Opera Fan Keepsake

     This is another experimental piece. I made the oriental fan and hand painted it. But I couldn't decide what to do with it. I put some sheet music behind it, added a tiny, hand painted vintage looking button in the corner, and put it between thin pieces of glass. The cornucopia bowl of fruit at the bottom is hand cast in pewter. 

     It looks like a metal shadow box, with several loops at the bottom where shiny crystals could be hung. 
     Or, if I can figure out the setting for the orange-red fused glass faux gem, it would look great with the japanese fan's color!
     The other shadowboxes I made earlier didn't have glass on the top, they were open. This one is glassed in on both front and back. 
     I like combining the resin, pewter, glass and solder to make something that looks really ancient.

June Sale at Etsy Shop

      I've been spending family time this weekend, but today I'm headed to the studio for some creativity time. This is a new piece, in resin and handcast pewter, I finally got it listed in the Etsy shop.
     To keep things interesting in the LLYYNN Etsy shop, I've got a sale coupon for 10% any purchase for the entire month of June! Use the coupon code JUNESAVE to take advantage of the savings at the time you purchase.
     And to spice it up a bit, some more pieces have been put on sale - so if you've had your eye on something you liked, check it out! It might be on sale in June! Add the 10% coupon code, and save a bunch!

     I'm back from my travels, I had a great time visiting. It was a long time in the car for the kids. But they were real troopers! I took a few days off this week from the day job to get caught up at the studio. It's such a luxury to spend all day at the studio, getting covered in dust, paint and glue!

     I found a small medallion in the shape of a crown, and took a mold from it so I could make some earring charms. The original didn't have any holes in it, but I put a hole top and bottom. So I can hang a pretty pearl, and put in earwires.

      I also made this replica cameo, with an image that originally graced the front of an antique metal button. I put it into the reproduced optical lens bezel, to give it a very vintage look. I think it looks like a french court lady-in-waiting or something romantic like that.
     I'm headed back over to the studio to finish some more bezels. No, I didn't forget the giveaway - I promise to pay attention to that soon!

Looking Back, Working Forward

     This is a heart that I created before I moved to Louisiana. Do you ever make things, then sort of move on to other things, and kind of "forget" about something you once made? I seem to do that sometimes.
     Because it made me think of a pebble, with words in it from a poem, I called it a "sonnet pebble."

     Sometimes, I go back through my own "sold" section in the Etsy shop, to remind myself of things I've made in the past, and I ran across the "sonnet pebble" piece. I decided to make a new one. Of course, every piece is unique, and it's almost impossible to reproduce something exactly. This is the one I recently made, the words inside are a little bit different. 
     Do you ever go back through your old photos and see something you made and realize, I had forgotten all about that one!? 

I Am A Fan of These Beauties

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     I've been wanting to make time to create some jewelry using the pewter. I made some pieces for myself to use, but I just have't set aside that time to put things together.
     Recently, I got a message from Heidi Post, sending me links to her blog, showing photos of ways she has been using the pewter. And I just love what she's done!

     This one is the Normandy Blush Fleur connector, and she used a chandelier crystal with it. (I have one of those big crystals - I would like this look for myself to wear!)

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     And this one uses the lovebirds pewter charm as a connector, with darling blue pearls. See the pretty blue dangle under the disco ball rhinestone? Gorgeous.And her clasps are wonderful!

Photo Courtesy of Heidi Post

     And this one so cleverly uses my spoontop connector in the center of the necklace. I'm never certain how the pewter charms and connectors will be used, so it facinates me to see pictures of the finished jewelry!

     Thank you, Heidi, for sharing these and curing my curiosity. They are all lovely, and I want all of them for myself! Beauties!

Painting With Color and New Work

     Want to see something new I'm working on for the Etsy shop? I mentioned earlier that I was trying for a smaller sized bezel, that could possibly be used for bracelets or necklaces. I have always liked the look of antique optical lenses, very quaint and antique. So I worked on a similar size and look for a bezel, and this is what I came up with.

      To put in as inserts, I worked on some unique polymer clay pieces, to resemble ceramic or carved ivory, but with bright colors and fun images. These three have a bright color range, with a crewel embroidery flower, a bluebird and a french postcard design.The bird and the flower are rounded, and the postcard is flat.

