Inspriation Move Me Brightly

by Staci Louise Smith

I am pretty sure I have used that title before, but I love that line.  It's from a Grateful Dead Song called Terrapin Station.

TERRAPIN STATION
Inspiration, move me brightly
light the song with sense and color,
hold away despair
More than this I will not ask
faced with mysteries dark and vast
statements just seem vain at last
some rise, some fall, some climb
to get to Terrapin
Counting stars by candlelight
all are dim but one is bright:
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shining best,
From the northwest corner
of a brand-new crescent moon 
crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune
Terrapin Station
in the shadow of the moon
Terrapin Station
and I know we'll be there soon

Terrapin - I can't figure out
Terrapin - if it's an end or the beginning
Terrapin - but the train's got its brakes on
and the whistle is screaming: TERRAPIN

Anyhow, my mind goes there when something inspires me.  It goes to show just how much music plays a part in my life.  I have a constant soundtrack in my head at all times.  

Recently, The Grateful Dead got together one last time for a farewell set of shows.  I blogged a bit about it here, on a more personal note, complete with pictures from my hippie days (I am still a hippie girl at heart- just all grown up)

http://www.stacilouise.blogspot.com/2015/07/oh-memories-of-times-gone-by.html

Music truly inspires me.  Lyrics inspire me, especially poetic ones.  Plus, music also brings memories to life once again.  I did a blog hop once, based on music, it was amazing.  It was by Erin over at Treasures Found (the link I have doesn't seem to be the one I participated in, but you can get the idea).

(This was Erin's piece inspired by Cirque Du Soleil)

http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-challenge-of-music-reveal.html

It was beautiful to see again and again how everyone was inspired by the music and how that was then interpreted into jewelry.  Each so very different, yet all inspired by the same thing: music.  

The Grateful Dead is one of those timeless groups for me.  I have so many fond memories of the shows.  I love poetic, sometimes silly and often wonderful tidbits of wisdom that are found in the lyrics.  I could listen to their music a bit everyday and never tire of it.

I had planned to spend the weekend watching the shows on demand or online with friends and family, and really wanted to make something we would be able to keep.  (I must say, I was VERY dissapointed we could not go to the shows, but in the end, watching in my jammies with the kids, and getting together and camping with friends while watching- even better.  No lines for the bathroom and you can pause the show too!!)

anyhow.............

So I ended up making a limited run of my own version of their infamous Steal Your Face design- which is of course a skull, which I of course, love.

So I ended up making these.

Through making these and putting them online (they are in the shop now http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store) and selling some at my last art show.....it was really amazing to see who else shares my love of The Dead.  I think music and art are so closely bonded, whether you paint, or you make with your hands or your dance, music runs through it all.  It connects people, it reminds us, it invokes emotions in us that need to be felt.  Mostly, it brings people together.  Dead Heads can get a bit of a stigma attached to them, but they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.  It warms my heart each time I meet another person who just "gets it".  When we share something as intimate as music, its like we must get each other on some level.

Not only did I meet some customers who are Dead Heads, but I met a fellow artist and her work is amazing!  I mean, her work just plain old makes me happy!  

Not all of her stuff is Dead Wear, but it is all amazing!

She has a Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/maedaymetals?fref=ts

and a shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/maedaymetals

I really enjoy how music and art connect people.  

Do you have any fun stories about how music or art has connected you to someone you may not have met otherwise?

Tutorial Tuesday - TUBULAR! By Karen McGovern

I learnt sumthin' NEW! Don't you love that feeling when you master a technique you've been too chicken to actually try before???  That happened to me last week.  I've always loved the look of cross-pined jewelry designs, and have wanted to learn this technique FOREVER.  I have tried before--but never seriously and always with DISASTROUS results.  Burnt metal, ruined designs, etc. etc. etc. So I just gave up on it.

I have also loved designs using bent tubes as focals, bracelets, beads, etc. Again, never really thought I could do it myself given the limited tools I use (micro torch exclusively). I always figured this was beyond my skill set....NOT ANYMORE!! I'm going to describe what I learned here, not in step-by-step form, but more conversational. I didn't take step-by-step photos while I was working....so if you have a question, ASK IN THE COMMENTS SECTION and I'll get back to you--promise.

Last week I was digging around under my bench (also known as the Sucking Back Hole of all Small Findings and Tools) and I found this:

I completely forgot I had it. Purchased at Home Depot forever ago in a moment of, "Hey, I bet I could do something with that...".  At the same time I had just received a nice box from Rio Grande full of different gauge sterling silver wire (I splurged...sigh). Sitting with the copper tube in my lap and the wire in the box I decided to TEACH MYSELF CROSS-PINNING AND TUBE BENDING, DAMMIT! BTW, this copper tubing is found with refrigerator repair stuff....just ask the guy/gal wearing an orange apron....

