Bird a Week 23/52 - Inspiration Birdie

Birdie number 23. Last week a friend of mine was looking at some of my birds and said how much she liked the little sculpted birds I did early on in the challenge. This inspired me to make this little one so I have called him Inspiration Birdie.

He is fine silver, made using Art Clay Silver. Of course he had to have my little Joy logo on :). It only just fitted!

I was inspired to make him and making him has inspired me to make more.... :)

Here is his Haiku

Sitting so pretty

Looking up towards the sky

Hope springs eternal

MCWC Workshop in Chicago

It is not long now until the Metal Clay World Conference in Chicago in July. I can't believe it has come round so fast! I am teaching a pre conference workshop and giving presentations during the conference.

I am teaching my Enamelled Accents technique. Above is a little sampler palette showing the colours we will be using. I normally only use leaded enamels but for this I was asked to use unleaded so these are all Thompson enamels. I have tested quite a lot of colours and liked this mix which I think has quite a lot of possibilities.

We have Lime Yellow, Aqua, Prussian Blue, Turquoise and Rose Purple. All of these colors work direct onto silver.

I am now making examples using the colours. I have called this Lunar Lights....

and here is the reverse of it. I made the texture using my friend Lynne Glazzard's paper texture technique and it is set with 2mm & 3mm CZs.

This one is called Squaring Up .....

and the reverse. Another paper texture and a 4mm CZ.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone makes :)

Bird a Week 22/52 - Rainbow Cockatoo

I know I know you have never heard of a rainbow Cockatoo, well I don't think there is one. Mind you if you google it you will see some poor birds who I hope were digitally enhanced and did not have a bad day at the birdie hairdressers!! I digress :)

This little pendant is made using Art Clay Silver and is enamelled. I found an old printing block this week whilst I was having a clear out. I acquired it years ago and it is quite worn but there was still enough details left to impress the clay quite well, albeit with some flaws in it it (the little dots).

Having checked out what colours cockatoos came in they all seemed a little boring so I went for a rainbow bright and cheerful version:)

This is the printing block beside it. The wingspan on the fired bird is just 17mm so quite tiny.

And here is my haiku for it

Siting on a perch

In Victorian splendour

Multicoloured Bird

Bird a week 21/52 - Birdie Brooch

This week it is a brooch! I don't make a lot of brooches but I enjoyed this one and people have been asking for them so watch this space!

I made a paper texture using my friend Lynne Glazzard' s technique and then added one thin layer of enamel to the fine silver (Art Clay silver) brooch. Quite tricky to photograph but it has a lovely subtle look to it.

On the back I made a brooch pin in sterling silver wire which I soldered on after enamelling. Thank you Nic on PMC Tips blog for the idea. I am quite pleased with how it turned out so I am feeling inspired to make more :)

This Saturday I am at the Heathfield Show in the craft marquee. This is a very long day 8am - 6pm and normally a very busy one so fingers crossed! :)

If you are coming to the show please do stop by and say hello. We are near the red gate.

Bird a week 20/52 - Birdie earrings

Four birds this week!

They will be two pairs of earrings and the style of the birds match some of my recent pendants.

They are quite tiny and will hang from ear wires. They are made using Art Clay Silver and have an XL Gel Liver of Sulphur patina.

The backs are quite plain with my little Joy logo.

Cute eh? ;-)

Bird A Week 19/52 - Sitting Pretty Too

Yay - this week I am on time with my bird!

I really enjoyed making this one. I shaped some cork clay into a bird form and then painted layers of Art Clay Silver paste to create a hollow bead birdie. I just build up extra layers to for the wings. I had some paste which was quite lumpy so I just went with it and actually I do like the effect it gave with just a little smoothing out.

As there is no back to this piece as such you have to have a photo of the rear end instead!  ;-)

I have not yet decided what to make it into. Possibly a pendant but I am thinking maybe a brooch.

Here is my Haiku poem for it...

Tiny little bird

One of natures great wonders

Will you sing for me?

Bird a Week 18/52 - Belated Birdie!

Todays Bird a week is in fact last weeks Bird a Week. I will think of a proper name for him - honest! I have also not yet written his Haiku poem.

Last week just disappeared in a haze of family ill health sadly. Still this little fellow got made in the end. I decided on nice bright cheery colours. I am not sure any bird like this really exists!!

Here is the reverse set with a 3mm zircon CZ.

Now I just have to get up to date and make this weeks bird ;-)

Watch this space....