More alphabet bangles

I've done a few more alphabet bangles in different fonts and different colors.  Some are still in progress but here are the latest:

You'd never guess I was enjoying this, would you!   :=D

Last day to mail to Europe for delivery for Christmas

Phew! Last day of mailing to Europe today - or so the US postal service says.  If you speak to them in person, they do say that Monday will be fine too - however in my experience, it depends what country you live in.  Any delay, I find, tends to be customs officers rather than the postal service.  I know that in Germany, they tend to look at every package sent and at this time of year, get backlogged and so there are delays.  But other countries seem to only select a few packages to inspect.

So it's been a busy week getting those last orders shipped, with people buying right up to the last day.  Busy in a good way :-D  It's great to get all those sales.  This past week, I've sent lots off to Germany, a few to France and one to Switzerland.  The postal lady reckons I have 'cult following' Germany and I reckon over 80% of my work is sold there. I'll have to do a tally of my sales this year and see how the percentages work out across countries. 

Fingers crossed that all the packages get there in time for Christmas.

You know I've been quite purple-ish lately - especially after my trip back to England where everyone is wearing purple - all the time!!! So I had to do a new style cuff in purple - with a little bit of pink too!

It was my sister's birthday last month - she lives in England.  I think every birthday present she got was purple....and of course they all match her new purple glasses!

This cuff is like the "adrift at sea" cuff in that the same dyeing technique was used. This one is a little wider however.

It makes me happy to be working in color.

Hope you've got all your packages sent off!

Aluminum cuff - Apple Martini!

Here's another new color anodized aluminum cuff.

 

I'm been trying to think of a name for it - but for some reason, it just makes me think of a cocktail! In fact a martini - but I'm not sure why!!! 

Funny isn't it! I look at it and think " Martini!" - and I'm not a martini drinker - only rarely!!!  Hmmm. I think it must be an Apple Martini.  What do you think?

I love the thickness of the aluminum - it makes from a strong bangle that doesn't lose it's shape but is comfortable to wear.

Anyhow - "cheers"! It's cocktail hour here! Now what should I have???

Adrift at sea

I had a little time to get back to colored anodized aluminum this week and have made a few new bangles.

This one makes me think of the sparkling clear warm waters in a sunny clime, and just floating out as I look for fish in the water....maybe on a raft.... Possibly this is due to it being a grey rainy day here today!

This was a new dyeing technique I was trying and I like it on the matt finish.  The whole piece feels so nice and smooth.

I have more to show in the next couple of days, using different dyeing techniques, so I hope you'll come back to see!

Murals and Sculptures from San Miguel

When we were in San Miguel this week, two artists' work really stood out for me.  The first was Rodrigo de la Sierra.  He creates wonderful large sculptures using resin.  It doesn't look at all like resin to me - but when you see the photos (sorry, only from my phone so not great), you will tell instantly why I like them.  His work can be seen at the Fabrica La Aurora which is an old textile factory, and now houses 40 artists studios, plus galleries, a restaurant and all in a wonderful setting.

The second artist is David Leonardo.  His work is all over San Miguel but I was really taken with the murals he painted on the walls of one of the rooms in the Bibliotheca in San Miguel.  It took 2 years to paint all the walls. What color!

There was so much wonderful color and art there - it was very inspiring. I think a return visit is in order one day....

Vegetables of San Miguel!

My feast of colors from the market in San Miguel:

Don't they look like toothless mouths?

A little bit of color....

So I'm reading about and experimenting with color .....Color is such a big part of my life - if you came to my house, you'd see it instantly. We have a lot of color going on...from our bright turquoise sofas to orange lamps to.....color, color everywhere......And so I sort of feel restricted with silver sometimes, because it's silver and isn't these bright happy colors....! And I know lots of people incorporate color into their work...but not in ways that I want to! Problem is, I'm not sure how I want to - but know it's just not the typical ways.....


Tonight we joined some friends in Sonoma for the farmer's market-come-town party and had a picnic and listened and danced to the music and...... The farmer's market is held on Tuesday nights in the plaza and once a month- it becomes a big party with lots of people picnicking there and having a good time. After eating our picnic, we wandered through the stalls and all this color was shouting out at me - which is where the photos come from....


I guess I'll be experimenting with color for a while yet.....and in the meantime, enjoying it everywhere else but in my silver!

Have a color-full day!

Adding color

I've been experimenting with different mediums to add color to some of my pieces. I've used resin in a few pieces but I want something brighter sometimes.....

Here's one of my trials.....still working on it - but I love the vibrancy of the balloon.