Seasons are changing (and so should we) Challenge….

So, we’re the Aspiring Metal Smiths, right? So why does so much of our work look like we should be the Aspiring Jewelers? This challenge is designed to force us into the fullness of our team name, no matter what our main focuses are.

I’m sitting here in Minnesota…watching the leaves change and fall to the ground…watching the landscape evolve…just waiting for the weather to change so I can curl up in my little nest next to my fire for the winter. I know our friends in the southern hemisphere are getting ready to break out of their shells and enjoy the summer. The seasons are a’changing! And it’s time for all of us to take a leap and change with them! I want everyone of you to look beyond personal adornment this round, and look toward ornamenting our spaces, both home and garden.

So your mission, if you choose to accept it (and I really hope you all do) is to make something for the home or garden….Think BIG people…or at lease bigger than a piece of jewelry. You can use all the skills you already have, just supersize them. If you don’t have a big torch, think about cold connections and how many wonderful things you can do with them. There’s also not a demand to spend too much money on this one… remember both of my sculptures that have won this thing were mostly made out of copper sheet. So check out the hardware stores, the plumbing departments in particular hold tons of useful materials. Even the roofing department has flashing that you can cold connect (it won’t soldier.)

And to make it a bit more interesting for those of us that have made things for the home…you MUST include a found object…..I don’t care what it is…a chunk of broken windshield prong set for some sparkle… some doodad found in the bottom of a junk drawer….some leaves and acorns to put in a bowl you forge.

Here are some of the ideas I came up with really quickly… candle holders, soap dishes, spoon rests, bottle openers, wine stoppers, jewelry trees, coat hooks for the wall, curtain rod ends, a rain gauge with a big copper flower that won’t stop blooming in a drought, a pretty picture frame…..see, the possibilities are endless! If you need more ideas, go into “house wears” category and search for “metal”…you’ll see some neat stuff there to get the creative juices flowing.

RULES: *Make one object, bigger than jewelry, for the home or garden.
*Incorporate at least one found object
*Get the photos up on the Flickr stream labeled “seasons challenge” by…NOVEMBER 19, midnight Westcoast time!!!