Bingeing on Earrings.....

When I began my "adventure in metalwork" last summer, I gravitated to pins and pendants because whenever I DID try to create earrings with this approach (to formed and forged wire), the results as earrings seemed clunky.  But I kept trying and about a month ago, I was finally creating some shapes and forms that seemed more promising....I was so excited!  I think it's just been taking a LOT of practice to get this approach to really work for the "precise" ends I want to achieve, so today, I'm so happy to show of few of these new pieces that I decided did work well enough to put into my shop on Etsy....happy day!

Black Pearl plant shapes.

I have resolved two different designs so far.  The "leaf" or "plant" shapes are like many of the pins that I made earlier, the materials are just finer and smaller.

I look forward to trying this dangle design with different beads, different materials, different colors and different colors of metal.

Digging through my stash of older pearls and stones to find ovals, which has been fun, and of course, round shaped stones and beads are plentiful.

White pearls and this pair has already sold, yay!

But I had another "break through" in forms that seem to work with my metalwork, too!  Yesterday, I wrote about my "hoop" obsession, and guess what?  Hoops don't HAVE to be round!

This idea took a lot of tries to get all the parts to be as they should and to land where they must, so I need to keep working with it.  But here are a couple of ideas that seem to be going in the right direction.  They aren't very heavy at all, they seem to be very sturdy, and, well, it's kind of exciting!

Silver gray peacock freshwater pearls on hoop earrings

So of course, I keep going back to pearls because pearls are right near the top of my favorite materials of all.

Feather dangle earrings with purple amethysts

And in honor of the "earrings" section in my Etsy shop, which today reached the 100 mark, I also added a new version of my very popular "feather earrings" for women to wear when they are feeling just a little bit hippie or bohemian (showing my age, I know.)  I did an earlier version of this design in shades of turquoise and greenish blues with all natural stones and they have been quite a hit....so I thought I'd try them in shades of purple--natural amethyst--highlighted by some pretty amazing labradorite marquis, which have some surprising "flash" to them.

Finally, it DID snow here all afternoon so I'm hoping to try some snow photos tomorrow, since the word is our temps will get a little bit warmer, perhaps as hot at 27F....everything is relative....

Thanks for dropping by!

Drawing With Wire

One of the first ones, 2013

Actually, maybe these started more as "doodles with wire" as I was preparing to begin to learn Copper Enameling, had no idea what I'd be doing WITH the enameled pieces I was hoping to create.  I got this brainstorm about some kind of "pin-thing" that I could sort of dangle pieces from.....

Ha!  I never got close to doing this (yet.)  Instead, I got hypnotized with this act of bending  and moving the wire, and bending it more, and hammering on it, and on and on.....So as I mentioned in the post before this, I was caring for Dakota, prepping to leave for Maine, and running the campground even as I was fooling around with copper in preparation for my trip to Haystack.  And from the start, I was enamoured with this sort of zig-zag pattern.  As it evolved, I've come to call some of these pieces "rustic filigree" because of the lacy quality they can get, once there are a lot of loops.

But really, for some of these, I really think there was something about drawing (or doodling) with the wire.  I started to add pearls and other beads pretty early so eventually, I was making the "doodles" with an eye on fitting certain beads or other materials into some of the "loops."

I'm putting some images of the early efforts here....later, I'll show where this has gone since I've started this detour (or is it?  Hard to say when you're in the middle of something....) If a piece happens to be available, it will link to the listing.  If not available, please visit here to see what is new!

Not finished or resolved yet.  Kind of a break out piece but future unknown.

Thanks for stopping in and have a great day!

New Thoughts and New Pieces

Keishi Pearl Bouquet and Vine Hoops

Despite the crazy distractions of life the past few months, I've been finding studio hours when and where ever possible, but it's only when I finally make some time for photography, together with the detachment that offers, that I can see some patterns and directions in the work.

I'm seeing some ideas evolve and tonight I made some little groupings/collages to see how a few specific forms have changed with time.  I rarely stick with a singular idea and just run through permutations.  Instead, I normally juggle a collection of ideas, and one sort of feeds another.  Very handy if I hit a block in one structure, because then I've got something else ready to work on until I can come back with new solutions.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but at any rate, the structure above, evolved from the beauty of the center drilled keishi pearl used as a kind of flower,  and these pieces span at least 3 or 4 months of evolution.  I love the tiny, organic details and it's been fun to experiment with different combinations of materials and colors. 

These are surprisingly easy to wear, although they are somewhat heavier than a plain hoop. I've been wrapping and carefully binding stones and beads to hoops for a long time now, and I wonder if this more free spirited, organic approach is a reaction to that tight precision?  What I do know is these literally grow right out of my gardener background and study of plants and vines.

