Kindred Spirits, Fairy Sculpture is completed

This one took a while to complete, but I've got to say it's my favorite so far. The fairy sits upon a pokadot mushroom and beckons to an elusive butterfly whose wing pattern matches her own.

 All the finished copper pieces

The wood pieces

The finished work assembled (more views below)

 

She'll be going to her new home very shortly. I hope you've enjoyed viewing the process.

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Creating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

I am the victim of a crime!

I think theft is one of the worst crimes of which to fall victim. Recently I've noticed small items disappearing from my shop. I've just identified the thief.
I don't like to single out any specific group, but these little guys have a well earned reputation for this very type of activity. That's right! I'm talkin' about pack rats.

 

I was out of the shop for a couple of days, and one of these little guys was VERY busy while I was gone. I guess I'm just going to have to lock everything up. I thought this stuff was over when my children grew up.

OK, back to my fairy project. It's getting closer to completion. I got the wings cut out. I start with the wing pattern glued to plates of copper.

 

Drill a hole for each opening

 

And saw out the opening along the pattern line (forgive the fuzzy pic)

 

For the butterfly body I start with a piece of round copper stock and carve until I get the final shape

 

Here's a view from the top

 

The mushroom top required a lot of hammer work

 

The body parts are about ready for assembly

 

And the hair is coming along nicely

 

So now it's just about time to select the pieces of cholla I'll use to complete the piece. Thanks for looking.

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Creating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

Paisley Butterfly Sculpture is featured in a new Etsy Treasury

I'm kind of a blogging fool today, but what the heck. I love this Treasury! I can't help it if I'm stuck in the '60s. Like Abby Hoffman said, "The sixties was such a great decade it stole three years from the seventies!" http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTI2MzM4OHw0MzA5NTQ0MDc/patterns-of-paisley

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.comCreating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

I couldn't wait! Sonoran Sunrise.

Sonora Sunrise, which is from the State of Sonora (Mexico), was the hot new rock and the Tucson and Quartzite Gem and rock shows! The green is chrysocolla, the red is cuprite, and the black is tenorite. This material makes some very unusual and beautiful pieces.

I've collected and slabbed a couple of rocks, but so far this is the only cabochon I've finished. I've been too busy with other things to cut this material. Ever gotten too busy? Well, it happened to me, but I couldn't wait to show this cab off. I may even cut some intarsha cabochons when I finally get caught up.

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.comCreating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

Green Imperial Jasper

Imperial Jasper from Mexico is the latest entry in my website update.  This jasper forms as nodules and usually has a soft white chalky exterior. The colors shades of pink, red, and green are what makes Imperial Jasper such a beautiful and dramatically versatile stone. The spider web patterns on the Jasper are known as streamers which form when the jasper is fractured, which results either from stress or shrinkage. These fractures are then filled in and sealed with more jasper. An endless variety of patterns can result with subtle shifts in the color of the jasper filling these voids.

 

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com

Creating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

 

Another Fairy, A Work In Progress

This time it's going to be a sculpture. I started with an idea and these items: a piece or cholla cactus wood and a chunk of copper. There will be more pieces but you've got to start somewhere.

 

Then I started grinding and carving the chunk of copper.

 

More grinding and more elements.

 

It's starting to look like something now, but I've still got a lot to do. You may have heard the rumor that copper will turn some people's skin green . . . It's true!

 

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com

Creating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com

This Dalmatian Doggy Won't Bite

He doesn't bite, he doesn't growl.
He doesn't bark, he doesn't howl.
He hangs around for the pretty view.
If you wear him, you'll be pretty too!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/74575358/dalmatian-jasper-and-sterling-silver
I just finished this pendant and couldn't wait to post it. This is the first carved critter jewelry piece I've done, but I don't think it will be the last. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out. I'm not sure what I'll carve next, something different or course. I think I'll do more dalmatians too, but each one will be unique.

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com

Another Rarity, No it's Not Wood!

The latest in my in my on going quest to list my freshly cut cabochons. May I introduce Deschutes Jasper to the unfamiliar (if that includes you don't feel bad, this stuff is very rare). These stones feature striking patterns in rich earthy tones in creamy tans and chocolate browns. I think it looks a bit like wood grain.
http://www.gemalchemy.com/pages1/deschutesjasper.html

 

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com

ArtFire Fairy Collection

I feel honored to be included in this Collection. There is some really great work here. I hope you'll take the time to visit some of these artist:
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=collections&op=details&cid=20607

 

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com

Good News-Bad News & Yuck!

This is what the stones look like after they've been tumbled. The grit and water form a slurry and the rock debris gets mixed in, yuck! That's why the stones have to be washed after each tumble. The good news is the second stage is finished and the stones are coming along nicely. The bad news is I won't have any time to tumble them again for a little over a week. It's OK, I'm a professional, I'll deal with it in my own way, sniff, sniff.

 

My Gemstone web site: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Jewelry and Fine Art web site: http://www.lunarskies.com
Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
Creating The Hive: http://www.creatingthehive.com

It doesn't work the way I thought, WIP Wednesday

Let the games begin! I finished second cut and started tumbling yesterday.

When I first heard about tumbling stones I had a visual image of rocks inside some kind of drum bouncing around and beating each other senseless. First of all, I'm pretty sure rocks don't have any sense. Secondly, my tumbler has no drum of any kind. The tumbling action is created through vibration, and the stones slowly rotate against each other. So the tumbling action is more like the episode of the Carol Burnett Show, where Tim Conway as the old man falls down the stairs in super slow motion. But not nearly so funny, and for a much longer duration.

If you look closely you can see my dalmatian Dalmatian in the tumbler.
My Gemstone web site: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Jewelry and Fine Art web site: http://www.lunarskies.com
Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
Creating The Hive: http://www.creatingthehive.com

"The Intruder" Butterfly and Bee Sculpture is in an Etsy Treasury

There is an new Etsy Treasury called Birds and the Bees and the Flowers and the Trees ...and my sculpture is in it. Check it out:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d70e039b2cb6d910317835f/birds-and-the-bees-and-the-flowers-and
Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry
LunarSkies Web Site: http://www.lunarskies.com/ 

I featured on Artfire's Front Page!

Thank you ArtFire!

 A while ago I applied to be featured in ArtFire's Artist Spotlight, I was accepted and now my interview is currently featured on ArtFire's front page. Check it out!

https://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=art_daily&op=view_article&id=1416

 

A few of the newest additions to my ArtFire shop: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My web site: http://www.lunarskies.com