Random Deep Thoughts (with a dash of light and fluffy)

I'm giddy with excitement -- in less than 24 hours I will see one of my best friends for a long weekend.  I can't wait!

I'm even cleaning ( and I've got the whole family involved in it... you would think it's the annual Thanksgiving diner cleaning!!)

I'm so damn tired of political ads already.   And some of them are sooo stupid!  One recent ad claimed that if you elected this one person as your representative then she would turn around and support President Omaha once elected.  GASP!  Since she's the democratic candidate, I'm not sure what the point of this attack ad is.  Stating the obvious? 


  Several of my designs feature rainbows, and I've been asked from time to time if it's because I support gay rights.   I'm delighted  if someone wants to buy a rainbow design to show support, but the truth is I love rainbows.  I love colors.  I think everyone should wear rainbows.. they are cheerful and put one in a good mood.  What more could I want of my jewelry?  And that rainbows mean more to some people, that's just gravy on the mash potatoes!

And yes, I support Gay Rights.  

8 states now allow gay marriage, and shockingly, the sky hasn't fallen in.  Seriously, I'm proud to be in a state that allows it.  I think marriage is wonderful, if you marry the right person.. and if right person is the same sex as you, what does it matter? I've never understood why it does to some people.  I just don't.  Love is love is love.

Course I don't get the whole not liking a person because they are gay.  Course I don't really get most discrimination.. other than it's fear on the discriminator's part.

Walking Dead starts back in a few weeks! woot!  I love zombies, and this show is one of the best ever... mind you I"m too scared to watch zombies by myself.. fortunately Jerry likes zombie flicks as well and watches with me.  Good Hubby!

Des Moines Zombie walk is Oct 13th (the day before Walking Dead season 3 starts)  Jerry and I had a great time last year (we were zombies in love.. made up and holding hands for most of the 2 mile walk!) I'm  not sure if we can make it this year, but if you are in the area check it out... lots of fun and it's for charity!  So join the undead to help other people live better!  Or stop by and watch, and donate a few bucks. 

and remember, brains are not just for zombies.

No shows for a month

There is a bunch of stuff going on in my family right now.. nothing that we won't muddle through, but stuff.

I've been running non stop the last month prepping for shows, trying desperately to fill in inventory holes, make sure we have enough supplies in bags, boxes, etc for each show, and then during the shows being "on" and sell jewelry.  Lots of time in the car traveling.


etc etc etc etc.  It's not just that I've been so busy with the business, there is the other stuff, and of course all the normal stuff of modern life.

What I'm trying to say here is I'm burnt out, tired, stressed and finally getting over a cold.  I need a break. 



Fortuitously I get one... I don't have a show now til late October. 

Best of all, one of 2 of my bestest buddies, Cathie, is coming for a visit this week. I can't wait!! I need some best friend time, and it sounds like she does too.


We will stay up too late, talking and eating too much, laughing our fool heads off, and possibly even a few cleansing tears. We get to go shopping, we get to make stuff together, and reconnect... we haven't seen each other since Feb!

She's coming in Thursday, and leaves Sunday.

After our visit, I'll get my nose to the grindstone again.

Riverssance this weekend

busy making new items for this weekend...

This Weekend is Riverssance in Davenport IA.  I love this show.. it's in a lovely little park in Davenport, the show folks are some of the nicest you will ever  see and the customers are the best.. and most of us get to set up under trees!  So far (fingers' crossed) the weather is going to be great...

I'm sorry I haven't been posting much... busy on the home front and work front and studio front.. I have 3 more shows between this weekend and next, after that I should be posting again on a regular basis.

If you are in the Davenport Area stop by Lindsay Park, and everyone have a great weekend!

who has more fun....

I love this one! The large cog is from the cash register, the rest are brass stampings.  the best part is the cog moves very freely!

Jerry who gets to rip stuff apart, and me who gets to put stuff back together again!!

here is the back.. I cut out a piece of brass, and brass tubing, and screw riveted together.

Made from cash register parts, new brass stampings and Niobium earwires

Random Thoughts

Brass, chain, crystals, pearls.  Long gone, the bird has flown the coop.

I love this design, I should make another one... mind you they never turn out exactly the same.  That's what makes it fun.  I don't have any "love" circles left, but I have a dream one.  Or maybe I could make my own circle and put whatever I wanted in it.  Huh.. that actually sounds good.  Any excuse for a hammer is a good excuse! 