Ganoksin is a wonderful resource for all things jewelry related. Tons of videos, tutorials, tips and so much more.  Their Facebook page is a rabbit hole of inspiration! They had a video on tube bending that I watched with one eye, learning just enough to run back out to the studio to give it a try.  The key is ANNEALING the metal really, really well. That is where I always figured I would fail because I only use a hand held micro torch--a Jumbo Max Flame to be exact. I went for it anyway. In my first attempt I wanted to make a bracelet that would be half tube, half gems. I figured I'd need around 4 inches of finished tube for the design. Copper, as we all know, is a nice, soft metal so I figured I could handle working with this in tube form. You need to cut more tube than you will need in order to get a nice bend with no crimps.  I lot more. I cut over 8 inches of tube using my handy-dandy pipe cutter from Home Depot.  Cut the pipe like butter in a few rotations. Then I laid the pipe out (it was already a bit curved from the way it was packaged so--bonus) on a solder block and went at it with my torch till it glowed red. It heated nicely, easily and faster than I thought it would. Probably helped that my garage studio was 94.5 degrees that day. Florida in the summer....yea? I CAREFULLY quenched the tube, then using my hands and a rubber mallet, centered it and shaped it around a bracelet mandrel to get the curve I wanted. Even fully annealed the metal was stiff, but totally manageable, and I got the curve I wanted no problem and NO KINKS.  You hang on to the ends of the tube then make the curve. The waste will be on either end of the centered curve. I made cut marks with a Sharpie, then back in the pipe cutter it went. VOILA! You can also use a jeweler's saw to cut the tube...whatever works for you.

After cleaning the ends and buffing with a polishing cloth to see what I had, I wanted to try to add cross-pins in sterling silver. I laid the tube on my steel bench block, marked where I wanted the pins then CAREFULLY cross drilled using my FlexShaft and a 1/16th drill bit. NOTE: Do your very, very best to drill straight through the tube so your pins end up nice and even. A drill press would be awesome here, but I don't have one. I then cleaned the holes with a needle file and was ready to add the silver. I used 18 gauge sterling silver wire. I drilled six holes, so I cut six 4 inch lengths and balled one end on each piece using the micro torch. I placed the tube in the jaws of a third hand, inserted the wires so the CUT ends dangled below, then trimmed to what I thought would be the appropriate length to allow for a nice ball to form close to the tube. This is a tricky bit--you may end up having to cut more wire and trying a couple times here. If the wire is too long the ball of sterling will drip right off the wire when it gets too big, and if the wire is too short, you won't get a ball to form at all. Anyway, when you have the right length, simply direct the flame of the torch to the tip of the wire and as the ball forms follow it up to the tube. I ended up cutting 9 wires--2 failures in the seven.  NOT BAD FOR A FIRST TIME!!! Wire gauge is, of course, a big factor here. The finer the wire the easier it will ball in the flame of a torch. BUT THE TAKE AWAY MESSAGE IS THAT IT WORKED!!! CAREFULLY remove from the third hand (HOTHOTHOT) and quench, then into the pickle pot it went.

I cleaned, polished and oxidized the tube with liver of sulfur, then sprayed it with ProtectaClear. I love this look! 

Here it is. I also soldered a dot of sterling to the very center for accent.

Since then I took the bend further and  made a standard 8 inch bangle (will definitely make more) and a 6 inch focal for a neck piece. I see cuffs, more bangles/bracelets and many more necklaces in the future....

I made another necklace...these make lovely sets, don't you think???

I'm so glad I got over my fear and gave this a try. There are so many sources for information and inspiration online--there really is no reason not to try new stuff, right??? As long as you have the equipment and the desire, I say GO FOR IT. You will be surprised--I promise.

Now, GO MAKE SOMETHING AMAZING!

When it Gets to be all Fun Again - JUST Fun!

by Staci Louise Smith

I truly love what I do.  I feel blessed every day that I get to create for a living.  However, I won't lie, I hate the business end of it, and at times, my art seems a little too much like work for my liking.  (I still wouldn't trade it for the world)

I miss the days of creating just for fun.  Now that I have a business, I have expenses, and it has to keep making money (not to mention three kids that never stop eating!  lol!)

The holidays are my favorite time to create.  I don't have  much going on show wise, it slows down, and I get to make gifts! 

