A time for reflection - where the heck did 2010 go??

As 2010 comes to an end and I reflect on the year - all I can think of is - heck - that went fast!   It may have dragged for others but I'll bet they are young - Pretty much  for anyone my age ( I'll be coy!) I expect that it flew by!
Creatively 2010 has been a 'so so' year for me.  I've had many great ideas for designs but in reality many pieces have bombed - Firescale - how I hate thee! I've unintentionally melted a few great ideas and I somehow wonder how I managed to solder anything successfully sometimes.  My enameling has been a bit hit and miss but I loved the class I took earlier this year and am looking forward to experimenting more with powdered glass!

On a positive note, I redid my button pendant in 2 sizes. It's evolved very subtlety - but I think they work as well as the original which is currently with my daughter on her backpacking adventures around Europe and the UK and is apparently collecting the occasional compliment when she wears it. .

I was chuffed when, after sending some work to my retail stockist the other week  that  these pieces and another piece sold immediately :)  So, all in all maybe 2010 wasn't too bad after all :)

Anyway, I've decided that for 2011 that I'm going back to basics. I'm going to revisit the techniques I learned as a beginner - piercing, hammering, riveting and yes even soldering, maybe re do a few pieces that were successful, maybe reinvent them a little, but generally hone in on technique. I might even do a few step by step projects from the magazines I subscribe to consolidate the re learning process.

And to finish off the year creatively I made these two pendants. The simple clean lines that I love - no soldering just simple metal forming. I was playing around  to see if I could make a mobius ring  inspired by my friend Annie's love of all things mobius. The ring bit didn't work for me but I loved twisting the metal and these were the happy result.

I'm feeling very positive about it all.........Roll on 2011 ...Happy New Year to you all........ Pin It

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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I should be so Lucky - Lucky , Lucky, Lucky!

Yep, not Kylie Minogue but me! (Aussie reference for my US readers!)
 Today the postie delivered a package - I won a prize on a blog giveaway and today it arrived! Thanks so much Jacquie :)

Jacquie makes the most wonderfully luscious Body Products. My prize was the 'Energy' Body Butter from her Empire of Delight collection. And receiving this was a delight. First, the cool Art work on the Post Pak - I'll bet that made the postie smile, then the wrapping which made me smile, then the product packaging which was so classy and stylish and finally the Body Butter which smelt divine. I put some on my hands right away and now several hours later I'm in awe of how soft & smooth my usually wrinkled housewife hands feel.

Jacquie has an Etsy Shop and a web site which she is currently revamping, so check out her blog for updates.
Empire Of Delight sell at selected markets around Perth too so make sure you keep an eye out for her - she has a huge following locally for her awesome bath bombs too. Pin It

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree............

Each year when I unpack the tree,  I look at the box and silently wonder why my tree looks nothing like the picture on the box. The photo on the box is a lush Canadian faux Pine with dense branches full of greenery. On my tree the branches are not dense or lush and I can see the wall behind through all the gaps.

 

I muse on which family got the got the lovely Canadian Pine that was supposed to be packed in my box ;)

I was thinking about getting a real tree this year instead and found this article online about real versus fake trees. Real trees come out way in front despite the longevity of a fake tree - apparently fake trees are replaced every 6 to 9 years. Using that logic then, if I keep my tree out of landfill  for longer than the average 9 years then I'm reducing it's carbon footprint a bit more to try and even up the score.
So for the sake of the planet it's here to oversee many more Christmases with us. It's already done it's 9 years of duty as I have photos of the kids sitting in front of it in 2001 when we got our first digital camera.

Besides it brushes up pretty well when it's all dressed up.....and it doesn't drop pine needles either...

 

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