my new anvil

On Sunday, I showed you the anvil that was calling my husband's name. Well, after we got home, he disappeared outside into his workshop (that's where all the big tools and dangerous looking machines are).

Now the anvil looks like this:

It has been sanded and smoothed, the rust removed and polished. I believe it is maybe 80-90 years old, but I am just guessing. This one doesn't have the year of its making on it, as the others often do.

And because an anvil needs a sturdy stand, so that you can really swing the hammer (not that this is actually very necessary on the scale of work that I am doing...), he sweet talked one of our woodworking neighbour's out of a piece of tree trunk. Now look at this:

This is not just your everyday tree trunk. It is American Red Oak. He says. I wasn't even aware there was such a thing (although, so as not to look as though I only know something about jewelry, I am aware that there are very many different kinds of oak in the world). Those of you that know your wood will also know that this is hardwood. Meaning the woodfibers (it that the right word?) are very dense, and therefore the wood is very heavy. My husband removed all the bark and sanded it down smooth and leveled both top and bottom. Then he proceeded to create those very heavy iron bands to go around the trunk. To prevent the wood from splitting apart as it now dries. Doesn't it look impressive?
Thank you, Max!

Now I'm wondering if I'll be creating more heavy metal jewelry in future...

Mute Monday

Bed & Breakfast

Henriette

Sunday flea market

It is a typical flea market Sunday - the temps have gone back down to about 12°C and it keeps raining on and off. Of course I didn't let that stop me. Nor even the early hour (we switched to Summer Time aka Daylight Savings Time last night). But apparently, some factor did keep about 50% of the flea marketers away. From both sides of the table. So it was meager pickings.

Easter lamb

Today is Palm Sunday and here is a sandstone carved Easter lamb.

cherry pitting machine

This must be from a restaurant kitchen or a bakery. A cherry pitting machine.


As I said, it was meager pickings. Not much of interest. I did find a couple of broken brooches and a book with interesting fonts, but the dealer wanted a price with way too many zeros in it.... So, my treasures are few this time.

carved wooden swallow

A carved and painted wooden swallow.

antique lace

Some old lace.

wristwatch

The important part of an old wristwatch.

Well - my husband disappeared for a bit and I was wondering where he had gotten to. He reappeared carrying something fairly heavy - 25 kg heavy, to be exact.

anvil from Hungary

A small anvil, from Hungary. He already has two (his grandfather was a renowned iron smith in South Tirol and one of the anvils was my wedding gift to him. What? It was beautiful!).

He is cleaning this one up for me!!! I am getting my own little anvil! Whoohooo! Max is the best man in the world!

more sari silk in resin

I made some earrings using sari silk in resin. I love the transparency - the colours are wonderful, when the light shines through!

striped silk

green silk

teal silk

Now I have a focal with sari silk in progress - hopefully I can show it tomorrow.

Work in progress and a nest

I have been trying something new. Sari fabric in resin. I am loving the glowing colours, which are even more intense in the resin.

Butterfly

I don't really believe I have to introduce the talented lady to you, that made this little bird. But in case somebody new stumbles across my blog, I will anyway. It is, of course, LeAnn of Summers Studio. She is a master of clay, constantly coming up with beautiful designs. Her birds are so sweet.

LeAnn's birdie

I have turned this little bluebird of happiness into a pendant, using sterling silver wire, aquamarine and peridot beads. Now I need to finish the necklace part.



LeAnn also sent me some of her lovely little eggs. I am totally in love with these. Don't they look cute in that nest??

porcelain eggs in a nest

Thank you so much, LeAnn. Your work is so lovely and inspiring and you are a true friend!

Snowdrops and kitties

A beautiful spring day - I went out to look at my snowdrops.

My kitties were out enjoying the sun and came along to see what I was doing.

Kiki

The helleborus will be blooming soon.

Socks

Captain - doing some serious claw sharpening

Kiki and Casanova

My poor foxglove got badly flattened by all
that snow - but it will come around

Inviting spring

Today the sun was shining, the temperature was more like spring. But it is still very drab outside, now that the snow is almost all melted.
I drove to the garden shop after work to get some spring flowers. Not that I was the only woman with that idea. They were buzzing around those flowers like bees around the first blooms in spring! LOL Aren't these lovely? I just love horn violets viola cornuta, they have such gorgeous colours.
And I can never resist forget-me-nots.





Hoping it won't be too long before I have some flowers in the garden.

upon being inspired by pirates...

Remember a couple of weeks ago, I showed you this?

Well, it all started with watching a movie. A pirate movie. It involved a locket. And it got me thinking about how I would make a locket for the that particular character. Which resulted in the wired pearls and the shell in the above picture. And which just goes to show that you can find inspiration just about anywhere.

But that was just the start of it. I wanted to use materials that are from the sea or reminiscent of the sea (aside from the copper, of course - I use that because I love it). After meeting a few challenges with the actual locket, which is a sea shell and the back is copper, I ended up with this.



I'm not sure I'm finished with the locket yet - I'm still not sure if the inside needs something more. And if so, just what does it still need? Suggestions, anyone?

more S word and a necklace

It snowed all day Thursday, leaving my corner of the world looking like this.

If it was December, I would be thrilled. Now that it is March, not so much. What is even worse, I spotted snow in the air this morning. And they are predicting more this weekend. Spring - where are you????

Okay, we will just concentrate on what is going on inside the house (maybe, if I ignore the s..., it will go away). I showed you a focal last weekend, which has been finished as a necklace.

Combined with copper links and soft, pale new jade beads, that go really well with the colour of the focal.


A little faux memory necklace. I distressed the focal a bit to give it that vintage look I am so attracted to.

Not mute Monday

Meet Lela.

Lela is an art doll. She has come to live with me and be my muse.

Lela was created by Carla Trujillo of Indiandollartworks. Carla makes some very stunning art dolls and back in February, she had a giveaway to celebrate having reached 1000 hearts on her Etsy shop. 1000 hearts - isn't that awesome? I was the lucky winner and today, the mail brought Lela to me.

She is so beautiful! I am totally in love with her.

Please go take a look at the art dolls Carla makes. I love her work! And I think I feel a new passion coming on...

Thank you so much, Carla!!

For the birds?

I'm not sure about this piece - do I like it or not? Can't decide.

Lots of birds in the pear tree, but no partridge.

A starling.

A robin.

The weather today. It's really for the birds. But they don't want it either.

more work in progress,

I've been having some fun with copper, images and resin and then with copper and brass.

I really like how this turned out.

reverse side

Another layered flower, made of brass and copper, with a brass rivet. Quite a bit of work, but so much fun to make.

So I made another.

Mute Monday