September 10, 2008

Charm Time

Here are a few of the charm swaps I completed over this last month. All of them are with a great bunch of ladies in the Charmster group.

The first is a great theme – The Alphabet hosted by Lori. I hurried up and snagged the letter “M”. Could it be because all my three initials in my name are M. My letter M is for Map. I used Plexiglas and my dremel tool to make the shape of the charm. Used Diamond Glaze to glue the map pieces down. The backs have stickles in yellow around the perimeter and the saying is “M is for Map to help plot your course”. The little M charm attached is a stamp I stamped on poly shrink that I cut out and shrunk then punched a hole in the top, attached everything with a jump ring. With 26 letters, this swap would make for a great necklace.
The second swap is also a great one, since I got to work with my sheet metal. Theme is Heavy Metal hosted by Suzanne. Any thing went as long as we used sheet metal in the charm. So after some heavy thinking I made up these. A sheet metal flower with a green bead for a stem. Is that what it looks like?
Ok so the swap that I just finished up with is the Black and White swap hosted by Laurel. I went back to my soldering for this one. I pulled out some black and white paper and had the perfect stamp to use, a clock. With Art and Soul a few weeks away time is on my mind in order to get everything done that I want to before it gets here. Anyway, I stamped the clock in black on the white paper and in white on the black paper then soldered the two pieces together using my scalloped copper tape that I cut. Decorative scissors do wonders to some bland tape.
So know I am patiently awaiting the return of all the swapped charms. It will be like Christmas when then arrive in my mail box.

September 03, 2008

Round Robin Time

August was a very crazy busy month. Were did it go. Well here is where some of the time went. I am in a round robin with my Charmsters group. There are 10 of us who each decided on a theme for their necklace or bracelet. My theme I went with is “Togetherness”. I decided on a necklace. The first mailing was scheduled to go out yesterday. So Jade my creation is on its way to you.
The first picture is of the whole necklace that I created. It doesn't have a closure in the back. Wasn't sure waht I wanted to do with that. Though I think it is long enough to put on over my head. So it doesn't have to be able to open in the back.
Here is a close up of the focal piece. Kind of a blurry photo.

Now that I had my necklace all thought out and worked on, I was not sure how I wanted to package it. I could not find a necklace box that I liked. So what did I do created my own. Using chip board, PVA glue and reinker inks. Soldered all the pieces together added a couple hinges, some stampings and a closure piece.

Ok so you may think I was done, but as my necklace goes on its journey I want to read all about it when it comes home. So I made up a quick little journal I included on the inside lid for my fellow collaborators to add to it. Nothing big just what ever they want to add: materials they used to make their piece(s), how they came up with their creation for the piece, what comes to mind when they think of togetherness, or what ever. Totally up to them.

During the month of August I was also very busy working on a few charm swaps along with a major front yard overhaul, still finishing up. Though these items will have to wait for another day, to get into.
So until then, keep creating.

Melissa :)