Hello friends

If you create jewelry, you’re seeing this all over right now.  Stamps.  Metal.  This combination is BIG right now, and I can see why.   When you work with metal, you can shape it in to whatever you want it to be (well, maybe not…I made a heart 4 times until I was happy with the shape…then proceeded to lose it between my house and the car).    And working with stamps – I have yet to master them – but they are so much fun.  Saying whatever you want!  Whacking away with a hammer to create something completely personalized.  That’s what I’ve been up to lately.

Back in May I attended Art and Soul in Hampton (you may remember this post).  I sat next to a wonderful gal from NY…she was the kind of person that just radiates energy.   We’ve kept in touch, and she nominated me in to a group called Charmsters.  This group of artists dream up some really neat charm swaps with themes – like Summertime Blues, Heavy Metal, Love and Peace ….  I just finished my first charms to swap and plan to put these in the mail tomorrow.  The theme was “Say it with Metal”.   I made 17 charms using copper sheet, really cool flower design stamps (that you can find here at fundametals.net), and then I oxidized, polished and tumbled them.  I was happy to see them all packaged up and ready to go.  When I receive my swap charms, I’ll be sure to share pictures here.

Bloom {where you are planted}

All ready to go

My next project lately has been my Family Necklace.  I made one of these mixed metal necklaces for a good friend recently, and wanted to create one for myself ever since.  Again I used copper, sterling and brass sheet.  Some of the charms I shaped myself, and the others I purchased.   I plan to redo a few of them, they’re far from perfect…but I’m going for that organic look! 🙂  I’ve included my children and my husband’s names, my Grandmother’s names, our wedding date, our last name initial and my monogram.  I like the jingle …and instead of wearing my heart on my sleeve, I’m wearing it around my neck.

Familly Charms

I’m using my new camera for the first time in these pictures.  Would you believe I left my camera at the beach?  I’ll get it when we go back before the end of summer.  It’s about time I started using my Mother’s Day gift, wouldn’t you say? 🙂