Series #3 of "Ask Me, Who Knows"

There are some folks who just grab you, the first instant you're exposed to them. My online friend LeAnn Weih at Summers Pottery is like that.

The more I learn about her, the more amazing she is to me. She does pottery, of course, and makes the most wonderful beads and clay ornaments. Like me, she enjoys combining the things she does together, to blend the multiple media to each other. I admire her, can't you tell?

But she also works in metal of all sorts. She's exceptionally talented, and her work has a warm, folk art feeling to it that I love. 

Besides the fact that she lives in Texas, and I'm a native Texan myself, I feel an affinity for her. 

So when she asked me this question on my blog post a while back, about what people are curious about me and wanted to know, I had to give it lots of thought:

"Lynn, I know you started out as a potter and in other mediums like weaving and fibre as well. Because I started out in a similar way with larger scale work (pottery), I would love to know how and when you made the jump to the small scale of jewelry and components."

It's a kind of long answer, as I've lived a few years and made a few changes along the way! I hope you're interested ....

I studied pottery for several years, intending to be a production potter. Then life happened, as it does to everyone! I had a family started, and with a small baby it was increasingly hard to work in clay. But I craved making things with my hands. I'd always been interested in fiber art, so I switched gears and became a production weaver. The yarn waits for you to return from taking care of children and household much more easily than the wet clay, and doesn't dry out and crack! 

I was a production weaver for several years, making wearables and clothing. I did a lot of dyeing of the yarns, and I spun my own custom yarns. A bit distant from what I'm doing now, but it figures into the progression. I still use my dyeing experience to dye the costume pearls, and I do have lots of hand dyed silk cords that I can use in the jewelry. 

I believe everything ties together somehow,

down the road.

After some years and seasons of doing the wearables, traveling to do several wholesale shows and retail art shows each year, I got weary of the grind. Being on the road is tough, as most of you know! I stopped doing the shows in 1986, after a life change that made me a single mom, and put the life of a creative behind me for a time. The show equipment was heavy, the solo travel was a challenge. For many years I just made things for myself, and for family and friends.

In 1999 I relocated from Texas to Missouri, and made a resolution to begin to be actively creative again. I was ready for a change, something new, without any old history to it. I sold the looms (there were three of them, quite huge, taking up lots of room in the house) to students in the Weaving Department at the Kansas City Art Institute, and learned stained glass from a neighbor.

From Wool to Glass

From Warm to Cool

From Soft to Hard

I knew I didn't want to make windows or lampshades, but I did enjoy the 3-D work, so I made kaleidoscopes and boxes. I learned to cut and solder glass and copper foil. 

Gradually, the pieces got smaller and smaller, and turned into jewelry pendants. It led me to an interest in fusing the glass in a kiln to create faux gems. I took a class in silver metal clay, bought a kiln, and the jewelry started to take over.

Maybe, if I had thought to make beads in ceramic all those years ago, I'd still be a potter, and working in jewelry. But I'm happy I'm doing what I'm doing now. 

I still fancy that I'll bring the fiber part back into the jewelry, to bring all my past creative experiences together.

Why jewelry?

I love wearing it!

Friends enjoy getting it as a gift.

It's small, light and easy to pack and ship - the logistics work for me.

People enjoy adorning themselves.

It's fun!

And I get to meet and mingle with jewelry designers.

And lovely friends, like LeAnn Weih.

and YOU!

Thank you, LeAnn, for your great question, I hope you hung in with me on this story. At my age, any question about my history takes a while to tell, I'm afraid ...There's a bit of it back there!

Rounding the Bend

These are four new designs from the button replicas I've been casting. They are various sizes and designs, but all extremely beautiful, like tiny sculptures.

This one reminds me of a pair of thistles, like the stylized designs I saw in Scotland.

This one has buds, flowers and leaves, swirling around inside the lovely round frame, they resemble tulips in the spring to me.

There are large, medium and small sizes, just like the actual buttons. some are very detailed, I'm so happy with the molds and the results I'm getting.

Sometime this year these will be part of another collaboration magazine article with Deryn Mentock. These are her buttons, and they have quite a story to tell.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying just looking at them. And I have some ideas about how to combine them with some fiber patterns I'm working on. When I get everything together, I'll show them, too.

Series #2 of "Ask Me, Who Knows"

There are people I "know" in a virtual sense, that I've never met in person. Only interact with online, through email and blogs. 

