Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

Sometimes when you finish a project or in my case a piece of jewelry, you just want to show it to someone.   So I took my just finished necklace, bracelet and earrings to show my friend, Kim, at Bead-It here in Prescott.     This group of jewelry was my experiment into using sheet metals with eyelets and rivets.     She had asked earlier if I wanted to teach a class in cold connections and I agreed.   Cold connections are ways to connect individual parts and make a piece of jewelry without soldering or using a kiln.   I’ve learned many techniques at the classes I’ve taken in cold connections from some of the best teachers – Susan Lenart Kazmer and Deryn Mentock .   So I thought why not? Well, Kim was as excited about my new pieces as I was and so I will be teaching how to make this necklace.   In order to teach a class of 4 to 6 people, I need to be organized!   So I’ve started a syllabus with a list of materials needed and how much the...

The weather is cooling off and the bird activity is heating up!   More birds are coming to the feeder and luckily we have black sunflower seeds ready!   I want to share today’s birds with you.   Two Mountain Chickadees came to visit today and since we have not seen them for quite a while, I was excited!    They have white eyebrows which differentiates them from other chickadees.   I love to look for those field marks and they are very handsome!   Remember, the details make the difference!   These birds are tiny and flit through the high branches of our pine trees looking for seeds from cones.   They often hang upside down to gather insects and seeds – very acrobatic!   This winter they may also eat suet and peanut butter so I’m getting ready.   It is very funny to watch them shell a sunflower seed.   They usually hold it between their feet and hammer it apart with their beak!   Not to be outdone, the White Breasted Nuthatc...

Hummingbirds are the tiniest of birds and one of the most fascinating species.   Everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve been able to watch these birds at feeders, hover in the air, get the nectar from bell shaped flowers and flash their colors in the sun.   I love to capture their image in my jewelry and I just found out that they sing with their tail feathers! http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/211694/20110910/hummingbird-sing-feather-flutter-sound-male.htm   We have seen several Rufous hummingbirds on their migration flight this summer.   Currently an Anna’s hummingbird has staked out his territory at our feeder.   He buzzes any other hummer who even thinks about getting a drink! Peter and I went to Ecuador a couple of years ago and being avid birders we looked for hummingbirds.   I had no idea how many different ones exist.   There are over 300 different species and Ecuador has the most!     The variety of details in their feathers, shapes and color...

I love to take pictures.  My Nikon 7000 goes with me most places.  I try to be aware when something catches my eye and find what caused me to stop and look.  Usually it is in the details! Today I'm sharing some photos I've taken of circles and their many origins.  I keep a file so I can review and many times I use the textures, rhythm, color, lines and themes for my jewelry.  I hope you enjoy the details of these circles too!  Stacked Sewer Pipe  Farm Equipment Rows of Feathers Flamingo - the difference is in the details My Gourd Purse patterned from a flower in circle Christmas Ornament Glass Balls Take time to really see - not just look-at the beauty of the details.  These are circles but more important is what we find within those circles.  Lyrics not just words. Visual poetry.  The details of Life.

 Male Bluebird Have you been to one of those memory classes where they ask, “How many dresser drawers do you have?” and did you know? Or care?   It seems that details, seeing them, creating them and remembering them opens the worlds around us.   Details are the difference between the mundane and the wondrous.   They are the difference between ordinary and extraordinary, between good and excellent.   Details amaze me or maybe it’s my ability or inability to observe and remember details. About 6 years ago I started birding.   I met a man, my Peter, who was an avid birder and, of course, I became one also.   I thought it would be a breeze.   I was used to looking at and creating details in my interior design work.   Booted Racket-tailed Hummingbird I saw him in Ecuador and look at his details! I started out knowing there were big birds and little birds, colorful birds and plain birds, birds that flew and birds that stayed on the ground ...