*FAIL*

 At some point, it is o.k. to give up.  My point was about an hour ago.  I had plans to add some vintage rhinestones and a small skeleton key.  When I picked up the piece, my finger landed in the still-squishy-after-ten-hours resin.  That's just not right.  So, my intel on pouring Ice Resin over the top of incorrectly mixed resin was not accurate.  Unless... it is possible that this whole fiasco has a chemical explanation.

The texture I was going for was "rusty."  I was turned on to these cool products by Modern Masters here: http://katalinajewelry.blogspot.com/2012/07/an-experiment-in-rust.html?showComment=1348075963991#c8839654030760877309  I have painted up a variety of items with this two-step process.  Works like a charm!  This was the first time I have ever tried to add resin to the mix.  Later, I might test this hypothesis, but I've spent too much time on this project for now.  Grrrrr.

And my iPhone pictures are blurry.  (I can't find my real camera.)
And I didn't notice my graphics issue (Black text on top of my red text) until I had already uploaded the picture.

Finally, I said I would talk about my hospitality theme.  Since the necklace is a forfeit, I'll tell you that God has put the practice of hospitality on my heart.  It is not my strong suit.  I get to be a nervous wreck preparing for guests.  The cleaning overwhelms me.  So much can go wrong with the food.  My house is so little.  And so on.  Before we moved, though, we were shown such rich hospitality by a number of people and I heard God's voice.  Kris, it may not be your gifting, but you can still be a blessing.  When the mother-of-pearl pineapple turned up in a lot of vintage jewelry I purchased, I thought it would make a lovely statement!  This locket was to flesh out the idea...music, good food, comfort, a favorite Mexican saying (my house is your house.)  At the end of it all, I am satisfied that the idea was wonderful and the execution was pitiful.  But, there's another saying in Spanish for that...que sera, sera.

Alchemy of Objects-Weekly Challenge 3 (texture)

Some challenges are, let's say, more "challenging" than others.  Integrating rich texture into a jewelry design is turning out to be very difficult.

For one thing, I am straying from the "grungy romantic" style that is the norm in our class.  It has been the norm because our teacher, Deryn Boyd Mentock, does it sooooo beautifully.  If the others are like me, attempted imitation has been our form of flattery.  Also, it makes sense to try the techniques she teaches on components similar to the ones she employs.

 

For another, I hate Ice Resin.  O.K., I love-hate Ice Resin.  My bright design idea was to create a locket-type focal from a mini Altoids tin.  Inside the tin, I knew I would use the jewelry resin to affix components and highlight them.  Oh, are there a lot of pitfalls in using resin!  Usually, I fight the tiny bubbles.  I was armed with toothpicks and a flame.  So, instead of bubbles, this time I don't mix the parts in the correct proportions and my resin doesn't set up.  Fortunately, if you pour (or even brush) additional resin on your project, it is enough if the top layer has cured correctly.  Crisis averted.  In the meantime, though, I leave fingerprints, let resin drip from the holes I punched for the wire wraps, miss sealing the edges of my vintage papers, etc.  The frustration is only quieted when you achieve some fabulous, shiny miracle.  And that happens just often enough to keep you reaching!


Since I'm not ready to photograph my efforts, I thought I would show you some inspiration and clip art that I'm using in my piece.  My theme is "hospitality," but I'll elaborate on that with the finished product.  I found this farmhouse clipart at www.karenswhimsy.com.  I like the color values and the fact that it reminds me of time spent on my grandparents' farm.  Next time I post, I'll introduce you to my "junky country" style.