Distant Shore Shells

Would you like to see what I was playing with before I left my dream in Florida?

(Oh, Shannon, always so melancholy. Can't anything be about something else?)

Sorry! 

This post is for me, but I hope you like what I put together.....

Before I left Missouri in April of 2011, it was a goal to utilize my skills on recycled or naturally obtained materials.

I dreamed of the long walks on the beach and all the treasures we would find.

Although I went there with expectations on what I would uncover and create with, life experience shifted a bit and I was more interested in collecting certain shells that meant something to me personally.

It was not important that the shells be well known, rare or even left perfectly unbroken by the sea.

Instead they needed to symbolize how varied and strong they were, to be one of so many of millions and yet each uniquely beautiful. To travel in such rough conditions as the sea and end up a durable, usable object in jewelry is a great feat that I admire in the shells.

To leave my mark on these Olividae shells without screwing up their perfect esthetic, I edged them in a copper metal paint, than applied verdigris patina to the edges and allowed that to develop. Once dry, I sealed the whole shell just as the patina metal is sealed; in lacquer and wax so their finish is protected. 

And there, with a center hole already in place.... I have natures perfect bead!

(I then shoved a really thick piece of braided leather through the opening of the shell, I won't lie; it wasn't easy and some of my leather frayed at the ends where I had to work through a little bit of the leather at a time and then when I had just the smallest piece coming out from the opposite hole, I gripped it with flat nosed pliers and pulled it all the way through.)

It was instantly cool.

 I embellished it with antiqued copper wire wrapping, a hand forged "S" clasp, open link verdigris chain and mother of pearl shell shards that totally look like the teeth of some wild beast that I slain with my bare hands and carried over my shoulders to my tropical tribe where we feasted for days and I was exalted above all other beast hunters and presented with the teeth from the kill in a fantastic celebration that included drums and half naked people stamping around in rhythmic gyrations.

When in reality, I was texting my friend while hiding in the finished lower level of my parents house making jewelry.

But we all gotta hold on to dreams, right?

Hey, beach bum!

I made you some!

If you would like your own Distant Shore Shell, shop here;
missficklemedia.com

They range in price from $7 to $9 for small, medium and large.

Much Love & Respect;

Shannon

 

I want everyone to remain calm....

but I have to share that I have discovered the color of UTOPIA.

I call it Peacock Blue but it makes me feel so fulfilled looking at it, I refer to it as Utopia.

Here it is over etched copper, lightly sanded to bring out the contrast of the underlying metal.

This was a limited edition of 12 pendants, called Old Typewriter. I would love to link you to the listing, but they have been lost. Yes, that is correct, you are reading that right, LOST. I have this awful feeling that I took the bag that contained all of the pendants and placed it on the packing slip of the most recent order for 1 of them and between me, Mike and my mom, who is helping us ship now, the whole lot was prolly shipped out. Sickening feeling inside.

I will have to make more, they were that cool.

Anyway,
I have chains in textured copper, satin finished coin beads, links in small, medium and large sizes and toggle clasps all listed. Finally!
I even cut and drilled some copper and brass charms for peacock blue dangles.

I kinda wanted to keep these, they are perfect for my paired down style of disc on an ear wire preference. But I am not sure when I'll be able to sit down to jewelry projects, I am setting up a new inventory system with Mike for missficklemedia and assigning numbers to every stinkin bit of stock I have so who the heck knows how long that will take!
I hope you enjoy working with the Peacock Blue!

Let's see? What else has been going on? Mike got sick, really sick. While he was suffering a cold, his blood count dropped back down and hovered over 8.3 which is .3 points away from when the doctors like to give blood transfusions. Mike really wanted one as it helps him feel better almost immediately, but if you get too many they stop helping. So instead they upped his medicine, an anabolic steroid that helps his body create more oxygenated red blood cells. He is now taking 250mg daily. It's like living with The Hulk. My sweet teddy bear of a guy is suddenly, inexplicably, enraged and irrational. Many, many disagreements are happening at the LeVart household. I have to learn to just walk away, (even when I know I am right) until his body can adjust to the extreme level of steroid in his system and his mood levels out. 

Pinky had a second bout of tonsillitis but I learned with the last experience and was able to get her to the doctors in time so she could immediately get on the right antibiotic. The last time, she went to the doctors on a Thursday, they missed the diagnoses, her throat swelled shut on a Sat. and she had to go to the hospital. This time, I heard it in her voice and looked at her throat, sure enough the signs of tonsillitis were starting.

