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Thread: Trying to experiment but....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
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    Default Trying to experiment but....

    ...I still stay within the limits of what I know. But that's okay, I still see myself as very much a beginner.

    Most of what I make has a very personal edge, although I'm not always able to explain how. This piece though (much like the Goddess pendant I made a couple of years ago) has been on my mind a lot.

    It's a semicolon pendant - if you're unaware of the semicolon as anything other than punctuation it's something that has been adopted by a sector of people who have either experienced for themselves a mental health crisis or who are close to people who have. I wanted to make a little pendant that expressed that experience, but something subtle (I'm aware I'm being a bit cryptic so I'll try and explain - my daughter tried to end her life almost three years ago, she was only 13 at the time, and it's been a battle to get help and support for her since then but she's still here and she's fine, and I use making jewellery as my escape from the trials and tribulations of dealing with everything that the last few years have brought us).

    So here's my semicolon pendant, in my (as Dennis has coined it) house style - nothing too obvious and with a design on the back so it can be worn two ways. I etched the surfaces of the not quite perfect oval shape and the back has a partial etch of a butterfly, the archetypal symbol of change and emergence.

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    It's about the size of a fingerprint and I love the tactile nature of the amethyst cab when I run my thumb over it.

    Enough of the emotional stuff, more of the experiments! So in my head what I want to make is a bit edgy - what actually comes out of me is less so. I've recently just been able to start wearing earrings again, so have been playing with earrings I'd buy (this is why I started this journey in the first place, wanting me make things that I want to wear) and I had a sheet of 0.3mm sterling sheet that I bought three years ago. I couldn't afford anything thicker at the time and soon realised that it wasn't much good for backing things other than earrings - which I couldn't wear - when I had my son 11 years ago he changed my body chemistry so I went from wearing up to four earrings in each lobe to not being able to wear anything without discomfort. That changed recently (yes I checked every so often!) and I realised that I could etch the thin sheet and do something with it.

    This is what got etched:

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    I cut out some shapes and did a bit of bending and this is what I made:

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    Pretty, but not what I was after. They're nice to wear though, lightweight but just enough weight from the labradorite beads to stop them flying around.

    Last weekend I decided to try for something less pretty. Made lots of large jump rings, soldered them, a bit of gentle recticulation, joining them to one central ring, added a couple of embellishments in the form of some reticulated scrap and raw emerald beads with some chain to add length, dipped in Platinol and then used red 3M wheels to take some of the patina off to show off the rough silver. These are my new favourite earrings and despite how they look are really comfortable to wear. This is a theme I'll be exploring some more.

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    I even got the teen to model them for me so I could show how long they are when worn, but you'll have to click down to the next comment because I've reached my photo limit...

  2. #2
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    Here you go:

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    I love them and will be making more!

    Thanks for reading and looking if you've got this far.

    Deb

  3. #3
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    I'm a fan of long swingy things Deb, but when I saw one of my wearers give a serious talk to an audience, I realised that they could also be distracting and are not for all occasions.
    Really admire your etchings. Dennis

  4. #4
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    Jul 2017
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    Of course they're not for all occasions, they're for when you want to draw attention to your earrings! Thanks for the etching admiration, it's one of my favourite ways to pattern metal.

  5. #5
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    I’m in awe of the etching, it’s something I’ve never tried. Maybe I need some etching tuition from you. I love dangly earrings and my customers usually want them to have as much swing in them as possible! It may distract you Dennis but it’s what women like to wear and that’s why we wear jewellery. We should be able to wear jewellery on any occasion and I tell my customers don’t save them for good as good may never come, enjoy everything you buy.
    Funnily enough a politician was being interviewed on TV the other night and her earrings were swinging as she talked and I mentioned to my OH that Dennis won’t like those!

  6. #6
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    I cannot imagine what it must have been like going through your difficulties Deb, but making jewellery is a good escape from what life throws up. I'm a huge fan of your etching and love your earrings, plus looking forward to seeing what you do with your etched sheet.

    haha Caroline and Debs, I'm another fan of dangies too - love em! We'll have to get Debs to give us an etching class, as she knows I'm a fan, but like you I haven't got round to it, yet.

    xx
    Last edited by Petal; 09-03-2020 at 11:45 PM.
    Jules

  7. #7
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    The thing is I don’t even have pierced ears so perhaps that’s something I should do

  8. #8
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    Dec 2014
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    South Australia
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    Can't think of any thing to add every one else beat me to to it, except you better make some spares, if my partner see's this you gonna get an order. ( yes I make stuff for her all the time, but she likes to branch out and really likes your style )

  9. #9
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    Aug 2019
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    Oxfordshire
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    I really like the earrings and the etching. Is great :-)

    Alastair

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by CJ57 View Post
    The thing is I don’t even have pierced ears so perhaps that’s something I should do
    Yes, do it Caroline, you'll never regret it.
    Jules

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