I didn't get much opportunity to get out on the show floor and go shopping at the Bead & Button show, but I did manage to find a few of my favorite bead makers and I came home with a tiny stash of treasures. Above, a set of polymer clay beads by Heather of Humblebeads and a variety of handcrafted silver, bronze, and shibiuchi pendants by my friends at Zoa Art.

ooh look! more goodies! Above, a silver sugar skull charm (on ribbon) by Anne Choi. I bought two of these little guys, and gave one to some one special. *squish*. The rest of the loot is pewter and shibiuchi charms and a clasp from Green Girl Studios. Aren't they all delightful? I am looking forward to playing with them!
 

I had a long day of doing paperwork, filling orders, and cleaning up. I really wanted to play in clay instead. I am energized by my new pieces and thus distracted from the other work that I have to do. But I finally got to spend an hour or so playing and squishing stuff into clay tonight, so I am feeling pretty good now. Above, a picture of some of the new pieces I made yesterday. Below, a picture of some of the tools that I used to make them. I keep wandering around the house, finding new things to play with, and bringing them to my work tray. Whee! much fun. So, I need a name for these new pieces. Something about toolboxes or hardware or something like that. Any suggestions? If I choose your suggested name, I will send you a selection of these goodies to thank you, as soon as they are glazed and finished. Leave me a comment with your ideas!
 

ooh! Look at the cool steamy necklace that designer Lorelei Eurto posted today using one of my triple gear discs! I love the way she used the central hole of this donut style disc to make it into a pendant. Very inventive! And her choice of hematite discs with the tiny green seed bead details is really cool. The wire spiral cages surrounding the clear beads are a great touch. They remind me of some fantastical Tesla like energy source that appears to be powering the necklace...it makes it look alive! ALIVE! Nicely done, Lorelei! Check out her blog post about this bead for more pictures and details.

Friday evening, while in Kalamazoo, I had the good fortune of attending the Art Hop at the Smart Shop metalsmithing studio. It was a very exciting event, filled with art, metal, music, snacks and beer, and lots of people who seemed to love metal art. I went with my very awesome friend Alex, who did a chainmaille demo throughout the night. I got to watch him make the beginnings of a coif over the course of the evening, like the one shown below which he also made. A chainmaille coif is a type of armor, protection for the head, made of hundreds of metal jump rings, all linked together. He had several other very impressive chainmaille items on display as well like a shirt and a vest, and everyone was in awe of all the work he had put into them. I had a great time listening to him talk about various facts about Medieval armor, costuming, metalsmithing, and other random bits of trivia. I also enjoyed wandering around, talking to the other Smart Shop interns and the owner, and all the art lovers that came through the shop and gallery. The live band was excellent, and the night had great atmosphere! This was just at one stop on the Art Hop! Kalamazoo really seems to have a great art scene... I am impressed.

By the way, Alex dressed in costume to do his demo. Medieval garb with the kilt, laced up boots, tabard, puffy shirt, and bracers! Plus he had a big metal sword he wore for a while, attached to his belt! It made the chainmaille demo very authentic and fun. He is quite a showman and very adorable, I must say...

Yesterday I spent some time wandering around an Antique shop in Kalamazoo. There were many sources of temptation in the store! I chuckled at the little strip of paper with the Oscar Wilde quote that makes up today's post title, because it was very true for me in that moment!

There were many items that inspired me for my steampunk costume. Since my steam persona, Alycia Von Kylnfyre, works with fire, I am always looking for fire related items, particularly interesting antique ones. The carved wooden bellows above really tugged at my tempted heart strings. Hmm, maybe I should have picked it up. Its a ver unusual item and I think I might need to start a small collection of them for my dad.

ooh, i really wanted this item! It is an old brass fire extinguisher! It was very heavy and wonderfully aged. I really wanted it, but couldn't justify spending over $50 for it, sadly. There were all sorts of other things that I would have liked, in particular the old keys and rusty metal things. I also liked the typewriter below, but I know I will find one someday with glass keys that will really call out to me.

As I type this, from the comfort of a homey, leather couch, I am feeling very relaxed and happy, and newly inspired. Much more fun and inspiring stuff planned for tonight and tomorrow, so I will update you again soon!

I am rather pleased with how this new pendant turned out. It was surprisingly simple to make, with just a ceramic heart and two bit of brass filigree from Vintaj. But it looks really elaborate and detailed. The particularly neat thing about this pendant is how it has a different look on the front and back, so it is truly reversible. I also am very pleased with the bail on top, and I will be using that frequently in other new pieces.

I called this piece Heart Embrace, because it feels like the porcelain heart is getting a big warm embrace from the brass butterfly. And that seems fitting right now, because I have been feeling like I have been embracing porcelain again for the first time in a long time. Its funny, when you work with a material day after day, for years. You sometimes take it for granted. Porcelain had recently been becoming the stuff I use to do my job. That happens when I get in production mode, I don't really even think about it anymore. My hands just repeat the familiar steps, the same repetitions. I forgot how much I adore this material, until I started a new series of disc carvings. I have spent many hours in the last few days immersed in porcelain again, my whole world existing for hours on end in a two inch circle of kaolin, carving away, millimeters at a time, the rest of the world dissolving around me as I drift off into a creative dream space, with my tools and clay dust building around me. I have remembered why I love clay so much. I look forward to sharing these new carvings with you soon.

This pendant is listed in the Earthenwood Etsy shop.

 

Today's Saturday Spotlight is on artist Gina Kamentsky, who makes amazing wind up, hand cranked, and kinetic artworks. They are whimsical and fun, made from found objects, and a ton of imagination. I am inspired by the way she must visualize these works, not only as visually appealing sculptures, but functioning and moving entities. It is fascinating. Click here to see video of the piece entitled Masters, shown above. The thing I saw first on her site (thank you to Sheryl, for sending me the link) is this great promotional video, full of vintage clips of awesome chicks in factories and science settings. Very cool.