I miss working with silver...

Just saw this video on how silver jewelry is made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a7yVpBtlAk&list=WL&index=1060

I feel a little bit sad looking at this video.  I took some class where I work with silver.  I liked the experience very much.  I miss the time I spend working on some piece.  I would like to work with silver again.  I love silver.  I like the look it have, the color.  It is bordering obsession.  I find silver attractive.

So, working with silver was fun.  I didn't worked with any other metal.  I am not interested with gold.  I better like the finish of silver.  Gold is quite common in jewelry, to what I could saw.  It is good for those who like gold.  I just prefer silver.  In addition, I find that some stones look better in a silvered setting.  For example, I find that obsidian and lapis lazuli are great in a silver bezel.  It enhance the color.  Black and blues are more apparent with the silver color.  It put an enphasis on the stone itself.  Another reason I like working with silver.  Gold is fine but silver have his own usefulness.

I still miss working with silver.  I miss soldering, even if I wasn't great at it.  I miss the people I was in class with.  I also miss all the process of creating beautiful pieces of jewelry.  It wall all unique pieces.  I would like to create more on that side or recreate some pieces that I have lost over time...

Doing some shopping

Over the week end, I have done some shopping.  I have set foot in a store that I haven't been in since a long time.  It changed.  Their focus had changed but I found a few interesting items in the jewelry section.  Here are a few rings that I bought:

This one, I made a close up.  It is the texture I would like to have for earrings:

This one, I wanted to have this model for a long time:

I forgot to put the above one with the other in the beginning.  I may work on something inspired from that one.

Those earrings have some metal and some threads.  It is not yarn, it is more like the thread used for crochet or the floss used in cross stitches:

I know that I want to do something with both material.  It won't take that form but my mind is working on something.

This ring is quite interesting.  There is a elastic band in the back of the ring.  It makes me think of the one on some watches.  I had the idea of doing some bead weaving to do a ring.  I may also combine bead weaving with some other techniques too.  This ring kind of give me the permission to explore that.

I put the next two photos to show my fascination with leaves motif:

I would like to do some leaf motif.  Ultimately, my goal would be to create an oak leave for a jewelry piece.

I haven't shown all the items I had bought but each one have the possibility to inspire me to create something.

A little experiment

I have done a little experiment.  It been a while since I had done one.  It was fun to do.  It was with a barette that I made with bolts.  I had been wearing it a lot.  A few days ago, I discovered some rust on the bolts.  I got the idea to put some Pébéo Vitrail Emerald (http://www.amazon.ca/Pebeo-Vitrail-Glass-Paint-Emerald/dp/B001DVZ9LU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432512756&sr=8-1&keywords=pebeo+vitrail+emerald) to put on the bolts.  The result are quite pleasing.  I just wonder if a second coat is necessary.  Here the result that I have right now:

I am quite pleased with the result.  The photo doesn't show the uniformity of the paint on the bolts.  I had some trouble taking the photo.  I may try to take this one again, to see if I will end up with better result.  But the color is quite stunning on the bolts.  I just wonder if I will put a second coat of painting on it or not.  Will it be a good idea?  Or it could be a varnish to protect the color.  I don't have anything that could seal the paint and offer some protection.  I will have to look out for that.

It is a successful experimentation!  I am glad to have a perfect experimentation.  It is a rare thing.  I think it is the furst time that I have a experimentation with such good result.  Usually, it doesn't quite come up as my mind's picture it.  Or I had some problems along the way, so I have to troubleshot them.  Then, it change the project in another direction.  Not a bad thing in itself, it end in something unexpected but satisfying.  There is still a part of me that would like to end a experimental project closer to what I have in mind in the first place.

My mind is working right now.  I may come up with some more experimentation.  Or other projects to make.  I know that I have some ideas and inspiration that are blending and there is some brainstorming that my brain is doing on right now, on a subconscious level.  I let it work for now and it may pop up in my concious mind soon enough.  Sometimes, ideas need to develop to full bloom before being exposed to the world.

