AnotherLittleLeaf

 I made another little silver leaf. I used the same technique as before. You can see how different they both look. So many things influence on the result; even the leaf you use.

I love Art Clay Silver; especially the paste type. Did you know that it is made of recycled silver? They get it from computer waste for example.

LittleLeaf

I made a silver leaf by using a rose leaf from MyGarden and art clay silver (paste type).  I made BerryLeaves and SliverLeaves also last year. I sew a cute little felt case for this leaf and sent it away to a friend for her birthday.

Each leaf is always a special and individual character. When you start you may have an idea how it will turn out but you never can be sure what kind of trace the leaf leaves behind when it is burnt away.

BerryLeaves

I used the leaves of BlackCurrants and BlackBerries from MyGarden to design and make this set of BerryLeaves. I made this at the same time with SilverLeaves and used the same method as I did with MySilverCones. Paste type art clay silver is very practical material to create beautiful things from natural elements!

SilverLeaves

I designed and made a set of SilverLeaves. I used art clay silver (paste type). I used the same method as I did with MySilverCones. These are actually tiny leaves of MyGardenRoses which I collected last summer when I started this project and painted by art clay silver.

Two Horses

 One more weekend at a silver course is behind. Now I have tried out all three forms or art clay silver; syringe, paste and now the normal clay for these horses. I must confess the clay is not MyType. I love syringe and paste but discovered clay very stressful.

These two horses have got the idea from Sue Heaser's book How to make silver charms from metal clay (pages 92-93).

ForHerEar

The set of MySilverCones include EarRings. Here's better pic of them. Pretty indeed, if you ask me, despite it is my own design for YoungLady.

MySilverCones

LastSummer I spent time with handsome MrN. We cycled around the woods and He kindly seek me tiny cones. They are actually inflorescences of alders.

We picked up several... actually plenty enough. I dried them with patience. Few got broken but still there was enough left for my Silver Work Course.

I used art clay silver; paste type. I painted the cones by it like if I had used paint.

After applying the 1st layer I had to dry it all very well.

Then I painted each one again...

...and dried up again. I actually applied three proper layers of art clay silver over them. For these 6 cones I used 20g of art clay silver.

I polished them and then they were ready to get small & practical silver loops & chains etc.

After that they got more polishing and rinsing and then they were finally ready. Art clay silver truly is my material. I like to work a lot with it.

Do you remember I started art clay silver project last year? MySilverAviary was the 1st item of it. ThisSpring I made the cones for the necklace. The teacher introduced the idea to use all natural materials for art clay silver last year and here it is now as I see it. YoungLady can already use Her necklace and during the years She will get more pendants for it. Next year I plan to create a bird and a squirrel for it.

I must confess He is much more clever than I am at silver work so He kindly (and fast) made the chain of 925 Sterling Silver Wire for this project. (Last year He made me RomanovChainNecklace.)

MySilverAviary

 At the moment I am reading Frances Hodgson Burnett's book The Secret Garden because of The 2016 Reading Challenge. I must tell you YoungLady found this book by accident at our local library. She fell in love with cover pics and brought the book home. Her pure and honest intention was only to see the pictures. It happened to be The Secret Garden illustrated by Inga Moore. The pics were so fascinating that YoungLady ended up to read a word here and there and sooner than she realized when was hooked with the secret! And the same happened to me. It is amazing how so called children book can catch you up even you are an adult; a grown up. I am happy I picked up this book for my reading challenge... especially illustrated by Inga Moore. I recommend you all to seek it in your hands and read; no matter about your age. I am hooked up to it too. I can not wait the next moment to read more about the secret!

BUT... this story of The Secret Garden inspired me a lot. It was time for another Silver Work Lessons. When we drove there I had no idea what I will make; except finish the one I started on the last time. Whilst I felt sorry I had to leave The Secret Garden at home I was eyeing books to get inspired. When I got Astari G. Swatantri's book Kiehtova hopeasavi (free translation = Fascinating Art Clay) I knew what I wanted to create & make.

I used cork clay...

...and followed the instructions

(and every now and then interrupted our teacher with my questions)

Finally the most exciting work started. I used art clay silver; syringe type. It really needed patience and steady hand.

It still is not finished yet. Some polishing will be done in the future...

Anyway I was happy to see important rose was visible on the bottom!

It is a tiny aviary!

A place no bird should be chained in.

So, MySilverAviary is empty. It's door is a bit open. Designed by me but very much inspired and followed Astari G. Swatantri's design & instructions in her book. Not to mention the inspiration from The Secret Garden. 

This is going to be a pendant for a necklace which is my own design. It is for YoungLady and hopefully will remind her all her life not to be like me; to stop reading children book when nobody ask you to do so anymore! This aviary will be part of a bigger project with which I will be working with during the following years with my Silver Work hobby.