Bruneau Jasper Squid display

I've finally got around to updating my Bruneau Jasper Squid piece, which I had been meaning to do for sometime, but now with a 9-5 Mon-Fri office job I have had to slow down a bit on my creative urges (unless this includes creative accountancy?).

I wanted him to be able to be displayed on the wall as a picture when not being worn and so came up with this....

He sits on a canvas covered with felted merino wool, etched sterling silver fish and beads sewn on. He simply sits on three nails hammered into the wooden canvas frame (covered with Thai Hill Tribes fine silver etched heishi - purchased Fair Trade).

The Squid body features a gorgeous polished Bruneau Canyon nodule from Idaho, near Mount Home (USA).  This material is no longer available for collecting as the government is making a bird sanctuary out of the canyon.  This is the King of the orbicular jaspers. Purchased (as usual) from one of my favourite stone suppliers, the Heart Of Stone Studio in the USA.

This piece also includes a vintage (1940s) 'blinking' dolls eye, bronze (etched and patina and mica powders applied), Faux bone, brass micro-screws, sterling silver oxidised wire, Thai Karen Hills Tibes tiny beads (fine silver and vermeil - Fair Trade), natural freshwater pearls in white and pink, natural pink spinel gemstones, merino wool (wet felted and needle felted), sterling silver caps (for the 'tentacles') and UV resin.

Length of Squid - about 29cm.

Aotearoa Neckpiece

Aotearoa (pronounced [ao tea roa]) is the most widly known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori.

I was invited to contribute to a group show at 'Quoil Contemporary Jewellery Gallery' in Wellington, NZ (www.quoil.co.nz) the title of which is 'Aotearoa'. It needed to be a neckpiece with earrings.

To me (being a recent migrant to this beautiful country), NZ equates to sheep, wool, blue coastline, lush green grass, paua shell and the native Māori peoples. Quite a simplistic view, but hey that's me!

I wanted to combine my love of spinning, which is something I have recently learnt how to do here in NZ on a NZ made spinning wheel, with a wearable piece of jewelry.

First I dyed some polwarth sheep wool and kid mohair locks using blues and greens. Then I spun it into yarn adding in pieces of paua shell along the way.

The centerpiece is a vintage (1940s) 'blinking' dolls eye which I am using to represent the Māori peoples. The eye is set into Faux bone using UV resin with tiny fine silver beads and gold plated washers and vintage pink glass shards.

 I am quite happy with how it turned out. Its definately something that I would wear. I made simple earrings to match with oxidised sterling silver.

 

  

Eye Cry Silver Tears

Another sad one - with vintage 1940s 'blinking' dolls eye.

This time I made it darker by antiquing the sterling silver 'tears' with liver of sulphur.

Also with copper, purple merino wool, natural raw diamonds, Faux bone & UV resin with purple glitter.

I have a whole drawerful of different colours of glitter in tiny pots (mica powders mainly) & I refuse to let my little girl use any. Its more expensive than the stuff at kindy! She gets most upset & accuses me of being Mean Mummy.

Well at least thats an idea for Santa? Must write it down before I forget.....

Eye Cry Pink Pearls Necklace/Pendant

Just finished this one - she is crying natural, freshwater pearls!

With Faux bone & merino wool, copper, 1940s blinking dolls eye, sterling silver, UV resin.

Eye Seem Blue Pendant

Fun & quirky (if a little creepy!) - & managed to get some merino wool into this one so I'm happy.

It features a vintage 1940s 'blinking' dolls eye. The eyelid 'winks' when moved from horizontal to vertical (just as in a doll). I'm getting low on my Ebay 'find' of these unused vintage dolls eyes (all my Eye pieces are humanely created - no dolls faces are slashed open in the process). I found soem modern ones, but the quality is just not the same. Sigh.

I set the eye in glittery resin in Faux bone which is surrounded by needle felted merino wool fibers in turquoises & blues and antiqued sterling silver.

It can be worn as a brooch pin or as a pendant.

Approx 7cm wide.

Blinking Eye Brooches/Pendants

I've managed to tear myself away from my woolly things long enough to make some Blinking Eye pendants/brooch pins.

I must go and count my Eye stash - I think they are multiplying there in my dark drawer.....yay!

More Blinking Eye Rings!

Made some more of these rings as I was asked to!

They are all made using cold connection, sterling silver, UV resin with mica powders & glitter, vintage circa. 1940s blinking dolls eyes and the ring bands are adjustable and stamped "eye spy with my...".