Journal

 

 

One of my favorite things to do when I'm designing is to come up with an element that I can make a bunch of and use in many different ways.  This week I started working on new variations of the cherry blossom design.  This is a pattern I created a couple of years ago, but until this week have only made the basic drop in sterling silver.  Lately I have really been in the mood for the warmth of the golden brass.  To me it just kind of glows with happiness.  

Today I want to share the process with you and to show that sometimes designs look deceptively simple, yet are actually quite work intensive.  This is what you get when you buy handmade, dedication and love of the craft.  It takes years to build the skill and collect the necessary tools to create with.  You get a lot of hard work for the money.  In this case, these pieces all hover around the $30 price point.  Pictured above are a couple behind the scenes shots, and the finished product. Below I created a list of the many steps it makes to create these little flower pieces as a way to describe the process and help you understand what goes into creating a piece of wearable art.  

1. First I create the pattern. 

I often create my patterns on adobe illustrator as a vector line drawing.  That way I can easily scale any pattern to a desirable size to fit any project. 

(For example, I actually use the same pattern that I created in a much smaller size to create the "Pretty Petals" and "Rosebud" collections.  It is the same design, but I manipulate the metal in a different way and scale to create a very different look. Go check them out. 

https://www.adornjewelryandaccessories.com/search?type=product&q=*pretty%20petals* https://www.adornjewelryandaccessories.com/search?type=product&q=*rosebud* )

After the pattern is created,

2. I print it out and glue it to my metal sheet. 

In the case of the cherry blossoms I made this week, I used a sheet of brass. 

3. Then I carefully hand saw the shapes.  This can be very tedious.  That is why very often, I will set aside a day where all I do is saw out project blanks.  I like to get that part out of the way and then I can use those blanks as I need in the future.  (you can see a handful of unused blanks in the background of the top photo that I plan on making more variations with in the near future) 

After the pieces are cut out, the fun begins.  I love my hammers and I love hammering :)  It is almost like a form of therapy - pounding on things - and in these days we are caught in, a lot of hammering is just what the doctor ordered.... right?  lol. 

4. For these pieces, I use a hammer and center punch to create the dotted texture as well as to create the guide for the drill bit. 

5. Drill Holes, this varies from design to design. As you can see from the finished jewelry photo.

6. Next I use my dapping set.  It is a nifty steel block (you can see that in the top photo) that has a variety of concave cuts, and then there are corresponding punches that look like steel balls on a stick.  Together you can use them to hammer concave (or convex, depending on the finished piece) shapes into the metal.  I find this works perfectly to create the curvature of a flower.  

7. I knock the prong elements of the design straight up at a perpendicular angle to the rest of the flower.  

8. Sand the edges and surface (file if necessary)

9. Oxidize the pieces (putting them in a liver of sulfur solution to darken the metal)

10. Flat sand the surface again to brighten up most of the metal leaving only the indented details darkened.  This really gives the piece depth.

11. Burnish the elements in a tumbler with steel shot to give the whole piece a nice satin finish and also to work harden the metal so that it won't easily become mis-shapen.

12. Choose and set the glass pieces in the center using a prong pusher to form those little petal bits over the glass to hold it into place.

13. Use what is called a beading tool on the tips of the prongs to round off the points.  We don't need pokey jewelry. :)

14. Paint on the clear coat (this is something I use on the brass so that the finish will not tarnish or react with your skin)

15.  Add the chain, ear wires, or bead dangles to the pieces as needed.

 You can check out the details of the new designs here:

https://www.adornjewelryandaccessories.com/search?type=product&q=*cherry%20blossom*

Thanks for reading this far.  I hope you enjoyed my little process tour.  I may do some more of these step by step descriptions from time to time if you are interested.

Wishing you a super day.

Sending virtual (((hugs)))

xoxo

Erica

I had this blog all written earlier today.  It was one that I was unsure about.  It felt right to me on a personal level, but was not necessarily a feeling I wanted to promote to the world.  It was a little heavy and sounded very sad.  I was going to publish it anyway because I had spent a good part of the afternoon working on it.  

My computer crashed, and took the blog entry with it.  

Message received.

It became clear to me that I was writing in a round about and emotional way to say something that could be stated much more simply. 

