Much fun!

Lots of projects going on, some completed, some still in progress. I've left it all to travel around the SW, visit some family, see some sights, wallow around in Granddaughter land. 

I love organic shapes in jewelry, flowers are the best. My Imaginary Garden keeps blooming in one way or another.

The Petal series has shaped itself into something that I'll explore much more.

Here are the blanks, cut out of fine silver sheet. I textured the ends that will show.

 

These three show the gradual forging of the metal to make it curl into itself.

Then I turn it over and forge the edges so they curl backwards.

This shows the batch of earring and pendant sized petals, ready to enamel.

It still seems so strange to me that the enamel powder turns from white to yellow and even reds. This second pic shows the strange contraptions I come up with to keep the pieces from sticking to the trivets in the kiln. I want these smooth and sleek.

Here are a few of the petals plus some other things in progress.

 Here are the stamens getting soldered together.

And then inserted into the petals, ready for the final additions.

I'm very happy with these pieces, more to come.

Soon I'll be heading back, taking plenty of time to explore New Mexico and Colorado. I think about three weeks is all I can handle before I miss my private space and workshop way too much.

Always...