I still consider them my friends. Andrew Thornton is one of those people. He did a giveaway with some of my french-themed beads, and I was thrilled.

I feel that I sort of "know" him from reading his blog and following along on his adventures in writing and art. He's very talented in many different media.

He has used several of my components in gorgeous designs, this one called "Sanctuary" was featured in a well-known beading magazine in 2009. I always love when he incorporates something I've made into something he's making. They become more fully developed, and have his story added to their own.

He has a wonderful, quirky talent for pulling things together, and making the whole more beautiful than the parts, like this pair of skully earrings.

His question to me on the "Ask Me, Who Knows" post, was this:

"What's your favorite medium to work with and how did you find it originally?"

That's a long story, I hope you'll be interested in the answer.

I wish I was the kind of person who tried many media, then found one that made me say "AH-HA!" or "EUREKA" and made me stick to that one. This is it! - I've heard many other people say that, once they found that one, they KNEW it was the only one for them.

I think I'm easily bored, I move from one to another, basically keeping myself interested by not repeating myself endlessly. And seeking ways to get the "look" I want, by finding the medium that gives me that look.

I work in polymer clay.

I fuse and cut glass.

I pour resin.

I cast molten pewter.

I do wirework.

I enamel glass to copper.

I solder glass and copper foil.

The main thing is to get that faux vintage look, the reproduction of metal, hand dyed costume pearls, gems, ivory and jet. The antique image. I use whatever medium I think will get me to that "look" I'm after. The texture, color, weight and feeling that brings back that image of the original antique.

BUT If I absolutely HAD to choose a favorite .... just ONE medium ... and ONLY one ...

It would be casting pewter to create metal replicas.

I wanted to do it for a long, long time. I did a lot of research and testing on my own. I'm basically self-taught, with all the accidents, failures and bad results that come with that.

I continue to learn new things with it. To build on what I've figured out so far. And I love the look of the pewter patina.

It's what I do most of the time now. 

I take a little time for paper, resin, glass, fiber and polymer clay.

But most of the time, I'm working with hot, molten metal. 

Grinding, drilling, finishing and polishing.

I also enjoy combining the pewter with the glass, resin and polymer clay.

Bringing it all together.

I'm a MIXED MEDIA mixed up ALL AROUND creativity hunter! 

Thanks, Andrew, for the great question...

Series #1 of Ask Me, Who Knows

A while back I did a post with "Ask Me, Who Knows" as the title, inviting you all to ask me questions.

I didn't forget about them. Some of them were wonderful questions, that made me think. Really hard! I thought I'd try answering some of them, as a sort of end of year, holiday series. 

For the first in the series, I'm calling up the questions posed by Erin Prais-Hintz at Tesori Trovati. She has used several of my components in jewelry designs, and I just love the look she gives them. Like me, Erin is one of the editors at the Art Bead Scene, and she has a great sense of color and style.

Erin asked me these questions:

"How did you decide to start making your own beads?"

I love things that are vintage and antique. When I am given, or get ahold of the originals, I tend to hang onto them. I have a bad case of TPS - "too precious syndrome" - that keeps me from using them.

I decided if I could re-create them, or replicate them myself, I'd be more likely to use them instead of hoarding them. That led to making many more of them than I could use up. So I started offering them to others, before the house filled to the roof with them and the floor fell through with the weight of them all.

"Did you take classes, go to art school or are you self-taught?"

Many, many years ago I had a dream to become a commercial artist, or a college art professor. I went to a liberal arts school and majored in art. I actually studied to be a potter and worked with clay while in college.

I had to give that up, and ended up in a management law-related career, but always tried to stay creative in any way I could. I've been to Bead & Button, Artfest and similar wonderful places, starting around 2000. I took classes back then with Nan Roche, Pier Voulkos, Susan Lenart Kazmer and others, learning about polymer clay and jewelry construction using wire and cold connections.

Since then, I've tried to take the basics that I learned, and put together my own ways of getting that vintage look, reproducing old ivory, carved jet, pearl and other antique looks. I've tried to build on the lessons I was given, and add new methods and techniques to my tool box over the years.

"Is there something in your background that has helped you with the style and direction of your art?"

When I look at the work of others I admire, I like what they do but know that my hands wouldn't turn out the same look or feeling. The bright modern designs attract my eye, but I just don't seem to make those type of images.

