rough and UNtumbled

I never know if I should post the photos of my projects in process. Since this is the part of creating that I enjoy, I usually document with photos. And I really like to share them! If you don't want to visualize the end result, you might want to skip the post and come back on Friday. Or just stick with my Etsy site.

So, after making all of those leather bracelets, there are two things of which I have plenty: belt buckles, and leather dots. Some day I might melt the metal from the buckles and cast a sculpture. As for the dots, I used to think I might some day make a leather mosic. Now, though, I think I've found a better purpose for them: I'm going to use them as cabachons!




*Do you have the bracelet that went with these dots?




*Green Crocodile-Leather




*Kelly Green Leather

*Navy Snakeskin

*Saw the pattern for these pounded hoops in a beading magazine of all places. Maybe I'll get better at the shaping as I go?

Before these pieces can be finished, I need to buy some shot for my tumbler. (A real tumbler costs quite a bit, so I've got a kids rock tumbler for now. We'll see how that works? ;)) Tumbling the sterling will shine it, make it harder and therefore preserve the shape. Obviously, the leather can not go through the tumbler...so for now, it's just for show.

After I tumble these pieces I'm going to set the leather and then experiment with different finishing options. The plan is to use doming resin which not only seals, but also slightly magnifies whatever it covers. I've used the doming resin on a few of the poker chip pendants now, and it renders a really neat, polished, complete look. By Friday I should be able to post final pictures.

I just love the look of leather and sterling together. It's the reason I took silversmithing in the first place. I'm finally getting to a technical level where I can put the two together. I have several designs in my sketchbook that I still can't wait to try and share. More earrings, bracelets, some belts including hand-rendered buckles.

The idea of putting together two natural elements is now as appealing to me as putting together two completely opposite elements. (Yes, I'll be unpacking that statement the rest of my life.)