Trust your gut.

I should have listened to to that feeling about the blog post, this one is much better.

I should have listened to another feeling a few days ago, it would have spared me an unsettling position.

Trust that instinct.  It is there for a reason.  

So I will still leave you with the photo of the pretty morning glory, but will spare you the melancholy prose attempting to tie in the delicacy of fleeting moments, blah,blah, blah. 

When in doubt, always trust your gut.

Wishing you a great weekend.
Stay safe and be well. 

Sending virtual (((hugs)))

xoxo

Erica

Finding a quiet place out in the world has been a challenge, but today the kid and I hit the jackpot.  Where?  I will never tell ;)  It was the exact dose of natures medicine that we needed. 

To me there is nothing more satisfying than trickling water, dappled sunlight and a comfortable seat to watch the business of the dragonflies.  No crowds to avoid, no sounds beyond the streaming water and the birds above.  The kid was excited to find crayfish and minnows, and exclaimed today was the best day she has had since quarantine. 

* Insert a worried mom's sigh of relief here. 

My heart has ached for her during this difficult time, so to finally deliver a moment of peaceful happiness for her was everything.  Needless to say,  I think we have found a new haunt.  I will be tempted to abandon the studio for this place and spend the remaining months of Summer here to soak in what we can of this pure escape. 

Wishing for you a peaceful moment in your favorite spot.  

Sending (((hugs)))

xoxo

Erica  

The seed fell on difficult terrain.
An unlikely place to root,
yet life prevailed.
The sun still shone,
and the water still rained.
The seed rooted and
held onto those precious few gifts.
It was not surrounded
by all the earthly bounty
that other seeds enjoy.
Nevertheless, it grew and flourished
with great beauty and lush green joy.
The soft movement with the breeze
added to the stark contrast of its surroundings.

 

Be soft when all around you is hard.
Shine the light of life when all seems grey.
Make everything of limited resources.
Grow despite an unfavorable environment.
This is my mantra of the day.
 
Sending you thoughts of strength if you are in need.
and  (((hugs)))

xoxo

Erica

The evening is filled with the sweet breath of trees trying to cool the air around themselves.  It is like a heavy sigh into the air already weighted with the consequence of the sun. I can feel myself move through it with every step as if walking through water.  Dusk is upon us as the daylight now grows shorter.  The aroma of blossoms hover like unseen clouds and the clouds hover like monuments on the horizon. 

This is July, in all it’s glory.

 

 

I have not posted to the blog in a while.  Things just seem so heavy, complicated, and bigger than the musings I tend to produce.  It seemed unfitting to be authoring anything, when so many voices need to be heard.  I know you do not follow me for these types of conversations, and I will not make this blog about it.  However, please know that my message always has been, and will continue to be one of balance, respect, unity and peace.   I pledge to continue to do the work in my personal space to learn, grow and do/be better for my fellow humans. 

In the meantime, I cannot help others if the well I am drawing from is empty.   With that sentiment in mind,  I will be returning to the regular blog writings.  For me, it is a space to unwind the DNA of my creative process.  I enjoy sharing my lens on the world as it unfolds   As far as I can see, that is my singular reason for being here;  to try and find ways to uplift people through my observations of the beauty that surrounds us and reflect it through artistic creation.

 I have a propensity to hyper focus on quiet things that are often overlooked.  It is in those moments when I study the subtle change in the light and shadows of the day, that it feels as if time itself slows down.  It is my greatest joy to find the bounty of life in everything around me. I have immeasurable admiration and curiosity for the great creation and the systems that have bound all things together. 

I have come to the point of rambling.  There is so much on my mind these days, I cannot seem to organize my own thoughts.  My mind feels like the lines in this photo, going every which way, tangled in the trees and shooting off into sunset, trying desperately to grasp at the intangible.    So I will stop writing for now, and apologize for this muddled and markedly self-indulged post. 

Sending virtual (((hugs)))

Stay Safe and Be Well

Xoxo

Erica

.

Time and love.  That is the answer to the title question.

Lately I have been creating a lot of hand made chains.  After some reflection on my recent work, I began to realize that this use of technique speaks more about current life than it does about aesthetic.

