Ring A Week #3

Here's the ring for week #3. I'm having a blast. These aren't about making finished rings - at least at this point. They're about experimenting with different materials - trying new forms, exploring ideas. You can see lots of cool rings in the Ring A Week Flickr group.

Today our PMC Guild local chapter had a "field trip" to a wonderful bead shop. We went to Bead Paradise II in Oberlin, Ohio. And Gail Lannum took lots of pictures! I found a bunch of great beads to use for some rings. Just need to make some sketches so I don't forget what I want to do with them. After shopping we had lunch at Weia Teia - inspired cuisine and fabulous presentation...

On another note, I've been fooling around with fold forming again. Maybe I'll find a way to work something like this little beauty into a new ring.

Ring A Week #2

Here's ring # 2... another Faux Bone creation. The stone is Leopard Jasper. 

This Ring A Week challenge is shaping up to be even more fun than I expected. And the challenge I gave to myself was to try NOT to use my usual materials for everything. But if I do use them, I'll need to incorporate them with other materials in a new way - just to shake things up a little and stir the creative pot. I find I'm already sketching well into the next few weeks - excited about what is to come. The ring for week #3 is in the works and I'm hoping to finish and post it soon - so I'm all caught up by the end of the week.

The stone on this ring is secured in place with a copper rivet and insured in place with epoxy. The stone fit well without the epoxy, but I didn't want it to move. With the combination of the copper and the plastic, I didn't trust the rivet enough it to hold it tight... so it's chemically bonded. I tried a couple of different finishes on the FB but really wasn't thrilled with them. I didn't like the aged look as much as the more dramatic juxtaposition of the natural stone against the plastic. 

Getting creative in the New Year

New earrings in the shop!

First of all - Happy New Year!

Ok, I know I'm a couple of weeks late - but I've been too busy getting my ducks in a row to post anything. There were photos to shoot for the Etsy shop (re-stocking), show applications to get started (thinking I'll get back to doing more this year), then there are taxes to file, you know the drill...

The first weeks have been about trying to knock off those nuts-and-bolts kind of goals so I can sink my teeth into more creative stuff. It was important to get those under way before the new session of classes begins next week.

You may remember I'm not so much into "New Year's resolutions." My philosophy is: if you want to change or achieve something, just dig in and do it now (usually this works). Last year I talked about my goals in terms of taking steps on a creative journey. Some of those steps I achieved, others I didn't - but no matter. Sometimes just putting down on paper (or into your smart phone) those things that deserve your attention can work them into your life.

I don't know about you, but I like to make lists. I don't always follow them (or even remember where I've put them), but the act of making them seems important. There are both the short term lists (get it done today or this week) and the longer term ones (the idea stuff).

My creative (goal) list is the one I'm focused on now. To get my creative brain into gear I joined the Ring A Week flickr group. It's going to be a challenge-but a good one. I don't usually make a lot of rings, but why not? Sometimes making something different helps to stir your creativity. So far I have put this first ring up (another view). I wanted to play around with different materials. It's one I started in Faux Bone (with an enamel glass bead I made) and finally got the inspiration to finish it. I've got the ring for week two almost ready - and then I (just) need to photograph it.

Hope your New Year is off to a creative start. Let the Art-Making begin!