 Gifts!!!!!!!! GIIIIIIIFTS! !!!!!!!!!!!!

 (that should be said like Elf screams "SANTA- I KNOW HIM"- in case you were wondering how to emphasize that)

I honestly wish I were a wealthy woman, I would make things just to give away to make people smile.  I love to just make things that I know someone would like- it is my pure joy.  I am very lucky the ladies in my family agree that one can never have too much jewelry- makes the holiday fun for us all.

This year though, I did something a little different.  I feel a bit silly, because this thing I did, well, I think it officially makes me a groupie, I think.  
See, my whole family just loves this group- Jubilee Riots.  They used to be Enter the Haggis and we have gone to see them when they are in our area for years.  My mother in law even went on tour with them in Ireland (because you can, and they are doing it again this year).  Anyhow........they are amazing musicians.   If you know me, you know I love all kinds of music, and listen to it all the time.  It plays a very important role in my life.  I like to think my life sort of has a soundtrack- that plays in my head, all the time.  out of all the music I love, and there is a lot of it, their stuff really speaks to me.  They have depth, and are poetic, yet wonderful, energetic and fun.  Not to mention talented at most every instrument you can think of.  I encourage you to give them a listen, they make wonderful studio music to rock out to while working.

Sorry- this is getting to be a VERY long post- and I am getting a little sidetracked. 

I will try to get back to it.  They have a song, called Copper Leaves, about Canada retiring the penny (that is where they are from).  They joke that they are so sad about it, they wrote a song.  

Also, their new album is called Penny Black.  So, since they have this penny theme running around through things (they mention it in songs too) I thought it would be cool to make them some Canadian penny jewelry.  They joke about it, and I thought it would be a funny sort of gift.  I was totally inspired by Barb's penny charms and thought I'd end up doing something similar.....I even asked if she minded.  But in the end, they totally ended up like my version of penny jewelry for men.  (I did steal the "be the change" line, cause I really love it)

Barb's Second Surf Penny Charms

http://d2a2wjuuf1c30f.cloudfront.net/product_photos/13655713/lucky_400w.jpg

Anyhow-

I had SO STINKIN MUCH FUN with their music on, cranked up in the studio, while working on these pieces for them.  I like to sing while I work (its not pretty but I am usually alone, so its ok) and their music gets my feet moving too.  My most productive days are when their albums are playing.  After a long day (of course I made them the day I was going to see them at a local show) I finished them up at the last minute, cleaned myself up and off we went.

(here is the quick pick I snapped of them- with my dirty hands and all)

And I snapped these pics with the leather done.  

I got to hand them to the drummer (Bruce) as they guys came in.  It is a small venue, and they come in the same doors we do!  I almost died when they came on stage and Mark was wearing his.  

After the break I saw Trevor had his on, as well as Craig, but I was too far and could only get a shot of Trevor.

After the show the guys came out and had drinks in the lobby with everyone who stayed around.  I really like that they are so down to earth like that.  It was nice to get to talk to them and I even got a picture with Mark.  I was soooo thrilled they liked their necklaces!

This entire thing made me so happy.  One of the things I love about being creative, is being able to share it with others- especially a bunch of artists like these guys, whom I admire greatly.

I know I am a total groupie now.  I keep laughing at myself, but I don't care.  I enjoyed doing that for them.  Even Justin (the hubs) was excited that they wore them!

And this my friends, is when all the paperwork, and bills, and the business end of what I do is fun again, just fun!!

Here are some links to some of the bands music, I seriously encourage you to take a listen.  They really span genre's and age groups- as true artists do.

(showing my groupie again, don't care...lol)

http://www.jubileeriots.com/home

http://enterthehaggis.com/album/156142/the-modest-revolution

Go on tour with them- I know I wish I could

http://www.jubileeriots.com/ireland2015

Enjoy some video's- I could not just choose one.  These guys shine live.

this is one of my favorite songs from their last album (not the newest)

This is an OLD video I found, but still so good.  They started out much more irish rock but have evolved into Northern Roots Rock.  anyhow, give it a listen, its good stuff





I leave you with Getaway Car.  Its a great story- one of mine and Justin's favorites

Nice right?  I hope you enjoyed the videos!

How about you guys?
Do you love to make special gifts for people too?  

Is there a band you listen to over and over in your studio? 

Ever go groupie on them?  (someone please say you did and make me feel a little less silly!) 

call for submission

mary jane dodd

this came to my attention the other day and i wanted to share it with you... entries are digital and the deadline is august 1st... 

you can find more details here!