Archive for the ‘Jewels’ Category
Autumn….
October 4, 2008Yay!
On Monday my Autumn earrings were featured in the warm hued, acorn themed edition of Etsy Finds!
I sold a few pairs (yay again!) and had this nagging feeling that I had more components somewhere…
Well, I found them! Enough to make 3 more pairs! I had stashed them in my hurricane kit (yes, I have a special hurricane kit that has various jewelry making supplies in it)!
So they are back….
Here they are:
Vintage glass and brass and sterling…
Now I really miss the warm hues of autumn…Time to get back up north…The palm fronds are just not cutting it for me these days…
Steampunk…
September 29, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
I received a message over the weekend inquiring if I was spamming keytags by referring to one of my pieces as “Steampunk”… Here is my take on why steampunk is an appropriate description of some (but most definitely not all) of my work….
…My work, the piece you linked (my harvest pendant) and many others follow the concept of steampunk as a blend of old and new-both of materials and design concept, and above all, the aesthetic of the completed. total piece… In my case it is metalwork that is inspired by the Victorian era, but not constrained by it, and I combine this with more modern components (some vintage, 30+ years old, but still modern to the Victorian era) for a look that I believe, has a little magic to it and as a whole is something a citizen of the steampunk world would hold dear…
Here are some descriptions and explanations I have found helpful…Perhaps you have a couple to share as well…
http://etheremporium.pbwiki.com/What%20is%20Steampunk%20Fashion
Wikipedia offers a fabulous description of steampunk, steampunk subculture (including fashion), and art and design:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk
Coincidentally, MTV also offered this bit on Steampunk, today…
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1595812/20080926/abney_park.jhtml
I am curious though as to what definition of steampunk is resulting in any curiosity over possible spamming of keytags in regards to some of my pieces…
I think on Etsy steampunk, according to the search returns, has long since crossed over from the very (broad) essence of steampunk (according to the descriptions/definitions I have mentioned) to being very specifically, for the most part, creations of watch and clock and other assorted mechanical parts combined with brass stampings. While these are most certainly accepted details by many who appreciate steampunk, and there are some fabulous creations (I have always been a fan of clockworks and cogs and such), I do not subscribe to the idea that they are the one and only aesthetic option…
The definition of steampunk style or fashion, is one that is open to interpretation. I am fascinated and drawn to the steampunk aesthetic as it is based on reinvention and the array of unique creations in the steampunk world is startling, to say the least.
It is up to us, as artists, to create our own art based on our understanding and translation of the aesthetic.
I hope this clarifies this for anyone who has questions…Of course, please comment if you have additional questions or concerns… I’m always happy to discuss these things…
Inspiration…
August 15, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
These were my first vintage plastic purchase.
These little vintage catalin/Bakelite cabs are why I stopped beading and started hammering and melting.
I bought these, early last year, from a seller on eBay… The purchase was the ultimate decadence to me then. And I had plans . I was going to set the little cabs in silver bezels that I had found when experimenting with PMC3/Metal Clay…Easy enough.
When they arrived I found that vintage catalin/Bakelite is not a precisely calibrated material. Each piece was just different enough that the die formed bezels, that came with my little PMC starter kit, were of absolutely no use.
So I put them aside.
I melted my first PMC piece. Purely by accident. I was captivated by the mirror shimmy that the liquid silver danced under the flame of my little butane kitchen torch.
I had some wire, so I melted that too. I must have melted a hundred little balls on my soldering block. My husband sat with me and watched while I teased the metal into perfect little orbs and tiny kisses on the ends of wire.
A brief search of the online card catalog for our county revealed a few books on the topics of silversmithing and metalsmithing. Some of them were fairly new, most of them were long out of print and some even rare. I had my husband borrow one for me and I read. I didn’t understand a word of McCreight’s Complete Metalsmith so I found a book by Jinks McGrath that offered a nice cross-section of information- it assumed little-to-no knowledge of metalwork and tools and provided many photographs.
And then I got to work making bezels, and I haven’t stopped since….
Smashing…
July 30, 2008OK…Finally! I am updating my SmashingDarling.com boutique with some new treats…
It’s a pretty addictive site dedicated to indie fashion and up and coming indie brands…
Pretty nifty.
The specific pieces available on SmashingDarling are designs, or designs featuring finishes, that are exclusive to SmashingDarling.com…
To celebrate my new pieces at Smashing Darling, I would like to extend a 10% discount to my faithful readers! Just enter the code: DPWLE3 during checkout…Offer good only at my SmashingDarling.com boutique, on CleverGirl products… Expires 8/8/08 ….
What are you waiting for! Let’s get SMASHING!
