Here we are! The "We're All Ears :: 5th Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge!"

I haven't participated in a challenge for some time now. Two separate jobs in the education field, in conjunction with my amazing family, has kept me busy! But here goes...

My table. I work in an old bedroom that was my daughter's. Still a bed and some other stuff in there, but mostly mine. I keep my table nice and tidy, for the most part, as I also do school work in there.

I looked at what was there to offer, and starting compiling.

So I grabbed the bead board and started arranging components I thought would go well together. The bottle cap was one of many that I eventually I transformed!

First up sold right away. Coral beads, turquoise drops by HappyFishThings, and little faceted soldered jade bits from CrowCacheSupplies.

Next up was a lovely pair made from dangles by ScorchedEarthonEtsy and poly clay beads by ShipWreckDandySupplies. 

Here we have a lovely facial expression pair made from the clay beads of FoxPaws, drops of faceted stones and  a little metal bead cap.

Bottle caps! Random shells, pearl and glass beads capped with metal.

More bottle caps adorned with faceted stones beads and poly clay beads by ShipWreckDandySupplies.

This was definitely a fun way to crank out some earrings. I made them swiftly, and with lots of enthusiasm. I hope you enjoyed and don't forget, darlicioushouse is where I reside on etsy. Come visit! xoxo

And enjoy the blog hop from earrings every day.

Cheers!

~New Decals

I found some time, as I awaited a needed document for my dossier, to return to torch enameling decals onto my recycled copper.

I had given up on the decals as over the winter the enameling was popping off when I slowly returned to the second firing of the piece. I was so upset and discouraged that I stopped trying.

But then, I realized it was thermal shock as my torching area is in an enclosed back porch with no heat, so even though the sun would warm it up some, it was just too cold despite the space heater.

Now that we have 90 degree heat, I decided to give it another go.

Woot! Success.

So I will be doing the decal dance again and selling them through my enameling shop. You can also find some finished pieces here as well.
xoxo

~50% off sale!

Hi everyone! Hope all is well. 

I am liquidating so it's all half-off in both of my shops until the 30th.  

darlicioushouse with funky/junky sundries of past and present or artisticrejuvenation with my torch enameled recycled copper pieces. 

Lovelovelove! Happy shopping!

~playing with recycled copper and enamels

i've been playing around with a new type of gas ~propane~ and throwing in all of the enamels. i like how it's going but such a departure from the bottle caps. no longer limited by shape. 

poly by shipwreckdandy, clay by donnaperlinplim here

i gave away all of my jewelers equipment years ago, so now i need to get a sawing block again as right now i just snipsnipsnip and pound. sawing could liven things up a bit. but i like the organic nature of the snips.

clay by happyfishthings here

today i play with drill bits and letting the light shine through.

bowie here

almost out of my enamel sample shipment from two years ago and would like some new colors not found in the sample kit. i'm really liking the look of layering over the white. i recently purchased etching solution and i've etched a pair. ~scream~ is etched. if i etch the lighter colors, i could get out my crayon and draw!

poly by shipwreckdandy up for grabs

sooo, i've got the powder, liquid and crayon to play with. such fun. who'd a thunk i'd love this but recycling is key. i must retain a recycled element to continue in the shows i love to participate in. i dig that i live near a junk yard where i can get my copper. scored a ton of flashing and wire. it'll keep me going for a long time!

clay by scorchedearthonetsy ~my don't pinch me pin for St. Patricks Day ~sold

i have two shows coming up soon. a festival in Albuquerque at La Parada Farm to Table called the Kenny Chavez Tenth Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival. and then Reuse-apalooza in Santa Fe. a carnival!

clay by scorchedearthonetsy here

i'd like to find some lovely summer shows, but golly, the prices are so high and i need a booth shot, so, i sketched up how i could gussy up the booth, went through all my cloths and display items then settled on white and black with turquoise tulle as a trim. then i can get that shot i need at one of the shows. hope it looks good! so much fun peeps!

leaf by pipnmolly here

i love that my husband supports me. he made weights for my canopy, a really nice one we scored at half price from a canopy shop. it has worked so well in the elements since we bought it years ago.

poly by shipwreckdandy up for grabs

he loads the vehicle, unloads it with me, helps me set up then it's off on an all day bike ride while i sellsellsell. winwin all around.

clay by donnaperlinplim here

in the end, it's about community and spirited fun. have a happy creative day all! xoxo

~grunge

skulls

~painting with enamels

~acupuncture

i've been doing acupuncture to help with the headaches. what a wonderful way to spend about 30 minutes, relaxing with needles protruding from all over the place! i'm loving it. we have a community acupuncture program where everyone reclines together in the same room and the doc just goes around the circle pinning and tweaking and then letting you be. very soothing for sure. it is a sliding scale so very affordable at $15 a visit.

brilliant orange love

i'm feeling so much better with this treatment and lots of rest that i've taken on a huge project (on top of my masters-glad i have another week off). i'm redoing all the photos in one of my etsy shops. i found them to be too dark and varied. so i'm brightening up the place with new photos and some consistency. so, almost all of my listings are hidden until they rise to the surface and see the light.

vegas

have a great day all!

mish mosh

~a new gig

it's spring break from my day job so i'm playing. got my bike tuned up and am ready to rock and roll! here's a magnet i made marrying two of my favorite things. a torch enameled beer bottle cap and a bike cog.

xoxo

~posts

a new design. post earrings! with ceramic drops by DonnaPerlinplim. yum! speckled purple. love.

~brooches and i love torching beer bottle caps!

crusty torch enameled beer bottle cap in greens with a petra ceramic drop

i am so digging the beer bottle cap torching with enamels. last night i thought maybe i could show the process as i've grown so much in my enthusiasm & abilities & knowledge. different glass powders & frits melt differently, torch can't be too high or too low, how long to hold the flame, getting flare glasses, which caps are easier to get the plastic off of (which means more beer of that sort), burning off the paint & sanding it before enameling...but i ain't got the time. but i just told you how! kim turned me on to thompson enamel samples & i figured out the rest from trial & error, watching lots of videos (saw the set up, bought the supplies) & reading tutorials. i already had a torch since i used to be a silversmith in another life. just needed mesh pads from the jewelry supply (i use the ones to go in a kiln), a third hand & a metal protective sheet for my bench. i use paper to catch & reuse the frit... 

i've only found one other person doing this so far. where is everyone? anywho, new stock & a new look to my booth is in order when the shows start. xoxo

torch enameled beer bottle cap with a black striped glass bead & ojos!

~finished jewels and components. yum.

~having fun enameling

made some earrings

a little at a time as i conquer the boards. 

xoxo

~bottle caps

bottle caps, petra and kim. reclaimed chains.