Inside the artisan

Girls day out

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Recently I had a lovely family come over to my studio to make some jewelry: Jenni, Phoebe and Eve. It's sort of a complicated story to tell you how I met them - originally a year ago - and that meeting was very brief, but a connection was made that resulted in us all having a great day together. Jenni is the mum and Phoebe and Eve are her daughters aged around 14 and 11???

They'd never made jewelry before and we had a fabulous time trying out silver metal clay and then they each made an aluminum/aluminium bangle. It was pretty quiet though - lots of concentration going on!

They had to go back to England before the pieces were fired, so I finished them off and sent them to them. Not sure if they have received them yet.

The photos are of the pieces before they were fired. Jenni did the bird on the left, Eve did the bird on the right - the collared dove, and the heart, and Phoebe did the stars. I'll show photos of the finished pieces when I know they have received the jewelry themselves!

I hope they enjoyed the day as much as I did :=D

Good Luck necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:38:00 +0000

Ladybirds are a sign of good luck and I was recently asked to make a ladybird necklace for a customer. This one is made using silver and color anodized aluminum.

The aluminum leaf is impressed with the veins of the leaf.

Hope you like it - and hope it brings the wearer good luck.

Nestle down for the night

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:07:00 +0000

I just came across this unusual bed! It's designed to look like a bird's nest and comes in three different sizes - up to 15 feet diameter! I think the mother bird might be a bit scary if she ever finds you sleeping in it, however!

Can't find a price.... but it looks a fun place to nestle down and chat with friends.

What do you think?

Life's a hoot

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:05:00 +0000

Here is the little owl necklace that I made for the step-by-step project for the Art Jewelry magazine article.

He does look like a cute little owl, don't you think?

Notice any similarities to a visitor to our garden?

If you follow the article and make your own, please send me a photo. I'd love to see your creation!

You are the cat's whiskers

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:50:00 +0000

You don't hear the phrase "the cat's whiskers" much any more, but it means something is outstanding.

I made these little cat earrings and necklace for a new customer a couple of weeks ago. She only wanted the earrings, but ended up have the necklace too!

They are happy jiggly cats who wiggle their legs as you wear them.

And yes, they have little tails too:

Hand sculpted in silver, designed to make you smile :-D

Life's a hoot!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Today, the July 2012 issue of Art Jewelry magazine comes out for sale - and included in the magazine is a beginner's step-by-step project that I wrote on how to make my sculpted owl necklace "Life's a hoot" (Page 70).

I was asked by the magazine to write a "sculptural bird project" quite a while ago. Years ago, in fact. So it's nice to see it in print. The project shows you how to sculpt basic shapes in metal clay and then put them together and add details to make an owl.

I was also asked to submit a photo of my studio - so one rare day when it was tidy, I took a photo and it's on the front cover of the magazine - and also page 65! It shows off my lovely window seat - a favorite place to sit.

I have to say that the people I worked with at Art Jewelry magazine were just a delight - especially Annie.

Hope you like the project!

Quentin Quail

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:42:00 +0000

As I mentioned in a recent blog post, I've made a new style necklace of my good friend Quentin Quail. I hope you like him.

It is like bas relief in silver.

Quentin wandering in the moonlight.... How romantic. No wonder I always see him with Queenie!

Quentin Quail is back

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:24:00 +0000

We have lots of Quentin and Queenie pairs of quails running around the neighborhood right now, so it was timely that I got a request to make a Quentin necklace as a mother's day present.

Quentin has little running shoes on, as they always do seem to run everywhere very quickly! I was sat on the porch the other day and Quentin walk slowly past me - not noticing I was there, but then Queenie came up behind him, saw me - and ran so fast, so Quentin ran too! They are so lovely to watch.

Anyhow - my Quentin customer was a delight. He was buying the necklace for one of his daughters. I do hope she likes it. I made a different styled Q necklace this week too, but haven't finished it yet. Hopefully early next week I'll show it to you.

Flowering

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:42:00 +0000

A few years ago, I made a pair of earrings as a gift for a friend of a friend. Last week, I got a lovely email from the recipient to say how much she still enjoys the earrings and could I make another pair for a friend of hers.

They are not my usual style of earrings, but I did another pair. Happy spring flowers to recognize a graduation.

Songbirds

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:03:00 +0000

I first made my songbird necklace and earrings early on when I started out with metal clay. This week, I made some more with a slightly different design.

This time, I've made them flat backed, instead of a complete 3D bird. They have always been a best seller, and there must be lots of these little songbirds all over the world.

As someone who likes long necklaces, I thought the lariat version might be nice too. There's something to be said for keeping designs simple, don't you think?

Tranquility

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:57:00 +0000

Following on from last week's serenity post, this time, we're in search of some tranquility.

Take time to make some tea, and find tranquil-tea! A necklace or bracelet, to act as a reminder.

