SpoonBookmark No3

I made another bookmark from an alpacca (GermanSilver) spoon I've won from a skiing competition as a child. They are not difficult to make but still create a special gift. This one is decorated by initials like the one I made in March. You can also decorate them in other ways. 

SpoonBookmark No2

I designed and made another bookmark of GermanSilver (alpacca). 

The one I made before is decorated with the spirit of whirlwind in snowfall.

This one is personalized by initials.

SpoonBookmark No1

I designed and made this silver spoon bookmark. It is made of a spoon I won from a skiing competition when being a child. These spoons are made of GermanSilver (alpacca) so they include a lot of other metals than silver itself. But they still are beautiful and nice memories from the past.

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!

CarpetChainEarRings

He designed beautiful EarRings using the same technique He did at CarpetChairBracelet. They are made of 925 Sterling Silver Wire (size 1).

I love them a lot because they are so soft, light and HOT!!! They are so fashionable. Unfortunately these are not mine but a graduation gift for someone else. Well, He did almost similar for Me. ❤

CarpetChainBracelet

This is CarpetChainBracelet He made for Me at our last silver craft course weekend.

It is made of 925 Sterling Silver Wire (size 1).

It has a beautiful lock too.

BeautyInTraditions

YoungLady has finished HerVikingKnit. She used 0,3 size 999 silver wire. It is similar but longer HerDad did. Just look at how different they look despite the material and size are the same. That is why I love handicrafts! It all looks very personal! Granny will L O V E HerMothers'DayGift!

I must confess I became very curious about this 0,3 size silver wire. I did MyVikingKnitSet of 0,6 size and it looks so much different.

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).

Angel

This weekend was again for Silver Craft Course. I started to work with an angel. This is not my own design. I lost the name of the book and designer. I will do my best to seek it and will tell you later on who has designed this beautiful work and inspired me for this a bit different project.

I used tombac as I did on the last September to practice a bit before getting on this main project. I didn't finish this yet. It is going to be ChristmasTreeTop but will be ready for the season 2018.

Edit. The designer is Mary Maguire whose Treetop Angel was represented on Decorative tinware book edited by Simona Hill.

In Love With Pewter Work

This weekend was for SilverWorkCourse. This time YoungLady came with us so it was lovely weekend all together. He did this VikingKnit by using 0,3 size 999 SilverWire for it. YoungLady started similar project but didn't finish it yet. I did similar on 2015 by using 0,6 size 925 SterlingSilverWire. You can see they look different despite they are made by using the same method.

If you remember we traveled to Crete on the last June. At The Monastery of Arkadi I had an idea about it what I want to learn next in silver work.

It is ThePewterWork! This one is my second practicing work. This is not finished yet. I'll get back to it on the next December when we will have more silver work lessons.

This one is finished. They both are my own design bookmarks but I got a lot of advising help from the teacher and Him. I used tombac pieces to practice at first before getting on the real project I've planned... I had not planned to do any practicing -ha ha ha- but it was smart thing to do. So I designed these in five minutes to get started.

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.)

RomanovChainNecklace

Just look at it! He made it for me at our Silver Work Lessons. It is His own design. It is Romanov necklace made of 925 Sterling Silver Wire (size 1) (925) and Swarovski Crystals (size 6). Last year He made ByzantineChain. I am so happy He has tempt me into Silver Work.

PS. I just don't have a green dress to fit in with the crystals...I guess I need a brand new dress...

Silver Woven Bracelet

Ta-dah! I finished my bracelet on which I used Silver Wire Weaving. I started it on Silver Work Course on the begin of this year. I have learnt so much during these lessons. I am happy I dared to try it out and it turn out to be my new creative hobby among the others!

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.

Silver Weaving

 

It was time for Silver Work Lessons. Last year I did VikingKnit. This time I wanted to learn to use silver in weaving. I do can weave; but with yarn. Now the material was 925 Sterling Silver Wire in different outfits.

There are three different kind of wires which form out nice structure. I used 0,8mm Sterling Silver Wire as woof and two different kind of flat wires as warp. It is normal plain weave. The sample was done by 5 warps but I wanted it to be with 11 warps. Teacher helped me with designing.

This is how it looks at the back side.

It is going to be a bracelet. It is not finished yet. The next lesson will be at the end of April. Then I will finish this one and make something new too.

ByzantineChain

 This is what He made on a course.

It is ByzantineChain. 925 Sterling Silver. All mine.

I love it how soft they feel.