Silver and Gold (and blue)

I have always wanted to learn a technique in jewelry-making called wire-wrapping.  It's where you take either a headpin or create a headpin out of metal wire (in my case, copper) by stringing on a bead or a set of beads, then creating a 'wrapped loop' on top.  About ten years ago, I bought a spool of 22 gauge copper wire.  Copper wire is cheap and found everywhere.  It's the best wire to practice on.  I tried and tried.  And tried.  I just could not get it.  I cried.  Yes.  I cried.  This was the one technique that I knew I must master in order to really feel like I could make anything.  And I failed.  I put the wire away.

I got the itch to try it again about two months ago.  Thanks to YouTube, I found THE video that finally showed me how easy this is.  I am debating on whether I want to share it with you or not.  After all, some secrets are best kept?  Go to YouTube and look for "Wire Wraping Tutorial"  You'll find one that will suit you, there.  How's that?

I also knew that, just like with crochet, or knitting, one finds the best way to do these things in their own way.  I crochet and do it in my own way.  I look at my aunt and wonder how she manages to even do it the way she holds her needle!  And a cousin who does it even wilder.  Everyone does it their way, but only after being able to master just doing it correctly, first!  Once you figure out the way it's done, then you can alter how you do it so that it is comfortable and works for you.

When I finally started making wrapped loops that were correctly wrapped, that's when I got that 'Aha!' moment.  I stuck with just getting the technique down.  Then I changed how I held the round-nosed pliers as I wrapped with bent-nosed instead of just flat-nosed pliers.  I had it down.  Let me tell you, it was a banner day in my house.  I felt like singing.  I did, and I'm glad nobody was around!  Here is my very first wrapped-loop (sorry, the photos stink):
Not to shabby for my first time doing it my way!  And here is the very first earring I made:

I felt so confident, I even  made my own head pins to out of copper wire to attach the green dangles.  The main wire is my very first wrapped wire in Sterling Silver!  A true test!

Finally, I felt confident enough to go for the - silver.   The sterling silver.  I made the earring shown above.  I was so thrilled!  I could do this, after all!

My best friend, Donna came over with her beads and we had our monthly play date.  I love watching her put together her creations.  Where I just throw things in a pile and try and fail, she is very meticulous and plans her pieces.  I need to do that.  Plan.  Anyway, we were each doing our own thing.  I stood up and instantly felt bad.  My blood sugar plummeted.  Not once that day, but twice.  I was taking new medications and obviously they were not working.  Still, I managed to whip up a pair of earrings.  I knew when I started them that they would be a gift for my BFF.  I made a few mistakes, being so wonky from my sugar fluctuations.  One was a 'happy accident' where I forgot to leave my loop open.   Donna suggested that I just add it to the top of the earring.  "Hey! That works!"

Here are her earrings which she has beautifully photographed for me:

I have to admit, I think they turned out quite nice.  I even made the beaded bead in the center.  I just ordered some SS headpins and more SS wire.  I can't wait to start wrappin' again.

Oh, and of course this is art.

Until next time,

Keep drawing, and beading, and smelting.

Alex's Doodling.

I happened upon some of Alex's doodles the other day.  I have to say, this kid's got talent.  Both of my kids can draw.  Aaron knows it. "I just need to do it more."  Well, yeah!
Alex is allowing me to share with you his artwork.  He likes to doodle, but he can also draw very well.  He is able to get onto paper things I struggle with.  He is very skilled at getting perspective onto paper.  Very good at it.  It flows out of him like his breathing; easy and light. 

Libra

I love these characters.  No, these are not totally his creation.  They are based on either a cartoon or a comic that he likes.  I love them.  Now he has added his own and is getting very good at drawing these girls.  

 

I have asked him if he could draw one of these girls to be like me.  He said he could.  I'm still waiting.  That's okay, I know it can't be rushed, that art!   

Another piece.  I find myself staring into this and never getting bored:

 I love this one.  I don't need to understand it.  I just love it.  I love the chain.  I love his lettering.  

Finally, an odd (er) piece.  

The membrane in the center represents a plane which divides these two areas of space.  I love my son's mind and how it creates these amazing places where I'd like to visit or write a story about.   Who knows!?  

Thank you for reading. Alex thanks you for looking.  

Keep drawing!

The Drawing Game

On the last Friday of Summer vacation, my youngest son, Alex was sitting in our recliner, laptop in lap, chilling out.  It was late.  My husband was asleep.  My eldest son, Aaron, was asleep.  Al was awake.  I was awake too, but only because I was in pain and having taken pain meds, I knew that I would be awake.  Pain meds, while they do take the pain away, for whatever reason, don't make me sleepy; they wake me up.

I was bored.  I turned on the TV and scanned a bit.  I saw that "Philadelphia" was on.  Love that movie.  I started picking up papers and putting them away.  It was then that I came across my sketch pad.  I noticed that Alex was peering over his laptop to view the TV.

"Is this the movie with Tom Hanks and he plays a dying gay guy that gets fired?"  So, we started watching. I pulled my rocking chair closer to the recliner.  I sat next to him.  I was doodling.  I giggled.

"What?"  asked Al.  I handed him my sketch.  He giggled, and then signaled for me to hand him the pen.  He added something, then handed the book back to me.  I nodded.  Smiling, I took the pen back.  I added something.  I showed it to him.  He laughed.

"Oh!"  He took my pen and eagerly began drawing.  Handing it back, he grinned at me.  I looked.  Clever boy!  I grew excited and added my element.

A game was being born.

The very first game we played I will not share, here.  I have my reasons.  Alex too will appreciate this.  Nothing naughty or evil... it's just between a mother and her son, that's all.

Here is our second 'game', played on the same night.  I told him that we should get serious and try to do it the best we could.  He agreed, but I think that took away from our fun, so I said, "Never mind... just draw!"

He starts with an object.  A person.  A house.  A line.  Anything.  Then it's my turn.  I can add to whatever he draws.  It's really cool to literally add to his drawing.  We try to keep that going.  Of course the drawing needs to grow,  so adding an element not attached to anything is fine, too.    Here is our second drawing:

Note the date and the time!  I told you it was late!  We have no plan.  We have no idea how it will turn out.  The very last thing drawn was by Alex.  He drew the steps with the bag of old chips with flies.  He compared this to Jesus' walking on water.  "Well, I'm sure if Jesus was around, he'd skate and skate on water."  Love it!

Our third game was played the very next day:

Now, you get the idea about how different each 'game' will end up!  We both got a bit lost with this game.  We get to a point where we both feel it's fruitless to continue.  This is one of those!

I told him that this is a great way to practice drawing skills and having a lot of fun at the same time.  I can't wait to play again!  Alex is a wonderful artist.  Aaron is too.  I may have to get him to join us in a game!

Until next time,

Keep drawing!