Stuff stuffy stuff....

 So here's the Roman glass I soldered simple jump ring links to. It's actually over-the-top iridescent, super high-grade stuff.

 To it I added a locket Patroness gave me ages ago which I'd opened and faux mercury glassed on the inside.

 One of Patroness' rainbow titanium crystals and more Roman glass as the sub-focal and some utee pins around the teardrop frame.

Here you can sort of see the mercury effect. When I did that of course I lost the top swivel closure thing so I soldered one of those as well.

Which reminds me! Betsi Goutal asked, "Do you have any particular mental process for squashing the I-might-ruin-it mentality? How do you talk yourself through that roadblock, or do you just not think that way anymore?"

I was thinking about this for the last couple days because really, it never even occurs to me anymore. I guess when I started, every time I altered something with hammering and oxidizing it looked soooooo much better that -- let me rewind and say when I started and for a very long time, I only ever used the cheapest of supplies. So off the bat I never worried about ruining something precious, even though in a way they were all precious to me. But from admiring Keith Lo Bue's work and my own musings, I decided that older looking was always better. After seeing the improvement oxing and altering makes, and seeing this over a thousand times, it's impossible to think in terms of not ruining things. Even when I have ruined things, I shrug and get over it. Plus so often the fix adds another layer, like in the case of the missing clasp link swivel.... connector... what do you call that thing?

My love I give my heart to you. Here's a pair of charms that I didn't alter at all. They're plated and wouldn't ox to save a life. But you know what? I love them!

 A very mis-matched pair chock full of special bits and details. One is a tea seeper top thing from SacredCake and the other is a something from somewhere.  See I was about to say Uruguay but I just realized it's in English. Though I have found English things there... I'm not sure.

 It just appeared on my floor, basically.

Moose teeth! These were a gift from... Pam? idk, appeared on my floor also I guess. So I have actual kidney wires here which is unusual for me. But since the kidney wire is small and the leather rings sort of call for something to scoop them up, I thought they worked. Leafing, Utee pins, leather, yeah.

Speaking of wire- I went and bought a reel of full-hard sterling for ear wires. Cuz yeah. But not for other wire needs. That I cannot see myself doing. I don't know why I just can't.

Here's what I did with the 4ophelia cabs! Using steel re-enforced epoxy and wonky wire prongs I mounted them on to some lovely tin SacredCake sent (yes, Jennifer, I finally got around to cutting it up! It's the thickest tin ever and gashed my thumb open and I love it.)I lurrrv them!

So I had three of these odd babies:

Then a lovely repeat customer sent me a buncha stuff to use in pieces for her  and there was another one of those very same bits! So I did some cutting and sanding and drilling. They release the craziest soapy pine smell when you do this, it goes right to my head. Then some rhinestoneing with just superglue. Dude. If you wanna mess with microscopic rhinestones, please do yourself the favor of getting you one of those sticky pencils made for the purpose. 

Interestingly I found that smaller rhinestones work best in a space that you can go either way with. Also, Swarovskis (which I always call Bla-blauskis in my head for some reason) actually work against the antique look. As you can see, here and below I'm rocking the lovely polypods.

Here's an odd pair. They are tart tins which arrived independently from opposite ends of the earth to meet on my floor. I colored one with perfect pearls and one with gilder's and mounted them on that same thick tin I mentioned. And polypods! And Hebron glass, lucites, African sand cast heishi. The only thing with any weight is the Hebrons so this is actually light. But a bit weird. It'll take a real tribal priestess to pull these off.

Speaking of light and pull-off-able.... ok so the other day I did something I never do. I bought earrings. Like, finished earrings from fellow artist Pipnmolly because I just couldn't stand that these were being sold for only $37. So when they arrived... I actually gasped. They were so much... daintier than I expected, I don't know why.

Is it the size? The lightness?

 I don't know but they're light as anything, simple but each little bit brings such impact. I don't know how to explain how much I am in awe of them. The price she's charging is a crime against humanity.

 While I was at it I said what they hey I'll grab a pair of these and use them as parts of pendants. OK... again, I cannot express their loveliness and perfection. Just two elements, but goddamn. I have to remember to get them out of the studio so I can wear them all day every day. I can't even think of cannibalizing them. The pictures can't begin to do them justice. I tried. It's just... I don't know. But the size and lightness also means they're much more wearable than some of my over-the-top wackies.

 Aaand then I also tossed this one in my basket too. Dood. It's so perfectly substantial, sculptural and unlike anything. Ugh, it hurts my stomach its so good. I mean, sure, I'm still me and I will have to take my oxidizer to it....
She also tossed in some...

Quills and mob shanks.

An assortment of teeth and a little ... bucket? A bunch of green drop stones you can't really see.

The owl and flower bead are my faves. Some of these stick stones already got incorporated into the earrings with the 4ophelia cabs above.

Glorious big fat Czech buttons.

Micro beads and green wired drops and druzy. I just can't thank you enough Pip. You left me speechless.