This is the Blog

daydreamer worn profile, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

Most of my masks are made from different patterns, modified for that particular idea, bird, or shape. I don’t really start from scratch for each one, though- fitting the pattern to the face takes hours, and as the masks are intended to fit people, not just a person, the paper model would need to be checked on several people, and this all adds up to making the masks cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

Every mask I’ve made in the past six years has been based off the same base pattern. It’s been modified to cover less face, more face, have a longer nose or horns or whatnot, but there’s always been the same basic pattern deep down there somewhere. Last week, I made a new base pattern. This is tremendously exciting, very big news. The arms of the mask now extend farther, allowing the mask to disapear into the hairline, giving a more seamless look between mask and wearer. The nose now allows more room, too- over the holidays it came to my attention that there were some folks whom the old design just didn’t fit properly. You don’t need to have a large nose to fit the new pattern- it does not rest on the nose- but if you have a larger nose, you’ll be fine. When I made the initial base pattern, I tested it mostly on women- this change will allow the masks to more universally fit men.

The fit around the eyes has not changed, nor the comfortable way the masks hug the face. They’re still fit off the skull, and will still fit anyone they once did- now they’ll just fit everybody else, too.

stone and bezel, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

Bezel setting rough stones is fun! It took a little while to get used to the idea that it really is necessary to trace the stone out, flat, on a piece of paper and make an actual pattern for the bezel, but you can see how much the height varies, here. This pattern really looks like mountains to me, and I love it for that- even though it will no longer look like mountains once it is wrapped around the stone- in this case, an opal. Once I have the pattern made, I saw it out of a bit of thin silver, and then start bending and shaping it around the stone, keeping it as close as I possibly can without pinching anything. Once it’s perfect, I decide on the orientation on the hand, and then trace out the bezel, properly aligned, onto a thicker silver that will be the bas and ring shank. Then we start soldering!

willow 3, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

I was actually aiming for something else- something based on a photo from this months’ National Geo. Turned out that the 18 gauge metal was just to thick to get what I was looking for, at the scale of a ring. The photo was of a microscopic bit of willow pollen- stuck in the fibers of some other plant, having failed in it’s mission. I’ll try again with thinner metal to get the piece in my head, but I simply love the way she DID turn out.

She’s folded three times- twice on one side, and once on the other. Unfolding it was really quite difficult- the scale is so much more difficult to work than cuffs. I imagine I’ll get used to it, and I plan to.

carrying home a pie on a bike, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

I’m not generally one to post injury pictures- or photos of my thigh, but this one was too good.

Last week I did a seven day market, and there was a produce guy, who had pies. I was kinda down, and he gave me an extra special deal on my very favorite thing- a blackberry pie!! Yay! Obviously, it had to be brought home, but I was on my fixie- no basket, no racks, front bars are not flat, and riding position too leaned over to put the thing in the bag. SO I rode home, not far, about 5 miles, with this pie under my left arm. Made it the whole way to my street with no incident, and then hit a pothole that I’ve known was there for months, and went over headfirst. I landed (pie right side up, you’ll be glad to hear) with my left leg folded through the triangle of the frame, and my bag twisted around the seat. It took longer to get myself untangled then it ought to have, but it’s not a busy street, and this is the worst of it. I’ll need to replace my break lever, but the bike is uninjured, as it landed mostly on top of me. I’m really glad he’s light.

fur worn looking, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

Ok, I WIN!. Three of the little guys sold this weekend- this little dude and Fox both at a fair, and featherbeak online. That means four out of five are gone- and that it is time to make more. There is, of course, a complication with that; time is short. I have today and tomrrow in the studio, and we’re leaving tomorrow evening for Philly for thanskgiving. We’ll be back just in time for the downtown crossing holiday market which lasts from Saturday till the following Friday, and then I have, somehow two small fairs on Saturday, and two fairly major fairs on Sunday, one of which in the Bust Craftacular in Brooklyn. When I am supposed to make anything at all?!.

