Ornament swap

This year my friends Steffi and Janna joined me again for a Christmas ornament swap - it was a last minute affair, but I am so glad we did it.

Steffi sent me this adorable little snowman - he makes me smile whenever I see him. But how did she know that I have a hat like this one?

Isn't he cute?

Janna sent me a beautiful ornament - a tart tin with an image encased in resin - I think there are mica flakes in there also - surrounded by a ring wrapped in sari silk. Like a wreath surrounding the image.

I love the tattered and torn look - just perfect!

I made the bells below - each was embellished in a way I thought each recipient would enjoy.

 Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe New Year's Eve!

last flea market of the year...

It's been a while since I was at a flea market. This morning I decided I had to make time to go to the last big flea market of the year, because there isn't much going on with the flea markets from January to March. Due to the stormy weather that we have had this weekend, I already knew the turnout of sellers would be low. It was. The lot was more than half empty. But that didn't stop me from finding some fun stuff.

More protective pocket watch cases...

An ethnic style necklace - to be repurposed...

Vintage glass cabouchons and flowers...

The find of the day - vintage sterling silver salt shakers... these are made of unbelievably thin silver, so they are very lightweight, but also delicate.

I even got some (real) mistletoe at the flea market - but forgot to take a picture...

Kitten update - the little cuties are crazy rambunctious. The eye problems continue to come and go, but otherwise they are stable healthwise. But, because they have been inside since October, they are not dealing well with the cold temperatures outside. I try to get them outside regularly, to get them accustomed and to give them the opportunity to really run and play, but it looks like they won't be moving out anytime soon.

They are about 16 weeks old now. While they have grown quite a bit, it seems they will remain small cats - particularly Lilith. In the above photo, you can see that her head is much smaller than that of her brothers. The little rascals...

Wishing everyone a peaceful Sunday!

more amulets and talismans...

I am continuing work with the faux shibuichi - it is so very fascinating - and have a finished necklace and more work in progress... seems the ideas are coming faster than I can finish pieces.

 

Prayerscroll talisman

Shield Amulet

more work in progress

I have been further experimenting with the faux shibuichi technique, which I want to use on my 'prayer scrolls'. Every new experiment and every step gives me another inspiration how to use this. This is where I am so far:

I love the achievable texture, although the material has its own challenges - it is much harder to work than copper or silver. The results are very rewarding. Hoping to have these pieces finished soon.

more earrings

 More cone earrings using the faux shibuichi technique.

 

The colour and the texture of the metal are fascinating - I have some more pieces of this in the making for prayer scrolls.

some earrings

These were made for a commission.

I like the way the copper cones turned out and want to experiment some more with this technique.

finished necklace

As I mentioned the last time I posted, I was working on a new 'prayer' piece. Finally finished. This one is something more of a prayer flag. I wanted to create something archaic and rustic, yet delicate ans somewhat precious. The focal is counterbalanced by the delicate wire wrapped beads and pearls that form the chain and dangles.

Runes from the top:
ehwaz - journey, progress, change
laguz - vitality, the ocean, water, artist
wunjo - harmony, joy, happy conclusion
inguz - spiritual path, inner fire, solidifies the reached goal

work in progress and update on the kittens...

The 'prayer bead' idea has been tumbling around in my head, over and over. The piece I made was not technically a bead, not a box... maybe something more of a scroll? I may find a fitting term someday. Meanwhile, I am working on another piece, so I have a work in progress to show.

A forged piece of copper, some silk rod and a resined piece of paper with the runes that continue to call me. The resined paper has been distressed - making it look like a piece of old parchment.

The kittens have made good progress getting back to health. Although I am finding it hard to believe, they are now about 3 months old. They have grown considerably, although I still think they are very small for their age - but then, their mama is a tiny cat... These pics were taken last weekend.

Frettchen (= Ferret)

Pan

Lilith

Difficult to take pictures of them - they are always moving in high speed; so most of the pics I take show a blur or a tail or don't even have a cat in them...

