Friday, September 25, 2015

Change it up Blog Hop


Wow! I was beginning to think I wasn’t ever going to get this finished! I couldn’t seem to get started, I kept getting interrupted or frustrated so it took days to make and then just as it was all finally starting to fall into place, my camera died. Right after taking a couple of the most gorgeous clear pictures it has taken in a very long time. Well, since it went for a swim in my coffee anyway.

The bright side is I discovered that little slot on the side of my laptop that looked like it might be the right size for a memory card, is in fact the right size for a memory card! It seems not all the photos saved but I did get the photos that had saved uploaded! Yay! 

Just in case you aren’t aware, here’s how this hop works. Brenda Sue of B’Sues Boutique has given us a choice of four items to play with.  These cuties:



MagPie Approved: Wind Dancer Studios / B'Sues Change it Up Blog Hop Choices
Change it Up Choices


Our job is to look at them from a different perspective. cut them up or use them in a different manner than you normally would. Keeping the months challenge theme in the B’Sue’s FB group in mind. Septembers challenge btw is Vintage.

I chose the cuff in the bottom right corner.  I don’t normally do cuffs, in fact the only cuff I’ve ever made was for the Build a Line Challenge in the beginning of the year.


MagPie Approved: Wind Dancer Studios Muchas Musings Cuff
My Cuff from Build a Line

 
First challenge, what the heck am I going to make with it? I’m actually ok with making a cuff with it because, I don’t usually make them so for me that is different but I can't just form it, that isn’t really out the box. I thought to myself, Oh I have a piece of Prehnite that would make a great focal, I’ll use that!

MagPie Approved: Wind Dancer Studios Prehnite
Prehnite Pendant


So I cut the filigree in half intending to create a focal with the Prehnite.

Challenge number two…….. the Prehnite is curved both front and back. The cuff would also be curved….. in the opposite direction. No matter how I worked it in my head there was too much air between the stone and the metal. So there I sat, with a cut up piece of filigree, a stone that won’t work and a piece of brass I had intended as a back plate. What to do what to do?


MagPie Approved: Wind Dancer Studios Prehnite Pendant Idea
Not going on the cuff, but Hey! This is a cute idea!


I’ll emboss it! But it needs to be annealed first and now the color is nowhere near as clear and bright as the filigree …….. ha fire for you too!

I’m now quite happy with my decision! Yay me!  I just need to attach everything. Rivets! I drill four holes and I just have four nail head rivets left.
oops dropped one, three left. Where on Earth did that rivet go? It was JUST in my hand! sigh Two rivets left. That isn’t going to work. I still had some balled copper rivets I made for my Dia Los Muertos necklace maybe I can make them work. Grabbed them up, flattened the heads and Tadaaa!! Worked great!

Until I realized I missed on the hole placement and the whole thing was too far over. I cut the rivets off except the one that wouldn’t come off the filigree. That one I had to redrill, through the rivet.

Flatten more rivets and finally we’re done! Woohoo! That’s when I remembered I bought a new packet of rivets from B’Sue when I bought the filigree for the hop…… face palm! I had a brand new pack just sitting there waiting for me all along.



This is my finished piece. I’ve never had one fight me so hard as this one has. Apparently the change it up for me wasn’t so much about the cuff as it was with having to continually come up with plan b, c, d, e, f lol 




I may play with it some more, add another rivet on either side and maybe a little embellishment but for now I’m happy with it. Both my son and my daughter like it and my hubs gave me the  "You made this?" seal of approval. And hey! I kinda like it too!

Please join me in thanking our Wonderful Hostess Brenda Sue and visiting the rest of the Hop participants.


List for Blog Hop September 25, 2015
Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Mary Deis
Jann Tague

Lori Beekman

Renee Hong

Cynthia Wainscott

Dana Hickey
Magpie Approved
You Are Here!!

