Metalsmith Workshop

I attended my first metalsmith workshop yesterday at the Marketplace Theatre in Armagh. It was probably the best workshop I have attended so far. We were given a small piece of silver to work with (after drawing out our designs). I went with a design already drawn and I didn't change it all that much. I have only just finished it off as I wanted to use some gorgeous Jasper beads which I got from BDI in Bray. I would definitely recommend this class, I want to go again - now. (Even though when I woke this morning I thought I had no use of my arms!)

Click the picture for a bigger view.

Find Yourself

Well folks, it seems like a while since I've posted anything but its not that long really. I've been busy creating lots of things but not really finishing off anything. Here is a piece I started a month ago and only finsihed it last week. I love this piece, probably because of its distressed look.

Who is the little girl and why is she trying to be invisible? Why doesn't she release herself from that little cage and be free? What or who is she hiding from? Does she hope to free herself in the future?...................

I love making these little cages, they are tricky, I did try to distress the wires over the gas stove but some melted lol. Cant remember if they landed in with the spaghetti lol. (I'm kidding)

A Mother's Love

I made some felt last week while out in the sunshine and today I finished off this piece again in the glorious sunshine. There are many layers to this that I cant seem to capture in the photo, lots of burnt chiffon, dryer sheets and acetate, all layered and stitched onto rusted cotton and more chiffon with an image transfer and some stitched foil, utee and beads. There is a story behind this piece but I will share that with you another day.

Edited to add - the net bag contains a stone symbolising the heavy burden a mother carries, there is also a sharp shell hanging from it - I'll leave that to your imagination. The layers represent the many layers of a mother's love, torn and ripped apart but held together by threads of steel reforming to make them stronger. The image transfer is of a stairs but shows a light at the top so the journey is always worthwhile ;-)

congratulations sis

My sister has finally realised her dream of owning a coffee shop and has recently bought Tiny's Juice Bar in Cairns. I made this to congratulate her. I know she will make it a great success.