I Love to Make Things

So here it is, I love to make things.  Yep.  LOTS of things.  Jewelry projects, sewing projects, sculpture projects, clay projects, paintings, encaustics, colored pencils and even oil pastels.  Yep.  Like I said, I like to make things and that means lots of materials and lots of products go through this studio.  With that being said, I am always on the look out for a new product to incorporate into my work.  Sometimes it's a bother.  I mean who goes to Target after Christmas to buy wrapping paper and leaves with a cart full of clay bird ornaments in the hopes that they can be incorporated into her jewelry one day (which they did...oh yeah!)?   Oh, and I totally forgot to buy the wrapping I was too tickled about the darn ornaments!  Anyhoo, while cruising a Michael's store about a year or so ago I found these brushed nickel birds on a branch necklace charms.  OH MY GOODNESS it was love at first site.  It looks like a little 3D version of my favorite painting subject, right?  Love.  I bought all they had, then went to another Michael's and bought all they had.  Because they were definitely a part of my thread.   And then they sat....and sat....and almost got returned because what in the world do you attach to those rather long bird branch charms to make a necklace pretty enough to wear?  And then came along my statement necklaces with the beads linked together forming a perfect chain....and then I found the nickel chain I'd stashed forever ago....and then the flower beads I'd defiantly saved for a rainy day....Sigh.  I love it when a plan comes together.

I should also mention, because it is so cool, that these little pretties were taken on our ice day.  Ooolala...love the way the snowy ice looks like crackled glass under the hardness of the beads and charm.  Nice.  So these little charmed necklaces are headed to Birmingham, Alabama to Naked Art.  Vero holds a Microlove Show ever year which includes tons of jewelry and micro sized paintings.  This year I am just doing jewelry..... paintings have to be saved for MY Solo Show coming before I know it!