Two Bob Each Way

Playing both sides against the middle, hedging my bets, multiple choice, preferences, alternatives.
OK OK I confess - couldn't make up my mind.

So you can have a necklet or a braclace . . . Vintaj brass vintaj brass bracelet bracelet gemstones gemstones czech glass czech glass boho boho indy indy

Dilemma - Which Way?

I made a little inlaid polymer clay ladybird and put it into a round bezel with the view of making a bracelet. (ok I admit it, I am quite hooked on the technique) polymer clay polymer clay vintaj brass vintaj brass gemstones gemstones boho boho indy indy

Now the bevel is heavy and the agate rounds i used are also heavy and although I like the bracelet, I am wondering at what point does a bracelet become too heavy. Obviously if you do not surface after falling off the wharf it is. Is there such a thing as too heavy?. Anyone got any thoughts?

I have ummed and ahhed and beginning to think that maybe this would work better as a necklace. (I know I need to make more bracelets, as I seem to have developed a preference for necklaces.)
So which do you think works better, the bracelet or a necklace?

Trivia Alert - the humble Aussie ladybird was introduced to California in the 1880's to control Cotton Cushion Scale, and has subsequently travelled all over the world munching its way through the pest. So the next time you see one say G'Day

But Wait - There's More . . . .

Had such fun making the inlaid polymer clay owl, that I though a combination of the wire and a more textural area might be interesting.
I tried making the nest from wire but it looked totally out of place. The clay nest is much more sympathetic. Reminds me of seabirds that nest on the beach.

The whole necklace.
Natural and dyed howlite, silver and bronze spacer beads, metalic aqua pearls, carved brecciated jasper flowers, Vintaj brass

A Haunted Place

We have a haunted place at our house.

It is nothing out of the ordinary. Not dark, dank or hidden. There are no cold patches or dripping ectoplasm, no disembodied voices, no clanking chain, the hair does not stand up on the back of your neck and yet, there is a presence, a female often glimpsed, waiting.

Where is this place you ask?

Its the mail box and I am the haunting!

For my birthday I shouted myself a copy of  "Enchanted Adornments"  and I am waiting, waiting .......

Woe is meeeee. Why is the rest of the world sooo far away? Why does it take sooo long for just a little package to make its way here? Doesn't UPS and Australia Post realise that this is a matter of life and death?

Every day I visit the mail box and visit again just in case it is coming parcel post but nothing.

Wait! was that a vehicle at the bottom of the drive - be right back........

No *Waaaa sob*

Hoo Goes There?

Here is what I did with the inlaid polymer clay owl focal.

 

Picasso finish amber faceted czech glass rounds, cracked agate, dark blue pearls, wooden saucer spacers, seed beads, Vintaj brass and a cute captive moon and window clasp.

Hooo Loves Ya

There has been a Boobook owl calling from the bush behind our house from the last few nights with the haunting sound of 'mo-poke mo-poke".
So I took the hint and made this.

 

Polymer clay with gold wire inlay. I think he's pretty cute. Whatya recon?

Send It Down Hughie!

It would appear that by moaning and bleating I have tempted fate or somehow irritated the universe. 

Late yesterday it started to rain. Soothing gentle rain that fell on the leaves and grass indispursed with bouts of sunshine. Just the weather to make the grass bolt and everything grow 3 feet overnight.

Lovely, we thought.

However it gradually got heavier and heavier until, by the time we went to bed, had become a torrential deluge pouring from the skies. Just to spice things up the weather gods threw the odd bolt of lightning just in case we weren't still awake.

We copped 250mm (10 inches) in 10 hours! and its still raining.

*Sigh* the garage will require bailing out and the driveway has ruts so deep you'd  have to turn the  headlights on to find you way out.The local bird are sheltering under our verandah and there is probably and Ark somewhere in the back yard.

Ya gotta love the land of droughts and flooding rains!

(A gap in the rain and just time for a few piccies)

 

"And All The Rivers Ran"

"Waterfalls rapids - Oh My"

Paperbark

It has been hot and humid the passed few weeks and DH and I have been busy replacing the verandah railing panels (some of it in the blazing sun) So by nightime all I wanted to do was veg-out on the couch and watch tv and have the odd nanna nap.

No inspiration what-so-ever to do anything,  so eventually I MADE myself do something - I played with polymer clay. There is something very theraputic about rolling, squishing and manipulating clay and its much quieter than hammering metal. Wanted to work with a cool theme and the Art Bead Scene challenge for February was just the ticket.

Now I should point out that snow and I are not on a nodding aquaintance, in fact we are not even on a wave-from-a-distance one either. Snow is something that appears on Christmas cards or came out of a spray can and was liberally applied to any vulnerable surface until my mother banned it. I have seen snow fall (briefly) twice and visited the snowfields once. Ask me about droughts, flooding rains, dust storms, violent thunder storms, the occasional cyclone and I'm ya gal but not snow.

Ended up with this.

 

The pattern reminded me of a tree at the bottom of our driveway a Melaleuca commonly known as a paperbark. They have the most amazing bark, like multiple sheets of soft handmade paper. Layer upon layer of soft peach, grey, cream, golden brown. 

So here are the earrings I made, which was about all my muse could handle. (She has subsequently checked the weather forecast for tomorrow, rolled her eyes wildly and bolted to somewhere cool no doubt, blowing raspberries at me as she vanished)