Hello Everyone!
Welcome to Fini Friday!
I hope your week has been grand so far!
I have a bit of news about additions in the studio and a new creation to showcase to chat about in this blog post!
Let's start with the studio additions!
I acquired new-to-me display cases as I was on Walkabout on Wednesday!
These will need to be cleaned up, possibly have the display fabric changed and etc. I'm very much looking forward to playing with these!
Here is a group photo!
And a few individual cameos...
I love the white-washed wood and all of the character in these! They are somehow more organic and approachable in their not-perfect condition!
And now for the new creation!
Title: All About Cats
Ingredients: Jasper, Sunstone, Lapis Lazuli, Kyanite, Bali and Sterling silver, cable, lead-free pewter, metal.
I love all the little details about this, including that cat-and-mouse-clasp! This necklace has been languishing for years as I fought with the balance of a simple and stunning yet not boringly repetitive design. I wanted the carved cat to be the unequivocal center of attention, yet surrounding her with gemstones that had their own brilliance and beauty was in order so that the entire creation glow with elegance and understated beauty. I think it does!
One little note about this piece... it is not quite Fini. I'm in the midst of restocking the crimps I tend to favor using and so used another type to (almost) complete this necklace. They reminded me of why I choose to use the type I do and so I'll be re-stringing this necklace with my favorite crimp when those come into the studio!
Just one of those fascinating little peeks into an artists' life and all the details and work that we do to create the best art we can!
And so! There we are - all Fini for now!
Have an excellent weekend and I'll see you on Monday!
Ciao!
Hello Everyone!!
Welcome to Wednesday!!
Today I took a little time to play with a few displays that I inherited from a friend that were in less than perfect condition! Oddly enough, neither of these displays are of a style that typically works well for best displaying my Sprite Creations. It is strange but true that these are pretty basic workhorses of most jeweler's displays and yet they don't seem to work as well for me, but c'est la vie!
So! This circumstance encouraged me to play with paint and these pieces.
Let's take a look at our line-up and I'll show you one display already modified today and the second on Fini Friday!
First: The Bracelet Display
This is a beautiful suede display in a dove grey colour that I tend to prefer for my displays. However, the suede has discolored and been worn off in a place or two over time.
Come visit me on Friday to see what happened next!!
Second: A Bust Display
This is a beautiful white leatherette display as you can see in the photo below. What you can't see is some sort of yellow goo that resisted all my attempts to remove it stuck in small globs here and there on the display.
Also, there was quite a bit of that yellow goo around the neck/collar location of the bust, so my first modification quite some time ago was to glue ribbon over it all. This covered up those eyesores, but did nothing to disguise the small globs elsewhere.
I considered other options, such as display covers (Rio Grande has beautiful covers listed under Change Form Covers) as well as just wrapping the bust in different fabric for each show, but I wanted to play with paint!!!!
I retrieved some green paint, mixed it with both black and white to lighten and darken it respectively and set to work! It was so much fun, painting and mixing and playing with the colours! I'm considering maybe painting more in the future!
Here it is, the finished display!
And an excellent view of the detail on the top, including more of that fabulous copper!
And there we are!!
By the way... a added bit of whimsy on this day.....have you noticed our charming little fairy peeking out from behind the bust? No? Go back and look again! Isn't she beautiful!
She seems to approve of the new paint job and I hope you-all like it, too!
See you Friday!!!
I've had a pretty busy weekend and week so far with an unexpected development early last week. The mother of my best friend from college passed away suddenly early last week. I was able to arrange to be at the funeral proceedings last Friday, which took place in Red Wing, MN. I arrived in Red Wing with enough time for a brief visit some of the old pottery factories and antique shops. Here are some pictures of the Shinies! I came home with!
And a closer look at that fabulous medallion!
I think those buttons will make sweet little rings and that medallion has ideas swirling in the back of my mind!
The shell dish that you see is something I picked up over the weekend. I think it will make a great display for rings, pendants, earcuffs... whatever!
Stay tuned to see what grows out of all of this!
I had the sewing machine cabinet polished and ready to go, but decided to leave it sit and air out for a few more days. I really don't want any of my creations to smell like furniture polish!
However, I wanted to have something on display at the new shop I mentioned in the original post. So... I took an old typing table (you know, the ones with the fold-up wings? Yeah.. this one has the original wood wheels-hee!) and draped some beautiful, brilliant floral fabric over it, added some greenery (my company is Sprite Creations, after all!) and filled a vintage jewelry box with my creations.
Ta Da!
Here it is, at the shop!
If you are in the Anoka, MN, USA area, stop by Spirit River and check out all the hand-made awesomeness!! You'll find oils, hand-painted feathers and art, jewelry, candles, bath goodies, photographs, and so much more!
So I went out to visit the sewing cabinet armed with an oil-based polish, rags and water. I wiped and cleaned and polished. And then oiled various parts of the wheels and treadle so that they spin freely. I'm pleased with the results!!Here she is!
Isn't she a beauty?I'll apply more coats of oil polish tomorrow and let that bone-dry wood soak it up!I'll give it a day or so to air out and then start playing with display arrangements.See you soon with more updates!
I have an opportunity to place some of my creations with a shop that opened earlier this year and I am excited about that! This place has grown by leaps and bounds so far and I'm looking forward to seeing that growth continue! However, that means that display space (tables, cases, etc.) is limited, unless I furnish it, 'cause there is just not much for furnishings yet.So, I'm taking this as an artistic challenge! I walked around and refreshed my memory of what we have in storage and was reminded of the treadle sewing machine cabinet you see below.
"She may not look like much, kid, but she's got it where it counts" - Han Solo.The sewing machine is gone and I was originally planning to put a piece of marble in that void and use it in our kitchen. In the meantime, I'll use it as a display! It needs a little cleaning and a bit of love, and I think it will make a fabulous "table".I've already been rummaging through my collection of bowls, trays, etc. for ideas on how the creations will be displayed atop my unique stand.I'll keep you posted on my progress!
I love all the little details about this, including that cat-and-mouse-clasp! This necklace has been languishing for years as I fought with the balance of a simple and stunning yet not boringly repetitive design. I wanted the carved cat to be the unequivocal center of attention, yet surrounding her with gemstones that had their own brilliance and beauty was in order so that the entire creation glow with elegance and understated beauty. I think it does! 
