Queen of the Woods necklace construction sequence.

 These are the basic components for a new necklace I created this week. The metal parts come from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/
and the head is from my shop at Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/listing/203394408/excavated-antique-porcelain-german-doll?ref=shop_home_active_13  I have hundreds available in almost every style from 1850-1910 in age. This head is from 1850-60 and is soft porcelain.

 In the first operation I formed the back a bit to accept the head using a dapping block and punch.

 Next I notched the side rails to allow the head to fit back into the frame.

 Here it is partially fitted and the bottom edge of the doll is smoothed with sandpaper to clean up the line along the edge.

 The metal needed annealing with a torch to soften the metal for bending around the front piece.

 It is also fitted to match the groove around the head and the overlapping is crimped with pliers. I wanted a clean look with a bit more elegance to the top so this next addition gives that and a place to hide the chain connection.

 Fitted under the back and behind the front with a little glue and a rivet it will be strong and give that extra interest to the top.

 The rivet has been set and rings added to hold the necklace.

Side stations in vintage glass flowers and twisted pearls were added for a bit of interest.

 The chain is attached and one of my signature tags is added.

And here she is the Queen of the Woods. I hope you enjoy seeing my methods and materials. You can create this type of necklace so easily. And should you want to buy the original it is listed in my shop on Etsy.

Some musing and projects from summer to share with you.

 It's been a good summer. Busy with all kinds of projects and gathering both new and vintage materials. Also a lot of ceramic work in handmade and molded items.  These filigree pieces were sold to me as Miriam Haskell components. Certainly vintage what ever the origin. I acquired a large lot of fine findings all from the 1940-1970 vintage. They are more delicate and filled with lovely details. The aged patina on these is a coppery gold and to make them into something new I simply added bronze ear wires.

 This transforms them into earrings and doesn't alter the original permanently. If a buyer were to buy these and toss the hooks and say make a bracelet, well that would be fine. That is the beauty of making simple things that can appeal on one level as jewelry but be available to become in some other person's hands something else.

 These are a few of my ceramic pieces from the recent past. I have fired and sold all but the Mother Nature piece. I am still trying to decide on what colors to use and whether to make a realistic or wild colored piece.She wont be a one only but part of a small series of doll adaptations with animals and cherubs. The doll is from an antique mold from around 1890. The birds are from a 1962 mold and remind me of Disney birds from cartoons.

 I featured two of them in these earrings. The nests are commercial wire beads in steel. The birds are glued to the nest with E-6000 and wired to steel hooks.

 This is a project from a group that promotes Bsueboutiques.com Conceived on a Wednesday and finished by Friday. It has several layers of filigrees with the head pins sandwiched in between the layers. Color was added with Adirondack Inks and Lumiere paints. The skull is my handmade addition to the commercial components.

This is another piece labeled as Haskell. I know its well made and will be worked into a necklace soon. The old finish has acquired some dark patina in spots and that will have to be modified before I can add color to this leaf and flower.  As we move on into fall I will have some more seasonal pieces from my imagination to share with you.