2/19/11

Confessions of a Jewelry Groupie.

I finally got these dang things up:
The Brethren of Purity.The Brethren of Purity.
Madonna and Child. Vintage Label Double Sided Neckwear.Madonna and Child.
The Condor. Gemstone Double Sided Label Pendant.The Condor. 
The Turban. Soldered Necklace in Orange.The Turban. 
I also made a new bracelet:
Dragon Bones. Bracelet.Dragon Bones.
Using a lovely dragon filigree from my SacredCake windfall.Dragon Bones. Bracelet.It has jade and 'Krobo' beads from Ghana.
Opulent Oddities asked me to make some bit earrings and here they are:
Odd. Large Tin Earrings CUSTOM for Opulent Oddities.
Odd. Large Tin Earrings CUSTOM for Opulent Oddities.Next to a penny you can see how really huge they are.
So in exchange for the earrings she said she was gonna send a box of stuff.
Dear lord. Let me just show you.
Here's a bunch of color loveliness. Oh, the perforated brooch in back is covered w/the sweetest flowers that I've already started using:

How much do I love this block that just says "PIG"? This little jar is filled with what I think are Herkimer diamonds, a kind of quarts only found in Herkimer, NY, of all places on earth. They naturally form double points and these tiny ones have double points, so.... I might put them in a deep bezel... 

Tons of rhinestone chain and 2 broken chubby baby hands. Also, see that micromosaic? In the upper right you get a peek of the tons of sparkly rings she sent which I've already started to take apart. 

Poison ring(!!!), ivory carved roses and floral cab.

Stuuuuuf. That car actually rolls. Madness.

Several lockets, a pair of earrings with the rose-in-glass/resin going on. I know I'll use those as easy as blinking. In the background you can see brass steel-cut style 'buckle' stampings, which I've never had but always wanted to play with..

Oh, and little things. Tiny things. I'm all about tiny things. Antique tiny things are always so precious. Even that maniacally smiling cow. 

Cellulose crackerjack prize about as big as the pad of my thumb. The rhinestone bit over his head is an already-taken-apart ring. And look at those faceted black shanks!!

These things are tiny- the shield charms could fit on my pinkie nail. I've only lately learned the value of the small. I used to be all about big ol' beads, for example. But now I realize a tiny thing call be so endearing, thus the description in the "tenderness" listing above.

Even the fork is quite small, though also thick and heavy. 

Rhinestone heart earrings next to a golden locket.

Oh, this tiny MOP brooch has the loveliest opal glow that I was just barely able to capture.
And mind, I'm only showing you a small percentage of what I got, because more than anything the box was loaded with chain. Dear lord, you've never seen so much chain. Had to put most in a box in another room just because I couldn't psychologically deal with having that much chain. That's something I won't have to look for in Uruguay at least.
What I haven't ever spoken of is what a huge impact Opulent Oddities had on me when I first saw her work what seems like decades ago. I had never seen jewelry made of old vintage bits and it blew my mind.  I also remember I was so jealous that she got to play with such beautiful things! I wanted to be her, I wanted to play, too. The delight I've felt every time I get to handle something old and beautiful and imagines what I could make it into is sort of still pacifying that violent desire and jealousy I felt. Among other firsts, she was the first jewelry artist I saw incorporate frozen Charlottes. 
I remember seeing this I think it was:
Little Daisy Left Out to DryWhich now seems simple enough, a doll and a laundry pin, but at the time it cracked my head open. It may have been when a lightbulb went on and I realized it wasn't about what could you put on a necklace- but what couldn't you? That as long as it was small and interesting, it could be used.
Seems like everyone and their momma has heard of her, but she's never, as far as I know, been one to try to get published or write a book. Seems she's always been doing this kind of art jewelry since before anyone else, without fanfare or anything, as if it were just a regular craft, always keeping the focus on the vintage pieces without fussing with faux aging techniques or any such thing. Sigh.
Oh, and she has a pair of earrings up now that I'm flipping over:Pirates a Plunder
Oh geez, which reminds me- I even tried to emulate her photos when I started! The tilt! I'd never seen the tilt and I thought it was soooooooo cool! I thought it was so amazingly artistic and mysterious and just awe-inspiring. So somewhere in my sold section you can find tons of these ridiculously overly tilted pieces that are trying waaaay too hard. Ha! 
Well, there, I feel like I confessed. I confessed to what a groupie dork I have been and still am. And now she is sending me glorious things and telling me how inspiring my shop is! Makes me feel like surely I must be hallucinating in a straightjacket somewhere....

9 comments:

Penelope said...

Jesus I think I'd lose my shit if I were sent something like that! I especially am turned on by those long white, sort of clay pipe tulipy looking beads (?), the ones that are near the tiny fork- which is prolly a nursery fork if it's so small, for little kiddies. And the twin swallows touching beaks. And the bluebird!

I feel the same way about her stuff- lots of people make sort of dainty, restrained things, but hers was the only one I saw that was seriously..well, opulent. Even her delicate stuff has balls somehow.

stregata said...

OMG!!! The micromosaic from Italy! The carved ivory/bone flowers! Those snowdrop flowers in white...!
The teensy tiny buckle!!! The bluebird!
Yes - I think I am going out of my mind! You lucky thang!
You know - that groupie thing - that is sort of how I feel about you...

Jennifer Valentine Morford said...

I seriously just had an Eyegasm. Seriously. She outdid my boxes of crap I've sent you for sure! Holy hell, I'd kill for a box of stuff like that my dear!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, look at all that stuff! I can't wait to see what you do with it all!

Flotsam Tide said...

Fanciful I am your groupie! What sets you apart from other artists on Etsy is that not only do you create magnificent, inspiring works, but that you are so generous and willing to share and motivate others. Even your comments and attitude towards people copying you, and the fact that you acknowledge that all artists copy or are inspired by others is very, ....comforting.

You're such a warm hearted person with a sense of humor, and creative eye that keeps me coming back. :)

Pretty Things said...

Absolute beautiful treasure.

dd said...

You are awesome! I can't wait to receive my earrings and have everyone I know be jealous.

Your work is an inspiration to us all. I was so happy to send stuff out to you and to know it would be used so well.

cortneym said...

How much would you charge to make the earring you have measured next to the penny. Please let me know. You can reach me at cortneym@ctt.upenn.edu. Thank you.

Michelle York said...

Ditto to all the comments. They said it all already. And how you explain your creative process..fabulous. It's like being in your mind and sitting down and having a cup of tea! Don't stop.