     These four have a more muted, vintage tone to them, with a cameo, two button reproductions and a french token in them. The french token and the cameo are flat, the others are rounded shapes.
These bezels measure 1 1/2" from the top of the connection loop to the bottom of the bezel, they are a 1 1/4" round diameter. 
     There's a hole a the bottom for a chain or fastener to attach, and I can see them as either a necklace focal or used with chain and a clasp for a bracelet.
          I really like the way they turned out, but your feedback is very valuable to me. What do you think?

Textbook Eggs

      I ran across these hand-colored drawings of eggs in an old german textbook. I can't read the german, but I thought the egg images were fascinating. I used to collect old books, and have one on german grammar, but these look so unique. So I had to use them in my round bezel.

     This one has great looking speckles on the egg, and the shape looks hand drawn. It would be super to find an old naturalist's journal, with plants, flowers and animals cataloged in it. I put them in the Etsy shop - and the April Sale is on until the end of the month. Use the coupon code I set up for you - it's so easy!
     Don't forget to post on the giveaway - it's still open, and I'll be closing it soon and announcing the winners. Right now, the odds are pretty good - so add your name to the list.
     I'm excited to share what Lorelei Eurto created with one of my rectangular pendants! Check it out - it's super cool, love it.

New Direction in the Compass

      I love things that have an antique look. Pocketwatches, compasses. Things that look like they have a story to tell. I've made several compass-themed pieces, but it's been quite a while. I found these antique compass rose designs, and I couldn't resist them.

     Years ago, in Texas, I had a sailboat that I took out on the lakes. I enjoyed crewing on the larger sailboats, too, especially during the races. So I get a lot of pleasure you of these old-fashioned compass designs. To show you the way, and take a heading.
     I made them the right size to fit in the new pewter bezel. It makes them look very vintage, don't you think?

Lilies and Cookies

     I bought some cookie dough and icing, so my daughter and I can make Easter Egg decorated cookies today. Sugar cookie and peanut butter, yum! She found the cookie cutters, and we decided to plan a creative afternoon.

     Yesterday I finished these three round pendants. Two of them have a lily design, which seems fitting for Easter. But they're not so completely holiday designed that they couldn't be worn at other times, too.
     This year the holy days for many of us all happen on the same date, which makes it extra-special. I hope your celebrations with family festivities are wonderful this year, however you commemorate them!

Geranium

       This red geranium flower, with its pretty green leaves, was made over two weekends. I'm still experimenting with the resin, getting the colored domes to look vintage and antique.
   I like to plant geraniums in the flower beds in the summertime. Soon it will be warm enough for them. I can't wait!
     Don't forget to make your voice heard in the poll on the left sidebar - help me figure out what images are your favorites, so I know what to make. And for those who have voted - THANKS!

Paris Souvenir

      I found these french postcards, with their views of the Eiffel Tower, and came up with a new pewter bezel to put them into. I wanted it to have texture and simplicity, with an old-fashioned feeling. I got the bezel made, molded and test cast last Sunday.

     I'm always on the lookout for images of the Eiffel Tower. I especially love old french postcards, travel tags and letters. Do you see the legs of the Eiffel Tower in the background, behind the word "PARIS," on this oval.

     I'm itching to make something with these, but went ahead and listed them in the Etsy shop. I might keep my favorite one aside, just to make up into a necklace for myself. 
     I like these simple oval bezels - and I can turn them side-to-side or up-and-down as needed!

Butterfly Bonanza

     I always thought it must have been a wonderful time, back before the turn of the century, when the gentlemen had their naturalist collections of butterflies and plants. I wanted these pendants to have the look of butterflies under glass, like those old collections in glass display cases.

      No butterflies were harmed in the creation of these pendants! I made up another new bezel shape, very industrial and simple, with a brushed metal front and a copper-bronze patina, to give them the feeling of age and a rustic look.

     The trick is getting the butterflies the right size to fit well in the pendant, some of the ones I like the best are too large with their wingspan, to capture all of their beauty in the oval shape. I may have to make some that are round, and see if they will fit and show up that way.
     I left the coppery-bronze patina with some darkened spots, hopefully to give a look of great age and wear. I'm enjoying these new bezels!
     SEE THE POLL in the left sidebar? Please vote for your favorite Etsy styles, so I know what you like best, and I can make more of those! The Poll closes the middle of April - but don't wait, go ahead and vote now ... and thanks!

