2016 UNFASTENED

Almost exactly one year since the last entry but really more like 16 months since any regularity. Safe to say that both the blog and the store were set aside for a period of time due to the juggling act of running a booth every weekend in the summer as well as for multiple holiday shows, while also raising a four-year-old and attempting to be creative while also promoting said creative work. And wouldn't you know it, Etsy sale pages and shop blog posts don't write themselves. 

But it's funny to me how I turned back to the blog at the exact same time this year as I did last year. Everything seems more apparently cyclical as the years go, and it feels more apparent because they are going by so much faster that the patterns are hard to miss. I make no activity resolutions but have high hopes and excitement and expectations for this year. 

This time two years ago, I had also just returned from a few weeks stay in Europe, as I have now returned from again this year, about nine days ago. One of my first projects I blogged about, Voyage - #3: the memorabilia, was a collage composed of tickets and receipts and pamphlets from that trip two years ago. That collage inspired me to save many similar items last month, but I may have saved too much for another collage and it was suggested to me that I could perhaps compose a book or album for the recent trip memorabilia. I think that it's a great idea and a chance to dip my feet into.... shhhhh... scrapbooking. 

I currently have so many ideas for new jewelry pieces that I am almost stuck not knowing where to start. So much inspiration was soaked up over the last month that I know it just takes clearing the work area, sitting down, eyeballing the materials of the day, and once again... just letting the ideas flow from brain to hands. Motivational analysis left at the door and ritual, organic movements embraced. 

When your almost-five-year-old son asks you why you haven't been making jewelry lately, it's time to pull your head out of your ass and get back to it.

Hope you are getting at yours as well. Cheers. 

SATURDAY MARKET

Defunct Decoup is going to be busy all summer long!

I now have a confirmed table at the Anchorage Saturday Market every Saturday and Sunday from May - September. Very excited for the opportunity to expand and looking forward to meeting many new people!

See you this summer!

REFLECTION

The last few months of 2014 were busy ones for myself and Defunct Decoup.

Many new pieces were completed for the holiday craft shows, my stock at Homecrafters Emporium, my shop with Etsy, and as gifts for friends and family.

Some of my most favorite pieces have been sold and parting with them was harder than expected. You always hope your creations are going to good homes.

Recently, I also applied for a position with Susan Lenart Kazmer's ICE Resin 2015 design team. Unfortunately, it apparently wasn't my time for that position, but the experience had made me realize the importance of submitting pieces for photographing and publishing within the jewelry and mixed media trade publications, as well as potentially branching out with some video tutorials. These are ideas I plan to pursue more this year.

This month brings two big changes.

Homecrafters Emporium will be closing their doors and this requires the removal of the remainder of my stock from their shelves. I hope to have a similar co-op retail setup soon within Anchorage or Eagle River that could allow local shoppers to physically purchase jewelry and art pieces from Defunct Decoup and will have information on that soon.

I am also in the process of relocating myself and in essence, my studio, out of the trailerhood and into a new home before a larger relocation to Seattle, Washington next winter.

It's an exciting time of transition but with all the hectic activity transitions can bring. I miss this blog and have not forgotten about it. I will update as I can but please join me on the Defunct Decoup Facebook page for more frequent updates.

Here's to a happy and productive 2015!

Infer - #127-130: the book necklace and bezel earrings

To-date, these may be my favorite pieces.  I feel like that really sums it up and there is a possibility that they may never see the shelves at Homecrafters Emporium or a trade show table at Dena'ina or an Etsy listing.

Very importantly, I have discovered the wonders of alcohol ink and intend to always have it in hand when working with metal pieces from now on.  The quick and easy transformation from bland craft store metal to badass multidimensional jewelry is almost instantaneous and there is so much room for design freedom.  I absolutely am in love with the stuff and pictures do not do the results justice.

So I had the bezels figured out for paper and resin earrings but I also wanted to try another new technique and make myself some book paper beads, as I read about in my absolute favorite jewelry book, Wild Jewelry.

I picked Stranger in a Strange Land because it was an old favorite and I didn't mind taking out a few pages for the cause.

Getting them all rolled and formed was a process but so worth it for the results, which I LOVE.  I am going to be rolling up everything into beads now.  I framed these with metal filigree cones and finished with a double ringed chain and matching set of earrings.

Multipass - #121-126: the eclectic bunch

The makings for these pieces basically came down to spreading out materials that I had been wanting to use and seeing what came together.  A variety of objects are used and that is how I prefer it.

First up is a necklace with bone and wood beads on the leather strand and faux bone pieces for the pendant.  The earrings are also bone and placed on fish hook clasps.

Next is another revision of one of my favorite necklace designs using a wire wrapped cork capped with rusty washers which were rusted by me using white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.  

(Also see: #42 and #46)  For this necklace, red ribbon was used to frame the cork pendant and the strand is a combination of plastic pearls and copper colored chain.

I wanted to make something besides just necklaces with my spread of materials, so I constructed a bracelet from a strip of craft store leather which had already been colored and texturized.  The clasp is made using an overalls clasp and some found clip art has been decoupaged.  The earrings were made from extra cutoffs of the main cuff and accented with overall clip buttons.

This last necklace is one I am fond of because it brings together such a variety of materials, is fun to talk about, and is an eye-catching statement necklace.  Here I started with a new and unused flap that is manufactured for toilet tanks and I painted it with a mixture of red, brown, and black acrylic paint.

I then glued in place a piece of moose antler, a vertebrae bone, and some vintage metal findings. Attached to the flap is also a strand of circular beads and a metal necklace chain.  I just really enjoy how this piece turned out.

Pela - #117-120: the seashell set

This was a fun set to put together, particularly because the bulk of it was inspired by items which were gifted to me for jewelry and craft purposes.  I love when people want to give me items to work with because often they will be things I may never have considered using before, which then leads to further inspiration and project ideas.  This also has implications when I make custom orders.

I received a box of a variety of shells and other lovely things and decided I need to make another sea inspired set since the last I had done so was for #79-80.  The pendant is two attached shells framed by wire-wrapped sea urchin backbones with attached bead charms which I put together that consist of wooden beads and cloth wrapped wire. The earrings feature the same elements and the ring has another attached shell.  For the bracelet, I attached a resin octopus pendant and more shells to a metal cuff.

Vatic - #115-116: the witchy set

For this set I continued the theme of the previous two necklaces by snipping shapes from a sheet of aluminum.  In this instance, it was a circle and two ovals, and I have to say that pulling on leather gloves and getting heavy metal snips in hand for cutting through metal sheeting like it's butter, is not without its aesthetic appeal. Or maybe I just enjoy working with hardware store stuff when it comes to making jewelry.

I chose some prints from a Halloween themed cardstock book for the decoupage and strung beads which were designed to appear to be bones.  Synthetic black feathers were secured to the back of the necklace pendant and each of the pieces was sanded and sealed.