Pieces for week 33: What a fail looks like...and then it gets better

This is what a "fail" looks like. Yeah, thought I would "try" something and it just didn't work. I had a vision...I really did.

Don't ask.

ok, for this week I worked on a stash of simple pendants. Here is what they looked like before their "glamor shot."

 And here is how they look after 'make-up' and 'wardrobe' had some time with them (can you tell I have a 'theatrical past?')  :)

Dragonflies - SOLD!

Large flower on left - SOLD!

SOLD!

Next week I am challenging myself to do AT LEAST one piece with a set stone. It has been awhile and I really need to do some self-pushing.

Pieces for Week 22....

I decided that too many pieces were being overlooked with my "Piece A Week" focus...so I have decided to do "Pieces for Week......"

This week I really only had Thursday to work on pieces. Monday we were up in Tahoe, I don't remember Tuesday (!), Wednesday I spent the day up at Journey Spiritual Center (LOVE it there, I highly recommend going there if you need some meditation/energy work time)....so Thursday is when it all happened. I fiddled with a couple pieces today - but I am DONE. I need to get ready for this weekend's Tahoe adventure.

My main focus this week was on a piece that I have had in my head for several weeks now. I think to really do this piece like I envision it, I would need to have it cast. On the other hand...I challenged myself to see what I could do with fabricating the piece. The idea was a mermaid sitting on a crescent moon...her tail hanging over the edge...all flowy.

Before I share the pics with you...she was a royal annoyance. The EASY part was sawing out the shape...except I sawed out too much leaving the shape weak, with no reinforcement. So I had to change my plan...decided to fuse a full moon behind the mermaid, thus giving her some "support"...except my moon reticulated nicely with the heat....it just withered up....some choice words...then I decided to turn my withered full moon into a crescent moon. I also wanted to have some silver "bubbles" around her...so I made a bunch of silver granulation balls...all fell off of her but two. (no, I am not going to make a comment like, "My mermaid lost her balls....") At the end...somewhat success...but it was so "silvery"...it bugged me. Anyway - here is the shot of the silvery mermaid...rather difficult to make out:

Mermaid on a crescent moon...difficult to make out the details...

I really wanted some color...so I decided to rough up the silver a bit and add in some alcohol ink.

Mermaid in color!

Again, not a great shot - but I like how she looks. Her tail now looks like abalone shell! Anyway, this is one that looks better in person! She is going up to Tahoe...she needs a name...any ideas? I really like this style and will be working more with this.

I also made these yesterday and finished them up today:

Basic silver on copper dragonfly

This dragonfly was actually a "scrap"...I used the cut out dragonfly on another piece. The cut out was in silver. I took the silver and fused it on copper. Then added some alcohol ink for some color.

 Silver dragonfly. I felt artsy so this shot is in black and white!

Next week I have five full days to work on pieces. I have some ideas for rings and may focus in on that!

Piece a Week #21 - Tonbo Two

Another dragonfly!

This is before the final 5 hour tumble (rotating drum filled with water, soap and steel shot).

She still looks pretty good!

She has some texturing, fusing, one little granulation ball...there were four, but three came off after the ultra-sound bath.

Boo.

The granulation balls lasted through tripoli and rouge...but I guess the ultrasound was a bit too much. I decided to not go back in to fuse them on...I kinda like the one little ball.

Tondo Two

I have these new ideas of layering shapes so that the top shape looks like it is rising out of the layers below...like something archeological...a fossil type thing.

And now...to pack for the McCollum Studios Tahoe show!