Pansy and Petunia

      Around town, the pansies are still blooming like mad. Apparently, here in central Louisiana, they are an all-winter plant. I made some new round pendants this weekend, and most were inspired by florals. The images came from the french design book my friend sent me, they are so color saturated! very fun to work with.

     Remember a while back, I said the crucible burned itself out? I got a new one for the pewter, it's larger and hotter than the first one, so I'm re-melting all the pewter that was in the old one and making new bezels. For these round pendants, I decided to put a small hole in the bottom for a dangle or chain, I like to use colorful beads as dangles in my designs, so these will be able to have them.
     Maybe next weekend, I'll plant some fresh starts for my summer square foot garden, if the weather cooperates. 
     P.S. I put more things on sale in the Etsy shop ... maybe there's something you love on sale!

Four Square Language of Flowers

      I like to collect old books from the 1800's, with poetry and literature in them. I have an old book, published in Chicago in 1884, titled "Language of Flowers" by Mrs. C.M. Kirtland (illustrated). In those days, especially in England, courting couples communicated with floral bouquets, the flowers themselves having meanings. There was symbolism in the choices of flowers that went into the bouquet, secretly speaking to the giver and the receiver of the gift.

      In taking the antique images from the french design book and turning them into these dainty square pendants, I thought I'd add the meanings from "Language of Flowers" for each. In this pretty pink square with two white lilies, the White Lily stands for PURITY and SWEETNESS. 

      Sometimes I have to interpret what type of flower it is, so this one I saw as a dogwood, the white flower with the yellow in the center. In "Language of Flowers" the dogwood blossom stands for "DURABILITY."

      Ivy by itself stands for "FRIENDSHIP. FIDELITY. MARRIAGE." and an ivy sprig with tendrils, like these, stands for "ASSIDUOUS TO PLEASE" in "Language of Flowers."

         This last one seems regal to me, with its dainty pansy flowers in pink, yellow and blue. The pansy flower stands for "THOUGHT" in "Language of Flowers."
    Since Easter is coming, I thought it would be nice to have some spring flowers on pendants. After April 1, no fooling, I will do another GIVEAWAY with these four square pendants. 

Venus Gem Glam

      I haven't made any of these venus shell gemstone settings in a while, so I finished one on Sunday. I don't have very many of the gold-tones rhinestones left. I've made these with oval pearl-like gems in the setting, also. This setting casting comes from an original that was loaned to me, that was found in a french flea market. I like that I can reproduce it, and give it another life.

     The original that I copied didn't have a stone in it, only the setting where a stone should go. I was happy that I was able to find some rhinestones the right diameter to fit there, to make them look finished. Love the bling!

Back on My Feet

      I'm getting around better now, the floor is staying where the floor should be, and I can walk without looking like a seasick sailor, most of the time. So after church, I went over to the studio to see if I could get some new things cranked out, since I missed so many days of creativity last week. I've been wanting to make a simpler rectangular bezel, something that was smaller with less detail on it, for some of the resin pieces I'm making. That was the project for today.

     I also had this large heart-shaped resin mold, but didn't have a bezel that it would fit into. Another project was to come up with a complimentary bezel that looked rustic and old, that the heart shape would fit into. This is the one I came up with. It's got some texture on it, and I like the twig-like look of the design, with a loop at the top. I think I can drill a hole in the bottom, but I dropped my dremel with my small drill bit in it, and broke the bit. So, I had to postpone drilling small holes for today, until I can replace the drill bit next week.
     The lady in the rectangular resin piece, and this little girl in the heart shape, both have such a determined expression on their faces. I like the dark sepia color, and the little girl's cheeks and checked dress were hand colored by the tintype photographer. So here these two new bezels are, I got them mocked up, molded and test cast this afternoon. Right before the big rainstorm hit. I know I'll get a lot of use out of these new bezels. What do you think?