Time to jewelry making again

How strange an home accident can trigger the urge to make some jewelry.  Last week, a relative got an dumb accident with some inconveninent.  It happened around the house.  After I learned about it, I ended thinking doing something on the jewelry side to cheer that person up.  I haven't started it yet but I have an idea of what to do.  I just have to think of the design, to do something different.  I think I will do something on my bead loom.  The person already have a piece with some woven beads.  I just want to do something different and it is a good excuse to use it again.

Thinking of one project made me spin elsewhere, to other project.  A few days ago, I discovered some rust on one of my hand made barette with bolts.  I took some Pébéo vitrail emeraude to put on the barette.  Here the link to the product, just to give an idea on how it look:
http://www.amazon.ca/Pebeo-Vitrail-45-Milliliter-Fabricant-Couleurs/dp/B00M7HNP8I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1432088185&sr=8-2&keywords=pebeo+vitrail+emerald
When I bought it, it costed less.  Seems to be out of production.  It is a nice color, thought.  So, putting that on the bolts is an experiment.  I don't know how it will turn out.  It is drying right now.  I don't know if it will stay on the metal.  Right now, it look cool.  It was worth the little time to put the paint on it.

I like experimenting.  I learn a lot when I do experimentation.  I haven't done much experimentation since a while but I feel good doing some today.

Weird info...weird beauty tips

I am not into makeup.  But I found those weird beauty tips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLoMQgpP7ZA&list=WL&index=1105
The person tried a few weird beauty tips.  There are a few that works well and other less.  She explain why some weird beauty tips does more harm than good.  I like explainations when things doesn't work.

I won't use those tips but I found them interesting.  The one with the jello makes me think of natural dyes.  I also like the idea of finding different uses for a objects or products.  It look cheap but amusing.  Seems to work well too.  It was the tip that I prefered the most from the whole video.

I don't know if there are other tips like that.  I think I saw, somewhere, about milk being used as paint.  Too bad I don't remember where I seen this information.  I tend to remember facts more than the sources.  I also know that berries would be used to stain wooded fourniture.  I think that berries as stain source fact was gleaned from word of mouth or something like that.

Useless trivia is fun!

Discovering ancient jewery

 Two ancient discovery about jewelry pieces.  The first one is in Alaska.  It seems to be a bone pendant:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3079743/Is-oldest-artwork-America-12-300-year-old-bone-pendant-unearthed-Alaska.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

This one is a bracelet found in Siberia:
http://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/features/f0100-stone-bracelet-is-oldest-ever-found-in-the-world/
I like this one.  I am thinking of doing something that may look similar to that bracelet.  I just don't know how I will do it yet.  I am letting my mind working on it.  I may use a wooded bracelet with paints.  It would be an option.  I am tempted to do some more research.  I would like to see if I have other options.  I would like to do a marble or malakite look alike for the bracelet.  I am just not good to imitate that with paint.  I will have to look deeper into that.

I find those discovery inspring.

Famous mothers in history

I found a list of some famous mother in history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1iQFi-WYNE
Not all are model of good motherhood but they are cool in their own way.  I say that thinking of Marie Curie in mind, principally.  She was a mother and it didn't stop her for at least one Nobel prize.

The mother of Mary Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, was also cool in her own way.  She was a mother.  Before Mary Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft had another daughter, Fanny Imlay.  She was way ahead of her time, even if it was in thoughts.

Those two are the two that I knew the most in the list.  I knew vaguely Coretta King.  I didn't knew enough of her before the video to appreciate all she had done.  On the other hand, it show that behind each great man, there can be a great woman.

Mother's day should not be limited to one day in the calendar.  Mothers are mothers every single day of the year.  It apply to each and every similar special day.

Enamel

I found these about working wtih enamel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSMSa4u8NM4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4EALYetknI

The second one have a safety part at the beginning.  I like that because I don't know much about enamel.  I know how it appear, that the base is in powder form, it must be fired and it is pretty much all.  I like the appearance of enamel.  Since I do a little bit of jewelry, I had been intrigued by enamel.  I tried to take a class but there wasn't enough participation, so it was cancelled.  I would like to do some.