I'm attracted to things with a history, whether real or faux, and a look of having lived and been worn. Like stairs with the marks of many feet and handrails with the smooth polish from the touch of many hands.

Whether I'm making things from my imagination or trying to reproduce an actual antique, things that come under my hands seem to emerge with an old, timeworn look.

My grandmother had a box in a drawer that was full of old coins, costume pearls and old pieces of jewelry. I loved the sparkly rhinestones, and went crazy over things that were imperfect or had been worn and chipped, with that look of age on them. I don't know why, but those are the things I always seem to pick up first at flea markets or swap meets.

And those are the things I try to re-create in metal, glass and polymer clay.

I hope that answers some questions, and a big Thank You to Erin for hers. I never know what is interesting to you.

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I'll answer some more in Series #2 later - so comment here if you want me to keep going. I'm not used to talking ABOUT myself!

I'm On A Favorite Site List

I was contacted by Seth Apter who is compiling a list of Etsy Favorite Shops on his blog, The Altered Page. I was pleased and surprised to find that my Etsy shop was listed among the favorites as part of his series of "Viewer's Choice" listings.

Check out the blog if you're interested in finding many other talented and creative folks from his list of favorites. From my quick peek, I saw many names I recognized and whose work I admire.

His artwork interests me, as he is a mixed media artist in New York City, and works in assemblage. I'm always happy to know that the pieces can be used for many things besides jewelry.

That's all due to all of you, many thanks as always. Sometimes I do wonder if I'm talking into my hat here on the blog, and creating in solitude in the studio. When I find out about things like this, it helps me feel connected to others out in the world of creativity.

So thanks for that!

History Buttons

Deryn Mentock is a fantastic designer, I just love how she combines focals with gemstones and wire. You can recognize her pieces by her style. Fantastic.

And guess what?

She's blogged today about a project we're working on together. 

Check out the beautiful necklaces she created using the replicas of her antique Galveston buttons!

Gratitude and Amazement

Last weekend, when I met Katie Nelson at her beading class, she had a little present for me.

I feel so lucky, all these talented people want to give me things. And they're beautiful!

The focal and the little accent beads are by Heather Powers. I just love her esthetic, the colors and the shapes. It's more lovely in person than in the photos I've admired in the past.

And to top it off, Katie made a necklace with bronze seed beads, in a spiral pattern.

I have no idea how she does that.

At the class I was watching her, she was using little teensy beads to make a lovely spiral pattern necklace.

She says it relaxes her, although I think I'd be cross-eyed and tense like a harp string if I tried to do it!

I feel so fortunate to have such friends!

Thanks, thanks, thanks ... I will wear it and love every minute, thinking of both my friends who collaborated to make it for me.

Friends of Renown

Last April, I went to Artfest and had a wonderful time. I met some neat people there, walked on the beach of the Pacific, and heard some really cool music. If you ever get a chance to go, be sure to take it! I promise you'll have the time of your life.

One of the wonderful people I met is Gail Pfrommer in Reno, Nevada. She recently sent me this fantasticl heart that she made in polymer clay. It's like a polymer mosaic, with all kinds of amazing things embedded in it!

She's so sweet, I enjoyed meeting her. I'm sorry I won't see her again next April at Artfest 2011. But I know she'll be there, taking some fun classes. I'll be there in spirit!

Thanks so much, Gail, I'll treasure it ...

Sunday Baking and Events

In the late 1970's and early 1980s, I lived in Austin. At that time I discovered a little sandwich shop called "Schlotzsky's" that had a wonderful sandwich, I could get two meals out of each one.

There's a Schlotzsky's sandwich shop here in my new home, and on paydays I treat myself to a sandwich as I go through the drive-through of the bank that's nearby.

I have decided to try to duplicate, as closely as I can, their special bread.

Yesterday I made up some yeast dough and made small buns and baked them.

But there's something missing. That Schlotzsky's bread had a unique texture and taste.

I'm going to keep experimenting, while I eat the little rolls I made yesterday. They're great for breakfast, toasted in the toaster with apricot jam and butter.

I also made a four-layer white cake with buttercream icing. I'd show a photo, but we cut into it last night after dinner. Maybe I'll go ahead and show it, you can really see the layers where it was cut.

It's yummy!

Yesterday at noon I drove out into the country and met Katie Nelson at her beading class, here in my neighborhood. I got to meet some other nice beading ladies. Katie is very sweet and friendly, I'm very happy we got a chance to visit. The hostess took a photo of us, as I forgot my camera!