I've got a few posts worth of other new structures and ideas that I've be concurrently exploring with some depth, so will be putting these up over the next week or so!!  I've got a really broad collection of earrings in my studio on Etsy these days, so if you're thinking new earrings might be just the thing for Spring?  Do take a look!

Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Shopping at WillOaks Studio

A fun collection of hoops, narrative and holiday earrings both in my shop or about to be posted over the coming weekend. If you're an earring fan, check these out soon--lots of fun and plenty of bling. And I'm finally adding gold to my mix--14/20 gold filled wire and beads besides the sterling silver I've used forever....

A range of pieces in more traditional forms and colors, for winter and for the holidays, are scattered all through my shop on Etsy. Garnets, rubies, keishi pearls, cut crystals and Czech glass and much more!

And a personal favorite new direction: Pearls for the Holidays. Long metal chains with wire wrapped pearls and gemstones and coordinated earrings. Available individually or save 10% when earrings and necklace are purchased together.

Plenty of time to order gifts for Christmas giving and if you've shopped with me before, watch your e-mail box for a discount code to sweeten the deal!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Over here, the holiday parties are starting this weekend!!

I Love Pearls (A few more....)

Blue Peacock Pearl Bib Necklace on a Silk Ribbon

Bronze Pearl Bib Statement Necklace Cluster on Black Silk Ribbon

Berry Pearls Necklace Cluster Bib on Hand Painted Silk

Under the "better late than never" label, I managed to put all the final touches on my new show in Barrington yesterday (Thursday) that runs 10-1 to the end of October. Given how many pieces I ended up using to fill the big window and a display case, the paperwork, inventory and labels seemed to take a pretty long time. I don't always put labels on the pieces as I make them because I can always refer to the listings that I post in my shop online. And I wasn't sure what final pieces would be used in the display until I was actually putting it all together!

I'm happy with how things all finally came together, but wouldn't you know it, I forgot to grab my camera and tripod in order to document this installation project. I hope to circle back next Thursday though and document the installation then, so I can share it here.

At any rate, here are images of a few more of the new pearl bibs that are now on my Etsy site and that I've also included in the gallery exhibition. I'm delighted by the views and sales these pieces are getting since I started to post them in my Etsy shop a couple of weeks ago! I really love them, love to construct them, and look forward to going through the stash of top drilled pearls I've been collecting over the past year to see what more new designs I can come up with within this design, because I've got quite a good collection of different shapes, colors and sizes of pearls.

On another note, here at the WillOaks Campground, we are into our second to last weekend for 2011 and will soon count down our final week for this season. We have had a wonderful break in the weather--from cold and frosty to warm and balmy! I'm pretty sure this is our Indian Summer season and given the cold snap we just went through, it feels really wonderful and things are nice and busy here as the season winds down! I hope you all have a great weekend too!!

I Love Pearls (part 85)

Honeysuckle Pearl Multi Strand Statement Necklace on Silk Ribbon

Thistle Purple Pearl Statement Necklace Bib Cluster on Silk Ribbon

Sepia Pearl Nugget Bib Necklace Cluster on Painted Silk Ribbon

Bib Pearl Necklace Silver Gray on Silk Ribbon

OK, so maybe I haven't actually posted 84 times before about pearls, but since it is one of my favorite materials and favorite topics, who's counting??

My new series of fresh water pearl bib necklaces includes the newest in an evolution of this design that I can't seem to get away from and I believe I keep making better and better.

The newest incarnation builds on where I last worked on this design last Spring. I've since discovered even more interesting rings and other links to connect the pearl cluster to the adjustable ribbon and have found more colors of pearls in different sizes to broaden these choices. I still use artisan dyed and hand made silk ribbons which aren't just beautiful in their own right, but allow adjustments to exactly what length the pearl cluster is worn at--making these distinctive original designs very versatile.

I just installed a good number of these front and center in my new show in Barrington! I spent all day there putting an installation (ok, a display) together and will need to go back to tweak things, to add printed text signs, and to do some photos--my iPhone photos are abysmal. But the show is up all of October so knowing me, the odds are good I'll keep changing and adding as things go on. Well, selling would be nice too, lol! Pictures to come (I hope) next week.

Have a great weekend, all!!

Pearl Mania

Some new things began to come together the past couple of weeks and one big change and improvement is discovering beautiful artisan dyed and stitched silk ribbons. If you've been watching some of my designs the past few months, you may recall I've been trying different ways to slip silk ribbons into pieces so they could be adjusted for length, etc. I experimented with crocheted chains, strips of leather, on and on.... But now, instead of making up my own ties, which could be troublesome and difficult, I have discovered that other artists are real pros in this form...so here you go. It's so easy to use these ribbons to wear these clusters at many different lengths and I accidentally tried the "bow on the side" and decided I really liked the look...so tried it a few times for fun. It's just one option for how to wear these new pieces. I've also learned that it's possible to put end clips on these ribbons so that regular clasps can also be used, but am not showing that approach here.

