It has been a busy few weeks recently.  What, with the scurrying to finish the Thorn Brooches, and the immense amount of work I have been doing otherwise.  Let me tell you, it is hard to support a household on one income!  Especially when it's an artist/nanny's income.  Well, realistically, that income comes from 4 families that I work for, plus house/pet-sitting, and the jewels of course.  Let's not forget the jewels!  They keep me sane.

I'm not complaining, honest.  I love my life. I get to spend my time with amazing people, kids, and animals, often times relaxing, playing games, or spending time outside.  And the best part is...I get to help kids, and families, have a better life because they are well cared for.

Sunday was my day off last week.  It was busier than many of my work days!  Along with cooking and a trip to the laundromat, we went on an adventure and found these, just down the road:

Wild roaming buffalo....

A proud horse, despite missing a leg...

And a young colt, about to bolt...

It was glorious.  

There were flowers, and ladybugs galore....

I also cooked a bit.  I'm going wheat-free, because my stomach has been protesting so much.  Full of quiche, chicken enchiladas, stir fry with quinoa, and turkey burgers, I'm doing pretty well so far.

I love my body.  I talk to her all the time, especially when she's upset.  Those conversations usually go, "come on, you can do this...you can get through this", as I gulp down water and nutrients to help her.  After the successful weaning of wheat will come the battle against coffee, which she has been protesting lately, too.  Instead of grieving the loss of things I cannot have, I'm looking forward to the adventures of what I can eat, and new things to cook with.
I guess it helps that I'm not altogether inexperienced at this.  I've experimented with being vegetarian, vegan, and raw-foodist (which I miss, oddly enough).  During those times, I did a lot of research on nutrients in fruits, vegetables, and grains.  I love having that knowledge within me.

If any of you have gluten-free recipes, don't hesitate to share!

I hope your weekend went well, and that this week is finding you happy and healthy. 

Love and Light

xo

Catherine

Drawings for the drilling on the backs of the Thorn Brooches

Always test your ideas in Copper before moving on to Sterling!  Especially with Silver being so expensive.

 

Amber acted as Studio Helper today, keeping an eye out for visitors and being cute and chatty.

The drawing for the smallest brooch has been glued onto Sterling Silver, which has then been taped onto plywood for drilling. 

I have to say, things are coming along nicely for the brooches, which is very exciting.  Hopefully there will be another video soon!

Sweet dreams!  xoxo

I don't have a whole lot of time at hand to make a video right now, so I thought I would post images and give you all a run-down of my process with these things.

My die, prepared, with sides A and B.

After annealing the copper, I trace the thorn onto the metal (extra preparation so I don't press the same side!)

I trim the copper a bit, and then tape it to the die to keep it from shifting while getting it into the hydraulic press.

Two pressed halves!  These were pressed to 4000 psi with 80 durometer urethane.

After sanding the bottom flat (as described in my Part 1 video) on sand paper taped to my bench, I flux the hollow forms and add solder to them for sweat soldering.

In order to keep the two halves from slipping while I'm soldering, I've made a set of "clips" to hold them together.  This is another good reason to leave some flange on your hollow forms.  The clips are made out of binding wire.

Hollow form halves fluxed, clipped, and ready to solder.

After soldering, allow your hollow form to cool all the way before putting it in the pickle, or you'll risk it warping if you quench it.

And now...off to the studio!

The day started out rough.  I woke up and felt absolutely compressed.  I cried, wrote a bit, cried some more, all while trying to go about my morning routine.  And then....after much umming and arring and ups and downs (I do this every year, and am so lucky to have a partner who is patient with me)...we went for a wonderful hike in Tryon Creek State Park, one of my father's favorite places.  

I grew up in this amazing place, just down the street.  My father and I would ride our horses on the horse trails, or walk on the hiking trails.  The smells of the moss and plants always brings me back to my childhood. 

Afterward, we headed to Blue Moon in NW Portland for Whiskey Sours, and of course, I had to throw in a brownie.  My dad and I shared the same fondness for chocolate, always sneaking bits and pieces here and there, when it was in the house.  

And now, I'm working in the studio.  All in all, a pretty perfect day.

I hope your day was perfect, too!

 (Harry S. Chandler and "Shrimp" Ebright, 1970)

Pops,

Six years ago...it was a Saturday, as well...I was hiking Syncline in the Gorge, thinking of you.

There were California Poppies growing, little waterfalls trickling down, and wide vistas of the river, cliffs, and hills.

You would have loved it.

Six years...how can it be that long already?  The last 5 years seem to have been sucked into a vacuum.

I think of you more this year.

I'm getting married, and it's a constant reminder of your absence.

But you'll be there, because a part of you is in all of us.

Beth gave me your pin for my birthday last year.  I had completely forgotten about it, and had to choke back tears, it brought up so much emotion.  

And this morning when I woke up, out of the blue I remembered the mug you had with seagulls on it.  It was your Earl Grey Tea mug, in my memory.

My best friend's mother in law, Barb, realized who you were and told me stories of being on the board of Tryon Creek Park together.

Each of these memories is a gift, whether tangible or not.

I'm so grateful to have had you as my father.

In all my actions I remember those inherent lessons we learned.  

Honesty.  Integrity.  Patience.

My Cowboy-Lawyer Father, I miss you every day.

Let's set another dream date.

Sushi, my treat.

And perhaps...perhaps we will see you somewhere at Tryon Creek Park today.

All My Love.