It would be to see if I would really like it.  I knew of someone who was doing it.  She liked it.  I got the impression, with the way she talk about it, that it was more of an experimentation.  Maybe it was her approach.  I don't know the details but I would like to see for myself all about the process.  Videos gives an idea on how it is done but it isn't like doing it for myself.

I don't know if an occasion will present itself.  I keep my eye open.

Talking and language

 I like to learn new things.  Perfecting pronounciation is something rare and I never thought of saying thing right.  Just found this video:
Top 10 Mispronounced words:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6L9HJy2tco
Now, no more excuse to misprounce there words.

Makes me think of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc
It explain why I would had love to have Weird Al Yankovic as my english teacher.  Would have been easier with the English written language.  For me at least.

Good news for coffee haters

I dislike coffee.  Even the smell of coffee is not good for me.  When I took my class on soap, we had two little pot with coffee in it: one with coffee beans and one with grinded coffee.  It had two purpose: we used a little bit in one of our soap.  The other use was to clear up our nose with all the scents we had (fragrances and mainly essential oils).  At the time, I didn't knew about the nose's cleansing properties of coffee.  I can't wear perfume on my skin and never purchased perfume.  I don't drink coffee.  As soon as I smell coffee, I usually want to run the other way, as far as possible from that smell.

I just discovered this article:
http://fragrance.about.com/od/Shopping-Tips/fl/Does-Smelling-Coffee-Beans-Between-Perfumes-Clear-the-Nose.htm
It expose a research that prove coffee doesn't help to cleanse the nose from scent.  What I liked the most, in this article, is the alternate ways to clean the nose from scent.  It is a bit of common sense.  The walking outside is what I would prefer (if it is far away from a coffee shop).

So, it is a good news for the coffee haters.  It will free the place for the coffee affectionado.  They will be able to continue sniffing coffee while purchasing perfume.  They don't have to know about the research.  The important thing is that they are free to smell the coffee if they want to.  Me, I will stick clear of the coffee, if I ever go purchase a perfume.  The chances are small, eczema run in the family, so the majority stay clear of perfume.  If I take another soap making class, I will skip the coffee smelling for sure.  I now have an excuse to keep my nose away from that well known smell.  Don't mind to put it in the soap.  I will donate the soap to someone who like that brew.

Wonder if there is research that contradict this one...

Chauvet caves and it's replica

Here is a text on the Chauvet caves and it's replica:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/25/arts/design/the-chauvet-caves-hyperreal-wonders-replicated.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=1

It talk a bit on the replica, on the Chauvet caves and briefly how it had been discovered, how the replica will preserve the original, the experience of going in the cave.  I like the part where they explain about the Lascaux caves and why they closed them.  All because of the human breath and bacteria.  Too sad they can't restaure the original.

I like the first picture.  It is a picture inside the cave: a bison, I think.  I find it look like a bison but I can be mistaken.  The person who had done this one was really good.  It is the kind of picture I like.  It touch something deep.  It is the beginning of art, in a sense.  Someone wanted to express something, even if the message is lost in time.  It is a bit misterious but talking to us in a primal level.  It is the beginning of something.  Because of this cave or other caves like that, i am able to create, to be a creative person.

Emotions

Emotions can comes handy when it is time to create.  It can be translated to a color.  It can become a shape. In writing, it add to the text, giving the characters an human side.  These are the good side of emotions.  It is not directly lived.  It is not personal.  It is more a feel good thing.

Emotions can be messy when they become more personal and more directly involved inside us.  I am not a big fan of emotions.  I find emotions hard to live with.  I would like to be emotionally suppressed.  They are way to much to take care of.  Too much hard to live with.  Too much demanding, too much draining.  It is where I would like to be a Vulcan.  I am not good with emotions when they come too much personal.

Being able to escape from emotions would be good, even if it is temporarly.  It would give me a break.  On the other hand, I have to work with emotions.  Mainly when it comes to writing.  I can't escape it even if there are times where I would like some respite.  I don't know if there is something that will come of the turmoil I live right now.  The eomtions takes all the place.  It is not fun.  It d emand a lot of energy to keep in check.  I don't know if I will be able to direct the raw emotions to something in the creative realm.  I hope so.

It is time to plunge into writing, I think.