I was about to insert each title but these are so wordy( for the search engines) that I decided to keep the photo layout nice and clean and just make each collage link to its' gallery page, in case you are interested in seeing more info.

The other grand experiment/work in progress, is changing the look of my little blog...don't be too surprised if it changes a few more times before it finally settles down. My new banners are coming together created by a very talented British designer on Etsy-Winchester Lambourne. There will soon be a "summer version" and a "winter version" but these are still works in progress...to be continued!! If you're in need of a fresh new banner and avatar, or other web graphics, definitely give her a look--I know I've been just delighted by how things are coming along.

This Month, It's All About Pearls (at WillOaks Studio!)

Collection of a variety of pearl designs from WillOaks Studio
featuring selections of white and light pearls

...partly because I adore them....and partly, because it's my birthstone and very soon now, it will be my birthday. So I've got a pretty cool idea about how I'd like to celebrate via my Etsy shop....and pay attention here because soon, I'll be announcing some very special pearly kinds of deals, courtesy of yours truly. I find it cool that I'm finally at an age where I'm not so interested in what gifts I'll "get" but instead, what gifts I can give!

And speaking of giving, I've got two lovely young ladies in my life who are graduating right now: one from high school and another from college. They don't know it yet, but their gift from me will be a piece from my Special Chain series chosen to reflect each of their personal birthstones. Simple and sweet and I hope, kept as an heirloom piece for years to come. Yes, I did use the word "heirloom." I believe these pieces are not only well crafted for a lifetime...but that the design is timeless even if it is original....and so can be comfortably and fashionably worn regardless of what "fashions" may come and go! OTOH....I did say "young ladies" as in possibly finicky teens and young adults...so this whole notion of a classic piece may or may not fly at first....and if this happens, well, it won't be the first time I didn't chose quite right but maybe these pieces will look different (better?) to them in a few years....or decades?? Time will tell!

A Gardener in the Studio

Soft Peach, Feminine Pearls and Silk Necklace

Triple Strands of Lilac Bronze Pearl Nuggets on a Silk Chain Necklace

Baby Blue Pearls and Silk Long Necklace or Wrap Cuff

I really don't need an excuse to be inspired by or to revel in the beauties of the Spring garden. But I think it seeps into my thinking and creating whether or not it's conscious. So while plants and flowers aren't overt in these new pieces, I think there is something about the sensibility that harks back to the garden: blossoms, blooming branches and the like.

These new pieces were listed in my Etsy shop over the past few days. I continue my unending fascination with any kind of pearl (often thinking of them as buds, blooms, petals and the like) and with using this very strong, American made beading silk thread. I use this silk as a material for crochet because it lends a dainty quality to the look of the pieces--while actually being incredibly strong...stronger, in fact, than some chain and other metal materials I might use.

It's tricky to work with because it is so smooth-almost slippery-but these very qualities also make it the most comfortable material for wearing in my palette right now. The fact that it is a fiber means it can easily be hand washed, a process all of these "Made With Silk" pieces go through after they are made and well before they ever leave my studio.

If you'd like a closer look at these pieces please click the photos...and watch for more pieces in this series to be posted over the next week!! Thank for dropping by and have a great Sunday!

New Additions to "Made With Silk"

I'm still enchanted with the crocheted silk chain that includes pearls and other beads and objects. Most of the pieces are at least 56" long and some of the new ones are even longer. Some of the recent ones incorporate some cool mother of pearl shapes and disks I recently found. All still can be used as either a versatile necklace in different arrangements or wrapped around the wrist as a cuff bracelet. This pinkish combination of salmon, mauve and very pale pink will work with a lot of different clothing colors.

The images here link to their actual listings in my Etsy shop for more information.

I love to wear linen in warmer weather and I have a few shirts and other pieces in unbleached linen. Wearing neutral colors is something I'm drawn to in the summer so I did a few designs that I think will work very well with clothing and colors schemes like this.

This collection, called "Darker Neutrals," uses brown with beiges and ivory and combines large and smaller pearls with different shapes and sizes of mother of pearl.

And this is a lighter version of my neutral palette that incorporates beige, ivory, taupe and white. All of the pieces in this series are limited editions, typically between 3 and 6 pieces per design due to limits of materials. Exceptions to this tiny edition size include the "Pastel Rainbow" and the new "Rainbow of pearls" where the edition size is between 20 and 25 pieces.

Over the next couple of days, I'll showcase a couple of wonderfully dark versions as well as the three new "bright" versions. These pieces are already listings in my Etsy shop in case you would like a sneak preview!!

Good weather here predicted over our weekend so I hope we make some serious progress in the gardens around here!! Wishing you all a terrific weekend, too!!

Not Irish, Love Green

I just realized the other day that the approach of St. Patrick's Day happens to coincide with the time I begin to reach the breaking point in yearning for the sight of green outside....imagine that, I just figured it out. (Insert a duh here.)

