Theme Competition July 2015 – Out & About

[Jemima]

Hello Everyone,

With the month kicking off with some high temperatures, and the kids winding down for the summer holidays, we thought it would only be appropriate for this month’s theme to be OUT AND ABOUT.

There will be lots of you heading to the beach, out in the garden, at special occasions and on other adventures; so whatever “out and about” means to you, enter it in this months competition.

The winner will get a £100 Cooksongold shopping spree!

So get creating, making and entering!

Good luck!

[jengreenwood]

Hi everyone,

Our themed competition for July is now in full swing, and we are excited to receive your 'Out & About' themed entries.

Don't forget to enter - you could be in with a chance of winning a £100 Cooksongold shopping spree!

Good luck!

[ajda]

Apologies if I'm a bit long-winded, but my interpretation of this month's theme might need a little explanation. I had a bit of a journey getting to this...

"Out and About" immediately made me think of being out on the open road on an old motorbike, of which I've had quite a few over the years. That put me in mind of the joy to be found in good tools, so I thought I might try making a miniature adjustable spanner or perhaps a whole mini tool-kit. Then I had a memory of the image on the cover of an old paperback edition of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - a spanner with a lotus flower growing out of it - and thought I'd try a variation on that.

It's about 40mm long and 22mm across the widest point - Argentium 960 silver (with some little bits of fine gold fused to the centrepiece of the flower), all made from offcuts/scrap bits melted down 50:50 with new grain, cast in an ingot mould, then milled, cut, drilled, filed, bashed and bent into submission. I've been experimenting with cold connections and recently bought a set of small BA taps and dies - this seemed a good excuse to play with those. I like the idea of the spanner actually having a function, to loosen/tighten the nut that holds the flower together. I'm also experimenting with textures - eg a soft, brushed finish on the flower petals, rougher texture on the spanner shaft, higher polish on the spanner head and the nut. I'm sorry the photos aren't really good enough to show that off - in any case it still needs some finishing, though I'm putting it aside for now to try to get on with other things...

I haven't actually decided on a function for the piece as a whole - originally intended it as a pendant, but the points of the petals would make it pretty uncomfortable. So I might turn it into a brooch, the mount/pin fixed to the flower and the spanner dangling free below. I might polish out the centre of the shaft to take a hallmark in the place a real spanner would have its size and/or brand name. (Mind you the whole thing only weighs about 6g, so hallmarking might only be necessary if I fit a mount or brooch pin that takes it over the limit.)

Anyhow, bizarre though it is, I'm quite pleased with it - and more pleased with what I've learned in the process of making it!

[CJ57]

I love it particularly the flower but I can see all the technical complexities and the way it has been put together and the thought process, very clever. Bag tags seem to be popular :/ and a very smart key ring fob too. The flowers would make lovely earrings, pendant, well just about anything, you can tell I like the water lily!

[Sammyjean]

Wow! That is so nifty, I love it! Such intricate working parts, its genius! the flower is beautiful and I do see your different textures. I would be well impressed with myself if i were you!
Sam.

[theresa]

Beautiful work - the winner surely?
(Good book isn't it?)

[jengreenwood]

Hi everyone,

We are now almost halfway through our themed competition for July, so make sure you submit your entries before it's too late!

Enter this month to be in with a chance of winning a £100 Cooksongold shopping spree - good luck!

[Goldsmith]

Halfway through the month and only 1 entry, come on folks let's keep the competitions running smoothly, if Cookson can bother so should we.

Here is my entry, a bee on a clover bloom.



James

[ajda]

In future, would it not be a good idea to announce the theme a month ahead (so, for example, August's theme would already have been announced at the beginning of July)? I worked relatively quickly on this one compared to my normal snail's pace, but in general I'd rather let an idea stew for several weeks, at least, before actually starting work...

[Dennis]

What bothers me is that many members here are on a low budget, but have ambitions to make a living as jewellers. The lack of funds is a regular complaint.

To enter this competition with a chance of winning a hundred pounds, you need the minimum of tools, you are permitted to use non precious metals and there is no entry fee. If you win, your gains will far exceed the mark up on a sale and you don't even have to part with what you have made.

So what on earth is holding you back? Dennis.