Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Can't Leaf it Alone

After painting fall leaves and posting about it here on Saturday I still have those yummy colors in my mind's eye...great inspiration for some fall necklaces!

I love these pretty glass leaves from this great little bead shop I found while vacationing last summer...



As I sat down at my desk yesterday I really had no plan other than using supplies I already have.  Sometimes it can be so tempting to go and purchase something new to work with but I find that doing that actually inhibits my creativity.  Working only with what I have on hand requires that I consider things in new and inventive ways.

I was still thinking of leaves when I spied my long neglected etching supplies.  Inspiration!  Etched copper leaves would be soooo pretty!  Still having no plan, I set out to see where this rabbit trail would take me, snapping a few photos along the way.

Preparing the copper for etching...


Etched leaves, ready for trimming...


Torch firing the leaves to "jewel" the copper... 


Grinding and polishing the edges to expose raw copper for contrast and shine...


Voila!


The copper leaves provide a great focal point for this rosary necklace.  The little blue Czech glass beads are a nice compliment as well.  They remind me of a clear blue sky which is my favorite backdrop for the warm hues of fall.


There's more work with copper to be done in the studio today...more jeweled pendants to be wired and strung.  Check back tomorrow for a peek!

I love the way Art Every Day Month is helping me stay focused on sharing my creative adventures with you.  I have made some great new artsy friends through this project...check out their amazing creations at the link below!

Linking up with

21 comments:

  1. Janice what a lovely creation, and I love how you string us along in the story of it all!

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    1. Thanks, Kat. I'm finding that I really love sharing about my process. It's so wonderful to have someone to share it with. Thank you so much for stopping by!

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  2. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your process. I'm intrigued. You know I'm lovin' the leaf theme.

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    1. Hey, you leaf-lover, you! I finally made the rounds today (was a bit under the weather over the weekend. LOVE your doodle journal. It is just fab!

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  3. Sweet leaves, love the torched effects...yes, sometimes on hand does force you to reconsider the materials in ways you never thought. I like the outcome here, that's for sure! xox

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    1. Thanks, Corrine. I was just reading about the 40 day challenge you've joined up with. I'm looking forward to seeing your process!

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  4. that is simply gorgeous... the patina on the leaves is just amazing... you are very talented...xx

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    1. Thanks Tracey. That means so much coming from you!

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  5. WOW, they are just lovely - glad to have seen them (via AEDM)

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  6. torch the copper huh? Hmmmm. that's really interesting. I'll have to try that! Love the pieces on here. They are really beautiful. Like you I'm currently making myself work through all the beads I have already. In fact I'm tearing apart old pieces to remake them - these days I like bead caps an eclectic beads and tearing apart homogenous necklaces gives me lots of options. Thanks for sharing your techniques!

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    1. It's really fun to play with the flame to see what colors and patterns you can get. I'm a novice at it, just experimenting, really. If the copper gets too much fire scale on it you can always throw it in the pickle and start over. I have seen artists that can control the results so well they can "paint" with the torch. Let me know how it goes if you try it!

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  7. These are gorgeous! I love how you took stuff on hand to create such wonder for the rest of us to enjoy! Glad to find your post today via AEDM!

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    1. Thanks! So glad you stopped by! AEDM is a lot of fun, isn't it?

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  8. Love your work. Glad I found you through AEDM. So organic and yummy!

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  9. The copper leaves are beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Hi, Amy! Good to see you here again! Thanks for stopping by and sharing a little encouragement!

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  10. This is SO pretty!!! Loved the journey and the end result :)

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  11. Very fun to see how you made these Janice! I love them. I love your work :)
    Chandra

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  12. Hi from AWhimsy! Always great to read about the process. I like the simplicity of your first necklace very much, too.

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