We’re finally gonna put the house on the market! Whee!

Now, this blog doesn’t normally go to deep into my head and emotions, but, in short, I’ve hated this house since we moved in four years ago. Somerville is a lovely little city, but it’s not for me, and, well, neither is Boston, or even Cambridge. I’m not a city girl, and i like to have some room to spread out- or at least a nice woods nearby to take a walk in.  My neighbors are awesome folks, and I will miss them when we go, but this is the biggest, best piece of news I’ve had in a very long time. I can’t wait! We’ll be able to go somewhere else! Maybe I’ll be able to have a studio above ground! I’d love to have the computer right in the studio with me, though it might turn out to be too much of a distraction, even if there was room.

So now I’m painting the front hall. The timing on this decision couldn’t have been worse- holiday season is fast approaching, and I’m not as far ahead as I had hoped to be. I need to finish fixing up the displays in time for this weekend, and I’d really like to make more earrings. We’re down to under 40 pairs, and we’re supposed to be splitting all the stock in half to go to two separate fairs this weekend. More bracelets wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. I think we’re good on neckpieces, masks, and pendants, for now, at any rate.

a small distant world detail, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

So, about a month ago, my father gave me some money for silver- I was able purchase enough at one time to get a 12 inch length, and make my first ever silver neckpiece. I bought fine silver rather then sterling, and the forging is going SO much more easily, and no firescale! Wonder of wonder. So far I’ve made this piece and two silver bracelets, all with copper counterparts made right before as sketches. The sketches for the two bracelets are already sold, but the pricier silver always takes longer to sell. They sure to get attention, though! Working with the fine silver has been interesting- it mostly keeps it’s shine throughout the process, and while I am pickling, it almost seems unnecessary. The flux did need to be removed after soldering, but other then that, I’m wondering if I could skip all the intermediate pickles. Maybe I’ll try it with a future bracelet. For now though, back to copper- I’ve got to get some stuff out this week.

dandelion fluff worn, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

My experiment worked! The five “affordable” masks came with me to the Artist’s and Fleas Market in Brooklyn over the weekend. The market was slow ( why is it that every time I do a weekly market, “this is the worst week we have EVER had!”?) For the entire two days I sold one pendant, three bracelets, and Dandelion Fluff. To me, that means that the masks can sell. Now, it was Halloween, which, obviously helped, but I’m feeling good. She Sold for eighty bucks, and, I think the women who bought her would not have minded paying ninety. One mask obviously does not pin down how much I can get for these, but- One mask sold within three days of finishing them is a good sign.

Ok. So we went down to NYC over the weekend, and, being there and all, went over to the parade. Now, I’m no city girl, andI may not be as impressed by boobs as the target demographic, but I’ve got to say- I was disappointed. There was less cool stuff then at the New Year’s Parade in Boston, a whole LOT more uninteresting stuff, and the crowds were ridiculous enough that I was standing on top of a fire hydrant to see. In heels. With Ghost on. I’m told that the appeal of the NYC Halloween parade is seeing how everyone else is dressed, and there were some good ones. I lot of Marios, with their entourages of mushrooms, stars, flowers that come out of pipes, etc. Many Alices ( all dressed as stripper alice? Maybe this is common). And OVER 15 BANANAS. The ONLY thing I could think of is that animation with “I am a Banana!” but that’s been around for at least seven years, and I can’t imagine why there were so many of these folks. I’m gonna ask around. If I find out, I will report back.

flock of bird masks, originally uploaded by Vagabond Jewelry.

These five are all made from variations of Little Blue’s pattern- an experiment in making these guys affordable. They still took longer than I had hoped, but were a lot faster than the previous ones. I think I’m gonna try selling these for “affordable” anyway, just to see if it’s even worth trying to speed the process up further. How much will folks pay for a mask? I don’t know, but I intend to find out.