Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

When I start a project I try to have a plan – at least a loose idea of where I’m heading.  This experiment started out with me wanting to make links for a bracelet with mokume gane  that I learned to do in Hadar’s class in Tucson.  I used Friendly Copper, Friendly Bronze and Pearl Grey Steel clay in my extruder to make a long square rope that I cut into sections.  The sections had all 3 types of clay in concentric circles that mimicked the Japanese mokume gane. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokume-gane  I made the back layer for the 8 links in bronze and placed the cut squares in rows making sure I had good contact with the backing.  The nice thing about using these there clays is firing them all at one time and in one stage.  So much easier.  Before I started the project, I made U shaped wire tabs (nickel chromium) to insert between the bronze backing and the mokume gane squares.  I thought that would be the best way to connect...

As I sit at my desk or at my work space, Ravens swoop between the tall swaying pine trees.  In the evening they gather in those same trees and ‘talk’ to one another with their varying individual voices.  I am entranced with them. The Raven is the subject for my latest base metal clay pendant.  I want a pendant to feature the Raven and relate to its environment.  I want to use a piece of Poe’s poem and have the finished project look rustic and a bit organic.  I’m using some of the older clay from Hadar’s clay line-up; this time I used Quick Fire Copper, Friendly Bronze and Quick Fire Steel XT.  The Quick Fire Copper was used for the back and the bail.  All three clays were used for the applied sections.  I put them on coconut carbon and set the stainless round bowl on the camp stove.  When both sides were black, I added carbon and put the bowl in the kiln firing on the mid-fire schedule. Finished Piece Waiting is the most diffic...

Hadar's Friendly Copper Paperweight For the last two weeks I've been experimenting with a copper paperweight that I started making in Hadar’s class.  My last post explained base metal clay and I showed you some of my successful jewelry projects.  (While this post might be a little technical for those of you not working in metal clay, it does illustrate my tenacity or perhaps just my stubbornness.)  And perhaps you will enjoy the pictures. This paperweight actually started out as a possible pendant.  The basic hexagonal box was made with Hadar’s Friendly Copper clay.  I rolled the bottom layer 4 cards thick (that’s playing cards) and added the 6 sides after the bottom dried.  Since I was going to put on a top, I needed supports.  The supports were to be placed less than ½” apart.  I think I made mine a little too close but I did not take a picture of each step.  I wish I had.  The supports dried and I placed the top on my 2”+ box...