I'm fighting a cold, so that always makes me less than normal.  My throat is sore, my adenoids are swollen and I've been sneezing off and on for days.  I'm trying to use my neti pot more than normal... fingers are crossed I'll just feel crappy without actually sliding into full blown cough misery. I"m going to try to get more sleep ... if I can actually do so, it should help.

Tomorrow is studio day, and Jerry is making home made pizza, so that's good.  I have a couple of ideas lurking around, and if nothing else, I need to clean it. 

We played 7 wonders this evening with friends.  Monday's are shaping up to be our regular gaming night again.  Jerry is working on a Dresden files role-play to start in the next month or so.. I"m really looking forward it it.  The game system is much more interactive than some-- it allows all the players to help build the world we play in.  It's so much more creative that way!  We are basing our world in Des Moines and the surrounding area, which gives it yet another dimension of play.

I made another necklace I really like from the gears/cogs of the cash register.. I'll try to have pictures for Wednesday's blog. 

Neil Armstrong passed away.  It's like the end of an era.

We got the Walking Dead comic book in a huge collected volume ( issues 1-48 in a telephone sized book!) and Jerry says the TV show is better.  I will probably have to read it over his shoulder or holding his hand... I can't watch zombies without him ( I get too scared.. crazy eh?) not sure I can read them without a buddy either...

steampunk from sewing machine parts

Last week Jerry ripped up the sewing machine we bought during our trip at a garage sale.  Don't feel bad.. it wasn't a working machine.. I suppose if someone wanted it as a working machine you could have taken it somewhere to get fixed.. but for our purposes it was perfect.


Last night I finally got a couple of hours to rub together in the studio, and this is the first thing I made with sewing machine parts, and I love it!!

Before Destruction...

And After!

This piece is just so cool looking!!

Here is a side view.. trying to give you an idea of how 3D it is

Every moves on it... I love that!

I love how 3D it is, and how much movement it has, something you cannot capture well in photos.  The "lever" moved back and forth, and both gears can turn... and the part from the sewing machine just has that perfect look to it.. it's all rounded and smooth with a couple of sharp angles to it.  You would never guess that came from a sewing machine!


I'm hoping for more steampunk-y and industrial magic tonight.  As soon as I'm done typing this It's back to the studio for round 2.

hey ! lookie, a new link on my blog!

Look to your right, I have a new link... to my vacation pics. 

or you can click here



I've just spent 3 hours uploading and labeling most of them.  They are out of order..makes it fun that way.

A torching we will go... and brass sorting

copper plated brass, turquoise

I woke up at 430 this morning for the 3rd night in a row.  The last 2 nights I just hit the bathroom, then went back to bed to stare at walls (which is amazing hard to see in a pitch black room) and finally drift back to sleep.  I then wake up feeling like I got ran over by a trunk.  I don't know if it's my allergies, free floating anxiety, or CPAP problems, but I'm not sleeping well right now.  Ugh.

So today, since I had to get up 15 minutes earlier than normal anyway, hell, why not get up 2 hours early instead??

I have jury duty today, so I have to be up and around earlier today.  Jerry normally drops me off at work around 8am ( I clock in at 830) and I have to be at the court house at 8am sharp.. so I figured last night if we got moving 15 minutes earlier I'll have enough time to find my jury room and be right on the dot.

I hate being late.

Yesterday, with the weather being so nice I broke out the torch and worked on several pendants.  I also made balled up head-pins.  I forgot how much fun making head-pins is!   I made them in sterling, fine silver and Argentium.

Argentium? It's a newer sterling silver alloy that made with metalloid germanium. By replacing the more normal usage of copper for the other 7.5% of sterling, it's more resistant to tarnishing and fire scale.  It's the copper in silver that makes it tarnish, gives it fire scale.

Fire scale is color ( and sometimes texture) changes that can happen in the torching process, and it's really hard to eliminate without very careful application of the flame, flux and then pickling the piece.  Honestly sometimes the effects can be interesting and you can incorporate it into your designs.  Usually it's unsightly and unappealing.

Argentium more or less lives up to it's name, but in my opinion it sometimes takes on a more yellowish cast... so to date I've not used much of it.

Becides, argentium doesn't react to LOS very well, and where is the fun in that?

I bought some Argentium wire way back when it first came out  and never bought more.  I've heard through the grape-vine the yellowish taint has been fixed.. so maybe I'll try it again sometime. 

