A beginning: one of many

So, one of the things that I really want to do with this blog is have a forum for ideas.  Sometimes it will just be me posting them to remember.  Other times, hopefully often, you'll leave some feedback or ideas.  I can tell that this weekend is going to require some decompressing, so I wanted to share my latest project beginning.  It isn't unusual for me to begin to work on several projects and complete them as I am able.  This one began long ago and I have used the excuse that I haven't pinned down a venue for completing it.  In any case, the idea is a free hanging artistic piece.  Simple idea, right?  Well maybe.  So, I created these two half frames.  Each of them is the corner for such a piece.  In one I will place a spiral based on the golden ratio and worked in copper.  In the other, I am planning to put a calla lily or a rose along with some other vegetation.  Either long and gently twisting or curly and vine-like.  If you think you know which of these should be which, drop me a line.  Also, other ideas or requests for where I could go with this would be great. 

Variation on a theme

There are more of these coming.  They're fantastically popular and very simple in design (not quite as simple in execution, but a lot of fun anyway).  Perfect for garden themes, like windows looking out onto your vegetables, terrariums, and paperweights for malacologists.  Whatever.  I love these snails and it is awesome that I can now make them in a series that looks like they are stretching out of their shells.  Just like the real critter.

Hot

And going for a whole new genre of accoutrements...armbands.  Hot off the forge and on you...or something like that.  I could make a line of really lame "hot" jokes.  I'll refrain for the moment.  Don't get me started.

Prototyping - authentic kabob skewers #1

A friend asked me to see what I could do to make some kabob skewers and described the authentic way to make them.  They are supposed to come in 1/8" for meat chunks, 3/8" for meat strips and 1" for ground meat.  So, I'm sharing with you my first attempt.  Let me know what you think...even if you aren't the one who requested them!  This was my inspiration for the style. 


For anyone interested, options include:

•  closing the ring at the handle,
• squaring the handle itself
• complex twists, including an "impossible" twist
• wrapping in leather or adding a leather hanger
• adding wood slats to the handle