slight problem. After I poured the resin in the copper frame, I made sure there were no air bubbles. I passed the torch over the resin to burst any of them. Several times. And there were no bubbles. And yet, when I checked on that piece when the resin was almost set, I noticed two huge bubbles in the right-hand lower part. And they popped. Which leaved two dimples in the surface. Strangely enough, they don’t bother me that much. I will add another layer of resin; the dimples will still be visible, but the paper won’t be exposed.
I also made a mistake here: I got overexcited about the painting and how nice it looked with that copper frame, and poured the resin over. And after it was set it occurred to me, that I can’t add a bail I designed, because I can’t solder anything anywhere near the resin! I will have to figure something else out.
I’ve made a ring as well, bu I don’t have any decent pictures, and it also is not finished.
I actually got tired from writing this post, so I guess this is it for now 😉
Have a great weekend!
Oh, and praise the wordpress for their lovely galleries! Wish blogger had those….
The two cuffs, Homotherium pieces, and raven earrings are available in my etsy shop.
My handmade world 