Puppy Love - Spring inspired mixed media collage necklace

This is a piece I've been working on on and off for a few weeks. I went overseas end of August, and came back in mid September. Before I left, it still felt very much like Winter, but when I came back, all out of a sudden, Spring had sprung. The shrubs and trees were all in blooms, and when I went back to work, there were masses of pink azaleas lining the footpaths leading from the carpark to the office. I also happened to have this resin coated cab which I made a little while ago, which I had been wanting to turn into a necklace. Anyhow, I was really inspired by the colours and fragrance all around me, and I ended up doing this extra girly super sweet necklace. Don't think I've ever made anything quite so pink before (I even painted some brass stampings pink to match), LOL. Please click on the photos if you'd like a larger view.

Little Ethan - beaded resin cab

Just finished making this necklace with a resin coated cabochon which I made from a copy of my enamel plate Ethan shown in the last post. I feel like I've cloned him, LOL. The original enamel piece was wire wrapped and submitted in a showcase, together with works from a few other members in our lapidary club, to the competition at the annual exhibition of the NSW Lapidary Council (GEMKHANA). I'm happy to say that our club has won first place again this year, and we actually received a perfect score of 100/100 from the judges. We're all so excited! I've made a few more cabs in different sizes so I can play with different ways of beading him up. Please click on the photos if you like a larger view.

PS. Just want to add that Little Ethan has found a lovely new home in America. I made him as a surprise gift to my dear friend Bev, to thank her for the friendship, kindness and support she's shown me. I can now say it as she has received it. I'm so pleased you love him, Bev! :)

Ethan the baby owl

Thought I would introduce Ethan to you all - he is Molly's baby nephew (you can find pictures of saucy Molly a few posts back). I did this enamel pendant for our lapidary club showcase, which will be entered into an upcoming lapidary competition. The pendant was made with a piece of copper which I cut out, then applied enamels using various techniques including cloisonne and overglaze painting enamel. It's hard to photograph because of the glassy surface. I have actually turned it into a wire-wrapped pendant and submitted it for the showcase, but I'm not totally happy with how I wrapped it (I ran out of time and was rushing to get it done). Will fiddle with it a bit more and take a photo to show you when I get in back. The pendant is about 5-6cm in length, and just in case you're wondering, the name Ethan came from my little nephew who was born just over a month ago. I love owls and will no doubt make more owl jewellery, hopefully using different techniques and media.

A few scrolled enamel pendants

Haven't posted anything for a little while as I and hubby have just returned from a trip to Krakow, Poland. Had a fantastic time there and bought some gorgeous amber beads and cabochons. Will show you some photos later.

Anyhow, thought I'd post a few scrolled enamel pendants which I made sometime ago. At one stage, I was a bit obsessed with making scrolled enamel pieces. They're not really that tricky to make - you just have to add piles of enamel powders onto a copper plate, melt them in the kiln, open the kiln door and scroll them quickly with a long pointy metal stick to create the patterns. As there is very little time to scroll before the molten enamels harden, and some colours burn out easier than others, however, the results are quite unpredictable, and it's impossible to create two pieces that are exactly the same. I guess it's this unpredictability and my quest for the perfect patterns that got me hooked on to this technique. As a result, I've accumulated a nice little collection of scrolled enamel plates, some of which I turned into pendants using beading and wire wrapping techniques. I have now got over this obsession and moved on to something else. Again, please click on the photos if you'd like a larger view.

Purple Moon

This is a piece I just finished for an Australian competition (the creative challenge category of the Swarovski competition organised by Crystal Park and the Creative Beading Magazine). The rule of this particular category is that the entrants can use only up to 200 Swarovski bicone beads to make a piece, and no other shapes/beads are allowed. I made the leaves and the base of the posy with bronze clay, and assembled the whole piece with wire. The image I have in mind is that of a beautiful fairy wearing this necklace and a shimmering purple dress, walking slowly in a deep, moonlit forest. Initially I had problems picking a name for this piece, and the moon theme was suggested to me by a lovely beady friend Beverly Jane. I have an idea for another piece for the open category of the competition, but it's rather elaborate and I won't have enough time to do it, hence I'm saving the idea for next year. Anyhow, hope you like. (Please click on the pictures if you would like a larger view.)

PS: I've just found out before I went on holiday a couple of weeks ago that this piece has won first prize in the Creative Challenge Category of this year's Swarovski competition (please see above for details). A picture of it and a little write up about me have been published in the January 2011 issue of Creative Beading magazine. I'm so excited!!!

Saucy Molly and the Poster Girl

I have had a strong urge to make these two pieces for quite a few weeks, but with everything else going on, have only just managed to finish them yesterday. The story goes something like this:

Ever since she was a wee owlet, Molly has always dreamt of becoming a poster girl, those beautiful girls in glamorous shots, with perfectly styled hair, meticulously made up faces, pearly white teeth and slim toned bodies, admired by everyone. But what is a girl to do given life’s circumstances? Molly is, after all, an owl! Well, our Molly didn’t let that deter her. She coloured her feathers, put on her red lipstick, glitzy sun glasses and jewellery, and a flower above her ear, and transformed herself from the owl next door to a glamour queen. She sang, danced and performed, running from auditions to auditions. What she lacked in certain departments, she more than made up for with her talents, attitude, wits and enthusiasm. Today, Molly (affectionately nicknamed “Saucy Molly” by her fans and the tabloid) is not just a poster girl, she is one of the most successful entertainers in the whole owls’ world. To all those aspiring owlets wanting to know the secret of her success, Molly said: “Follow your heart, sweetie, chase your dream, and give it your best shot. Don’t worry about the outcome as long as you’ve done your best, the recognition will come in due course. Be true to yourself, and break free. Remember, you only live once.”

So, here is the poster girl that inspired Molly. The picture is a copy of a vintage Chinese poster which I made into a cabochon with polymer clay, acrylic media and resin (couldn't resist adding a few steampunky bits). Some of the brass stampings were bright golden originally, and I patinaed them with ammonia and a verdigris solution. Added a few vintage buttons. Some of the rounded side pendants were made with a variation of a pattern from the current issue of Beadwork magazine.

The next is a picture of Molly from way back, before her transformation, with her favourite pillow given to her by Aunty Hel.

And this is Molly now, posting for an upcoming concert. (Molly was made with polymer clay coloured with alcohol ink, and decorated with bits and pieces. Some of the side pendants are also from the same pattern from Beadwork.)

Wattle and Cherries - wire wrapped enamel pendant

I made this pendant quite sometime ago, using various enamel techniques including cloisonne and painting enamels, on a rectangular copper blank. Decided that it didn't really need a fancy setting, so I just wrapped it with gold-filled wire, added a few beads and pearls, and kept the design simple. I used to wear this quite often, but somehow had forgotten about it in the last year or so, until I was looking for something in my jewelry drawers the other day and saw it sitting there (poor thing!). I love the look of wattles but am allergic to them and would sneeze if I get close to one. I have done an oil painting of a wattle with a couple of sparrows in front of it, and it's now hanging in my family room. I also have a floral arrangement on my dining table, with some fake but quite realistic wattles, and dried eucalyptus leaves. Those pearls dangling from the pendant remind me of cherries - one of my favourite fruits, speaking of which, I feel like some cherry ripe chocolate......yum......better go and search the pantry......