The Jamie Knot and Silver Sticks

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5898714130690518965.post-87644903527554219642008-03-31T21:21:00.010-04:002008-05-04T03:56:33.770-04:00The Jamie Knot and Silver SticksI decided on one quick post before I finish packing. For those of you familiar with <a href="http://ornamental.typepad.com/">Nina Bagley</a> and the "Nina Knot", you will appreciate this. In preparation for my <a href="http://www.teeshaslandofodd.com/artfest2008/workshops.html">class with Nina on Saturday</a>, I lovingly picked out scraps of vintage material to wash on the delicate cycle in cold water inside of a zippered bag. I took extra care and made sure the machine was set to delicate, used the cold water detergent for delicate items, etc... I even checked in on the scraps while they were washing to see how they were coming along. It all looked good until I went to pull the bag out of the washer. Lawdy, law...I have NEVER seen such a wad! This is what I call "The Jamie Knot"... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GPtUCggDI/AAAAAAAAASM/MMkVkYbOg4Y/s1600-h/IMG_4578.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GPtUCggDI/AAAAAAAAASM/MMkVkYbOg4Y/s400/IMG_4578.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184082654716264498" /></a> Too funny. It took me a good 45 minutes or so of snipping threads and unwinding material all the while fending off the cat who was very eager to 'help'. I also fired another handful of beads today. These are my first attempt at making hollow beads with an organic core. I used twigs for the long ones and wood clay for the round ones. Before they went into the kiln: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjGkCggFI/AAAAAAAAASc/OQE3zX5kCT0/s1600-h/IMG_4485.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjGkCggFI/AAAAAAAAASc/OQE3zX5kCT0/s400/IMG_4485.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184103979228889170" /></a> After they were fired and scrubbed with a brass brush: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjZUCggGI/AAAAAAAAASk/WQmWQ1LYWEM/s1600-h/IMG_4526.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjZUCggGI/AAAAAAAAASk/WQmWQ1LYWEM/s400/IMG_4526.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184104301351436386" /></a> And finally after they were dunked in the LOS patina: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjskCggHI/AAAAAAAAASs/wWLcKHWszDI/s1600-h/IMG_4607.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_u0IPsOn1dxI/R_GjskCggHI/AAAAAAAAASs/wWLcKHWszDI/s400/IMG_4607.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184104632063918194" /></a> I brushed parts of the round beads with steel wool and burnished the high points to bring them back to a shiny silver but I left the twigs as they were. I must say that I love how the twigs came out. I'm hoping to use them in a piece of jewelry I will make at ArtFest. Ok, that's really all for now. Clothes are packed but tools and other random art supplies are strewn about the house in four different rooms.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787515321978905710noreply@blogger.com