the Irondequoit Bay Bird Party

I have a painting exhibition opening on December 13th.

This swan on the poster is a detail from a series of four huge bird paintings I am working on for the show.

There are lots of progress photos to share, and they'll be coming soon.
But for now, watch a video of the fabulous Isotopes. Rochester's "premier face-melting brutal surf-core band." They will be the evening's live entertainment.

It's going to be a holiday version of their usual madness, complete with presents from the stage, go go dancing elves and much much more.

Bangin' Earrings

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about hammering brass buttons into flat charms.
It's an idea I picked up on Pinterest.

O Pinterest you're such a great studio buddy and muse.
You can see my old "banging buttons" blog post here.

Ancient looking earrings made with a pair of my hammered buttons. The buttons had a rich black patina in the crevices which hammered up nicely. Don't the buttons look like old coins?

The dangles on the bottom are wound from tiny glass headpins that I made at the torch on 20g brass wire.

I made the holes in the buttons with a helicopter punch - you need one of these. This little tool is inexpensive, fun to use and makes perfect holes in almost anything metal. I've even made holes in nickels with mine.

Cherry Berries Bracelet

'Tis the season for bracelets and more bracelets.

Another variation on my favorite "simple" bracelet design.
This one has off-mandrel leaves threaded onto five of the links.
It's light, comfortable and easy to wear, sort of like yoga pants but much better looking.

The berries are Effetre purple red rolled in clear frit for some texture.
The leaves are Cim's commando with raku frit.

The wire work is all sterling silver.

It's for sale in the gift shop of the Memorial Art Gallery - in case you just have to have it.

I would love to stay and chat for a bit but I am still hammering my way towards the holidays.
Check back soon, I have lots more bracelet designs to share.

Bear With Me

I don't even know what made me make this silly bead.

I don't do cute.
But there it is - a bead totally out of nowhere staring back at me with a silly look on it's face.

I'm almost afraid to tag him and put him out for sale because I don't want to hear "make more bears!"

Fairy Berries

 A new bracelet.

"Fairy Berries" bracelet - glass and brass.

So many headpins.
Each one wound into a chain.
Off-mandrel glass leaves were slipped onto some of the links as I built the bracelet.

All of the headpins were made on 20g brass wire with hammered spirals on the ends.
Some of them have droplets on the end, some are plain.

The bubbles on the spirals are from gas the brass releases when heated.

It makes the coolest sound when you wear it.

I think I am going to make another one - all in grays and pale honey browns.

Just gotta have it?
It's for sale in the museum gift shop at The Memorial Art Gallery.

Welcome to the Earring Factory

I am a lobe decorating machine.

Gray glass with pink baroque pearls.

My latest studio "passtime" is making the holes in pearls large enough to use a 20g wire with them.
It's stupidly time consuming but so worth it.

Little iridescent black crows with pink petals.

Bumpy dark honey hollows.

My hollow beads are getting a bit better.
I've always been horrible at making them - there's something I'm just don't do right.

One of my overly ambitious goals for the week is to make sixty pairs and deliver them on Friday the 16th to More Fire Glass for their annual holiday sale.

Come visit me (I'll be there all four days) and see the glass blowing demos!

Antique Venetian Wedding Cake Necklace

$4 at an estate sale. Win!
Grinning ear to ear, I wore it the rest of the day.
Granted it was a tad dressy for more thifting and a lunch date at the diner but it's not every day you score an antique Venetian wedding cake bead necklace.

I just going to share a bunch of close-up, bead porn photos of it with you.

So stinking busy here, getting tons of beads and jewelry ready for the holiday sales that are just around my calendar's corner. Stay tuned, there will be lots of new pieces to share on this blog as soon as I get them photographed.