Etsy and BUST!
July 22, 2008
Originally uploaded by Outlined.
Voila! The ad!
Be sure to visit KnottyByNature -lots of cool paper goods and other treats! Knottybynature, aka Outlined. (on flickr) is totally awesome and scanned this baby in…
Can you spot my piece? Hint: It’s red and cordiform (word o’the day)
Congrats to everyone who got a space and fingers and everything else crossed that even with this economy this ad gives all of the fine Etsy folks a little nudge in the sales department!
And for the time being…Tell me how you found my Etsy shop in the “notes to seller” area during checkout and I’ll refund your shipping via Paypal. (Even if you have shopped with me before…Just tell me how you originally found me.)…
Hugs all around!
B
Candy!
July 19, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
Cufflinks! Not really edible…Well, unless you are a vintage lucite and sterling silver chomping creature, I guess…
Anyway… New pieces being added over the next few days and a few old favorites revisited….
Hope everyone is well!
Giant hugs!
B
p.s. MRI came back “unchanged” since my last one- phew….good news… Of course that just means that the docs may have only been looking at my old MRI… But today I am feeling a little better and only when I move a certain way does it really kick up… So hopefully tomorrow I will feel even better….
Wood You?
July 17, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
Like to see my new vintage glass with the reflect-o-matic sterling silver treatment…Glows….
Trying to upload photos and descriptions for a few new pieces….
Anyway, I may be blogging more in the next few days… I have been stuck in bed for the most part all week. While it sucks that baldguy lost his job and our unemployment rate here is pretty miserable, it was good timing as he is keeping after boyo and fetching me provisions.
Something is very wrong in my back and I am trying to figure it out…
I had a big bad emergency spine surgery 12 years ago and the pain is near there…. I fear another infection or that perhaps the vertebrae are finally squashing some nerve… Anyway. It really freaking hurts.
But, I can stand still and type and I feel ok, for the most part….And I’m not a wuss. I have had pain every day for 12 years. But dull, achy pain is one thing, feeling like someone is chiseling into your spine and ribs (on just one side, thankfully) is another.
So here I am…
Had an hour and 15 minute long MRI this morning but won’t know anything until they decide to call me. Medicine is so lax down here it’s ridiculous, so I’m not holding my breath for an answer. When I had the parathyroid tumor two years ago the docs suggested we use a “wait and see” approach. I wound up doing a boat load of research and demanded the scan to see what was going on and then I found my own surgeon to schedule the surgery(Dr. Norman’s Parathyroid Clinic in Tampa- amazing surgeon…). Wait and see. Those things don’t just disappear- they are there and they cause problems until they are removed or you die from the freaking side effects (heart issues, digestive issues, liver issues…yikes!)… So I’m none too confident about my medical care here…If whatever this weird back thing is needs anything more invasive than an alcohol swab I’m heading north for a spell. If this is another bone infection, I’m worried. Last time they didn’t find it until I was in ICU, on all sorts of apparatus, in a coma. No more comas for me, thank you very much. One was more than enough! I have to be here for my little guy.
Anyway. Here I am….Trying to stay as still as possible while my brain wants to run around doing a happy dance because the new issue of BUST magazine is coming out next week and woohoo! one of my pieces is in the Etsy co-op ad. Yay! So buy a copy and check out all of the shops.
Ok. Going to grab some tea and go be as still as a rock in front of the TV.
Sorry for the kvetching. I’m in a good mood really I am!
Hugs, albeit very gently frame-y ones, all around…
xo
b
Fordite.
July 3, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
More info on Fordite can be found at Fordite.com
This is a beautiful piece of Fordite (aka Detroitite)…
Fordite is composed of a zillion layers of paint that accumulated on the frames they used for spraying the car bodies during production…
The colors and visual texture (sparkly!) are out of this world…
This is my favorite bit of it…This one is drilled lengthwise…. Don’t know what I am going to do with it just yet.. So for now it is sitting on my laptop so I can continue admiring it…
You Rascal You…
July 2, 2008
Originally uploaded by CleverGirlBek
Rascal, the ring…
Very, very old Bakelite (older than vintage, younger than antique, by definition)…
Had some scotties and some ring blanks and went to town….
Available in my little shop on the internet superhighway… or zip me a message for more information…
Always Be Clever…
xo
B
ps. I have that song stuck in my head (You Rascal You)…Boyo is forever on a Louis kick (lots of Armstrong and Prima)…Glad he is more into the tune than the lyrics…Yikes! I have to give this another listen! Not the nicest song in the world…But oh so catchy…Perhaps I’ll swap it out on his song mixes with The Music Goes Round and Round!
