Art Elements - December Challenge - White

This month's Art Elements theme challenge is White.

Well, had the best intentions to participate in more challenges - this is our second of the year - but what a way to end the year. Here is to 2019 being a better year for challenges.

The minute I saw this challenge I sent it to mom and she started looking for images to use for a pendant.

Mom found this image and we both fell in love with it (the back of a dove). Mom wasn't sure she could figure out a pattern out of this image - maybe she will figure something out because I really love how this looks.

Mom then found this image of a lotus - I loved it - so then she started drawing on the image to create a pattern we can cut out for a pendant.

This is the pattern mom drew up for the pendant.

I didn't get any photos of mom sawing out the pendant - though if you would like to see mom sawing I do have videos on our EB Facebook page.

Once mom finished sawing out the pendant she then files and sands it and then I enamel the pendant. I usually wait to enamel when we have a few pieces so I can do an assembly line in the kiln.

We had a bunch of bowls that needed enameled so I added the pendant in the line. I usually have several layers of enamel on each side of the pieces. These bowls and the pendant I added frit.

I wanted to add clear frit to the white on the lotus pendant. Something different to add to the pendant.

Here is a close up of the pendant. Both mom and I are really happy with the way it turned out.

A full picture of the pendant that was assembled into a necklace. We used our lampwork glass "sugar" beads, Czech clear beads, seed beads and a sterling silver clasp.

This is a closeup of the "sugar" beads. I use a base white and then put clear frit on top of the beads. Mom loves these beads - I don't make them very often and she wanted them in this necklace.

That is quick process of how we created this piece for the December Challenge - White.

Here is a list of the other participants:

Alysen

Anita

Beth (You are here)

Cat 

Divya

Elaine

Hope

Jill

Karin

Kathy

Lucy

Rozantia 

Sarajo

Susan

Tammy 

Art Elements Team

Caroline

Cathy

Claire

Laney

Lesley

Marsha

Susan

Enameling Bowl Weekend

This past weekend was an enameling ThumBOWLina bowl weekend - with one pendant. The above picture is me heating up the copper so mom can hammer them into shape. I actually use my lampworking torch to heat up the copper (my goal, one day, is have a torch for jewelry).

Mom hammering - you can see it on our EB Facebook page.

When mom is hammering the bowls - she likes to feel them in her hands and see how they feel. She was also trying to make each bowl unique - there were 12 bowls she hammered and I enameled.

The pile of shaped bowls and the pendant. I would like to participate in the Art Elements Monthly Challenge - White, so mom found a pendant we both liked and sawed it out. We both can't wait to see how it turns out for the challenge.

Before I put enamel on the pieces, mom and I clean them. Right now mom is cleaning the bowls for me. It was pretty cold in the garage and the sink only has cold water. Our goal for next year is to sell enough pieces that we can hire a plumber to come in and put hot water in the sink. This past Sunday I actually had the garage up to almost 50 degrees, but the water is still freezing. And we clean the pieces each time before enamel is put on - so the hands do get a little cold.

These are the pieces with the powered enamel on them before they are fired in the kiln. I do multiple layers and multiple colors on each of the pieces.

I also pulled out the frit to play with. I always forget how much frit I have until I start pulling the bottles out. That is not even half of my frit collection. I love color!

The final bowls. I just took a quick picture to share. I will take individual photos and share later. All of these will be gifts to friends and my Zumba instructors.

I will share the pendant on the challenge revel date.

Editing Pictures, Making Key Chains and Gluing Patterns

New location for my new handmade teddy-bear - made from
my old BDUs.

This past weekend I worked on editing more pictures to post in our Etsy shop. This time it was earrings - and I still don't have them all listed yet.

I have been into enameling earrings now. I am having fun with the enamel colors, stencils and frit. I just ordered new enamels from Thompson Enamel and I am looking forward to playing with new colors when I make the earrings. I still need to list the smaller teardrop earrings - that might get done this week or weekend.

While I worked on editing photographs and posting to Etsy. Mom worked on gluing down patterns for bowls, plates, and pendants. This is just some of the pieces she glued down.

I also worked on stamping Sunday (Order new stamps from PJ Tools - can't wait until they arrive). We have a special Christmas order and an order for a key chain. I am also working on a bracelet bar for a friend. She liked one of our bracelets, but it was way too big for her - so making a special one for her.

I like it when mom grids out the words for me. I am still not perfect on stamping, but when mom grids out the words I am a little bit better. This is bracelet I stamped for my friend.

Once I am done stamping, I then use a hammer to texture the copper. Once I have the texture the way I like it - I put the copper in Liver of Sulfur, then sand it off and then seal the LOS.

I can't share the special order until after the Christmas. Mom is working on assembling the key chain today - so I will take photos and share later. Once my friend comes over, I am going to let her pick out the lampwork beads to assemble the bracelet. Once it has been assembled I will take pictures and share.

I am still working away with the new migrated Cloud site. Now it is all the clean up and training. At least it is keeping me busy at work :)