Mary Beth Quigley-Spiker
Karen Eaton

Shari Gardner

Alison Huie

Pamela Anger

Carole Carlson

Cindy Peterson

Marcia Tuzzolino

Charlotte Smothers

Gillian Cunningham Wright

Catherine Shattuck

Clare Wells Nemeth

Erin Whitacre

Lynda O'Mara

Ginger Hammond
Lynn Leigh Designs

Ingrid Anderson
Deb Beechy
Harry Wood
Delyssa Maxwell

Paula Gaskill

Irene Hoffman
Alexandra Sefton
Leslie Carver


Thanks so much for stoppin by!
We'll see ya next time!





Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

51 comments:

  1. Cynthia WainscottSeptember 25, 2015 at 3:43 AM

    Genius! I love how clean the design is, and kudos for stepping out of your comfort zone, you did amazing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 9:20 AM

      Thank you Cynthia! I think this might be one of those times where less is more, and I'm good with that! :)

      Delete
  2. KJewelry.netSeptember 25, 2015 at 4:45 AM

    This is a gorgeous piece! I really like how you used the parts and, I like how you riveted it!! Love the color of it also!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 9:52 AM

      Thank you Karen! Torch and guilders paste make for a great patina combo!

      Delete
  3. Susan Bowerman, Woodside WireWorksSeptember 25, 2015 at 5:15 AM

    Beautiful piece! I too am acquainted with plans B,C,D,E, and F! Despite the creative detours, you nailed it. Don't you just love happy accidents?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:15 AM

      All I can say is thank goodness for plans b c d and e lol I've always said options are a good thing! Thank you so much Susan!

      Delete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2015 at 7:37 AM

    Lovely bracelet! Like how you cut it in half and then riveted it to the brass piece, unique! Ingrid

    ReplyDelete
  5. LoriSeptember 25, 2015 at 7:52 AM

    Awesome. I love how it turned out. I'm glad you pushed through. It's so frustrating when things don't go as planned, but I think you've got a winner there... =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 11:44 AM

      Thank you Lori! I'd have been crushed if it hadn't worked after taking as long as it did lol

      Delete
  6. BeetiqueSeptember 25, 2015 at 8:27 AM

    Great job on the finished piece!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Seahorse Ranch GirlSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:11 AM

    Now that was entertaining! I chuckled over the twists and turns this design took. You are a brilliant student of the Brenda philosophy to "go for it". You must be very happy with the cool cuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:32 PM

      Now that it's done with, I'm laughing too! Thank you so much for smiling with me!

      Delete
  8. B'sueSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:12 AM

    Clever girl! Showy but not over the top, I love this sort of jewelry and appreciate it so much because well...I always tend to super-embellish. It's a gift to be able to do pieces that are handsome and that let the original components shine. Beautifully done, so nicely thought out. Thank you Dana for jumping in with us on the hop and for a great new design to share!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:35 PM

      It's pretty easy to let them shine when they are so pretty to begin with! Thank you Brenda, it wouldn't have been possible without you!

      Delete
  9. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:37 AM

    Wow Dana, beautiful!! What an amazing way to transform this piece. Awesome job.

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 12:33 PM

    I'm happy you were able to come up with plans B, C, D, and E, and that you didn't give up. Its a gorgeous cuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:37 PM

      Me too! I was seriously starting to wonder for a bit. Thank you Shari!

      Delete
  11. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2015 at 12:59 PM

    I love the way you did you cuff .. great job .. amazing

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:28 PM

    It's a cuff well done! I enjoyed walking throught the steps of your creations with you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. WilyWolverineSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:45 PM

    Really enjoyed reading about your process! Very funny about dropping things and then having a new bag stashed! I love this cuff and the colors of the metal! Not everyone wants all the bling thing. This would go with a person's whole wardrobe. If you wanted to, it might be cool to put a separate thinner bracelet down the center so peeps could change up the look, but I don't know if it would stay put! :):)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 4:31 PM

      ohh that's a fun idea! I may have to think on that one and see if I can come up with something! Thanks Alexandra!

