Inquisitive Robins

In preparation for last night's concert, I've been practicing my music outside for the past few days.  Walking in the little wooded area and singing freely.....as Hildegard may well have done.

It really is a lovely way to sing and I will be doing more "al fresco" singing in the future...Apart from the freeing sense of it all,  one of the greatest things was watching the reaction of the wildlife!  Every time I went into the woods, this Robin would appear and stand quite close to me and just stay in the area....didn't matter if I wandered around - he just stood and watched, hopping around a little....  On the second day when I'd finish a loud song - I noticed that the little robin would sing his song too - but much quieter than me!  It was like a little duet.

Then a bluebird was busy building a nest in one of our nesting boxes one day,  flying in with a beak full of twigs etc - and he too stopped and sat on top of the birdhouse looking at me for a while.....A rabbit came by too and paused a while.....

But then I think of how Harold my pet parrot reacts to singing - joining in and wanting to sing even louder - especially the high notes - so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the birds and wildlife stopped to listen for a while....but it really did seem special.

Today I went out in the woods again - this time to check on some clearing we need to do - and who should come out but Mr Robin!  No time for singing today - but I couldn't leave him without singing a few notes to acknowledge his presence!!!  He sang a few notes back too!!!

And it seems fitting that at the same time as forming my Robin duet,  I have been creating a Robin ring! A wonderful customer of mine who is always full of great ideas for designs - even if many of them are too difficult or impossible :=D - asked me to make her a "perched" ring but with a red breasted bird on it.  I just finished it today.

Anyhow the concert last night was great. I loved it and the audience seemed to enjoy it too.  It was a full house with people standing as well.

Two wonderful audiences - the wildlife in the woods and the people in Berkeley!

Quentin's a Charmer!

Anyone who knows Quentin, knows that he is quite the charmer!  He's just a lovely sweet character so I thought he should have his very own charm bracelet to show off his charm!

You can add other charms alongside him as he's quite friendly, or else you can keep it just to Q.

I think I like him on his own actually....but maybe we could add some family members as you know quails have lots of babies... We could have our own covey of quails all on one bracelet!

Keep on charming, Quentin!

Field Guide to Bird Tracks bracelet

I've decided to change my bracelet design a little by making some of them elasticated instead of closing with a clasp.  Some people find clasps on bracelets very difficult to operate - no matter what type of clasp, so I thought this would be a nice option.

Here's the new design on my Field Guide to Bird Tracks bracelet:

I like it and am going to change my own "be as a bird" bracelet to elasticated.

What do you think?  Which would you prefer - a clasp or elasticated?

 "Hmm... I wonder which bird I'll grow up to be?"

The bird tracks bracelet can help you identify bird tracks that you may see in the soil or sand or wherever...The tracks shown are for the following birds (starting at the duck as that is easily recognizable!:

Duck; Bald Eagle; Canada Goose; Wild Turkey; Great Blue Heron; Sandpiper; Northern Flicker; Raven; Snipe.

I'm going to do a few new bracelets - do you have a theme you'd like to see on a bracelet - 9 different something-or-others???

A bird in the hand....2

I must be feeling very grateful at the moment as I've made another "bird in the hand" necklace.  It's different from the little girl one I showed earlier in the week - and this one was actually my original design from a few years ago.

 

The hand is just over an inch long..

If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush....I wonder what two birds in the hand are worth?

Which do you prefer?

From "Perched" to "Perch"

Okay, Okay. Don't groan too loud! I thought it was quite a clever segue from yesterday's blog post entitled "Perched" about a bird ring to today's blog post about a fish pin "Perch".....No???? Thinking up new blog post titles every day isn't easy you know!!!

Anyhow - here's a little fishy I made as a pin in silver and resin.

I really like pins and wonder why they aren't very popular. Okay - raise your hand if you like and wear pins.................................

Hmmm - maybe the situation isn't so bad - there were quite a few raised hands there, so my faith is restored a little and I'll make some more pins (or brooches as we like to call them!).

Better go now and think how I'll be able to segue into tomorrow's blog post......hee, hee!

Unusual bird sighting in Glen Ellen

Springtime is definitely bringing the birds to Birdland!

Just today I've spotted two birds that I'm having trouble identifying.  I'm hoping you can help.  Please circulate the photos to see if your family and friends and any other birdwatchers out there can help identify the species.