Frilly Heart Face Broke The Studio

     Last weekend, I continued on my quest to re-configure my pewter bezels. While I like many, if not most, of them to be simple and plain, with clean lines, sometimes I do like them to have some swirls and twirls on them. The bezel mold I had been using was made several years ago, and it wasn't quite open enough for the hearts to fit into easily. So I always had to work on them, to get the centerpieces to fit. On Sunday afternoon, I re-made the bezel from scratch, making sure there was plenty of room in the center for the hearts to fit. This is my first test of the new mold. It still has lots of detail, and now the hearts fit without a struggle.
      I don't know why it takes me so long sometimes, just to do the things I intend to do, need to do, to make things easier on myself. And it didn't really take all that long to do this. I puzzle myself - why work harder than necessary, when I can take a couple of hours and make things easier. It's a mystery.

     Speaking of mysteries, I finally wore out my crucible for the pewter. Last weekend, it just gave out and stopped working. So I will have to get a new one, and get familiar with it. Fortunately, my old one stayed hot long enough for me to get all the pewter out of it before it shut itself down. I'm researching now to see if I want the same thing, or something different this time.

Let's Have a Giveaway

     Last night my granddaughter spent the night at my house, and today we all went to a birthday party of one of her friends. Her mother, brother and I piled in their car with her and drove to a park. The weather has been so odd - yesterday the temperature was in the 70's, then it poured rain for hours, and the temperatures fell. Today it was very windy and chilly for the outdoor party. The kids didn't seem to notice, they ate hot dogs and played on the playground, and had a great time. It was fun going to the party with them, I hadn't done anything like that with my daughter and her kids before. They were very tired afterward, and went home with an idea of naps for everyone.
     So I have the afternoon to myself, and I think I will go over to the studio and work on some new pieces. I make things that I like the looks of, and just hope that someone else will also like them and be inspired to create with them.
    I need some guidance, some feedback on the types of things that folks like, and I'm willing to do a giveaway to get you all to post your thoughts. 
    If you will go over to the Etsy shop and look at the new things I'm working on, the resin, polymer clay and pewter, and post here as a response what your particular favorite look is - one person will be selected from the responses to win the oval focal resin pendant in the picture. And as I usually do, everyone who posts a response will get some kind of a thank-you from me when I announce the winner.
     So please go over the the Etsy shop, look at the new work, and give me your honest feedback (good or bad!), for a chance to win the oval pendant!And thank you, in advance, for the feedback. I really need it!

Marching Along

     I love the look of old tintypes. Most of the time there's no information about the person in the photo, and it makes me want to find out who they were and when the photo was taken. Doesn't this young man look serious? He's so young, and neatly groomed.

     These little girls, probably sisters, look so serious in the picture. Their dresses were hand colored with pink, with just a dab of color on their cheeks. Their hair was cut short, which was unusual for the time, so maybe they were farm girls, who had to help out with the chores.

     Doesn't she look fearless, like she could travel long distances and relocate her whole family for a better life? I made these tintype portrait pendants with an eye toward making some jewelry, but so far I haven't gotten anything assembled yet. I went ahead and listed them in the Etsy shop, in case someone else would like to give them a new life and a story.
     I'm having a crisis of confidence, I have to admit. I've been re-reading some of my posts from 2009, and I was making a lot of new things back then. I've taken time out, for the relocation from St. Louis to Louisiana, and for family time. Have I gotten myself too far out of the mainstream? Have I lost my creativity, and if I have, what will it take to jump start it again?
     I read something the other day, and mentioned it to my daughter. I think I saw it on the internet - "They're only babies for a year." Wow! And that's so true. And the grandson is more than halfway there. I don't regret taking the time out for family. But is it too late for me to be a creative mixed-media artist now?
     I can't help but create, whether it's dresses for the granddaughter, or jewelry charms. 


     I guess I'm wondering if the time off from creating jewelry charms has put me too far back, now. Now, I'm trying to get back into the routine of creating new things - I hope I still have time to re-build again.

Ages and Years of Leap Day

     It's been a while since I made some of these faux pocket watches. I've been wanting to try them with the new pewter bezels ever since I made the new bezels, but the weather has still been too chilly to pour resin. This last weekend I finally got a chance to try them out, and they fit perfectly!

     I have several styles of faces for these little clocks, and they are all in french. Since these two turned out to fit well, I'll be working on some more soon. Surely warm weather will be here to stay very soon.
     Today is February 29, it's Leap Day. It comes every four years, to keep our calendar on track. It makes February, which is always a short month, just one day longer than usual. 
     I don't know how exactly to celebrate Leap Day. I vote for something sweet to drink, and something salty to eat. 
     Happy Leap Day, 2012!