Chris's Newest Creations

How adorable is this?!  Chris recently decided to make a sculpture to enter in the Nebraska State Fair.  This is what he came up with!  The flowers and leaves are created on black steel wire and then annealed in the kiln.  The flower pot is also glass created on the end of a large hole mandrel so it has a bottom but is also open to be able to insert the flowers.  Once all of the components are created, Chris uses 2 part epoxy to set the flowers into place and to attach the aluminum disc to the bottom of the pot.  Chris also made the aluminum discs from recycled blanks and used a machine to add the engraved grooves to the disc.  So creative and cute!  We plan to make quite a few to have at Graham Gallery during the Holidays. 

Here are a couple others Chris made that are available for sale:

I love the free-form blue daisy and the stone-look flower pot.

This is probably my favorite flower!  The outside edge is a pretty, soft peach and the inside a darker coral.  The flower pot looks like a well weathered terracotta pot!

As for me, I have been beading, beading, beading to get ready for all of our shows next month.  Lots of new designs being churned out!
Earrings:

Left to right: free-form nugget turquoise with Vintaj brass leaves, abalone, and fire agate with carnelian dangles.

Bracelets:

 Lots of Czech glass, crystal, stone, Clay River focal (top), and FanceeThat focal (bottom).  This batch was focused in the antique brass color for the findings.  My favorites are the second from the top and the second from the bottom.  The matte finish on the agate on the bracelet near the bottom adds a wonderful texture to the piece and the leaf charm adds movement.  On the second from the top, I used pieces of chain as dangling charms to add movement to the piece.  It also has a small chicklet style bead from Clay River designs.

This group of bracelets focuses on antique copper.  There are lots of fun goodies in this batch, recycled glass ring from Trinket Foundry, natural stones, Czech glass, copper filigree butterfly, double hole drilled bone bead from Wild Things Beads, Clay River Designs, and chain.  Chris's favorite is the top one, and I also liked it.  My favorites are probably the bottom two, one of which sold last weekend. 

So that is a bit of an update on the jewelry and glass front!  Sorry for the long silence!  It may be a bit quiet here for a couple weeks while we prepare for the shows!