Welcome to the eve of my sister’s visit. She’ll be here tomorrow with her husband and my two youngest nephews. It’s an understatement that I’m really excited. It will be her first visit with mom living here. There’s going to be a lot of energy at the Ponder/Cooley house tomorrow and into next week. It will be nothing shy of lots of fun!
This week I’ve been able to spend a little bit of time with Gayle Bird’s book Freeform Wire Art Jewelry. I’ve oohed and ahhed over it for months, so it seemed like time to put the pain brushes away and dabble in some (more) jewelry making.
I’ll be honest, I have yet to master the lovely curls and swirls she makes. There it is, the frustration of not being an expert on the first try. It’s silly, I know. At least it’s easier to talk myself out of frustration and the desire to just through my attempts away. In fact, I did take apart a few failed attempts, and I’m now chastising myself for that. I mean, the failed attempts are all part of the process. I wish I would have at least taken the time to photograph them.
Wire working is something I fall in and out of love with a few times a year. Gayle’s swirling design are like the magical whirls of an exhilarating wind on stormy, dry evening. She makes it seem like I could never fall out of love with wonders of wire. I especially like how sometimes her designs let the wire do all of the talking. Other times fun crystals or other stones/cabachons are asking for all of the attention.
Here are the photos I do have—the good, the bad, the varying degrees of imperfect.
I love this book. It’s a great bit of craft p*rn, and full of great ideas — for all skill levels.
p.s. It’s this post that first led me to Gayle Bird. I love the tentacle-wrapped beach glass. She is, without doubt, a crafter/artist after my own heart.
p.p.s. I was hoping to attempt at least one of the ring designs, but my ring mandrel and plastic mallet are MIA. If you see them, please ask them to come home.
UPDATE: My tools showed up. What a fun progression from “What is that contraption?” to “Hey, look at that ring.”