Here's today's bird:

I'm thinking it could be the male Sharp-eyed Shufflerasis

or maybe a juvenile Lesser Flapasaurus

Or maybe it's the rare Bog-eyed Bugeater?

Any ideas?  Get your bird books out and see what you think!

I'll post photos of the other bird tomorrow so even if you can't figure out today's - be sure to come back tomorrow and see if you can help....please!

Doug the dog meets a Sloughi

I recently had a commission to make a charm like Doug the dog, but to make a few changes like:

• add longer legs, 
• add a longer tail, 
• keep the same cute smile,
• add a collar and chain,
• add foldy over ears

The lady has a Sloughi dog and while she said it didn't have to look just like that - she wanted these little changes yet still maintaining the humor/whimsy that Doug has.

I just finished her doggie today. His name is Johann after Johann Sebastian Bach (as in bark!!!..... thanks Caulie!)  and that'll work out fine as he's going to live in Germany!  He's not as sleek and slim as a Sloughi but I think she'll like him.

Here's his smiling face

The essence of Sloughi in Doug!   He is to go on a leather and silver bracelet that she has which is why she wants it on a chain rather than just a jump ring.

I think he looks cute!  I'd never heard of a Sloughi dog before and not sure how you pronounce it - but they look pretty handsome!

Anyone got a Sloughi?

Gertrude's Garden Party

A couple of months ago, I had a request to make a ring based on the design of my "come rain or shine" necklace.

I had quite a few conversations with the customer advising her that the design isn't particularly well suited to a ring as it stands tall and could get knocked and the such....but the customer really wanted it - and wanted it on an adjustable ring.  She totally accepted that it was a "cocktail" ring, would need care when wearing and that it was a crazy idea - but she just really wanted it. 

She also wanted to add some color to the design which I was a little doubtful of to begin with - but hey, I was doubtful of the ring in the first place so might as well as some color too!

So in the end, she got her crazy ring - and she loves it! She wears it carefully - in Australia where she lives -  and gets lots of comments.  She asked me to name the bird and ring and so I decided it looked like a Gertrude who was all dressed up and going for garden party, complete with her own flower parasol! Thus "Gertrude's Garden Party".

An octopus got out!!!

Yes,  Octavius has got out!  That clever little octopus!!!

He was seen on MustHaveCute this week:

I didn't even know of MustHaveCute but obviously Octavius is better connected that I am - probably something to do with having 8 arms instead of my two!

And while he was there, someone kindly adopted him so he's heading off to Massachusetts!  Do they know what they are letting themselves in for?  Octopedes can be slippery customers....

Nate and Kate were meant to go to their new owners tonight too - but I'm not feeling so good - so they get to live with me for a little while and look after me!  Sorry Elaine!

Looks like we'll have to see if more octopedes babes are due anytime soon.....  Keep your feelers out...

A new friend for Nate and Kate - but he needs a name!

You may remember the little octopus earrings I made a couple of weeks ago, called Nate (N-8) and Kate (K-8) because they each had 8 wiggly legs!  They now have a new friend who is a necklace...but he doesn't yet have a name.... I tried thinking of other names with "8" in them but got stuck....Any ideas?

To be honest, I haven't checked whether the latest octopus is male or female as I'm not sure how to sex an octopus...and can probably get through life without knowing.....but no, now I've typed that, I have to go and find out.  Did you know that you sex an octopus by looking at it's third arm to the right (clockwise).  In males, this arm has a suckerless tip and a channel for delivering spermatophores!  Well - now you know!  And if only I knew where to start counting from, I guess I could check on my little octopuses!  But where is number one?

Anyhow - hope you come up with a good name for him or her....

Octopodes Nate and Kate!

If you regularly read my blog, you may remember that a couple of weeks ago I put up a poll to ask you what dangly leg animal I should make next in my collection.  I had done dogs, cats, sheep, birds, penguins, "anyone"....etc.

I foolishly selected a variety of animals that, in hindsight, maybe I should have considered more carefully!  Anyhow - the winner was the Octopus!

Thus I have made octopodes Nate and Tate as earrings with lots of dangly legs! (FYI, the plural for octopus can be either octopuses, octopi or octopodes! )

And so here are Nate and Kate.  Do you get their names?  Yes, could have been Ollie and Olivia but that seemed a little obvious.  So it is Nate = N-8 or N-eight and Kate = K-8 or K-eight as in "oct"??? A little obtuse? I do hope so!!!!

I want to sit on top!

