36/52 Bird a week - Dan and Magnolia

I'd like to introduce you to Dan and Magnolia.  They are two lovely little birds.  And although Magnolia sounds like she is delicate - like Dan, she is pretty tough.

A little known fact about several varieties of birds is that instead of putting their surname (ie last name) after their first name, they put it in front of their first name.  Sounds a little odd, but that's how the birds do it. So yes, you've guessed it, these two little birds are known by their friends as Steely Dan and Steel Magnolia!

They love hanging out together - and also with people.  They never seem to stay still - maybe they even have restless leg syndrome as their legs are always on the move.  But it's a nice little affect- looks like they are dancing all the time.

Here they are with a larger member of their family.  He has an even odder name - Cutoats.  So yes, you've got it, he's Steel Cut Oats.

In their other life, Dan and Magnolia are earrings made from steel clay, with silver dangly legs and feet.

Check out the other birds made this week by following the links below:

Weekly Bird in the hand

Saturday comes by so quickly! Here is this week's "grateful" list:

Photo by Alan Vernon.

• Sharing our garden with the quails.  We have two group of quails right now whom we see everyday.  The first group is mummy and daddy quail with two little babies. These were late offspring but Daddy Quentin is taking such good care of them. He is always on the look out!  I've stopped using our front door now as they are so often out there and it upsets them when we go close!  Also, we have a covey of older quail in the garden - more than 20! If we come across them because we too, happen to be in the garden (!), they panic and can't decide which way to run!!! I'm sure they'd all be happier if we just stayed inside!!
• Having a wonderful meal out with friends yesterday.  The chef made a dish especially for myself and my friend - not on the menu - and it was yummy.  
• Our friends Don and Janet.  They were due to come up and stay with us this weekend, but sadly Don isn't very well.  Feel better soon my dear and hopefully we can catch up soon.
• Hiking in beautiful places, with no one else around.  
• Finding a picnic table after a big climb and enjoy some sustenance.
• Aqua yoga class.  About 6 weeks ago, I started an aqua yoga class.  Yes, you can tell I live in CA!!!!  I am loving it.  There is a great feeling about the whole class and it's wonderful exercise. It's my new Sunday morning activity and a great way to start the day.
• My parents, who have decided to move home!  I think it's a wonderful decision and although it might seem scary - it's the perfect time for them to do it.  They will move to be closer to my sister.  
• A new discovery with base metal clay!  And successful firings of steel and bronze clays.
• Getting my first commission in steel clay.

How about you? Have you had a lot of things to be grateful for this week?  I do hope so.

34/52 Bird a week - Time for me to fly

Back trying out the steel clay again.  This time, I decided to utilize it's magnetic powers and create a magnetic pin/brooch.  Thus "Time for me to fly" was born. My 34th bird in the bird a week challenge.

He's a happy little bird, legs a-flappin' (and they wiggle as you wear him), and tucked under his wing is a little yellow feather.

The wing is removable as it is attached using the magnet that secures this pin/brooch to your clothes.  This means you can change the feather for a different colored one, or else you can omit the feather if you prefer and just angle the wing however you would like it (- or depending how fast he is flying!!).

Here he is, borrowing one of Harold's feathers (my pet parrot!)

A versatile little fella, don't you think??! And yes, the magnet is strong enough that he stays in place on your clothes, (without a pin creating a hole) and keeps his wings and feathers in place too!

Gotta go now - time for me to fly!

You can see the other birds that have created this week by clicking on the links below.

Anyone can.......

Or: Hadar's Pearl Grey Steel XT metal clay - Part IV!

My third trial piece that I made in steel XT metal clay, along with the ring and cracked bird, was my little "anyone can" figure.  Can you guess what this "fitness" anyone is called?  Keep guessing as you read this blog post.....

He worked fine. The body parts attached very nicely and easily using the clay. In fact, I think attachment with this clay is even easier than with the silver clay.  However, when I sculpt, I attach all the different pieces together when they are all wet clay. I don't wait for one part to dry before adding the next part. This is because they each have their own contours, so it's good to get a good match and seal in contours and easier to do when each component is still malleable clay.

While this method works very easily with this clay in terms of joining, I do now think it is a little more difficult to sand and finish the steel clay in those hard to reach areas - such as those attachment sites.  I think that in future, for example with "anyone", I will make the body first and let it dry and then sand it.  Only after all the sanding is finished on that part, will I then add additional body parts.  I think this will give a nicer finish to the whole piece, rather than having the joints looks a little rough.

Anyhow, firing and sintering all went well. And I'm learning something new with every piece I try.....

So have you managed to guess what this "anyone" is called?  I did say he was a "fitness" piece......Yes, he is:

"Anyone can.... have abs of steel" 

- as he does indeed, have abs of steel!!!! :=D

33/52 Bird a week challenge - You crack me up!

My bird this week wasn't exactly successful, but he is still a different bird that I made as part of the challenge. The challenge doesn't have to be all successful birds!  Poor No. 33!  Here is "you crack me up" bird.  Yes, he has big cracks in him!!!

I made him as one of my trials with the new pearl grey steel XT clay from Hadar Jacobson.  My other blog posts this week are all about my tests with this new clay.

By the look of the cracks, my suspicion is that he wasn't totally dry inside before I fired him.  He'd been drying for quite a while on a coffee warmer and felt completely dry and sanded well, but this was the first steel piece that I had used the coffee warmer for, so maybe the outside was totally dry but the inside wasn't?? I did however also fire this bird using a different container than my first couple of pieces, but I don't think it's that.  The only way I'll tell is if I do some more trials....So I guess I will.

The other problem with this birdie is that I think he looks like a fish!!!  OK, so he has a beak ...but I still think there is something fishy about him! Don't you?  Maybe he is a parrot fish???

I guess he won't be winning any big prizes in my 52 birds that I do this year, one each week - but he is one that I will learn from!

Follow the links to see the other birds that people are making this week:

Hadar's Pearl Grey Steel XT Clay - Part II

Continuing my trials with Hadar's Pearl Grey Steel XT metal clay, here is the fired ring that I mentioned in yesterday's post:

The firing all went well and I love the color of it. It's tough. I've been wearing it for a couple of days now, and really like it next to the white and yellow gold ring that I have.


The sanding was easy - like sanding the silver clays. Some of the other base metal clays are much more difficult to sand and need rougher sand paper to start, but this was fine. I sanded it just like the silver clay, finishing with the fiber wheel for a matt finish.

Shrinkage was interesting.  The ring size  - ie inner circle - seemed to shrink hardly at all - maybe less than half a size but the thickness of the band did shrink quite a bit.  It's standing up to hard wear so I'm confident that sintering was successful. 

I like it. I consider my first test  a success.  I've now also finished the second firing of my next two samples so I'll tell you more about them later.

Have you given this steel clay a try yet? What are your experiences? I'd love to hear from you.