Semester is Finished!

This morning is my last class of the semester, so I have been busy getting my portfolio ready to turn in.   We have to show the instructor the metal art created, plus sketches of each project:

Here is a silver necklace that was simple, yet I will wear it more than some others:

Still no word on the missing batting.  I will ask Joe to go over and see if the tenant/pitbull owner is home.  That way, I don’t have to subject myself to seeing the place…. or getting bit!  LOL!

Speaking of Joe, he is safely home from India.  I was a bit nervous after all the terrorist activity there recently, and with India and Pakistan making threats of war against each other this past week.  It is good to have him home again.

Enjoy your weekend!  Carla

Wire work

In preparation for turning in my metal portfolio for the semester, I have been finishing a few more items.

After my wire crochet experiment the other night using 28 gauge copper wire, I decided the weave was actually a knit, similar to a viking knit, but different.  Here it is using a 24 gauge wire, before compacting it using a wooden drawplate:

Then I finished 2 more chain maille bracelets out of copper wire.  Thanks to Faith, who made me the copper jump rings used to make these:

My last picture features a leaf that is a wire formed design. You then press a sheet of metal over the wire using a hydraulic press to create the design.  Here I have it temporarily on my previous wire knit:

Hope your December day is beautiful where you live.  Check out my sunset last night from out my front door:

Hugs, Carla

More Homework

More homework pieces completed to show you.  The first one is a pea pod pin, a project from the book,  Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet:

(click to enlarge)

Then, in the spirit of re-use and recycle, here is a butterfly pendant necklace using the handle of a silver plated ice tongs I picked up in the local thrift store:

(click to enlarge)

Last to show is a work in progress.  One of my assignments is to show a piece using a matrix die in the hydraulic press.  I decided to make a diva shape, so here it is textured, pressed, sawn, and surface patina:

(click to enlarge)

Not yet sure how I will finish this one off.  If I stare at it long enough, then it will come to me.

In case you want to see other homework pieces, read this post, this one, and this post.

Now it is time to quilt!  Hugs, Carla

Finished Metal Homework

Since I’m getting to the end of the semester, I have more work to share with you.

The first piece is a silver bezel set necklace previously shown partially completed.  I finished it yesterday, added a silver chain and wore it the rest of the day.  I really like this one:

The next one is one uses of my etched copper formed beads with a recycled glass focal point on a leather necklace with silver findings.  This is also very wearable.  In fact, I wore it today to brunch with my DH, Joe.:

I have other projects near completion, however, here is a formed copper bookmark with a handblown glass bead for decoration:

More WIP- Metal and Fiber

Since I somehow lost this bracelet:

I decided I need to make another.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make one out of copper or brass, so I decided to do both.  First you saw out the bracelet shape using a jewelry saw.  Then, on the copper one, I decided to run it through the metal roller and create a pattern  in the metal surface.  Next, I took them both to the hydraulic press and made the shape.  File and smooth the edges, clean it, then place them into a patina solution that looks like this:

Recipe: 1 part vinegar:3 parts household ammonia mixed into oak sawdust.  In the photo above, I am changing the finish on a copper chain maille bracelet.

Here is what the copper (back) and brass (front) bracelets look like after the patination process:

Next step is to seal in the finish.  I just use some turtle car wax.  After that, I need to weave the beading part, and attach to the bracelet.  That’s it… I’m getting close!

I also wanted to show you my first bezel sterling silver stone setting with my very first rivet:

Faith was kind enough to give me a 1:1 rivet lesson.  I sure appreciate it!

Fiber Goodies

I picked up a cool fiber tool to showcase in a upcoming post.  If you own a yarn stash, you will LOVE it!  Keep watching!

Quilting

Here is a sneak peek of Lori’s dragon quilt:

The quilting is subtle, as you can see, so that the focal point of this quilt will shine through- which is the dragon, drawn by a talented artist friend named Teri Farrell-Gittins.  Teri’s work is amazing, so you should pop on over for a look.  trust me on this.