If you know the secret of Schlotzsky's buns, with their holes and soft crust texture - point me in the right direction!

Artfriends Abroad

Esther Ramos is a wonderful designer. She lives in Provence - don't you wish you could go visit her? 

I know I do!

She used one of my resin pieces to create this beautiful necklace. I'm so happy she shared this photo with me. The piece I made has the word "time" in the center. It's the most non-renewable resource, and the most precious. 

Thanks, Esther!

Round Bubble Button

In the goodie bag that Erin loaned me, I found a large round button. I wanted to turn it into something fun for jewelry designs. So I cast it as a hollow circle with two holes.

I can see it as the focal bead for a bracelet or necklace.

It's a little large to become one of the rings, unless you're the daring sort that doesn't mind large showy finger gems!

It reminds me of the buttons on military coats from the old European nations.

I also have an idea on how to combine it with one of my bezels, to make a locket design. I'll have to play with that and see if I can figure it out.

Razzle Dazzle Bling

In with the keys, in the package of goodies that Erin loaned me, was this marvelous rectangular piece that looks like it might have been a buckle, or some kind of connector.

I wasn't sure how well it would cast or mold, I didn't know if it would look as shiny and sparkly as the original once I re-created it in pewter.

But I think it turned out really well. I can see it as a focal for a bracelet, with a double strand of faux pearls or faceted shiny beads. It's in the Etsy shop, if you want to see more pictures, or take it home and design with it.

I really enjoy working with the old pieces. If I can re-create a replica of them, it makes me feel that I'm giving them a second life.

Three Keys

Last weekend I got a chance to work on some more key designs. These two smaller ones are also from Erin. I love the heft of them, they're very detailed also. One is medium-sized, the other is a bit smaller. The smallest one reminds me of the keys used to lock old-style window shutters. The mid-sized one put me in mind of an old monastery door key, very ornate and historic. Fanciful, huh?

I cast another one of her large keys, and as I mentioned, I put three holes in the shaft, so when it's hung horizontally by the holes at each end, there can be three dangles from the middle.

And I gave the shaft a ruddy, coppertoned patina. Kind of reminds me of the original that way. I'm sending this one to her as a "thank you" for the loan.

Keys are fun! Especially when far away friends send them to me for a while!

Church Woods

More buttons from the rescue! This one is beautiful, almost like a carved sculpture.

It has a church, or a castle, in the woods.

One I gave a dark, ruddy coppertone patina.

The other one I gave a dark pewter, aged patina. This one is just a little too large, I think, for a ring. But I put a hole at top and bottom, to use as a central focal bead for a necklace. 

There's so much detail, I'm really happy with the way this turned out.

Friends With a Gift

Most of you know that I relocated from Missouri to Louisiana to be nearer to my family. I am still meeting people here in my new home. But one person who was in Louisiana made me very happy, by sending me a gift made with her own hands.

Beverly Herman of No Easy Beads makes the loveliest beaded cords and necklaces. She made this pretty little bracelet, and sent it to me. Wasn't that sweet of her? See the focal bead - it's one of Heather Powers' little branch beads. How ingenious, to use it that way.

At first I thought it was a crocheted cording with beads, but as I looked more closely I could see that it was tiny little beads stitched carefully together to make a round cord. 

I don't know how Beverly works with such tiny little beads!

I've been enjoying wearing it around my wrist. It serves as a constant reminder of friendship, happiness and new adventures. It rolls right on over your hand, and slips easily on your wrist just as light as a feather.

I love it! Thank you so much, Beverly. It's simply amazing ... just like you!

Before, During and After

 A lovely friend recently sent me a wonderful package of original keys, to use them as the springboard to create faux antique copies. I was so excited to see them, and to see if I could replicate the originals. They're very special, and unique. Distinctive!

Here's just one of them, a large fancy one, with a sort of brass mixed metal on the bottom and a scroll in white metal on the top. I mixed up the mold compound, and set to trying to duplicate the key. I didn't want it three-dimensional, I like to keep them flat on the reverse to keep the bulk down, and to make them rest smoothly on a flat back.

After the mold set and finished up, I prepared it for casting and took a first prototype cast from it. The pewter is very shiny and bright when first cast. It doesn't have a lot of shadows or patina on it, it's just bright white metal until I set to work on it. It also has a lot of excess metal from the casting that has to be removed.