Last night the temps dipped down below freezing - this morning, everthing is covered in frost and we will finally see the sun again. The last few days have been heavily shrouded in fog.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday.

Finished pieces

I finished the prayer bead piece this week - an archaic kind of necklace. It is big, full of emotion and thoughts.

And the woodland necklace was completed - the focal has moss preserved beneath resin and drops of labradorite. The necklace itself is a medley of labradorite, prehnite, jade and forged leaves, one of which is part of the clasp.

I haven't any new kitten photos to share - there was too much going on this week and I didn't want another pic of sleeping kittens. But they are doing much better - we have finally found an antibiotic that can combat the bacteria we are dealing with; their eyes are no longer infected and they are soooo energetic... Their skinny mama has also put on weight, since the kittens are on solid food and is generally also in much better condition. I am still fighting the cat flu in two of the older kittens, but the antibiotica is also helping there, so I'm hoping we will be through this situation soon.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday.

sad Sunday

Yesterday  - yesterday... my heart aches, I am devastated. Yesterday I witnessed one of the cats being hit by a car. The person didn't slow down, didn't stop, just kept going. No - I won't tell you any details - bad enough that I will never be able to forget what I saw. And no, it wasn't one of the kittens. It was Mr. Babysitter.

Well, while trying to keep my mind off what I saw, as I lay in bed last night - I realized I needed to express my sorrow in a constructive way. I decided to make something like a prayer bead. Don't know if that is the best term for it. I can think about that later. So, this morning, after feeding the cats/kittens; starting the fire to heat the house; I started work on this:

A piece of etched copper sheet, hammered into almost tube form, containing a piece of  handmade paper (with some words that have meaning for me on the paper) - sorry, I don't know who made it, it was a gift my husband brought home from a business trip to Australia - and a piece of dyed silk rod. Beneath are an Ethiopian prayer bead and one of the jasper beads I brought home on Friday. It is still a work in progress...

Wishing everyone a happier Sunday.

Wild-life and a gem and mineral exhibition

It has been a crazy week. Life has been a bit wild and there has been plenty of wildlife. One of my cats made me a present of a (dead) juvenile rat; there was a young weasel being chased by a gang of cats last night and I still haven't solved the riddle of who put the live vole in the beverage cooler of the fridge... guess somebody wanted his fresh vole chilled. And then there was this guy - hawk or a falcon - that flew smack into the neighbor's window and fell to the ground, stunned.

He was a bit 'fuzzy' in the head for quite a bit. I carried him around in my hands to keep him warm and away from the cats and was finally able to set him in a tree. But not before he showed me just how powerful his talons are - ouch! Glad I'm not a mouse or a sparrow. Anyway, he apparently did not receive any drastic injury, because he did fly up higher into a tree on another lot before it got dark.

Yesterday was the annual mineral und gem exhibition in Munich. I didn't have too much time to spend there, since I had to get the kittens to the vet's in the afternoon, but I used my time well - at least, I think so.

Ivory coloured bamboo coral sticks - they remind me of bones. So cool.

Matte jasper beads, that look like they are part of a prehistoric cave painting. Gotta love something like that.

Etched and faceted agate beads - I would have loved these in matte. But even so, they are quite something.

Tiny faceted briolette beads, probably jade - although they were labeled prehnite.

So in love with these amber pieces. Nice matte finish.

Some treasures from Africa - a couple of new sand cast focal pendants, a lot of old coins, some very old agate beads and two very old worn ring focals.

Gorgeous matte (notice a trend here?) labradorite nuggets and matte (!) hematite beads. Love how the matte finish on the hematite makes them look so much more interesting.

Big raw tourmaline crystals that have been drilled.

Black tourmaline (shorl) that have been cut and polished into a crystal shape and drilled.

 Some more lovely jasper pieces.

Some prehnite cabouchons. For some reason, my camera refuses to depict the gorgeous glowing green of these. You will have to take my word for it.