Cozy Cowl in Progress

As the weather turns colder we all start reaching for something that will provide a little extra warmth. Neck cowls are a fantastic trend and I'm trying my hand at one that will be sure to stand out. The one on my loom right now is a sort of a woven interpretation of a Black and Tan. And if you have too many of them, things do indeed start swirling, much like the pattern. Or so I'm told.

I'm hoping to have this off the loom and up for sale by this Sunday, when I will be doing Artist Row at the Rochester Public Market. Rain or shine, I'll be there. Really, really hoping for no rain, and for temperatures at least in the 60's. If not , I'll be modeling a scarf, cowl, and wrist warmers simultaneaously!

Stephanie Lee Homesteader's Metalsmithing Class

If you're looking  for a little kickstart to your creativity, I do recommend taking a class with Stephanie Lee. I'm just finishing up on online class, Homesteader's Metalsmithing.  I've really enjoyed it. Sometimes in classes there is more "down time" than I would prefer even with the best of instructors. In this format, I can do what I want, when I want, which suits my personality (and limted time) quite well.  Another plus to this class was that  most of the material was brand new to me, so I feel it was time well spent, for sure.

I had heard of some of the techniques covered, but never tried them. Taking this class was one way to give myself  "permission" to purchase the supplies I need to try new techniques, and to devote precious minutes to experimentation and making things that won't necessarily end up for sale. This class has inspired me to make sure I set aside the time to engage in creative play and artistic exploration.

Here's a picture of an experimental piece I made. It was intended as a way to use my bottlecap magnets as pendants. The magnet it removable so it can be changed out to match an outfit or a mood. The concept works but the execution needs some fine tuning since it's much clunkier than I prefer. Still, it was something I would not have thought of without taking this class so I call it a win even though it's not the most elegant piece I ever made.