Sterling Silver Leaf Pendant

Rosie

I have spent much of my Christmas break with Rosie, as I don't get to spend much time with her when I'm away at school.  Rosie is a two-year-old schnoodle that my family has raised since she was four weeks old - she has definitely become a part of our family.  She is rather curious with a keen interest in playing games with anyone who will pay her a spec of attention; she loves to give high fives, roll over, dance and fetch the ball.  If one begins to talk to her, she tends to stand up straight, tilt her head to the side and perk up her ears as if she were listening intently.   I have chosen to mold Rosie in this particular position in hope that her stature will express a small aspect of her own unique personality. The actual dimensions of the sculpture is approximately 4 x 2 x 3cm and has been cast in bronze. 

 Part One - wax model using hot and cold modeling techniques

 Part Two - wax model cast in bronze

Part Three - cleaned and finished with a patina

what lies beneath

 

Our character is often built upon our faith, our perseverance, our attitudes and beliefs and our relationships.  Immaculée Illibagiza, a young survivor of the Rwandan genocide, is a living example of how faith can pull one through the most devastating and challenging circumstances.  Her story of terror, endurance, healing and forgiveness, shared through the words of Left to Tell, has become an inspiration and has drawn the attention of significant leaders and government figures. Based on her work with the Left to Tell Charitable Fund that seeks to support the children of Rwanda by rebuilding and restoring their lives, Save the Children would like to present her with the Save the Children Humanitarian Tribute for Peace and Reconciliation.  Save the Children seeks to acknowledge and give tribute to those who have displayed and exemplified an effort to bring peace and reconciliation into the lives of vulnerable children.

This brooch is composed of three layers which have been fabricated in sterling silver and copper.

the christmas story

My friend Danica shared this beautiful Christmas story, narrated through the voices of children, and I couldn't help but pass on this childhood goodness!   I hope everyone had the opportunity to spend cherished time with family and friends today.  I was blessed to spend Christmas day with my entire family - we aren't too sure how many more years we will all still be living in the same province...

 
Merry Christmas!

winter mittens

Before the jewellery studio closed for the Christmas season I wanted to make a few articles of jewellery for my family.  My time was pretty limited this week, so I wasn't able to spend as much time as I'd have liked to in the studio but I was still able to come up with a couple items.  I am particularly in LOVE with the mittens :)

christmas crafts

I was walking down Queen Street West a few weekends ago with Lydia and we came across these light fixtures in a modern home design store.  Since then, I've began searching online for a DIY tutorial because I figured it has definitely been done before and was an affordable craft for the holiday season.  I came upon a very easy and simple DIY for these particular lights on the blog Wednesday.  She seems to use them more for sculptural purposes but I think they could be used in a variety of ways.

My sister came home this past weekend which has filled the past few days with lots of Christmas crafts and baking.  Earlier this week we scavenged through the thrift stores in town looking for yarn and any other treasures that caught our eyes.  We were able to find a few bundles of yarn for only fifty cents each as well as a few antique dishes and a wool sweater for only $3! It was refreshing to visit all these places again, as I'd spent a good portion of my summer in these shops.  This typography art print by Ashley G. on etsy pretty much describes my approach to all forms of shopping. 

Anyhow, the greatest thing about these Christmas lights is that they don't take very many materials to make.  All you'll need are a couple bundles of yarn, warm water, corn starch, vaseline, balloons, white glue, a pair of scissors and a few friends.  Start by mixing 1/4 cup warm water, 1/2 cup corn starch and 4 oz white glue in a bowl.  Don't be afraid to get messy!

Blow up the balloons to a medium size - try to keep the balloon as round as possible - and lather each balloon in a coat of vaseline to prevent the yarn from sticking to the balloon once dry.  Hang each balloon above the ground so that they will dry evenly - we just strung the balloons to a broom pole that hung between two kitchen stools.  Once the balloons have been hung, have one person lather the yarn with the corn starch paste, while the other wraps the balloon evenly.  (If interested in placing a light fixture inside the sculpture afterward, be sure to leave room at the top for doing so).  Once each balloon has been wrapped, allow to dry for 24 hours.

 After 24 hours, check if the yarn has dried by pressing the balloon inward.  Rather than popping the balloon instantly, grab the top of the balloon and prick a small hole to let the air out slowly as shown below.  Carefully thread the remainders of the balloon through the top of the ball.

My sisters and I decided to have a little bit of fun with these balls before they will be spray painted.  I am really happy with how they've turned out :) I think we may hang them in the kitchen above the window or perhaps above the fireplace in the living room.  We've yet to spray paint them, but I'll be sure to post a photo once they're finished and in place.  My mom seems to fancy a silver colour, but I think I may just go with a winter grey.  

 Happy Crafting to all :)

the parable of a mustard seed

A parable can most often be defined as a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.  Historically, parables and storytelling were often used to pass down significant stories from generation to generation.  Parables were commonly shared amongst one another to help communicate complex ideas in a form that was easier to comprehend.  The parable of the mustard seed was one of many parables Jesus told his disciples when trying to explain the kingdom of God.  Jesus describes the kingdom of God “as a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.  Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants (Mark, 918). ”  I have chosen to illustrate this parable in a form of body adornment that visually communicates the key components of this text.  Focusing primarily on the mustard seed and the elaborate plant that grows from the seed, I have designed a pair of earrings that are visually composed of both of these elements. The black mustard seed, in its two-millimeter natural size, has been situated on the lobe of the ear with the mustard plant growing intricately out of the seed.  The seed is partially covered by the plant, which acts as a symbolic representation of one’s faith and how one miniscule seed can grow into something elaborate and complex.

One of the challenges of this particular project was to create the entire pair of earrings using only sterling silver wire, in comparison to using sheet.  This created several challenges but also forced myself to broaden my spectrum of thinking and come up with innovative ways to manipulate wire.  These earrings have been fabricated entirely out of sterling silver wire and each earring has been set with a 2mm smokey topaz faceted stone.  

[I have not yet had the opportunity to properly photograph these earrings, as they are currently on display in the jewellery department at my school, but the photo above gives you a glimpse of the style I have chosen to work with.  I will be sure to post a finished photograph of the earrings in the new year].