Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

broken pearl strands redone with added jade beads “Oh, my necklace broke.  I’ll just put it in my jewelry box and deal with it later!” and later could be years away.  Why not have it restrung so you can wear it again? There are many reasons to restring necklaces and I offer my services to several jewelers in town.  It seems that many of the jewelers are too busy or don’t want to take someone’s necklace and remake it.   I happen to enjoy doing just that.  A strand of coral to be restrung with added elements Restrung coral in a new design https://www.etsy.com/listing/279669910/red-coral-statement-necklace-with-bronze?ref=shop_home_active_2 another way to restring coral (with silver beads as spacers) When I have the opportunity to look at a necklace that someone else designed, I look at the way the beads are combined, how they are attached to the clasp and figure out why the piece broke.  Usually the string used has shredded from a bead that is rough on th

  During a very brief recent trip to Kansas City Mo. I visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art with my nephew Matt as my guide.  Many years ago, when I lived in that area, my mom and I would spend hours there enjoying the sculptures, paintings and architecture.   We spent several  hours enjoying the architecture and art as well as eating lunch in the café next to a fountain. we pretended to be  somewhere in Italy during the 15 th century eating excellent food. Easy to do at that cafe!  The current special exhibit is REFLECTING CLASS IN THE AGE OF REMBRANDT AND VERMEER .  It offers a different way of seeing history as well as appreciating the masters.  http://www.nelson-atkins.org/art/exhibitions/ Seeing the actual paintings, the detail of the brush strokes, and the stories was mesmerizing.  I knew how luxurious the laces and fabrics were just by looking.  It was as though I hear the satins moving and the lace fluttering and feel the textures without touching. 

I'm doing the Happy Dance!  It's what happens when a completed project looks like the picture in my head!   As a designer (interior designer or jewelry designer) I generally have a picture in my head that needs to be translated to paper.  It could take the form of a floor plan, a sketch, a collage of ideas.  Once it gets onto paper then the 'how to make it happen' stage takes over and eventually the pieces come together.  Once the project is complete there is  that moment of fear and of anticipation,  The question, "Did I get it right?  Does it work?"That question is always right there no matter how much research, knowledge and talent has gone into the project.  Almost always the completed outcome is within the realm of acceptability. Sometimes I get to do the Happy Dance because it is so close to that picture in my head. Today's post is about sharing the process and the joy in the finished piece with you. My dad was a lapidarist by hobby

  My ‘Silver Bug’ Collection is finished!  It contains 11 silver bug jewelry pieces made with silver metal clay (Art Clay, FYI silver clay and one piece Hadar’s Steel Clay) and it has taken close to a year to complete.  I do admit I worked on it sporadically!  Throughout the process of creating this collection, I took photos and wrote a post about part of it.  http://www.lindabrittdesign.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-making-of-silver-bug.html   Today’s post is an overview.  Yes, the shape and colors of bugs interest me –mainly dead ones. (Not live ones so much - unless we are talking butterflies)  My bug project started as soon as I found some stylized bug stamps at The Art Glitter Co. in Cottonwood AZ.  www.art glitter .com/  I ordered some Art Clay silver metal clay and some FYI silver metal clay and started thinking and sketching.  I wanted dimension and some sparkle in each of the pendants.  For the dimension I cut, dried, carved and layered each bug. Form

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Arizona has some of the most beautiful places that are pretty easy to get to.  We’ve found that taking side roads rather than interstates let us stop and really look at the plants, birds, and animals as well as the wonderful mountain ranges!  These pictures are from a recent trip to Southern Arizona.  I’m always amazed at the color, texture and detail in nature.  Enjoy! Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Broad-billed Hummingbird California Poppies Creasote in bloom Huachuca Mountains Mallow Palo Verde in bloom Prickly Poppies Roadrunner Thistle buds - the bloom is yellow

Michelle's Finished Book The phone rang and my neighbor (who does the most amazing book binding) told me the  case for the book was ready!  I went right over to pick it up just in time to share it on this post.  This is the labor of love I am giving to one of my best friends who helped pick and press the flowers on our trip to Ecuador in 2008.  I'll gift it to her in April as a remembrance of our experiences. I made the book and my neighbor made the chemise ('shirt' for the book) and the beautifully constructed box.  The spine is leather and I was privileged to watch the gold foil being placed for the text.  My neighbor walked me through the steps as we selected the materials so I would understand the process. The chemise is solid wine colored fabric and makes a slip cover for the book How the chemise works The book A protected page in the book

Seedpods are a secret love of mine.  I collect them and many different kinds line my window sill.  I love to make them out of metal clay This bronze seedpod started out with bronze clay wrapped around a wax shape that was covered in saran wrap.   After the clay dried, I pulled out the wax through a hole I made for the bale.  The center seeds are thin steel circles that were placed over the bronze layer.  I painted veins on the sides and back with bronze slip (thinned bronze clay), sanded and let the piece dry.  The bronze clay was fired in activated charcoal in a 2 stage process and I always hold my breath when I remove a fired piece from the kiln several hours later.  Did the clay sinter (did it fuse into metal?)  or will I need to fire it again?  This time the clay did sinter except for one steel circle which got lost in the charcoal. After polishing my seedpod, I reviewed my choices.  I could leave the hole open or I could make another circle to fill the

The beach at Aptos CA Peter and I just returned from a quick 4 day trip to Aptos CA near Monterey CA to pick up a beautiful blue harpsichord he bought on E-bay.  Early keyboard instruments are a love of Peter’s and we both are learning to play. Our Flemish Moermans 1583 Hubbard Copy Harpsichord It’s been a long time since I’ve been in that area and I knew there were two things I wanted to do. One was to take a walk to the beach and the other was to have dinner at Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola. I still remember the first meal I had there 30 years ago! When we arrived in Aptos, we got the chance to walk to the beach from the seller’s home.  Walking through the forest to the beach offered so much texture and color that I thought I would share that walk with you.  I’ve always found the beach and the sand to be calming.  In fact, I could spend hours watching it.  Red-breasted Sapsucker was working on his tree!  Those are his holes for hiding food! All k