What's in a Name?

Sometimes I am at a loss for words.  What can I name this piece that seems to speak to me so loudly.  Then at other times, the name comes before the piece is even designed.  The kingman turquoise stones pictured in these rings, I've had in my collection for about a year.  They kept calling out to me.  I'm of Osage heritage so all things Native American calls to the very depths of my being.  Turquoise stones speak the loudest, and these stones with their green and brown pattern speaks about the land and the valleys of my people.  My Osage ancestors came from the Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas area and were moved to the Osage reservation in Oklahoma in the 1870's. 

Osage Prairie

I made these rings in honor of my Osage grandmother (pictured as a baby in first photo) who instilled a passion within me for my heritage when I was young.  The band on both rings are textured with switchgrass from the Kansas prairie which I thought fitting for the stones. 

Land of My People

The piece, Osage Prairie, will be sent off to The Willa Cather Foundation gift shop in Red Cloud, Nebraska this month.  And the ring, Land of My People, will be listed in my shop soon.

So...HA.KO^ WA.VCY^.LA TA^.VE, translated:  What's on your mind?

UPDATE:  My Osage grandmother died just today on May 5th, 2013.  May she see the face of Jesus and all our ancestors that have gone before her.  Love you, grandma.

GD Logo...A New Identity

As I've grown as an artist and have settled in on a style, I felt the need to come up with a logo that reflects that change.  I'm getting away from the Kit and Caboodle Shop name and slowly moving toward using my own name, thus, the use of my initials, GD, as a logo.  Since I'm most inspired by nature, and plants specifically, the logo had to have a nature or plant theme.  The above logo is what I came up with.  I use a form of this on the backs of some my jewelry pieces now and will be looking into using this on all of my pieces in the future.  It is all part of my journey in establishing my identity as an artist.  No more identity crisis. :)

Making Nature Molds

Now that the warmer weather is enticing new growth on the Kansas prairie, I'm excited to be outside looking for new textures and grasses to use in my jewelry designs.  I've purchased my favorite molding compounds and am ready for whatever I may find to make a good mold.  I have found that some flowers and grasses do well for mold making because they are more rigid than those that are more delicate.  Also it depends on the molding compound I use.  My Silicone Puttydoes better than the Model Air Dry Modeling Clayin making molds of delicate objects.  For more information and a tutorial in how I make my molds click here.

How has the change in weather inspired you?

New Work for Spring

I can always tell when spring is about to...spring forth. I get all motivated to walk outside looking for new growth, buds, and hints of color. I also leave my housework behind and get creative. The following are a few things that I've created this past week. Some are listed in my shop, some are waiting for me to get motivated to list them in my shop.

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Sweet Yellow Clover Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet

Little Hearts on the Prairie, Western Yarrow in White Bronze on Sterling Ear Wires

Copper Foldformed Redbud Leaf Earrings on Sterling Silver Ear Wires

Combination Rose and Leaf Rings in Sterling Silver

Hope the warmer weather is stirring your creative energy...let me know what you've been creating.

New Prairie Grass Jewelry Pieces in Sterling Silver

Just finished a few of my Kansas prairie grass jewelry pieces in sterling silver.  I have ventured into rings and cuff bracelets now.   These designs are displayed at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, KS.  For those here from Creative Every Day, this is my black and white theme for March!

The above cuff bracelet is textured with asters from December.  They have lost their petals and cast their seeds to the surrounding prairie ground, but still beautiful and full of purpose.   Life at any age is full of purpose.

This is one that I have listed in my etsy shop, Kit and Caboodle.  I think that I'm ready for spring!

If you would like to see the grasses of the prairie that I've used in these designs, visit my page here and take a walk through the prairie...