Monday, March 31, 2008

The Jamie Knot and Silver Sticks

I decided on one quick post before I finish packing. For those of you familiar with Nina Bagley and the "Nina Knot", you will appreciate this. In preparation for my class with Nina on Saturday, I lovingly picked out scraps of vintage material to wash on the delicate cycle in cold water inside of a zippered bag. I took extra care and made sure the machine was set to delicate, used the cold water detergent for delicate items, etc...

I even checked in on the scraps while they were washing to see how they were coming along. It all looked good until I went to pull the bag out of the washer. Lawdy, law...I have NEVER seen such a wad!

This is what I call "The Jamie Knot"...



Too funny. It took me a good 45 minutes or so of snipping threads and unwinding material all the while fending off the cat who was very eager to 'help'.

I also fired another handful of beads today. These are my first attempt at making hollow beads with an organic core. I used twigs for the long ones and wood clay for the round ones.

Before they went into the kiln:



After they were fired and scrubbed with a brass brush:



And finally after they were dunked in the LOS patina:



I brushed parts of the round beads with steel wool and burnished the high points to bring them back to a shiny silver but I left the twigs as they were. I must say that I love how the twigs came out. I'm hoping to use them in a piece of jewelry I will make at ArtFest. Ok, that's really all for now. Clothes are packed but tools and other random art supplies are strewn about the house in four different rooms.

3 comments:

Kim Carney said...

I am sorry we did not get to visit!

lulu moonwood murakami said...

Hi Jamie,

I met you at art asylum on Friday night as I sat behind you working away - and I didn't even know I was sitting behind the Pharm Wife! Fancy that. But I kept your moo card in my glasses case so I'd be sure to look you up, and I really appreciate all the info on pmc here and look forward to trying it out some day. Your work is beautiful and your charms so lovely! Thanks!
linda moonwood aka lulu moon

Anonymous said...

Beautiful beads, I especially love the "twigs"...I would love to learn how to do this. Is that the silver clay? (I'm so up on things aren't I)
-Lynn