Poor baby. 

Everyone was healthy enough to celebrate Halloween though so we went to Six Flags during the day and then came home and trick or treated until we fell over from exhaustion!  

Here are my Little Bo Peep and my Ninja Warrior;

Cute huh?

I can't believe it is already Nov.12th! This month is zooming by and I should be thinking about Christmas presents. Have you started? My mom claims to be done, I don't know who she's trying to impress, but I know she can't stop. She will continue buying all the way up to the day of, she can't help herself.

I'm asking everyone for cash so I can pay off my dental bill. It is a huge dark cloud hovering over me all the time and he won't do any more work until I pay off the remaining balance. Heartless Dentist. But he is the best, he uses laser dentistry, which means no pain.

Well, I am off to visit blogs now so I hope you haven't been like me, blog slacking!

New Patina-ted Chains!

 

Large dramatic links of textured and hammered brass in colors of ocean blue, verdigris, russet red and my personal favorite; Sunrise! I haven't designed anything with them yet but I am hoping a few customers send me some pictures.

Ocean Blue with touches of Verdigris

Large, textured brass with matte yellow and a wash of verdigris = Sunrise!

Alternating diamond links heat treated with Russet Red.

Hammered circle links of brass done up in Weathered Patina.

What do you think? Is it good to have a little variety? How about a lot? I think I like a lot, but sometimes too much can just be overwhelming. :) 

Now all I have to do is the tedious chore of listing them all.

I don't care if it's winter and spring is coming and I'm

supposed to be all "ohhhhhh, fresh growth, pretty pastels and new life!". I just don't. I'm stuck here....

Among Leaves.

Just listed

Extra large (as in 2"!) Hammered Copper Hoops.

EXTRAVAGANT

And

Verdigris Hammered Brass Links

ANCIENT

  

and

Versatile Red Links

Luscious

It has been foggy for a week now....

But I had a few pictures taken from a few months ago of the new patinated components I have been working on. There is a ton so I will just post a few pics at a time. The above are my favorites even though I should be concentrating on PINK. and RED. I'm just not feeling it right now. Darn these creative impulses! Why can't they sync up with the retail calender?

You can mix custom colors with patina's and heat apply them for a really intense shade. It isn't a paint, it is actually bonded with the metal, isn't that exciting? There is even violet! A deep purple that sometimes has a greenish tint to it, I'll show some bangles later but here are some violet Paris Tags;

And here are some earrings I can't stop making using forged, patinated hoops;

What do ya think? Like em? Love em? Want to make some? I will list some more components when the sun shows up but don't hesitate to ask for your own colors! The bracelets below use lamp worked glass discs from Blue Seraphim.

We are each of us angels...

"We are each of us angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing one another."
~ Luciano De Crescenzo ~

When I first posted this I meant to say more about the quote but my mind wandered off on it's own.

I had a paster say once " If your doing everything in your life on your own -your not doing what God has planned for your life."
I try to remind myself of that because I have a tendency to try and do everything on my own.
It's like a pride thing (pride is not helpful but harmful).

But we, as human beings, are not meant to do everything on our own and we can only truly succeed at our life's plan by teaming up with others.

That is what the above quote symbolizes to me .

This wing pendant is an old favorite of mine. When I first started selling polymer pendants on etsy in January 07, this was one that I created 12 of and sold for $5.00 each.

I tired of it quickly, because it requires a lot of hand cutting, which doesn't work well with the $5.00 range.

But I loved it. So when a friend/customer asked me to recreate a few I was happy to oblige.

They look even better then before because A) I have a nifty camera B) I'm more skilled at buffing and C) I now know how to seal patina. (Renaissance wax)

I recently purchased a bunch of czech glass buttons, made some molds with them and then created pendants.
And patinated them also.
A mermaid, a ship, a shell, a chambered nautilus, a seahorse, a sunflower, a dragonfly, a peacock, a man in the moon, and a couple of decorative ones. I can't wait to list them all!

I also started a pmc collection with a lot of the same molded buttons. But they take more time so it will be a while before I can show them.

I am very frustrated with the lack of time lately. I have some things to show everyone and some things to say, but I am having the worst time ever finding time to sit down at the computer!

I have uploaded photos at flickr of the kiddos and their various ways of celebrating their birthdays. So if you like that sort of thing check it out!

My dear sister is getting married this Saturday and even though she is completely low key and laid back about everything there is still a lot to prepare ahead of time.