Abandoning Art

Sterling silver necklace with opal and peridot beads

My newest Art Abandonment piece in copper and various gemstone beads

I took a bit of a break from leather work to get a couple of jewelry projects finished.  I wanted to play with some opal beads I had and ended up with a pretty fun necklace with them and some beautiful teeny tiny peridot beads too.  I like it!  So much so that I am keeping this one.  I do plan to make a few more though.  I have some already cut out in copper and will be using a bunch of different gemstone beads as accents with those as well. 

The copper piece is a pendant that I made specifically for the Humboldt Art Abandonment Project here in Humboldt County,  California.  I hadn't made anything in a very long time and really wanted to do something special.  So I found this neat little copper piece that I had cut out many, many years ago and couldn't figure out what to do with.  I added some purty beads and made a necklace out of it(beaded with a copper chain)  So today, on our hike up to Redwood Park, here in Arcata, I will be "abandoning"  this piece for some lovely soul to find and enjoy. 

Other than that, we are plugging along.  There is nothing super exciting going on, just keeping our adventures close to home, and enjoying the outdoors.  I don't get a lot of time to work on anything but I am thankful for the patience of my kids when I need to buckle down and get stuff done.  They've been awesome that way.  So we're off to eat lunch and then off to the park to abandon some art and play!

Gotta Get In My Last Post of 2008

I don't have much to say today. Mostly because my caffeine hasn't kicked in yet. I just want to wish everybody a Happy New Year and hope your New Year's Eve is super fun and super safe. Mine will be spent looking after the big sick guy and the little sick guy with sniffles. Should be a blast. All of you crazy Arcatans, have a great time hanging out on the plaza, climbing the McKinley statue, maybe next year I will join you:)

We are stuck inside again. I have made my peace with it but my son has not. He has been wandering around for the last twenty minutes saying " Oh No!" in a teary, whiny sort of way. I feel bad for the little guy. He needs to get out to play. I guess it will have to be this evening on account of we are waiting for Grandma to come by for a few minutes, but we are not sure what time she is coming. We did get to go downtown for an adventure at the post office and the art store, and then to the school down the street to vote. Ciaran liked voting. While I voted, Ciaran flirted with anyone and everyone he could make eye contact. He even went so far as to throw his sippy and a stuffed alligator at a couple of voters that were not paying attention to his flirting. I am sure they appreciated that. So today the party is over. Ciaran can only flirt with me and the cats for so long before he loses interest. We are not all that exciting, especially after being locked inside a cramped apartment for days on end. All I can do is reassure the poor little guy that we will eventually get out again and he can resume his flirting with all of Arcata.

So....The Fair

So, Ciaran and I went to the fair after his nap yesterday. I had to get another sheet of copper for a mask I am finishing and grab something for dinner so we did all that first and then cruised the fair. I guess the end of the fair is not the time to go. We saw lots of beautiful things, lots of tired vendors, and lots of sun burnt, hungover fair goers. It was pretty giggle worthy. I remember when I was teaching a few years back, Mark and I would go and hang out on the grass, drink beer, and listen to music. I was always super paranoid that one of the kids or their families would see me there and scrutinize me. So I usually took it pretty easy and had maybe one beer, followed by a cup of coffee and definitely some food, so I could keep my composure while I was there. Now I wonder why I ever bothered.......the entire town of Arcata is there and drinking up a storm. Lots o' tipsy persons wandering around. Truly giggle worthy indeed! Funny, Funny stuff, and no puke this year, usually I end up walking behind someone that has had too much sun, fun, and alcohol, and loses it all over his or her feet and everyone else near them.

Other than that I got my mask just about put together. Now comes the hammering fun! I love the hammering part but the family does not! Mark gets grumpy, the cats scramble and hide, and Ciaran runs laps around the couch shrieking at the top of his lungs. Someday, I will have my very own studio, and none of them are invited on hammering day!