Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

Several years ago I took Barbara Becker Simon’s class on Hollow Beads in Tucson AZ. http://www.bbsimon.com/pmc.html   I loved making my silver metal clay beads.   I made two that interlocked and actually finished the project in class.   I just could not decide how to use them.   They hung from a wire on my wall.   I’m sure you all have components just waiting for the jewelry gods to say, “Now! Now is the time to use this!” I’m finishing Keith Lo Bue’s Steel Wire class http://keithlobue.blogspot.com and just made the ‘U’ link chain.   It was on my work table when I decided I needed to see if I had anything to use as a focal.   That’s when I heard the voice saying “Now!   Now is the time to use your silver hollow beads!”      I must say that I am very pleased with the results and wanted to share this necklace with you.

Isn’t it interesting how each of us looks at the world and sees different things?   On a recent trip to Willow Lake here in Prescott AZ, I walked to the water’s edge.   It was a lovely late morning and the water shimmered.   The rocks on the other side caught my eye.   Maybe it was the morning light and play of shadow that held my attention so that I could see the rocks and their reflections making new shapes and patterns.   I was so glad I carried my camera!

Peter loves me!   He has spent many hours/ weeks/months (take your pick) making me an 8” deep cabinet that fits under the overhang of the peninsula between the kitchen and the dining room.   It is made of maple, glass and love.   There are five lighted sections.   It is a beautiful place to display and enjoy family treasures.   When the glass doors were installed, I was given bronze plastic rectangles to apply where I wanted.   They were to keep fingerprints off the glass.   They were ugly!   What to do? One of my favorite china patterns is ‘Thousand Faces’.   I love the bands of color and the gold overlay.   Polymer clay was just right for making a cane similar to the color bands of the china.   I decided to make a thin black box for the cane.   This is the cane that fits in the black boxes!   I baked it first.   Then I used Sculpey Bake and Bond to adhere the cane to the baked box. ...