Initially, yes I set out creating a hand made chain earlier in the year because it is what visually fit the piece.  This style is no doubt beautiful and adds character, but it is not something I have ever done en masse because they are so labor intensive.  I have found though, the act of building these chains has painted a beautiful picture of current studio life.  

I have cut back completely on purchasing to conserve funds during this very uncertain year.  I have turned a very critical eye on the assets I already have in my possession.  I have been very fortunate over the past 15 + years of building my business to have amassed all sorts of goodies to work with.  I am challenging myself to work within the confines of the materials at hand.  So this means no more lazy designing and relying heavily on pre-fab chain and other findings.  I have taken to making a lot of the clasps and ear wires and most importantly, chains.  

Creating the chains by hand utilizes three things which I currently have plenty of; beads, wire and most importantly, time.  The latter is the primary reason I have not done a lot of this in the past.  It can take well over an hour to hand wrap an 18” chain compared to the about 5 minutes it takes to add a clasp on a pre-fab one.  This makes it very difficult to create a large number of works.  But right now, time seems to be a whole new element, and sitting down to work up a chain no longer feels like a waste but instead a smart use of material. 

More importantly, with each link created, I am writing a love letter to the moment.  With a meditative pause, I reflect on what we truly have in spite of what it feels like we have lost.  The shifted perspective of abundance and feelings of gratitude swell with every inch added to each chain.  

If you end up with one of my hand made chains, know the love that went into it.  

((( Wear it like a hug )))  

Stay Safe, Be Well.

Sending Love. xoxo

Erica

Today was one of those days where it felt like everything I touched fell apart.  I spent the better part of the day working and re-working two different pieces of jewelry that I just could not for the life of me get to solder correctly.

That is the problem when I try to add delicate details to pieces.  Getting the heat to distribute enough while not melting the thin parts I often struggle with.  Well, today was a struggle day but I refused to give up. I stuck with it and prevailed.

One piece turned into a major “make it work moment”.  I thought I had finally soldered a ginkgo leaf stem to this very large setting and proceeded to set the amazing labradorite.  I just finished setting the stone and I slipped with a tool and totally ripped the leaf stem right off  !!!ARG!!!  ... (again, total clutz today, everywhere I went there seemed to be wreckage) What was I going to do!?! Once a stone is in place you cannot solder any more.  I had already spent two work days building this piece, I could not simply rip it apart to retrieve the stone.  So I decided to find a way to cold connect the piece. I love it even more than my original plan.  It was a happy accident for sure! 

I can’t wait to share the pendants I am finishing up right now.  I think you will love them. 

If you happen to be having a crazy day like me, I hope any accident you have turns out to be a happy one as well :) !

Stay safe, be well.

Sending (((hugs)))

xoxo

Erica

 

This afternoon we had a visitor.  It was the most beautiful black cat I have ever witnessed.  This mini panther is new to the neighborhood I guess because we have never crossed paths before.  The sweet baby wanted nothing more than to come inside and made a dart with me as I was trying to get into the house. :( It was tearing my heart out.

Penny (my dog) was going absolutely mad seeing that another creature dared enter HER front porch.  Also I am terribly allergic so an indoor visit could never happen, but oh boy, am I going to have to keep watch whenever we open the door now!  This black beauty stood at our front door, with paws stretch up towards the window, pleading with it's eyes to please come in.  ugh.. I so wanted to let it. Then just as quickly as it greeted us, it disappeared into the shadows.  It felt as if we had just had an encounter with a mythical beast.

There are quite a few neighborhood cats around here, but most of them really don't care too much about us.  We see them hunting around, but they never give us the time of day, so this was a bit of a surprise.  I really hope to see this visitor again.   I do love cats even though I can't pet them.  It is always nice to have a neighborhood cat hang around.  We get the company without the allergies :) 

I hope you find a pleasant surprise to brighten your day!

Sending (((hugs)))

Stay Safe, Be Well.

xoxo

Erica

Reaching out for sunshine

it slips right through my hands.

 

Glimmers gold, 

but cannot be held

It's riches are untold.

 

Lifting heads up to the sky

Our petals open wide

 

Feel the warmth 

bask in the glow,

enjoy the fleeting presence.

 

Like a string of pearls 

collect the days and moments.

 

Sending (((hugs)))

Be Well,

xoxo

Erica