Here is a picture I snapped with my new smartphone. Yes, I have finally stepped into this century and bought a smartphone. I couldn't resist stopping to take this photo along my drive home from work one day.
How glorious to drive around the countryside when nature gives such a display.
Here is a photo of my twins riding their bikes under the thinning canopy of magestic maples that I rode my bicycle under when I was younger. We were over at my parents' place for Canadian Thanksgiving in October. What a great day it was.
My mom was working on a quilt that day that was chosen by us to be sent out to my father-in-law and his new wife, Mary. I know they will enjoy this piece of fabric artwork. Can you see the William Morris influence in the patterns? Here it is finished, ready to be shipped across the country.
It is so beautiful, isn't it. My mom thought I might get into quilting eventually, but instead I put my creative side to jewellery making, for now at least. When I have time, that is. I am shipping one of my creations out with the quilt to Mary, across this great country.
Last October I had our newest family member Mary pick out a bead so I could make her a necklace to welcome her to the family. I finally finished the design last spring, but I then misplaced it for a while. Mary was right when she said it would turn up somewhere I just wouldn't expect it. It was in with the pants for hemming. I found it! My son grows fast enough that I just wait until he has grown tall enough for the pants if I can wait it out. So that is where I found this necklace all safe and sound. Along with pants that now were the perfect length for my son.
I made a Argentium sterling silver frame for it since the bead's size didn't seem to balance the two strands of silk that Mary had chosen. It was too small and didn't stand out. I really like the final design, and I hope that Mary does too. The negative space created by the metal frame was meant to make the bead look larger without competing with it.
Smartphone picture above and Olympus camera below:
- focal bead - a bit more opulent than shown in the photo, made by Betsy of BetsyMN on etsy click here
- hand-dyed silk ribbons - by Jamnglass on etsy click here
- wire frame - shaped and designed by me with a slight hammered effect on the front of the wire (16 gauge) that I flattened with a hammer, then textured with the round end of the chasing hammer
Hope you are all enjoying Autumn where you are. A significant wind storm has stripped the leaves from many of the trees, so the landscape is looking like it is ready a bit early for winter, here in Ontario, Canada. Glad to have a photo of the glory of the season.
Andrea
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos. Autumn looks gorgeous up in Canada; I'm a bit jealous!
ReplyDeleteYour mother is a very talented quilter and I love William Morris' fabrics--actually the whole Arts & Crafts movement.
Your bead frame works well for the pretty lampwork bead. I'm sure Mary will love her necklace .
Thank you for the kind comments. A big wind storm has ripped many of the leaves from the trees, no fair! We need that gorgeous colour to last as long as possible to tide us through the long winter. Bet you are not jealous of all that.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous necklace pendant Andrea. Love the way you framed the glass bead in silver. Works wonderfully. So nice to see the pic of your twins riding their bikes where you did as a child too. And it is such a lovely spot. Your mother's quilt is just magnificent. Now I know where your artistic talents began. Of course I am glad you focused on jewelry since that is how we met!!
ReplyDeleteGood to catch up a bit through your blog. We had that wind storm too and some of our maples shed their decayed boughs and no harm done!!