Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

May makes me think of hats…maybe it’s the Kentucky Derby.   Maybe it’s remembering the black straw with the big turned up brim that I wore to church in high school.   Such a fashion statement!   Or it could have been the hot pink derby hat I wore with the faux black suit I designed in college.   Whatever it is, May just says ‘HATS’ to me.   You might like to check out this link to see the current Kentucky Derby Hats!    http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/04/living/kentucky-derby-hats/index.html?hpt=hp_abar I thought it might be a great time to share the story of one of my vintage hats that is on my etsy site www.etsy.com/shop/brittdesign . Many years ago, I started collecting hats.   I love to wear hats that are unusual and as people discovered my love, they started giving me their old ones.   One of those gifts was this Archie Eason hat that looks like three doves were swooping around and decided to land on my head.   It was just unique enough to become one of my favorites.   I also l

May 26 (mark that date on your calendar!) I’m teaching a silver metal clay class at Bead-It in Prescott AZ.   I placed a limit of 5 people on the class so if you are interested call Bead-It (928-445-9234).   Yes, this is free advertising!! We are going to make a pendant from 10 grams of silver clay with a fold-over bail with tiny clay shapes and a CZ gemstone.   Because I want the class to be somewhat cost effective, I ordered 10 grams of silver clay for each student.   I’m used to having packets of 50 grams of clay to work with and I really need to know how big a piece the students can make from the 10 gram packet.   10 grams of silver metal clay next to a penny My task was to make a pendant as an example and to show at the bead store enticing students to sign up.   Yesterday I designed and made the piece.   And yes, I used every bit of the clay.   Today I torch fired the pendant and finished it.   It was my first time to torch fire a CZ stone.   CZ or Cubic Zirco

 Mother's Cool Necklace  When I was young, I wanted jewelry like my mother's.   She was an art teacher and pretty cool.   I always wanted to be grown up like her!   I even wore her white wedge shoes to school in the 6 th grade without her knowing.   Yes, our feet were the same size then and, yes, the teacher did call my mother! When I was in college in the late 60’s and early 70’s, I was first an “everything must match girl” before I moved into the hippie flower child period of bright colors and macramé. Matched my red suit!  Macrame!  And this was Mom's too!!    When I married, my husband made our wedding rings from pieces of family gold jewelry and some new.   He finished them the evening before the wedding.   Fortunately for me, his mother and father had taught him the value of good handmade.   The rings are timeless and beautiful.   When I was working as an interior designer, my jewelry was usually ethnic .Since I lived in th