Animal tracks bracelet

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:50:00 +0000

I've simplified the design of my animal tracks bracelet a little, mainly to use less material so when it is in silver, the price isn't so high.

This time, I tried making it in copper, with a footprint toggle clasp.

Can you identify the tracks?

It's a popular piece - I often get requests to make them with a different combination of tracks. And just once, I made it with different size human footprints, to symbolize different family members!

Serenity

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:18:00 +0000

se-ren-i-ty
Noun: 1. The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled: "an oasis of serenity"

For many people, tea is a calming and soothing drink. It makes you stop a while. The act of the teapot, the loose tea or tea bag "performance", waiting for the brew, and then slowly sipping can bring a sense of serenity.

And thus, my latest necklace or it can be a bangle - combines the word and tea = "sereni-tea"

Hope you like it. I have a couple of other t's coming soon too.

Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:38:00 +0000

A blog that I read each week is PostSecret. It is so inspiring, moving, funny, creative....

Take a look at this recent TED talk by the founder of PostSecret and see what you think. Maybe it'll be a source of inspiration for you.

Happy Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:14:00 +0000

Hope you are all having a lovely Easter.

Our Jack Rabbits seem happy hopping through the vineyard. Maybe they are searching for eggs?

This little bunny looks like he's pretty happy too!

Kale is the new beef

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:47:00 +0000

Is it the same where you live? Do you nowadays see kale everywhere? It used to be that we only saw kale as a decoration in the meat or fish counter, but now it's being eaten instead of the meat!

I am a kale eater and no longer eat beef, and today, kale was my inspiration for a necklace. How often can you say a vegetable inspired a jewelry creation (although I did once make a "vegetarian bracelet" using the textures of different vegetables!)?

A little reminder necklace to eat your greens!

And, in case you didn't know, kale is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat:

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 g fiber, calcium, Vitamin B6, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.

It's health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A, C and K and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

So is kale your new beef?

Fresh as a daisy

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:06:00 +0000

Are you feeling fresh as a daisy today? I do hope so!

And if you are not, then maybe my new aluminum bangle will cheer up your day!

And why are daisies considered to be fresh, you may wonder? The English name daisy comes from the old English "daeges-eaye" or "day's eye", referring to the way that many daisies open up their petals during the day, but then close their petals at night. So I guess, the idea is that closing it's petals suggests it goes to "sleep" at night and so wakens up in the morning all fresh and alert and well rested - and thus "fresh as a daisy".

What a nice thought. I love the fresh green on this bangle that shows off those fresh daisies too.

Have a good night's sleep tonight!

I am strong

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:52:00 +0000

I first made this necklace design for a wonderful friend of mine who was going through a really tricky time. It's a great reminder that we do all have strength within us, when we need it. Yes, it's not always easy to find but it's there in all of us.

Since then, I've made it for another couple of customers who have cancer, and I recently had a few enquiries to make some more...so I started another.

Half way through, I got an email from a local friend saying she had seen a necklace on my website that she really wanted to get for her friend and could I make one for her. It was "I am strong" - so as I was half way through, I finished it, thinking of my friend. I hope it brings strength to her friend.

Pyschoneuroimmunology studies have proven that the use of positive affirmations is an easy and effective way to overcome mental hurdles, boost the immune system and improve health and happiness.

Beautiful birds

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:31:00 +0000

A friend of mine just emailed me these lovely photos of beautiful birds. So I thought I'd share them with you. Thanks Janet. They definitely add some cheer to a wet Saturday. This first one looks like he has real attitude!

Hmmm. Maybe I need to expand my silver bird creations and create some cool chickens or flame crests with copper top feathers!

Take time to smell the roses

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Life frequently seems so busy: so many different things to do, so many calls for our attention, so many distractions..... So we need to remember to take time to smell the roses. Just think about how it would feel to bend down and stop and smell a rose. That's quite a powerful image, isn't it: that beautiful perfume; the pretty color of the rose; all those delicate petals. Just thinking about it brings about a sense of calm.

And that's what this bangle is all about. It is a wearable reminder that we need to take time during the day to smell the roses. Of course, it doesn't have to be roses or smelling anything - just stopping, pausing and breathing deeply and noticing what is around you.

The bangle came about from my first attempt at Adobe Illustrator. Readers of this blog may recall that I've been wanting to try Illustrator for some time, so this little rose was my first attempt. Very basic but I like the soft pinks - and being blonde - I wear quite a bit of pink :-D A dear friend of mine said that blondes should wear pink all the time!

Anyhow I think it would make a nice mother's day gift, or a gift to a busy friend or relative who could do with slowing down a little. What do you think?

Need a hug?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:12:00 +0000

We all need a hug now and again..... and this little guy is here, ready to give you one anytime.