But I've got a couple of ounces just sitting around so why not use it up?

My favorite to ball up is fine silver.  Pure silver ( or 99.9% pure) it stays nice and silver in color no matter what you do to it. You don't have to pickle it, and it balls up just perfect everytime.  No mess, no fuss. 

Fine silver is very soft though, so you can't use it in every application.  For head-pins it's perfect!  Most head-pins get very little wear or stress going, so you can use the softer metal.

Strangely I've never balled up my own copper head-pins.. and now I have bronze wire to play with.  I think the next time I break out the torch I'll experiment some more.

anyway, now that I have a pile of pendants, I need to finish them... so I really need to get my 2nd bench cleaned off so I can do that.

My 2nd bench is currently covered with brass stampings in little bins.  I've been keeping my brass in a couple of large containers unsorted, but I have so much of it now it needs to be more organized.

Those of you who know me personally, you can understand how bat-crazy I'm getting because it's not organized.  I've come obsessed with getting it in some sort of order so I can find what I'm looking for.

I started to sort it out over a month ago, but I've had to interupt the process in the normal course of life, work, shows and finally vacation.  I got about 1/2 of it sorted, and had to stop.

Since I don't have another show til September, I really want to get this done, now, I mean like really now.  Like any organizational situation, half the problem is just deciding how you want to organize it. 

By finish, by shape, by use, by xxx????

And of course so many of the pieces can be defined under more than one category, so deciding if it's shape or use that's more important??

I think I've got my order issues resolved, and yesterday I managed to get everything sorted in the trays... I've got 3 plano boxes sorted and labeled now.  I think when I am done I'll end up with 7-8 boxes. 

I think I'll incorporate my non sterling/goldfilled metal beads/charms/findings.  That way all my base metal stuff is all together.

I'll be happy if I get this done by the end of the week.

Farmer's Market Rocks!

Had another awesome day at DownTown Farmer's Market today!! First, I can't ask for better weather... almost no wind  ( I didn't have to even tape earring cards down!) and the high today is 76.  WOW!   Course the last show we did ( almost a month ago ) I believe it hit 102 degrees...

Since it's also Fair weekend, I think alot of folks hit the market before heading to the fair.  For whatever the reason, we had a great market all the way around.

I also sold most of my steampunk and re-purposed items that I had made up... which is lovely cause now I have the best excuse to make more!! Jerry has ripped up the sewing machine, some very interesting bits in that pile... hmm....  He's also got some turn of the century door parts, a old vcr, a few watches and a vcr to take apart as well...

The big cog and the cross bar are from the cash register, and it sold today

This sold also... a mix of brass stampings and vintage watch parts

Jerry and his assistant Jesscera starting in on the sewing machine.  It's from 1968.  It didn't work, got it at a garage sale on the trip for $3.00, so no quilt in ripping it apart.

Swimmin' with the Mammals

Jesscera, Jerry and I with Cortiz, a 2 year old

I think he likes me!

My BACCCK! and in a destructive mood....

We had a great vacation!!! Went on a cruise, kicked around New Orleans for 3 days, and meandered back to Iowa through Arkansas and Missouri and got back yesterday after over 2 weeks of travel.

I'm sure I'll be peppering my blogs with trip tidbits for the next several months, but today I want to share one of the things I bought on the trip.

Fri we traveled along old highway 64 in Arkansas to participate in Bargains galore on 64, where for the last 13 years people have yard sales, flea markets and antique stalls set up randomly on 160 mile stretch of 64.  (you can learn more about this fun antiquing event here) When I started researching this trip back in November/December, I ran across a listing for this, and since it was during our trip time frame, I figured why not?


Despite the ungodly heat and humidity ( hit over 100)  we found some interesting stuff.. most interesting is a old cash register to shred into jewelry components.

I've researched it and its a National Cash Register model 21, made in 1950 to 1968.  So this thing is at least as old as I am, and possibly over 50 years old.  We got a really good price on it... and Jerry is right now happily pulling it apart.  It's large, heavy and hundreds of parts.. so this might be a project for a couple of nights.  Still, so far my mouth is watering with the pieces he's already pulled off.

Who ever had this prior to us keep it out of the weather.. I mean it was sold as non working, but very little rust is on the internal bits and I'll have to wash/wipe the grease off.

Soo... some industrial / steampunk projects are in the near future! ( woot!)

