Nature Inspiration ...

My sister has a Chinese Lantern tree in the backyard and she brought in a couple of the pods for me to see. I love them! I've put a little brass wire through them and they're hanging on my earring stand to continue to inspire me.


Chinese Lantern Pods

I've looked at them now for about a month and decided to sketch out something on copper and see if I can make little copper Chinese Lanterns. This will be FUN!

I've been reading about coloring copper and want to experiment with this, too. Hmmm, do I color after I saw out the shape, but before I shape the pod? Or do I saw, shape and then color?

I'll let you know how it goes ... or better yet, if you've done this process already, send me an email with your recommendation! Yeah! That's a great idea!

Here we go ...



Ready to saw out the design



A First Time for Everything ...

Today my offshoot online store, West As the Crow Flies, offering wonderful semi-precious stone cabochons and unique beads, just made its first sale! Hooray! Hoping it's the first of many to come.

Thank you, Nora, in Winnipeg, Canada!



http://www.westasthecrowflies.etsy.com/



Influence of Surroundings ...



Birch Bay Sunset




Birch Bay shells, beachglass, pebbles

Like a lot of artists, I'm heavily influenced by my natural surroundings. Having lived in Birch Bay on the west coast of WA for seven years, I still feel the water sloshing around in m'brain even though I'm now in Spokane!

A number of years ago I read a Barbara Kingsolver non-fiction "High Tide in Tucson" about transitioning from ocean to desert. If I remember correctly, she wrote of her hermit crab still moving through its cage in time to the far away tides.  (Her insights about nature, desert, creativity, politics, et cetera are almost lyrical and well-articulated. I highly recommend this as a good read!)

However, I am planted here in Spokane for the present and this is where I have to find a new ebb and flow. It'll happen ... with patience.

It will be fun to see what new Birch Bay Kay jewelry will result from this new environment in Spokane, WA!