I Heart Macro - Brief Recap of Week and Weekend

It is another Sunday of I Heart Macro - YAY!!!  If you would like to participate or see what everyone is taking pictures of head on over to Studio Waterstone and check it all out.

I thought I would share two of the pictures from last weekends shooting at the hort park located near where I work.  It was a little overcast last week so it gave the pics an awesome look.  The only thing I did to the pictures were re-size them.

My favorite image - it is now my Facebook cover photo. 

I love Strawflowers and how they look.  I love that touch of pink on the petals and how the petals are opening up - awesome!!!!

This week we were asked for a custom order necklace - Viking Knit with the birth month flower September enameled copper pendant.  I started working on the necklace Tuesday or Wednesday - can't remember now.

Mom starts the Viking Knit for me and I go to town on the rest of the necklace.  I have also been playing with my new phone camera and using Instagram more.  So, these pics are out in my Instagram plus some pics of the fur babies :)

I have about 14 1/2 inches done so far.  I want to complete another 5-8 inches before I take it off the dowel rod and mom pulls it through the draw plate.  You like what I watch as I work on the Viking Knit - love the DVDs The Universe.  You can also sort of see Mishka's tail sticking up at the end of my couch - sort of hard to see but it is there.

Farmer's Market

Yesterday mom and I went downtown to the Farmer's Market.  It isn't very big, maybe half a block long.  But I couldn't get over the color of the fruits and veggies.  I also couldn't get over how good they looked because we have had no rain in so long and it has been so blasted hot.

Here are some pics:

Who knew about purple bell peppers???

Or about white bell peppers???

I just can't get over the vibrancy of the colors of the veggies and fruits - amazing!!!

When we got home I started working on the torch.  I wanted to make up more of the beads mom and I just fell in love with  - now calling them "Butterfly Kisses" and a set I had an idea for a design.



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The "Butterfly Kisses" are to the right - one of the beads became wonky as I was turning the bead in the flame and couldn't save it so I would just smush it with my leaf mashers - we will see what it looks like after I clean up the beads.

The beads to the left are the two focals I wanted to try a design I have been thinking about.  The bead in the middle I used transparent blue with frit on top and I feathered it, I add black and then I added a dot of SIS for the moon.  I wanted to try a very simple water scene with the moon.   The second focal I did the same but I added silver foil to the bead, mashed it and add the SIS dot for the moon.  I really like that bead better than the first design.  I also made spacer beads from the same transparent blue, frit and feathered it.  I want to use these beads to make a bracelet.  Once I complete the bracelet I will share pics.

After I ran out of room in the kiln I started playing with torch fired enameled beads.  Last week I ordered a whole bunch of beads from Barbara Lewis, Painting with Fire.  The arrived on Friday so I thought I would play yesterday until my oxygen ran out.

This is what I got done - there are four beads where the holes filled up when I took them off the mandrel.  I need to get better at doing that - any recommendations would be appreciated!!!!  I did re-read the tutorial from Barbara I purchased and there is a little video out on the NING website that is awesome, but I just don't have the trick yet.  More practice - once I get more oxygen.

These are pieces I need to work on today.  The necklace to the far right I just need to assemble it and the necklace is done - it has our lampwork glass beads, hematite spacers and lava rocks.  The next tray is beads I need to make into bracelets.  The next tray has our "fire" triangles and some stones we bought at the bead show in Indy last month.  I think mom decided to wire wrap them together.  The final necklace is copper leaves we liver of sulfered and then some of or lampwork beads - these will be all wire wrapped together.

Currently mom is outside sawing and I am heading out to help with that.  There are some some plates she is working on that I really want to complete before our shows in September - I think there is a show every weekend.  I am excited!!!  Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!!!!