Jerry started to take it apart before I got a chance to take a picture.. the number and sales wheels are already off of it

this is a pic from the side.. look at all those metal shapes .. drool!!

here are the number and sales wheels..

some random pieces he's already removed.  I've got plans for that large (approx 2 inch) cog already!

  

 

trip, trip, trip, trip

I had my last show today before my family's trip, and I won't be back to blogging or any MKP  business until mid - August.  Wheeee!!!!!!!


It's just as well as my brain has been 27/7 thinking of the trip.  I have a silly grin on my face in the most un-opportune moments because just thinking about it makes me happy!


here is a snapshot of my brain right now:::
trip, trip, trip, trip, trip, trip, trip, trip, trip,trip, trip

think those annoying 1 track minded birds from Finding Nemo and you just about got it right.

so have a great month!

what's on the desk 7/18/12

 I've been hard at work for the hour or so I can stand to be in my hot hot studio.  ( Global warming anyone?)

Monday and Tuesday I've been cutting out metal, adding texture and cleaning pieces in prep to torch.  I started to paint and ink the pieces I wanted to paint, and today I added sealant.

I finally broke the torch out.  I promise this is the last time I whine about how hot my studio is right now... but seriously... how hot do you think the attic gets without the air-conditioning running and a plumber's torch going full blast?? I had a couple of windows open and the fan pointing toward them for venting purposes.  I soldered the sun pendants ( sorry no pics tonight... they are sitting in pickle overnight to clean them up ) and then used the torch to paint on color on 3 pairs of earrings and the bracelet and earrings I'm working on.  I need to add a 2nd layer of ren wax and start assembling pieces tomorrow... I'll probably let the suns sit in pickle for a couple of days.  My soldering skills were a bit rusty and I might have "scorched" the metal alittle more than I wanted to.

3/4 inch round, textured with 2 different hammers.  I love hammers!

Since I want to add a heat patina, I'm assembling as much of the bracelet as I can before I break out the torch.  If the pattern looks familiar, I'm creating a bracelet to match my bead soup necklace.

Really crappy pic, sorry I don't have as much light around this desk.  The top pieces are mostly painted and inked, then I add a sealant.  The bracelet and the earring pieces I've added heat patina, then waxed them to seal.

What's on the Desk - monday morning

What I really want to write about is how my Asthma seems to be getting worse and worse, but that's scary and I'll whine so instead this week I'm going to show you several projects being worked on all at once.

I love being able to work something start to finish and then go on to the next one... but with hot hot hot weather like this, I'm going to work several projects together as they require torch work at some point and I'm NOT turning that torch one more than once. 

So.... here you go, several projects that I hope (but not holding my breath) I'll get done before my Sat show.  Maybe by doing this it will encourage me to get them all done.

Last night I picked out the components I need, and even got some of them textured and cut out.  tonight if I can get the rest cut out I'll be happy... as Monday I don't normally get much studio time at all. 

More tomorrow.

Commissions

I both hate and love commissions.  OK, actually I love commissions, I just both hate and love them right NOW.  My brain is really switching to trip prep, and I've only got 2 shows left before the trip, and it's getting hard to focus on anything but the trip.

I am pleased to say that I finished and got ready to mail everything last night but one project. 

I need to work on a copper / earring set that is torched for color, and then all my commission decks are clear.  ( and I won't take on anymore before the trip... however if you were going to order something.. hey, I'm back and ready to go August 13th .... ) (hint hint)

I've had this on my desk now for almost 2 weeks, so I really need to get on it.  The trip ( need to add Woolite to the list for hand washing at hotels) is only part of my tardiness on this... as much of you know  and probably have experience first hand it's been beastly, dangerously hot of late.

Now imagine that 110 heat index in 600 + square feet in the attic studio with one little window unit after it's been heating up ALL DAY cause you know I don't get up there til 8-9pm at night.  ugh.  (double check we have enough insulin for Jer to last through the trip)

Now imagine turning a plumber's torch ON in the above hot hot hot room.

So I've been dragging my feet alittle on this project.. cause it's darn uncomfy in my studio when it's that hot outside.  (I should pack extra socks and underwear for everyone just in case)

This week finally the weather has broken.. its now normal July hot instead of insanely hot.  So Tonight if I have a few minutes I'll start work on this last commission.  (should I try wearing a real purse on the trip? it's been years since I've tried to wear a purse) It's not a hard project and I'll enjoy it once I get going on it....

