A Year of Re-Use 3rd post

Its been a couple of weeks and I've been thinking of things to get into, literally.  One thing I've had for over a year in my studio is a rectifier for electroforming.  I have all of the supplies for it, I just was terrified to try it.  So, after all this is a year of re-use right?  In short, Electroforming is the process of forming a copper layer over a piece using an electric current suspended in a liquid bath.  ( Like plating) Slightly different and on a smaller scale.  So you can see my hesitation when it came to using something with an electric current... Well.  I did it!  I decided to use an organic item which of course has to be prepared differently.  It has to be sealed, then painted with a conductive paint, etc. etc.  Last week I went through my studio and got out all kinds of goodies that I've been picking up for years, acorns, star anise seeds, hemlock cones... I sealed them with a polyurethane suspended to dry, then painted them.  I spent 2 days playing with the current on the rectifier and voila! Finally I may have gotten it right!

Finished piece, copper plated.

First day of Year of Re-Use

Update!!
I just thought I would share what I created after my last post! fitting for my re-use /clean the studio, here is my little glazed ceramic bead pendant.  I used the Tiffany Technique.  My first time and it was sooo fun!
The glaze on it even resembles a skull! Only on one side.  I didn't see it until I was looking at the photos, do you?

A Year of Re-Use

This is the beginning of a year that I may have to say, I've been reflecting on for the last few weeks since I've gone to the Caribbean Islands.  I was inspired by colors, the people and the sheer beauty of the place that it made me think... If I moved to an island, where shipping fees were high, electricity was ridiculous.  Just the supplies that I had in my studio, what I could find to re-use within my current reach?  Where would this take my creativity?  Well, I need metal clay because that is my main source for my jewelry making but beside that I have a serious horde of supplies.  So that began my thinking, and out of that, is a year long challenge for myself.
A Year of Re-Use
Its pretty much as simple as that.  I want to try to use my own resources.  I will open a Flickr and Pinterest page just for the posted items that I've made and will blog post while I'm making them and when they are completed.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/2942352@N23/pool/
https://www.pinterest.com/SinteredArtist/a-year-of-re-use/

Dear Neighbor

As I walk my dog in the neighborhood this letter often comes to mind.  Its a letter I have never written and may not ever write but I think of it often:

Dear Neighbor,
It just occurred to me that we have never been introduced....  I see the look that your husband gives me when I pretend to walk my dog past your house while picking leaves, pods, twigs etc.  
My name is Anise ,  I am a metal clay jewelry artist. 
I know, I know,  you have never heard of it, don't know what it is.   All that you need to know is that I make jewelry using organic elements a lot of which I pick from your garden beside the road.   I promise you,  I mean no harm when I'm foraging by the road in front of your house.  I see you sweating in the heat of summer in your yard, working diligently planting things, while I am inside in my air conditioned studio.   It makes me squeal with delight when I see you planting something new, your hodgepodge of plantings around the yard.  My take on it is, I can't wait to see what it looks like when its neglected and dead in the winter time!  
So dear neighbor, please don't call the police, I promise I am harmless, I am not casing your house or stealing your mail.  One day you may find a little box on your front porch with a beautiful piece of jewelry created by your wonderful and crazy looking yard.


Your neighbor,
Anise

Harvest Time!

Its that time of year again, to everyone its the change of season that leaves change, fall then winter arrives.  To those of us that work with metal clay, its the time of year we harvest leaves, branches, and all kinds of things to store away and get us through till the first day of spring when all the buds come out and new leaves appear. 
HARVEST TIME!  Collect those leaves to imprint!!!  Flatten them in books of all kind, forget they're there and when you sit down for an interesting read in front of the fire this winter, discover that a couple made it back into your life to become a new creation. 
Collect the ones with breaks, worm holes, strange little patterns.  These are the ones that make the most interesting designs, the ones that you'll never be able to recreate because nature is the best handmade one of a kind creation. 
Don't forget those strands of seeded grass!  Those make interesting impressions in polymer clay that you can use for molds.

Anise  

Update on things!

Hi all! Things that have happened in the last few months! I got a rolling mill!! I've been so excited about my newest tool in my shop! A rolling mill is a machine that has two large rollers, that when metal is passed through it, flattens the piece of metal out. Not only does it flatten them out, it also can texture metal when something with texture is rolled through the mill with your piece of metal!
I love it! I have rolled leaves, screen, cardboard, sandpaper. I love rolling something through and feeling the excitement of my new piece of metal rolling out with a new design.
I've been using my jewelers saw alot in the last few months as well.

I also have found a way to fire metal clay that could only be fired in a kiln. Check out my other blog:
http://www.seavbeachdesigns.com/blog.html

It shows detailed pictures of how I fired "kiln only" metal clay.

I'm also in a Thing a Week Challenge on Flicker, of which I am week 40. Its been an up and down battle trying to keep up. I think I will join the challenge again once I'm finished.


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Metal Clay Artists Book Giveaway!

Fantastic book giveaway! New Directions in Metal Clay!
http://networkedblogs.com/ezASc