Peacock's Pride

Peacock's Pride is another example off quilling with silver paper. 29 strips of silver paper were quilled and shaped as teardrops with blue gemstones set in the center of each. The peacock's body was shaped from a piece of silver clay with 2 white gemstones set for eyes. All pieces were then attached to .999% pure sheet silver. With just a little imagination I believe the possibilites are unlimited with what you can do.

Cameo

Working with silver paper can be great fun. This cameo was my first experience using silver paper. By cutting strips or squares you can achieve effects similar to those found in paper quilling. Tips: Since silver paper disintegrates with moisture you want to use the smallest amount of paste needed to attach the open ends. Once you have applied paste to silver paper, set it onto the firebrick to dry and do not handle it again. I found that if I fire my my quilled pieces seperately from the piece that I'm attaching it to I have better luck. I torch fire the quilled pieces on fire brick. Hold the torch back as you begin heating your pieces and slowly lower it closer to the pieces as they heat. Too much heat too fast causes the quilled pieces to spring open. I then attach the quilled pieces with oil paste and refire the entire piece when everything is in place. This also allows you to get a better finish on the background piece than you would if you attached the quilled pieces before firing.

What is Art Clay Silver

Art Clay Silver is made of tiny micron sized silver particles mixed with an organic binder and water. When fired the organic binder dissipates leaving .999% pure silver. This pliable clay can be rolled, pressed into molds and shaped. Rubber stamps and natural objects such as leaves can be used to add texture when the clay is moist. When metal clay is in its dry stage, it can be carved and sanded to add detail or to obtain a smooth surface. When fired, metal clay can then be hand polished to obtain a mirror finish, polished with a burnisher or in a tumbler. Color can be added to the finished piece by enameling or by using liver of sulfur to obtain subtle shades of color. The wonderful thing about metal clay is that you have the ability to design and make a piece of jewelry in one day and wear it the same evening. What a great and exciting way to express yourself while at the same time displaying a unique piece of art and creating an heirloom

I'll Remember

I’ll remember

I remember the day when they said that they knew,
That you would be born with something askew.
Your heart was not right and everyone knew
Any days we had would be precious and few.
I cried for awhile and then wiped my eyes
With great grandmas hanky I was saving with pride.
A miracle happened when you suddenly arrived
Beating all odds, you fought to survive.
Your cheeks are so rosy that no one would know
How sick you still are as you run and grow
Every day that you’re with us is wonderful indeed
As you surpass all odds and grow like a weed.
My love grows stronger and my faith remains true
How much time is left we wish we knew.
As each year passes, know in your heart
I’ll remember you as I design each and every “broken-heart”

© by Colleen Lee 2007

What a Wonderful Feeling

What a wonderful feeling to realize that no matter what your age, you are never too old to do all those things that you always wanted to do and never had the time to do or never allowed yourself the time to do them. I have always loved art and tried painting, drawing and various crafts off and on through the years. I never thought that I was actually good enough to do anything with my art because at the age of 21, someone told me that I would never be an artist because I didn’t have a college degree. And I believed them! For the most part I set everything aside to raise a family and work in my husband’s construction business. I took it for granted that I would always have time to be creative later. But as you know, months turned to years. Two years ago I was browsing in a bookstore and found a bookmark that said “You are never too old to be what you might have been”. Something clicked! I got it! I am NOT too old to be what I might have been. I realized that God gave me a wonderful gift, a talent. It has become my goal to use this gift and give part of it back to God to help others. Three years ago our granddaughter, Annastesia Hope, was born with heart defects. I decided to design a line of jewelry called “Anna’s Broken-Heart” Each year I will make a piece of jewelry to honor Anna's struggle and the struggle of all children born with "broken-hearts". 100% of the proceeds from this line of jewelry will go to the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital in California and one in Israel. With each piece I will inclued a poem along with a description of the piece.