Children as my muse

 

These are actually older soldered pieces that I made.  Love these little cherubs' faces.  The rosettes above are porcelain and dainty.  This piece and the last one are 3-D little dioramas made in small boxes.

 This one, Bebe, looks out of focus because it actually is in the piece that I made. ;>   The copper tape around the front is cut using fancy scissors before soldering.

Plain & Simple.

Offerings

I have 2 assemblages to show you.  I've been working on my hinges and both of these have a hinged lid with a hidden 'Offering'.  This one has a thin base of Faux Bone onto which copper has been riveted.

This view shows the etching I did of a chubby cherub's face on the dome.  Can you see it?  I created and used aging techniques on a wing attached below the copper.

When the lid is raised, the offerings are exposed.  In this case 3 pearl eggs on a platter.

This is '2nd Offering'.  

This offering is a lashed wheat sheaf on a platter.  I didn't think of these as food offerings when I made these.  I see that now they can be.  I saw them more as Earthen offerings to the gods or some sort of entity.  Kind of a mystery, and I like that.

Thanks,  Anni

Help On The Way

Help On The Way is a brass box that was made to hold ATC's (2 1/2 x 3 1/2" artist trading cards).  I cut an oval hole into the lid and riveted mica over a picture of the Madonna.  I  am very fond of her and the images that artists have portrayed of her in art.

The hinges are a basic, easy design.

Just thought I'd share.  TTFN

The Houses on the Block

Seven houses on the block.  

About two years ago I began collecting little pieces of wood in a plastic bag that somewhat resembled roofs and houses.  (I love little houses.)  The word 'house' is actually a clothing label that says Brook House around the other side.

Just a bit of whimsy.  What a happy little neighborhood.

"Look Honey, I made a B & B!"

Is what I said to my Hubby when I showed him this:

Basically I set off to make a building of some sort with three tiny windows.  It actually looks more like a barn, doesn't it?  Okay then it's settled - it's a barn converted to a B & B!

Back (or front?)

Here is some of the necklace.  I used our pastoral farm girl - who is now proud owner of a B & B!

Here are 5 little homes I made about 1 1/2 years ago.

Little White Journal

I just finished this new little journal and it is a far cry from the brass one I made.  This one is made of heavy watercolor paper as the cover.  It is made sturdier by all the layers of ink, paint, gesso and modeling paste I applied.

It is bound using a Coptic method with heavy carpet thread.  The thread left over has been beaded into a book mark.

I like all the fussy fibers sticking out.  Some of it is lace,ribbon, organza and dyed cheese cloth.

 

All the inside pages have room for journaling.  The last picture below has a pocket in which two tags have been placed.  The coral color fiber is a gift from a wonderful blogger friend, Mitra.  Mitra sent me a whole passel of goodies, even some metal odds and ends that she had lying around for my jewelry making!

Until next time, TTFN,  Anni

Lest you think I've been slacking...

3 1/2 x 3

I hand crafted a little metal journal.  The front and back covers are brass.  The front cover is etched with text and script.  The pages are watercolor paper.  Some of the pages are embellished but all offer space to write.

I learned to do book binding and used Irish waxed linen from Belfast that I've had for a while now.  The  method I used is slip-knot binding.

 I soldered a little hinged door on the front cover that opens to reveal vintage children.  The banner under the pic is stamped with 'gathered'.

 

 Some inside pages.

 A piece of mica covers a pastoral scene.  There are more than a few sewn pages with lace, fabric and ribbon.

This page unfolds outward for more space to journal.  I used some of my card making products and skills in the book.  I have another book in the works, this one a softer cover.  I'll post it when it's finished.  

Thanks for stopping by!!  Anni

Of the Earth & 2 more pendants

 

This may have an 'ewwww' factor for some of you, so know you've been warned.  The dangles represent the Flora and Fauna of the Earth.  The element to the far left is straw (actually a hunk cut off an old broom) and is a great natural color.  The one on the right is a 'pod' that I made with beads and copper.  The center chunk is a fragment of a bone I found while hiking in the woods about 2 weeks back.  Could be deer or coyote?  The striations were probably created by other woodland critters.

This is the back; the marrow clearly visible.  I think it's cool.

 This picture didn't come out clearly no matter what I tried.  I created a 2" oval bezel (because I found the oval glass on clearance) and placed this endearing picture of 2 children and a bully.  lol.

 This pendant was made in a workshop with Robert Dancik (the faux bone guy).  It's a Talisman; Robert is big on Talismans.  In his class is where I learned to set rivets.  I placed MOP buttons along the bottom.  The swirl is stamped into heated faux bone.  After all the distressing is done, brown shoe polish is rubbed in and wiped off.  Shoe polish is waxy and really does the job well.

The Girls

These three Provincial women are all works in progress.  The girl on the far left is transferred onto solder-flooded metal, hence the irregularity of the surface.  The center piece (1" x 1") is cut from fabric and soldered under glass.  I embedded a metal leaf under the glass too.  The third one is really a' bead' that will be along the side of a necklace.

 I notice lately that I enjoy creating the elements more then the necklace as a whole.  Maybe I should just make charm bracelets and be done with it?  These three gals above would certainly fit a theme on a bracelet.

Yesterday and today I've been playing with copper and feeling like I need to make my pieces more organic.

Stay tuned for more soon.

Thanks for coming by.  Anni

Wire Eiffel and a shabby - something?

Hello.  I made an Eiffel Tower out of wire and soldered it up.  Monsieur Eiffel did a much better job with his effort, but I don't fancy myself an architect of historical landmarks, either.

 

This is something I made about 3 years or so ago.  It is fashioned from 4 matchboxes and soldered as one unit with a quartet of shabby bits of eye candy.  There is one piece of glass over the top of this collage.