Almost like a plan

A flower here

 A bird there

Look a butterfly!

I am in the final days of getting ready for my biggest show of the year. My mind is a little like it is filled with butterflies flitting here and there.  I am a little on auto pilot when it comes to design right now. Just kind of doing what feels right at the moment.

You know, I never think of myself as nature inspired. But I looked around at the things I've made and by golly, virtually every piece has some sort of nature theme. It's almost like I planned it that way. This show is either going to look like I had a concept or it's going to look really really boring. But it will be done and over and I will clean up the mess next week.

This is what the mess looks like. This isn't even my studio. This is a folding table set up in the dining room. I am not sure where the dining room table is. I haven't really seen much of it for a month. And the studio? Well it's bad, very bad.

Guess what? That little piece in the center up there, it's a dragonfly. Yep, I am definitely nature girl this autumn.

Playing with patina and Miss Fickle Media

OK, I haven't been playing with Miss Fickle Media. She lives to far away. Dang. But I've been playing with patina on etched brass and copper over the last couple of days. Many thanks to Shannon of Miss Fickle Media for publishing an ebook that leads you through the process. She's been experimenting with patinas for nearly two years, and this book of hers, Colour Drenched Metal, is well worth it if you want to a great resource for patina on metal. She guides you through the types of patinas, application, safety, and everything you might need to set up a patina station in your studio. What can I say? It is just a fantastic book! Shannon even has patina solutions in her Etsy shop.

I decided to jump right in and start layering patinas. My preferance at this time was to go with transparent patinas and I gotta say it's a steep learning curve. Look at those pieces up there. They've got their patina on but they are kind of dry and crusty looking. Not really what I was after, except for colour.

Here are those pieces with sealer on. Whew, much better. And they feel good too. One of the things I'm finding is that I want to go after this process like a mad scientist. I can just see myself opening a whole new note book of tests. A lot like I do with glazing ceramics. This could become addictive.

I'm off to First Friday now. It's been a long time since I've gone on First Friday rather than 'done' First Friday. I'm very excited because I'm going to see glass art at the gallery where I do my monthly art market. There's a new hot glass studio opening there and I just can not wait to see the glass furnace. I love fire! I love hot glass!

Have a lovely weekend!