So I dug out a bunch of the greens that tend toward "emerald green" from my big green collection here...and voila, another addition to my new crocheted silk series. I posted the piece this weekend and it garnered a lot of hearts...cool! You can click on the picture here if you'd like to read more details...otherwise, have a green dream sort of day! (It helps lift the spirits a bit...'cuz here, it's warming up some, melting some and oooooh, getting muddy out there. Thanks for tracking in tons of mud, Dakota! But nope, nothing is green yet.....)

Happy Sunday!

Rich Flamingo Pink Crocheted Silk and Pearls

Pink Crocheted Silk and Pearls

Coral Pink Crocheted Silk and Pearls

True confessions, I have a check list here in front of me of interesting odds and ends that I want to get up here on my blog. And I thought I would do it today, but I'm just a tad under the weather and having trouble focusing long enough to actually do anything "of consequence."

However, I did catch an amazing sunset last night. One of those where the undersides of the clouds are bright flamingo pink, may hues of orange, pink and purple evolve in the shortest interval.

It was amazing; it was very, very fleeting. I wonder what it is about the amazing skies recently? Any meteorologists care to comment? I don't recall any volcanoes of late (I've seen what they can do to sunsets.) At any rate, I was quite delighted to see how this palette was echoed in a part of my new "Silk and Pearls" collection. So for fun, I paired it all up here.

Well, not lookin' a gift horse in the mouth....so I'll just share! Enjoy your Sunday.

New Ad Designs

New Blog Avatar

New Etsy Ad for the "Made With Silk" series

My pretty new rock! Mainly, a new photo prop.

Trial layouts, experiments for new ad designs.

I'd be curious to see what you guys think about these new "tiny ads." That's what I call the 125 pixel square--tiny, very tiny. Earlier, I didn't list all the photos that I was fooling around with of my new series and I also didn't show photos of a new beautiful rock I was recently given....yes, you read that right, a rock. A druzy, to be precise. A white druzy. Why do I feel like I'm speaking a foreign language here? It's kind of a goofy word that my friend said means "tiny crystals."

Anyway, the two self-selected ad "winners" are up top. The "druzy" portrait is next down. And a few new "runner ups" after that....whew, I'm exhausted!! These computer days wear my eyes out more than working at my jewelry bench (yes, time for an eye exam!)

Now and Back Then, Art Evolution

This new series has been dubbed "Made With Silk" and over the next couple of days, many new pieces will be listed in my Etsy Shop. This one, in particular, is a sort of pastel rainbow.

A craft technique called "Copper Enameling" was widely taught in junior high and high school art classes back in the '60's. This is a pin I made in the 7th grade using this process.

Another pendant, made at about the same time, also with "Copper Enameling." A bit worse for wear as the layer of glass that was fired onto the copper base has gotten a bit battered and chipped over the years.

Later, in high school, I spent 4 years with my art teacher Mr. Pearson. He was an amazing teacher and we tried a lot of different media and projects over all those years. Another old jewelry piece that survived from that time, probably about sophomore year: lost wax casting. With this process, a wax model is made, invested in plaster, fired to remove the wax and then molten silver is injected into that cavity to reproduce the wax model in silver. This was my attempt at a hair barrette. It actually didn't work too well because it was pretty heavy and I didn't have a good clasp for the back. But I really loved this design.

I really enjoyed reading Amy's childhood reminiscence about camp and making jewelry back in her teen and pre-teen years the other day. Amy went on from these years and projects to pursue a career in fine art including making original jewelry, pursuing photography and other creative endeavors. (Amy Lilley Designs)

For me, it was a wonderful flashback because I remembered that I also did some of those projects in junior high and high school art classes, and I had forgotten all about it! I couldn't find this really "strange" pair of earrings I made for my Mom, but did find 2 pins and a barrette.

So as is evident in both a very recent pearl and silk piece and in a pin made in junior high school, organizing colors has been a favorite activity since I can remember. I was one of those kids who dumped out the whole box of crayons or colored pencils in order to organize them by color, like a rainbow. I used to get so excited by the way a box of watercolor pans was organized and when I set up my palette for oil painting, I really did organize my blobs of paint sort of like is shown on this pin.

The palette pin was made by me in 7th grade. That was a year when I also began to take special lessons in oil painting after school. My teacher at the time, Mrs. Hiltey, chose me and about 3 or 4 other kids for this special opportunity. And I continued to paint, and then to study painting all the way into the 2nd year of college! Discovering sculpture and printmaking about then helped me grow in different artistic directions, but I still do water color paintings for myself when the mood strikes me.

And in the present day, working with silver, although not with "lost wax casting," has truly become something I have rediscovered with much joy! At this point in my career, working in metal is a whole new frontier.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend!!