      Delete
  14. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2015 at 3:10 PM

    First, thank you for a great blog post! I so enjoyed reading about your journey, thru all the ups and downs, twists, turns and drops! You arrived at a wonderful place and your cuff design is delightful. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Marcia TuzzolinoSeptember 25, 2015 at 3:17 PM

    Dana, your piece is really gorgeous. Thanks for sharing ALL (lol) your plans with us in your creative process. Way to persevere!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 25, 2015 at 4:34 PM

      I'm always telling the kids we have a whole alphabet of plans and if we need more we have numbers and those go on to infinity :)
      It may not always be what it was you thought it was going to be, but we'll get there!
      Thanks Marcia!!

      Delete
  16. PamelaSeptember 25, 2015 at 4:24 PM

    It's a beautiful and classic looking design, Dana .... and I loved reading about your adventure making it! Sounds about like what happens here too. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  17. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 7:46 PM

    Love your cuff Dana, it is very different for you but very Danaesque at the same time. Nice to know you have the same makering problems that I do from time to time~! xXx <3 Ne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 26, 2015 at 6:15 AM

      LOL yup "Now what" filters into the rest of my life as well, just gotta keep going! I think I also have a magic portal in the floor somewhere, sucks small things away and only offers them up if I'm looking for something else lol

      Delete
  18. Lynda O'MaraSeptember 25, 2015 at 10:43 PM

    Dana--Wow, this really was a challenge for you. I'm glad you stayed with it because the end result is definitely worth it, plus you got some other ideas along the way. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 26, 2015 at 6:17 AM

      Thank you Lynda! I think I'm going to wrap the wreath around the prehnite and make a simple pendant, just too pretty not to!

      Delete
  19. UnknownSeptember 26, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    I love how it turned out, Dana! Sorry for all the bumps along the way, been there done that kind of stuff, too! Don't you just love it when a piece has a mind of it's own and turns out different from what you imagined, and fantastic! It looks very Renaissance or Medieval Festival style to me. I love what you did!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 27, 2015 at 6:45 PM

      Thank you Renee! Sometimes they aren't going to be anything but what they want to be lol It's really really nice when they turn out fantastic anyway!!

      Delete
  20. AnonymousSeptember 26, 2015 at 10:16 PM

    I hope this works today. I really love your cuff. Like the way you added the center.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousSeptember 26, 2015 at 10:17 PM

      this is Qsettings, it will not let me publish under wordpress

      Delete
    2. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 27, 2015 at 6:47 PM

      Thank you!! I think the internet has been giving lots of people issues the last few days. So glad you got it worked out!

      Delete
  21. Cindy PetersonSeptember 26, 2015 at 10:25 PM

    I really like this piece as you let everything shine and making the stoneshine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 27, 2015 at 6:49 PM

      Thank you Cindy! I actually played with the stone a little bit today, I really like the wreath wrapped around it.

      Delete
  22. Mulligan Stew JewelrySeptember 26, 2015 at 10:32 PM

    Simple. Beautiful. Clever. I like what you did with this piece!

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2015 at 7:46 PM

    This is a really pretty cuff. It fits with you line well but it is changed up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 29, 2015 at 11:28 AM

      Thank you Erin! It does fit in doesn't it?! Kind of nice, I think I'm finally settling into my style.

      Delete
  24. Gloria AllenSeptember 29, 2015 at 10:58 AM

    Luv the post, you took us through the bumps and curves so we know we are not alone in our trials. You succeeded and have a lovely cuff to show for it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WindDancerStudiosSeptember 29, 2015 at 11:32 AM

      Thank you Gloria! You are definitely not alone! I get just as flustered as anyone else when things don't go as I think they should. Luckily for us, we're creative and can turn them into design opportunities! even if it takes a few days to wrestle it into submission lol

      Delete
  25. GillOctober 1, 2015 at 8:03 PM

    I love your cuff, I bet it looks great on the wrist. Very cool design and well done for not letting it defeat you.
    Gillian

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)