It's perfect as a gift for someone who is going through a difficult time and in need of a hug. A sweet sentiment, to show someone you are with them in spirit and thinking of them, even if you can't always be there to give them a great big hug.

And did you know - It has been found that human contact, such as hugging, is essential for healthy social, psychological and physical development. Hugging can also help build a good immune system, decrease the risk of heart disease, and decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol in women. So get out there and give someone a hug today!

And talking of hugs, remember that wonderful youtube of Free Hugs? Worth repeating, so here it is:

If that doesn't inspire you to hug someone, I don't know what will!

Back at it!

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:30:00 +0000

As you may well have noticed, my silver making has been on hiatus, but today, I got back at it!

Since the beginning of the year, my focus has been elsewhere, but now I'm hoping I am at a stage where I can find a balance with other areas of my life and make time for jewelry again.

The change started at the beginning of the year when I went back to my studies. A few years ago, I completed my masters in health psychology and then trained as health coach, but at the beginning of this year, decided that I wanted to specialize in helping those with cancer, so since January I've been studying to become a cancer coach. I'd previously trained as a cancer guide, but this new training was much more thorough. I'm progressing with it - not quite finished yet - but that is what my mind has been focussing on. And I'm loving it.

My goal is to do some health coaching and also some jewelry. But my ideal is that my jewelry business can support my health coaching business enabling me to coach cancer patients free of charge. One business, supporting the other.

The cancer topic is making it's way into my jewelry too and so you'll see some jewelry coming up - both new and old designs, that is based on affirmations to help us on our way with chronic diseases or difficult times in our lives. For example, like this "bird in the hand" necklace. A great reminder for us to be grateful for what we have, instead of always wanting things just out of our grasp.

I have a blog for my health coaching business - Tickety-boo Health Coaching and I should finish developing my website in the next month or so. That will really tell you what it is all about. I plan to run programs locally but also develop an e-program for cancer patients. I'll let you know here, in case you are interested.

So I thank you for your patience as I've been developing another aspect of myself. It's a great journey and who knows where it'll all lead. But I can tell you, it felt good to get my hands in metal clay again today :-D

Weekly bird in the hand

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:26:00 +0000

Here's this week's things that I am grateful for, my "bird in the hand":

Photo by USFWS Headquarters

blogs. I love reading blogs and am right now finding some great vegan recipes that I'm trying. Today I'm making a raw lemon tart. There is so much variety out there but it's tricky to not just get 'consumed' by them all - hee hee!
catching up with friends
watching rabbit ears twitching below the window, when I couldn't see the rabbit!
getting our raised beds ready for veggie growing
choosing a new pomegranate tree for the garden
hearing good news about my nephews
hearing that both grandchildren - and their parents(!) will come and visit - one lot in May and one lot in June
being inspired with new business and jewelry ideas
finally getting over the hurt from a nasty customer. I'm hoping I'll get back into jewelry making this week or next. My mind's been buzzing so I'll plan on writing a blog post to tell you what's been going on and what's coming up.
watching the great blue heron at the pond
learning lots of new things

Hope your week has been full of new things too. Here's to a great week coming up - and don't forget to change your clocks this evening. One hour forward.

Weekly bird in the hand

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Here is this week's list of things I am grateful for - my "bird in the hand":

Photo by PunkToad

sunshine and showers. I got pretty wet on one of my walks this week - and I could have cut it short, but continued anyhow. How often do we just walk in the rain? It felt good - but then so do my walks in the sunshine too!
a good hike on Saturday at Annadel State Park. I loved being in all the trees - but there were quite a few mountain bikers to contend with!
drinkies with my friend in the afternoon!
deciding on some new garden ideas - including raised beds for vegetables. We've grow so many different types of fruits, but until now, haven't really got into veggies - so this will be a good project for 2012.
trying lots of new cooking ideas - like making cheese from cashew nuts.
hearing about all the fun my parents have been having while they've been away
audio-books - I just so enjoy listening to books as I walk and drive.
going to a gala fundraising event with friends.

Hope you've had an enjoyable week too. What are you particularly grateful for?

Weekly bird in the hand

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 01:05:00 +0000

I've missed a couple of my "bird in the hand" posts I'm afraid as I've been away, back in England - so that means I have even more to be grateful for this week! Here's this week's list of the things that I am grateful for:

Photo by Navicore

being surrounded my like-minded people
having tender, sincere conversations with casual friends that takes the friendship to another level
sunshine and warmth - it got up to 79 degrees here this week
seeing the turtles in the pond, warming themselves on the duck platform
getting back into singing
being asked to participate in new things
new opportunities
the excitement of new ideas
meeting new people
enjoying the yellow of the daffodils
seeing all the blossom on the trees
seeing the brightest blue on a male bluebird as he flies around the vineyard with his Mrs.

It's like a week of new life with the flowers/blossoms, birds, turtles and new beginnings. Has spring sprung in your heart yet?