Do I look like Mickey Mouse to you?

Over the years, I've been told I look like anyone from Kate Hudson ...

*flattered*

... to Britney Spears from side on...

*hmmm*

...but I've never, ever been told that I look like Mickey Mouse ...


...until yesterday.


I was hammering away at my workbench, wearing my husband's very fashionable ear muffs, when my three year old daughter came out to see what I was doing...


...and this is what she saw...

Mickey Mouse?


India decided she wanted to look like Mickey Mouse too...

...and Jett decided that it would be the perfect time to steal my nylon hammer...

...and tripod...

...and make alphabet soup with my letter stamps.

*le sigh*

There is never a dull moment!


Amidst the chaos, I did manage a little creativity...

...an exercise in experimenting...


...and learning new techniques.

Many hours of soldering and pickling...


...and soldering and grumbling late last night...


...and I have a pretty little pendant that is ready to be given a pretty patina.


But you will have to wait until tomorrow to see it!


~*~


Have you ever been told that you look like someone?

My creative space...

...is all about new ideas and designs this week...

I'm not really very good at drawing...

...but I try!

The hard part is translating my wonky sketches into wearable jewellery.

Thank the technology gods for Adobe Illustrator!

I can re-create my less-than-symmetrical sketches into a perfect template...

...then cut and paste it to metal sheet, and saw it out...

Have I mentioned how much I love sawing?

I find it strangely relaxing... 

Nothing like having a little company whilst sawing...

...perhaps an apprentice in the making! ;-)

Pop on over to Kootoyoo to see what other creative people are up to today...and don't forget to add your link if you'd like to play along!

Happy creating :-)

Sneak Preview: The *Desert Flower* Ring in Azure

My Muse is happy...


...and so is my husband.


My beautiful new workbench has been put to good use this past week.

The torch was re-ignited after an extended period of quiet...


...filing, sawing, dapping... 


...silver shavings sparkling...


...and a bench pin which is beginning to look as though it is worn and loved.


*sigh*


What joy!  What fun!


I loved every exhilarating minute!


And the fruits of my labour...

The *Desert Flower* Ring in Azure

A statement for your hand at 35mm wide...


...substantial yet delicate...


...a feminine flower...

Wrought of sterling silver and beads in shades of cobalt and azure...

I loved creating it...


...but I love wearing it even more!


~*~


Would you like to see how this ring came to fruition?


I'd love you to come along for a ride down memory lane...


Let's go!


~*~


It all started with an idea...


...one of those persistent, lingering ideas...


...unrelenting in its pursuit of manifestation!


Silver, saw...

...and a circle is borne...
(uh hello, someone needs a disc cutter...if you're listening Santa...!)

...dap, dap, dap...


...a soft, sweeping, sensual curve...

...ring-a-ding-ding...


...ready for soldering!

...a platform for my beadwoven motif...

...a satellite dish for your finger...?
:-P

...and finally, modelling a perfectly pretty patina...


...ready for an injection of beadwoven colour! 

~*~


To re-live the process of creation is oh-so-satisfying...


...makes me want to go back and do it all again...
(and I will...I WILL...as soon as I finish typing this!)


No wonder I can't stop smiling! :-)

More Moroccan magic coming soon!

P.S.  My lovely husband came up with the name for this ring...isn't he clever?!  I think should ask him to christen my creations more often ;-) LOL

My creative space...

…is actually my husband's creative space…

Anthony insists he doesn't have a creative bone in his body…

…and yet, he can magically transform a pile of wood…

…into a new creative space just for me…

...with a few tools...

…in a few short hours...

My own little space for playing with metal and fire…

…made with love...
♥

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

Sneak Preview: The *Safi* Necklace in Turquoise

The past week has been busy with visitors...

Family flying in, flying out...

The house has been a hive of activity,

but it is a happy house for all of the laughter, and chatter, and excitement.

The kids are loving all of the extra attention...

Grandparents were made for spoiling them! :-)

~*~

Amidst the bustle and business, I have found some time to create...

...my *Moroccan Odyssey* Collection is slowly coming to fruition...

~*~

The *Safi* Necklace in Turquoise

There is something so beautiful about turquoise...

...it is serene and happy and uplifting all at once...

...and it seems to compliment almost every colour of the rainbow!

(or at least every colour in my wardrobe!)

The chain and bail are sterling silver, and I have given them a lovely patina to really make the turquoise 'pop'...

I like to wear the *Safi* Necklace layered with a few other necklaces...

...but it looks just as nice by itself!

~*~

I foresee silver and fire in my immediate future... ;-)

What do you have planned for the week ahead?

Sneak Preview: The *Safi* Earrings in Saffron

I'm on an earring-making kick!

I couldn't stop at just one pair of *Safi* earrings...

...I had to make more...

I've had lots of fun playing with bold colour combinations.

This saffron-hued pair speak of Summer and sunshine...

The AAA chalcedony briolettes are a beautiful pale aqua...


...there is something so lovely about chalcedony!


I'm loving the exotic 'tilak' cut, too...

More earrings coming soon...


And some necklaces too!


~*~


I had my back turned for all of two seconds while I was outside taking photos of these earrings when...

...somebody discovered a lovely puddle of mud in the driveway...

...I was laughing so hard I could hardly hold the camera still to take photos!

Thankfully India, ever the princess, wisely decided to steer clear of the mud and pick flowers instead...

Moroccan earrings and mud pies...who could ask for a better day?! ;-)