“Have a fiercely wonderful weekend!”
Give Give Giveaway
April 27, 2011 by
Forgive me if I’ve shared this story with you in past posts:
My Great Aunt Eileen wore a beautiful diamond ring. I asked her one day if it was her wedding band or engagement ring, simply wondering what the story was behind the piece.
She told me, “This ring was a gift from your uncle, he gave it to me for no reason at all, which is the very best reason to give or receive a gift.”
She passed away a few years ago and this might be the greatest portion of her that I carry with me always…
To give for no reason at all,
except to give.
I’m giving this necklace away.
For no reason at all, except to say thank you for being here and being part of my life.
I realized, early this morning, that I haven’t offered you a giveaway piece for ages — forgive me!
The entry rules are VERY simple!
To have your name entered in this drawing please:
1. Leave one comment below! Say hi, tell me about the very best no-reason-at-all-gift you’ve ever received or let me know your favorite tulip color. Whatever! It all goes!
2. Include your email address so I can contact you if you win.
Happy spring!
Happy happy!
Happy for no reason at all!
xx
CONTEST CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY!!!
The Maid
April 26, 2011 by
Well good grief.
I made a maid.
RW and I have been watching Downton Abbey recently and the maids wear such precious little uniforms with a dash of lace poking out the tops of their collars, I’ve been sighing all over the maid attire on that little show. I’ve been inspired.
Then I saw this bib necklace yesterday and I simply gave into the marvelous whim of concocting something of similar spirit.
I’ve taken a burly swath of copper, pierced it, forged and formed it, enameled it and strung it on delicate oxidized sterling chain.
It wears big and bold.
It’s kind of cute.
On the topic of maids, I reckon these two things:
1. I am my own maid. I perform the white glove test on my heart and soul…only I know the cleaning that needs to be done there. Likewise, you are your own maid, responsible for the cleanliness of your heart, spirit, mind and soul. Let’s all stay as tidy as possible. Everything is so much more beautiful that way.
2. I’m considering getting a maid this summer. Currently, RW cleans most of the house…because that’s just how it works around here. Dans le summer, when RW is away for 5 full months, I just don’t have time to tend to this home of mine with a burgeoning garden, three dogs, one cat, three chickens, a studio and a small business to run…not to mention all the traveling I do between the here and theres. I’m thinking, for my own sanity, this maid might get a maid.
Do you have a housekeeper pop in from time to time?
Is it worth it?
Scrub a dub dub,
Plumarella
Space
April 25, 2011 by
I photographed my work space last night, before the sun went down, with nothing to light the room but the last of the golden hour creeping in through the huge window that faces West. I made these pictures for a dear woman friend of mine who is doing a thing…but I thought you might like to see them too!
I really like my work space.
It’s selfishly arranged since I am the only person to use this half of the building.
I flow between tools as I work, my body has the room mapped perfectly, I wear grooves in the poured, pebbled epoxy floors. If I was to change one thing about my space, I’d change the color of the walls. The former owner’s glass blowing ex-wife painted them a deep mocha hue. I’d prefer them to be the lightness of space breeding white or the pale grey of a dove belly! Otherwise, it’s home sweet creative home!
[…and then this morning! Oh the light!]
Have you a creative work space?
If so, what’s it like?
What would you change about it, if you could?
What does your dream studio space look like?
My Dream Studio:
I’d love an entire refurbished barn — about 100 years old, fully insulated and finished on the inside with plenty of huge windows that let the light stream in, a mountain view to the West and a prairie view to the East.
I’d like it to have a wood stove for heating during the colder months and huge sliding doors to throw open in the warmer days of summer.
I’d like the South and North entrances flanked with aspen groves and perhaps a raspberry patch or two.
I’d like to watch my horses and jersey cow graze as I work, a blacksmith forge on the main level and a tidy work space up in the loft — a space for my antique typewriter collection, letter writing, painting, reading, napping and journaling…and kittens.
RW tells me he’s working on it.
HA HA!!!
Dream big or not at all,
that’s my motto.
For a better view of these images, pop over to my Flickr
site and view them on black!
x
What does your dream studio space look like?
My Dream Studio:
I’d love an entire refurbished barn — about 100 years old, fully insulated and finished on the inside with plenty of huge windows that let the light stream in, a mountain view to the West and a prairie view to the East.
I’d like it to have a wood stove for heating during the colder months and huge sliding doors to throw open in the warmer days of summer.
I’d like the South and North entrances flanked with aspen groves and perhaps a raspberry patch or two.
I’d like to watch my horses and jersey cow graze as I work, a blacksmith forge on the main level and a tidy work space up in the loft — a space for my antique typewriter collection, letter writing, painting, reading, napping and journaling…and kittens.
RW tells me he’s working on it.
HA HA!!!
Dream big or not at all,
that’s my motto.
For a better view of these images, pop over to my Flickr
site and view them on black!
x
Wherein The Plume Discusses The Price Of Silver
April 23, 2011 by
Spring.
I think it’s finally here.
I was just laying out in the grass in the sunshine after spending most of the day in my studio and I had a realization. Everyone is in a flap about the price of metals right now — with good reason, prices are off the chain! Today silver is priced at $45.86/oz. When I bought my first sheet of sterling silver in 2004, it was priced at $7/oz.
It’s a real pain in the neck.
But this idea dawned on me: the current price of silver will be responsible for a new movement in the metalsmithing realm, worldwide — everybody is scrambling to find new materials to work with, affordable materials. I realized that this could be the start of something amazing! In a while, some of us will be categorized in the art history textbooks as artists who were part of a new movement in the realm of metal! During this decade they might say artists exhibited a sudden return to working with non-precious metals…I think it’s somewhat exciting…
This is the start of a movement.
So much innovation stems from necessity.
This is a time for metalsmiths to dig deep, come up with sustainable options, in terms of materials and it’s a time to be even more creative about what we’re making and what we’re using to make it!!! I know what I like to create. I like to make BIG pieces of sculptural jewelry crafted from sterling silver. If metal prices continue to soar, there might come a time when I can’t afford to create with silver on such a large scale, which begs the question, what can I work with, in terms of materials, that I can afford to purchase and you can afford to claim?
It’s a big question
and I for one am delighting in the effort it’s taking to
find my answers!
I have new tools coming, new techniques for the learning, new materials for plying…the future is looking bright!
_______________________________________________
It’s spring!
It’s Friday!
Good Friday!
This is a season thick with grace.
Have a beautiful weekend, little cheepers.
xx