YOJ: Week 19: Taurus

The last few astrological signs I couldn't really get into it. I'm not really sure why, maybe it's just a timing issue. I felt better about this one, and the work and details I put into it shows I think. I started out with 16GA wire as the frame, and bound it with 24Ga round and 22GA half round sterling silver. One of the stones for Taurus is Sapphire so I used a vintage large Sapphire Swarovski crystal from my stash. I wanted the crystal to have movement, which it does, but the frame isn't quite large enough to allow swinging as I envisioned. I might redo that part at some point. I'm quite pleased with the wrapping and herringbone wrapping on this piece however. I've only done a few projects with herringbone weaving, and this piece shows improvement! The "horns" is another piece of 16GA, which I hammered for texture. I think it's abstract enough to appeal to someone who isn't a Taurus, but looks enough like Taurus to make a Taurus person happy with it. Writing this I think I've figured out why I haven't really gotten into doing the astrological challenges. I'm not really in that mindset, and it's very limited market.. you can only sell to people that are into it, or people looking to buy for someone of that particular sign. Since this piece I feel is interesting in it's own right, I like it better. I love when I learn something about myself and my art.. I want it to be more inclusive of that. But it also gives me something to shoot for with the rest of the signs throughout this challenge: making them enough "like" the signs to be a sign, but interesting enough to stand on it's own also. A challenge within a challenge! I love it!! I've got a couple of pictures of other recent projects.. rings which I made with sterling wire which I coiled, cut, soldered, cleaned, textured, polished and beaded, and I must say they look pretty darn good and professional! And really fun to make. 2 pairs of earrings, and a pendant I made for a friend's birthday.. I made matching earrings with smaller rings, but I guess I didn't get them photographed. The copper circle I'm not sure what I'll do with yet.. it was practice in sawing, filing, polishing and texturing metals. It looks pretty kewl all by it's self. I even textured the back with a wire brush on my dremel, but it's very subtle and I couldn't get a good picture of it. Last is a herringbone & brickstitch bracelet with Japanese Seed Beads.