Deryn Mentock's Mary Hettmansperger challenge . . .

Yes, still bringing up the rear on Deryn Mentock's jewelry challenge. And this one earns me the Big Duh! award. Now everyone can know what a proponent I am of NOT planning! I chose to use an oval of etched nickel, drilled my holes, bent my little shelf and made my dangles. But guess what? MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE COORDINATED MY DRILL BIT TO THE SIZE OF MY WIRE? Yep. Slipped the first dangle through the hole and proceeded to pound away on the copper wire. Picked the piece up to check out the effect and voila! The dangle fell right through the hole.

Since I really liked the oval piece I decided not to scrap the whole project but rather to "improvise, adapt and overcome" as Clint Eastwood would say. Thus, the spirals did the trick, keeping the dangles from plunging through the too-large holes.

My philosophy is to live, whenever possible, without regret; I'm chalking this one up to a learning experience. 

Deryn Mentock's Mary Hettmansperger challenge earrings . . .

Last Friday I completed my first pair of folded metal earrings for the jewelry challenge that's been running via Deryn Mentock's blog. You can find the details of the challenge and photos of some of the projects here:

http://somethingsublime.typepad.com/jewelrychallenge/

People who know me best realize a certain odd conflict about me. I've been making jewelry for years, selling it at art shows and online, and yet I'm not much of a jewelry wearer. When it comes time for my birthday or Christmas (or any other holiday that I can get a gift for!) I always seem to choose tools or some art-related materials gift certificates. When I wear jewelry it is almost always something that was a gift. Odd. Yes.

Well this was different. We were going out to dinner and to do some shopping Friday evening so I thought I'd just throw on those newly created earrings. Later that evening after returning home I was snuggling on the couch with my muse when I noticed I WAS WEARING ONLY ONE EARRING! My loving and supportive husband immediately ran out to the car and searched inside and out. Ever try to find a copper earring in the fallen autumn leaves? Nada.

On Saturday I was up bright and early (for me) and we set out to retrace our steps. We searched the restaurant and Lowe's, their lost-and-founds, and all but crawled around the parking lots. Again, nada.

Nevertheless I am submitting my link for this project and I'm happy to say I still have ONE of the earrings. That counts, right? Only now it's going to have to be a pendant.

And many thanks for featuring my stacked necklace on your blog, Deryn!

Deryn Mentock's Mary Hettmansperger challenge . . .

I've been reading a few other artists' blogs lately and came across one that put out a challenge last June to work through making projects using techniques featured in Mary Hettmansperger's book "Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet." Here I am, as always a day late and several dollars short. A friend once said of me "You are so slow you're going backwards." Well I'm not sure I'm slow but I am often a victim of my own lack of planning.

So, although this was meant to be a summer project, summer of 2008 that is, here's my entry for project number 1. Check out the details of the challenge and the entries at Deryn Mentock's blog:

http://somethingsublime.typepad.com/jewelrychallenge/

I listed this necklace for sale tonight on my Etsy shop. Will I continue on through the rest of the book? Stay tuned.