Back to Lori’s quilt.  The other focal point is the bright use of colored fabric used in this quilt.  I wouldn’t want to muddy any of the colors, so I am taking the time to change colors in each section.

Cowboy Quilt Again

I’ve lost count on how many 3-D pinwheel quilts I have quilted in my life.  This one is a duplicate of the baby quilt seen here.  This quilt will be quilted very simply and similar to the quilt finished last year, however, this one is for a brand new baby boy!

and the overall shot of the quilt on my longarm quilting table:

My friend wanted this quilt to be quilted exactly like the last one.  A quick shout out to Carol Kimball, the originator of the barbed wire quilting design seen in the thin brown fabric section.  (thanks, Carol!)

I’m almost finished with it.  All I need to do is finish the barbed wire section, then quilt in the baby’s name and birthdate.  By the way, I think the quilt design is found in one of Mary Ellen Hopkin’s books, but I’m not sure which one.

I love quilting for friends!  Next up is one for my dear friend, Lori.  Lori, I’ll load it, then I’ll start when I get back from my trip.

Metal Beads: I made these metal beads the other day in class with the etched quilting design copper from this play day at Faith’s.  I plan on finishing these with fiber embellishments:

That’s all from my studio!  Take care, Carla

More Etched Metal

With Faith’s permission, I want to share her photos of  the etched metal.  They are very cool!!  The etching process is fun, you basically create a mask using a variety of methods, then place the metal in the etching solution.  The solution etches the bare metal.

Here is Faith’s fabulous work:

While I love all her work, the font sheet is my favorite… I just have a thing for fonts:

Faith asked me to doodle my Carla quilting lines using the mask pen on her copper sheet, and here it is after Faith etched it:

See?  Quilted metal!!  Hmmm… now how to use my metal in a project. I wonder how Faith will use hers?

The weekend already??  Where did the week go?

Enjoy your day!  Carla

PS: Until Oct 15th, 2008, I am running a blog giveaway HERE.

Artist Profile: Joe Pogan

I have long admired the  sculptures of Oregon artist, Joe Pogan, who uses found metal objects in his work.  His work is interesting, whimsical, and relevant to the philosophy of reuse and recycle.  Joe’s end goal “is an eye catching, fascinating, amalgamation of metal with odd nooks and crannies you can explore for hours.”

With his permission, here are examples of Pogan’s animal sculptures:

Joe Pogan also creates custom work incorporating metal, dog tags, tokens, tools and jewelry provided from the client.  This would be a special way to memorialize a loved one, or would make a wonderful gift.

If you want to see more of Joe’s work, be sure to visit his website and gallery.  He does have items for sale through his site,  for example, the “Linden” piece (shown above) is priced at $400 US, and the small birds are approximately $175 US.

I feel his prices are very affordable given the amount of time, energy and artistry spent on each metal sculpture.  I have my eye on a birdy…. anyone surprised about that?

Regards, Carla

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Carla Note: From time to time, I will be featuring unique artist profiles on my blog.

Shopping Therapy

With my Metal Arts class this semester, I have a good reason to engage in some shopping therapy- all in the name of education!! Today, I visited a lapidary store and picked up a flex shaft set to use on my metal homework.  A flex shaft is basically like a Dremel tool, only on steroids.  It has a foot control like a sewing machine too.

I also bought a sheet of 24 gauge silver and this terrific book:

Never thought I would get so excited about buying sheets of metal.  I will eventually turn the silver into jewelry…well eventually.  I’m still learning all the tools and techniques right now.  I’ll show you more homework one of these days.

DD Amy, the artist, needed a mom taxi to the doctor today, so I was a nice mum and drove her about.  Thank god for cell phones, I could drop her off, then run across the street to the quilt store and visit with friends there before receiving the phone call to come pick her up.  This is the way the world should work, I’ve decided.

Tomorrow, I have got to work on the bargello quilt,  I still need to finalize my quilting plan.  It seems I get side tracked by real life.  Hugs, Carla