After I cleaned up the excess metal and polished the edges, I drilled a hole in the bottom to use for a dangle or to attach a jump ring and chain. I don't mind drilling the duplicates, but I wouldn't ever want to drill the originals! 

I put a dark patina on the metal. Where the original scrolls are open, I left them closed on the duplicate and allowed the dark patina to settle in the loops, to make them interesting and showy. 

I polished and buffed it, and applied a special finishing compound on it so the patina is protected. The pewter sometimes gets little pinholes while it's casting, and for these old keys I like that look on the shaft of the key. I think it makes it look more authentic and old, not manufactured.

Here is the original and the replica side by side. The original is on the right side. The duplicate is on the left.

I'm pleased with the amount of detail and finish on the replica. I'll be sending it to the original's owner, to compare!

I think with a key this large, I might try drilling holes along the shaft, so dangles could hang down when the key is hung on a chain horizontally, maybe three holes along the shaft and one at the end for attaching the chain.

I love preserving and reproducing these old things, so they can have another, new life as jewelry, collage or mixed media art emblems!

Flocks and Friends

These four birds, with their extra large loops, are a special delivery for a friend. I finally got some time today to spend in the studio.

All week I've been saying that I must head over to the studio today - and every evening I had something else taking my time. Or I was just wrung out from the day, and sat on the porch knitting until twilight fell.

Next week I hope I'll be better about going over to the studio to work and be creative! I have new designs I want to try out.

In the meantime, these four birds will be winging their way to their new home!

Skully Mastery

I get so excited when people send me pictures of what they've created using the pewter elements.

Pam Traub at KlassyJoolz sent me wonderful photos of this spectacular necklace she made.

She described the elements she used as "beautiful pewter skull pendant, matte finish black lampwork beads with real silver, Jena Fulcher black and white animal print lampwork beads, sterling silver bead caps, all wire wrapped in sterling silver, silver plated rollo chain, and handmade sterling silver box clasp with inlayed onyx gemstone" --- and I just ADORE the finished look.

Pam made me feel really special when she shared with me that she gets lots of compliments every time she wears this unique and gorgeous necklace.

I bet she does, don't you???

Pam says, "I purchased your Memento Mori Skull Pendant back in June....And I finally designed a necklace with it...I wanted to share with you what I created. Each time I've worn it I get so many compliments...I love it, too!!!! This necklace is just one of those special pieces."
I was thinking just the other day about the upcoming holiday at the end of October. Wouldn't that skully be great for some thing to wear on October 31?

Thanks, Pam, I love it and appreciate you sharing the results with me, so wonderful.

Ivory Blue

Here's another of the components I created last week, this one to resemble carved ivory or old glazed porcelain.

It's one of the designs from the buttons that Deryn Mentock sent me, but instead of using the design in pewter it's made in polymer clay this time. I wanted them to look very old and worn, like ceramic tiles from an antique salvage yard or something.

Here is is again, but with a blue-tinted faux glaze this time.

And both of them with the faux filigree in wire. Each one is slightly different, I'm trying out various combinations in the wire.

I enjoy finding different ways to use the pattern from the antique button.

To give it new life and let it live again, in a new way.

Both of these are in the Etsy shop, if you want to try designing with this faux filigree.
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DO YOU read the blog regularly? DO YOU like sales, discounts and specials? BE SURE to check the blog tomorrow morning for a SPECIAL SURPRISE ... just saying, don't miss out if you've had your eye on something special in the shop!

Lorelei Eurto

Lorelei Eurto's "Fleur" Earring Design

I think everyone would agree that Lorelei Eurto is a wonderful designer. 

I love it when she uses some of my components.


I was looking through her shop recently, and thought I recognized some charms. Great colors, I thought to myself.  Why, yes, they were my fleur de lys charms - and made into such charming and lovely earrings!


Now that I have more time, maybe I will give myself one day a week to make some finished jewelry pieces. Without guilt ...


Lorelei, thanks for using them in such a colorful and beautiful way!

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Remember how much trouble I've been having with spam posted to the Comments on the blog?

This morning I noticed that Blogger has enabled a spam blocker. Isn't that cool? And it seems to be catching the foreign language spam that was causing me so much aggravation.

Excellent!

I need to spend some serious time re-vamping the look on the blog, too.
Soon ...