Food gathering

The leaves are turning and falling down. The deer are coming into the garden and yard for
what's left of the garden cleanup and for some new turnip greens.

Pretty soon hunting season will open. I know hunting has a place in the country but I can't
understand the draw. My dad says the last time he went hunting he just lay down his gun as
the deer looked him in the eye before it ran off. It seems that right before the season opens
deer are friendly and not so shy. By the new year they're acting skittish and a little crazy to
get away from people. Can't blame them.

I know our local hunt club donates venison to the food bank. My husband's family hunts
and uses or donates all the meat they kill. Still, I get a spooky feeling of wanting to run
when I hear the gunshots out in the woods.

Flowers and etching

Happy to be on the other side of summer. Mom gave up her car so I'm taking her out more. It's good
to be with her at dr appts. She's now using a cane for more stability. Lots of changes.

Our small, rural post office is kept clean and nice by Sandy. Flowers are her love and she fills
the rooms with them. Once she sensed I was having a rough patch and brought in a special pot of
purple silk flowers for me. I'm there almost every morning so she starts my day in a kind way.
She asked if I'd make her a brooch when she found out I'm making jewelry again and here's what
I came up with.

Not sure who to credit the newsprint petals with. I've seen them in several Belle Armoire Jewelry
articles. I fired the copper into fimo center then resin'd the words on as well as the stamp. Sewn onto
a fabric flower I made.

Also, on days I can stay home, I've been fooling around with etching copper and brass. A workshop
with my friend, Vernie , got me interested in this way of 'drawing' on metal. I've used Rio Grande's
Etching Mordant (stock #118-108 for copper, brass, aluminum) with good results. It only seems to
stay strong with one etching session. (I had to pay a hazardous shipping fee to get it via UPS).I like using it as I can etch brass and copper at the same time.

The second photo is one of the second batch I etched. Left them in for 4 hours and still didn't
completely do the job. It was raining that day even though the batches were covered and I may have
contributed to the results. You use a sharpie or perm. stamp pad ink for the resist. I'll probably
etch this again in a fresh solution by going over design with a sharpie again. This worked on another faint result.


At Verni's we used PCB Etchant Solution from Radio Shack (can't be mailed) Store (stock # 276-1535). Be sure to take the stock # to Radio Shack as the young man who helped me couldn't
find it at first. It's about 10 bucks for a 16 oz bottle.

From what I hear, only brass can be etched with this PCB stuff but the results were far
superior to my other try. Maybe because we had the expert with us.

This is a nasty process so think it out before you try it. Mainly, know where to safely dispose of the
worn out solution (harmful to the earth), wear rubber gloves, have eye protection and plenty
of baking soda to stop the etching process.

Just got a BIG box from Rio Grande so will be off the radar and not answering the phone today.

Tree frog haiku

The other night I noticed a tiny, green tree frog on the window as I closed up the house. In the
morning I saw he'd left a poem.

 Beautiful calligraphy. Wonder what it means.

Little and big stuff

 I took a solitary break this week and played with metal, wire and my collection of little stories. I just
sit down and 'go away' for hours. Like reading a good book, the stories carry me somewhere else.

 Then get out some beads and play some more.

 This amazing rock with a hole was sent by my friends in Wales...and became my new talisman,
reminding me how much I want to visit them.

 Playing around with brass banding stock.

 And pendants.

 My evening sewing project. Gotta have something to hand sew at night, like a dog with a bone,
I guess.

 August 18 was our anniversary so we visited antiques/thrift stores in Williamsburg. Came home
on the ferry to the above view.

 Fifteen years, snap, went by in a flash. Still having fun.

My two sweet boys checking out a baby bird I found last week after a wind storm. Both
on tiptoes. Life is busy but very, very good.

Savor the Arts 2012

If you're near Newport News, VA, Sept 15 please
come to this event. You can learn more here at my friend, Verni's blog.

Beautiful work, chocolate, wine, life is good.

Around here...

 Staying inside out of the 100 plus degree heat.
I've been playing with metal, color, scratches and patina.

I'm loving the scritchy surfaces possible with layers and layers of color and darkness.

 I'm not so patiently waiting for some commercial patinas to arrive while I'm
noodling around with some online, home made patinas. My workroom has grown
stacks and piles of stuff in progress. Tiny paintings.

And the tomatoes sliced warm from the garden with fresh basil and buttered
sourdough toast.  Oh yes. Love my tomatoes.

New yard sightings...

Curious bird...distinctive beak...hope he found some shade.

And wait,

there's that elusive Curious Bearded Garden Hopper!

My dear husband.