Actually, Nate and Kate were easier to make than I had envisaged - and their legs really do dangle and jiggle well and make a sweet little ringing sound if they move a lot!  Hope you like them - especially if you voted for the octopus!

Yes, Kate is the one with the wider hips!  Nate looks so much more like a male!  You can tell they are quite the playful couple of octopodes!

Light up my life

Following on from inspirations from Mexico, these two pairs of earrings are part of the month of earrings challenge - nos. 23 and 24.  I have to make 30 pairs of earrings by April 1st....

The design was inspired by the simple repetitive patterns seen in Mexico used for decorations.  A simple square or circle on it's own doesn't look like much, but lots of squares and circles together make more of an impact.

The first pair I entitled "Light up my life" as I think they look like little lanterns: 

The second pair is "Starry, starry night":

I sort of see them as starter-ear-threads! For those who haven't worn ear threads before.....They are light weight, and so comfortable elegant silver and gold earrings.  Yes, you can tell I love ear threads - just want to encourage more people would try them.

Wiggle Room....need your help choosing a name

I can't decide on a name for my latest little "anyone can" piece.  It doesn't haven't be an "anyone can..." name.....Anyhow, here's the necklace:

Yes, little Anyone wiggles his/her hips and legs as you wear him/her - but it's tricky to show movement in photos!!

I'm thinking:

• anyone can dance (which is what was in my head as I created it)
• anyone can wiggle (which then came next...)
• wiggle room (which is my current favorite....)

Which do you think is best? 

Let me know in the comments section which name you like best.

Keep a green tree in your heart....

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come."

Isn't that a nice quote!   It's a Chinese proverb.  I used it to create a pair of earrings for my month of earrings challenge...which is ending all too soon.....

As the month of earrings is a challenge - in that we have to produce 30 pairs of earrings by April 1st - I thought I'd an extra bit of challenge and use it as an opportunity to try new things!!  So I decided to do some carving for these earrings.   I've done only a little before so carved onto a speedball mat/pad and then used that to impress the silver clay in.

Once fired, the green tree was colored with hand tinted resins.

One of the big benefits I see from using this type of carving is that you could then make quite a few copies of the earrings.  Hmmmm, maybe this isn't such a benefit for me as I so much prefer one of a kind or just two of any design!!! ...but it was good to try and I'd do better next time :=D

Anyone can do tricks! - Olympic earrings!

These earrings were inspired by a comment made a couple of years ago by my elderly mother-in-law.

My husband had been talking to her on the phone and she had said she had been watching the olympics on television, so he asked her which sport she had been watching. Her reply was "it was people doing tricks"!

We had to assume it was gymnastics!  I'm not sure the olympians would have been flattered to hear that they do "tricks" - but it did conjur up a lovely image.

And so - my little "anyone" figure, is doing "tricks"!

As my mother in law frequently makes interesting statements, we thought of starting a blog in her honor, calling it "mum's the word" and listing her classic phrases!!!  

Anyhow, hope you like my strong anyone's who have been working out hard.  Perfect earrings for gymnasts, yoga lovers, and any tricksters out there!!

They are part of my Month of earrings challenge - #22.

Doug the Dog

After seeing my "dog-eared" earrings, someone asked if I could make a similar dog as a necklace....and thus Doug the Dog was born!

He's on his way to Luxembourg right now!  Doesn't he look keen to go......just wanting to waggle those little legs and get to meet his new owner Danielle

It's interesting...I've sold quite a few pieces to Luxembourg this year...and Belgium too....both countries that I've only very occasional sold to previously....  All these little characters are spreading smiles in new places!

 

Be a good dog Doug!

Please walk on the grass

Just finished a new necklace this week..."Please walk on the grass" - thinking of spring and Easter and mother's day and......

It's a family of little birds, taking a stroll in the grass.

Just listed it on Etsy and it's featured in a lovely treasury made by Cyn.  I've shown you some of her treasuries before - she always brings such interesting pieces together.  Thanks Cyn.

Waddle and Toboggan - new penguin friends

Two more introductions today - here are Waddle and Toboggan - cute little penguins:

You can call them Wad and Tob - as I know you'll make friends with them quickly enough.....They love to snuggle up together when it gets really cold....

Other times, they keep a watchful eye out....looking this way....

and then that way.....

making sure there are no predators around.....Phew - it's all clear, so they can just hang out for a while!

Don't you just love their little webbed feet that move as they hang out - yes - like they are waddling!!!

(Month of earrings # 15)