Variations on a Theme

Spring and summer are wonderful here in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the surrounding beauty of the Puget Sound, our own yard captivates my attention due to the variety of birds that frequent our abode. With bird-egg-nest-feather-filled thoughts, what else could I do for our recent swaps but something “bird-y?” The birds sweetly assisted by dropping molted feathers within my reach; their contributions were greatly appreciated!

Soldered Twinchies

I’m itching to get back to soldering again. Using bevels, although a bit problematic, is well worth the drama. For these 2x2 pendants, we used glass bevels for the tops and cut plain framing glass for the backs. The brass embellishments were tinned then brushed with the same black patina used on the soldered copper foiled edges. Images: background tree image paper by ArtChix, rabbit die-cuts from Victorian Scrapworks, and vintage postage stamps.

Soldering Party

I am one of the luckiest women on the planet. For my - ahem - “milestone” birthday this year, what I wanted more than anything else was to spend the day with friends, creating art. My friends (and Mom!) graciously indulged me, and we had a soldering party! What a fun day. We wore tiaras, laughed, and created art all day long. It was the best birthday celebration ever, and I’m so thankful to have these creative, generous, talented ladies as my friends. I am truly blessed. It was a day I will always remember, and I cannot think of a more glorious way to be ushered into another decade. Thanks, ladies, for your laughter, generosity and friendship. You’re the Best!

I spent some time last week experimenting with various patinas on raw brass stampings. Some of the best results were obtained by applying a first coat of Novacan Black Patina solution, then a subsequent coat of one of Sophisticated Finishes’ Rust or Bronze patinas. I originally intended this dolphin stamping to be used as an ornament on the Waterhouse Mermaid beveled glass piece shown here, but the patina did as patinas do and surprised me with a beautiful shade of green, not quite suited for this particular piece.

"Fledgling Treasure"

My mother found a beautiful little feather on our front porch a few days ago, and I promptly snatched it up and scurried on down to the studio. A 1”x3” necklace charm seemed like a fitting way to honor this lovely little treasure.

"Fledge"

Fledge was created for Randy, of “A Place 2 Fledge”, using a few of his Conures’ feathers. He and his wife are in the midst of relocating their exotic bird rescue, and in spite of their busy schedule Randy generously presented me with a bag of beautiful parrot feathers before their departure. He lovingly collects dropped feathers from their many birds and provides schoolchildren (and artists!) with these wondrous treasures, along with inspiration and education. To learn more about their rescue, visit http://www.aplace2fledge.com/

Garden Triptych

I’ve been experimenting with soldering beveled glass lately and am quite taken with house and shrine shapes. The Enchanted Garden triptych artwork was fun to design, although I’ll admit getting it stabilized after soldering was a challenge. (Some copper wire soldered into the channels on the back did the trick.) What better way to brighten some of our rainy Pacific Northwest winter days than with a few enchanting pansies and bunnies?