MY FUNNY LITTLE VALENTINE

A simple little handrawn heart, embellished with super fine glitter, decorative pink paper on the back, and sandwiched between glass, soldered (using only lead-free solder), and I added a sterling silver bail.  I have added a red ballchain necklace with this pendant, complete and ready to wear. The pendant is 3/4" square.

Miss Ezra's Valentine - Soldered Glass Valentine

It's Friday, January 15th, 2010, and Miss Ezra is now posted on http://www.theprimitivegathering.com/ and she turned out so cute.  She is a primitive gal, hand drawn by me, digitally altered and placed in glass with primitive paisley toile background, and she carries her little pocket, full of her Valentine's that she is giving away, with a very special also soldered as a charm and hangs below.  Overall about 5 to 6 inches long.  The back has the same decorative paper, and I use only lead-free solder. You can click the picture of her and enlarge it so that you can see the detail.

Heirloom Treasures and Vintage Textiles

My most recent project, is this old piece of a beautiful doily, that I encased in 3x2 inch glass, soldered with lead-free solder, added a vintage heart charm, and sweet chain for hanging from a peg, knob, armoire, and more.  A great way to use your most treasured old tattered pieces from your Grandmother, Mother, or your own private vintage collection.  The overall length including chain, and heart charm is 7.5 inches long.  Why give a card this Valentine's Day, when you can give an heirloom.   I have listed this piece in my Etsy Store http://www.pumpkinmoonstudio.etsy.com/.

The Glitter Palette

What at first appears to be a sewing box full of thread, actually is my new palette of glitter.  I originally was in search of a fine red glitter, but found this set, with every color I can think that I would use over the next year.  *Gulp*, yes it is Martha Steward brand, but my gosh I have to say the glitter is very fine in texture, and wonderful to use.  I have actually used what I thought was a great amount of red, only the bottle still looks unused, so this set will go a long way, and last for a very long time.  This glitter is nothing like I used back in school, the larger flaky type.  It had its great use, but this finer, almost dustlike glitter is very appealing, and wonderful for my altered art projects. If I were working on a large banner for a special occasion, that would hang from a fireplace mantel, cabinet, etc, then I would use the larger flake glitter available in school or office supply sections of your local department store.   Just thought I would share this set.  I do recommend it to anyone for their art projects.  Okay, which reminds me, I need to get busy and finish the project I'm working on, so I can post here on my blog. 

Don't forget Miss Ezra debuts on the 15th on http://www.theprimitivegathering.com/

Miss Ezra Will Make Her Appearance on The Primitive Gathering

The past few days have been very busy, getting ready to debut some of my creations on a website, called The Primitive Gathering.  I'll include a link here so that you can check it out.  Miss Ezra is a primitive gal handrawn by me, and used with mixed media and vintage pieces, to create a very special Valentine.  She will make her appearance on the 15th of January, along with several other soldered glass Valentines.

I'm very excited to have been approved to be one of the artists that participate on this website.  One of my best friends from Oregon, Susan Grant of Country Presence is also a participating artist, and encouraged me to join.  I'll include a link to her also. 

I wanted to post a photograph of Miss Ezra here, but will wait until after her debut on The Primitive Gathering!  I hope you'll check out the site, and the other artists there.
http://www.theprimitivegathering.com/
http://www.countrypresence.com/ 

Simply Snowflakes

I posted earlier, that I wish so very much, to be able to post a completed project each day during 2010, but I'm sure that is not possible.  However, I definitely will post several each week as I find time to find my solace in my little studio, Pumpkin Moon Studio.  Did I ever tell you, that my studio is a wonderful little log cabin, constructed of logs that are over 100 years old, and originally part of a barn in Leipers Fork, Tennessee?  And my very talented son, Ben, a carpenter by trade, was very instrumental in the creation of the cabin?  Well, he was.  Each log was cut down and hand hewn, resulting in a 14x14 ft cabin, complete with chinking, and Ben built the front porch himself.  He and several others involved in its construction had to piece the cabin together far from its intended resting place, in order to number each log, like a puzzle, so that when all the logs arrived onsite, they simply reconstructed the puzzle, and began to chink, and the porch was last. 

On that porch sits an antique rocker and old wooden boxes that house wonderful primitive treasures.  And if you turn the knob on the old multi-paned door, and step inside, you'll see my torch and cubbyholes full of glass rods of every color of the rainbow, and a small sitting area with old fireplace mantel, with an old oval braided rug in front, and 2 rockers, one for me, and a small pint size rocker for the grandkids.  And in the opposite corner, an old Hoosier kitchen cabinet, full of vintage utensils, grubby candles, and old yelloware crockery bowls, the things I collect..  And this my friend, is my playhouse, my solace, where I can work, create and venture into my world that is far from the normal work day, and where my grandchildren can venture through the looking glass and back. 

And at the close of a much treasured small span of time, filled with creativity, with a little tiny hand grasping mine, we go back through the multi-paned glass door, back to the porch, and on to the house, back to reality, and we sigh together, and we smile, because we know the next trip to the studio, is yet another adventure and another beginning.

It is cold here, and today I took a beautiful little snowflake from a very special Christmas card from my Mother, and I placed my little Tiffany Blue background golden snowflake, and encased it in glass and soldered it to use as a pendant.  A little treasure, a memory, to be worn on these cold snowy days, and a sweet warming reminder that I am loved by my family and friends.  Today is my Birthday!  Thank you to my family, friends, acquaintances and to GOD, for making this my SPECIAL DAY.

Vintage Feedsack Soldered Charm Bracelet

Good Afternoon!  It's Thursday, and I managed to squeeze in some time finishing up this soldered bracelet, consisting of charms that were created using vintage feedsack Aunt Grace reproduction quilting fabric.  A couple of days ago, I posted the beginning of this project.  My glass charms were copper taped and ready to solder and add my links.  Today, I managed to get all of them soldered.  Each time I solder a new piece, I begin to understand a little bit better,  how the solder flows, and my charms are beginning to be much more smooth than when I first started learning how to make them.

I kept my first attempt at making these charms, and I can tell you looking back at it, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  It took purchasing 3 different soldering irons before I found the right one that works for me, and with the help of several books, a great website I feel much more comfortable with my creations, and offering them for sale.  This particular bracelet has been listed in my Etsy Store.

http://www.pumpkinmoonstudio.etsy.com/

A helpful site for anyone wanting to get into making these is

http://www.simplyswank.net/

You can do a Google search also for soldered glass charms.  It is very inspirational to see other artists' works, and the amazing collages in such tiny detail. 

On a more personal note, my husband got back from Kentucky early, due to the bad weather. It has been so cold, frozen water pipe to our washing machine.  I'm already wishing for Spring to hurry and arrive.