I need to texture copper sheet
I need to cut out the shapes
I need to file and sand edges for safely on the cut out pieces
I need to punch holes in them for assembly
I need to use the torch to color them  (Must remember to send mom that email w/ the trip contact info in case of emergencies )
I need to seal them with ren wax and let them dry
I need to wire them together and add the rest of the beads
I need to clean them up
I need to contact my client and arrange for pick up/ mailing etc

So nothing hard at all, just several steps.  (Need to book the rest of the hotel stays)

Actually just writing this out gets me more excited to work on the project, so if I can squeeze even 30 minutes up in the lair tonight I'll get it started.  Wednesday is normally my catch up on the house day.  (must remember to buy extra cat food for the house sitter while we are gone) (maybe get a couple of cans for the cats as a treat... so maybe Jezzie won't pee on my work bag this time while we are gone)  I need to wash dishes, clean the kitchen, clean the bathrooms and fold laundry, among other household tasks.  (I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait --- ruins,dolphins,ship,Mexico,NewOrleans,scenery, oh boy!)

Sketching

Sketching is an important part of my jewelry design process.  I don't always make the items I doodle but it often sparks other ideas - and it gives me something to flip through when the ideas aren't flowing.

If I come up with a successful design that I might want to use in the future I will sketch it out and write notes.  

Strangely enough I get some of my best ideas in the bathroom. ( I won't elaborate more than that... it's probably TMI now!)  So I have a sketch pad in the bathroom, one in my work bag, one in my travel kit and a couple hanging out in the studio.

When I go on my trip I'll have a couple ready.  (can't wait! can't wait!)

500

This is my 500th blog post since I started my blog back in 2007.  I'm pretty proud of that! 500 posts in just over 5 years, that seems pretty good.  (my very first entry is Jan 13th, 2007 )

I really feel like I should use this blog entry for introspection, for reflecting on my general goals and what they are for this blog specifically.

But I won't.  (all 5 of you reading this sigh with relief)

I'm not in the mood, and frankly I don't have the time. 

I have to work on a couple of commissions, I have 2 more shows coming up and then the BIG FAMILY TRIP.   I've got a bunch of shows after the trip too, I've updated my schedule with 2 more for September.

 Honestly, my brain is focusing more and more toward the trip than anything else despite pressing inventory needs.

All 3 of us are going on a 7 day Caribbean cruise at the end of the month.  (wooo hoo) Even better, our port is New Orleans and we have several days to explore New Orleans after the cruise before driving home. 

So yeah, I am getting excited.... we are all getting excited about it! 

So I guess I'll save all the introspection and deep emotional soul searching for my 600th blog.  The important thing is there will be a 600th blog!

Enjoy your weekend!

Happy 4th and hm.......

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone is having a lovely day, and I hope air conditioning is involved for most of it.  At this rate, my summer cooling bills are going to rival my winter heating bills.  The joy of living in Iowa.  I've been having a horrible time this spring and summer with my allergies and my asthma control.  I went to the doctor this week and we are playing with my meds.  I am now on a pill for asthma as well as a control inhaler and my emergency inhaler.  I took the first one last night, and it warned it might cause drowsiness. HA! I was so drowsy I was down right dizzy and almost didn't make it up the stairs to my bedroom! It's definitely going to be taken at night before bed.  It's suppose to help with my allergies also, so I'm suppose to stop taking my normal drug.  So this morning I'm feeling spacey and alittle hung over and really stuffed up.  The doctor warned it would take a couple of weeks for the new med to be totally effective. Oy.

 

  

One of my wild wire series.  Makes me think of a harp...

Inverted Round chainmaile

doesn't look like much yet does it?

same as above, only completed!

here are the 3 I've made so far... next step is captive inverted round, where you put beads or rings inside the chain.  these bracelets are hollow so you can "add" to them.... hm... I wonder what a ribbon would look like running down the middle.

More tin projects and show schedule for July

Savage Tin in the background, painted brass stamping in front, sewn together with copper wire.

Brass in the back, the girl faces are cut out of savage tin and I added fiber.. for hair ribbons

We had a fantastic day at Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market, and I'm sad to say it's my last one til August 18th.   But next weekend I'll be At Grinnell art show , July 14th Jazz in July during the Clive Festival and I'm super excited to be in Sycamore Craft Market July 21st In Iowa City.

Then we take a well deserved break til Mid-August. 

Once I get all my chores done, I'm gonna go play in the studio... Have a great weekend!!