tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23348340134223772982012-01-19T19:16:02.613-08:00Michelle's metal clay journey from sketchbook scribbles to wearable art.Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-64537920345475297952012-01-02T13:23:00.000-08:002012-01-02T13:23:38.502-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-76286588095020482742011-10-02T00:45:00.000-07:002011-10-06T22:38:03.274-07:00

I've been experimenting with using masking tape to "splint" small or delicate metal clay pieces that have had accidents for repair. Pictures are with dry, pre-fired clay, but I have also used this method to join pieces that broke after firing. I apologize for some of the slightly blurred photos, but I would appreciate any and all feedback on this! Step 1: Assess Damage This break is kind

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-68581806199539209722011-09-20T20:03:00.000-07:002011-09-20T20:03:54.276-07:00

My Furl Ring has been included in Holly Gage's  2012 Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry calendar! I always look forward to seeing what she and her team of jurors select. This year's panel included Emma Baird, Tracy Spurgin, and Lesley Messam. Thank you all for your time and effort to put the calendar together and sharing your experience with us! Photo by: Lorri Gabbani Furl Ring

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-19832648690315755802011-07-07T19:54:00.000-07:002011-07-07T21:45:10.126-07:00

Guardian's Tale - freshwater pearl, waves, a small starfish, and of course a whale's tail. 2011.Last year I made a ring with a whale tail for a friend while her family was going through some tough times. To her the tail is a symbol of strength and faith as it reminds her of the Bible story of Jonah in the whale's belly. My friend is an "everyone's Mom" kind of gal - brings people together with

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-75535012493426785432011-06-22T12:07:00.000-07:002011-06-27T00:29:58.933-07:00

Being hyped up on coffee at the end of a weekend hanging with crafty friends and teaching means time to update tardy posts!The Fabulous Fabrications show was a great experience last weekend. Candace and I had a 6 foot table we were splitting, and even though we'd talked about it, there was a lot to learn as we went. From thinking about the pieces that define our style, narrowing down the pieces

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-16008929043589844932011-06-10T17:20:00.000-07:002011-06-10T18:18:01.036-07:00

My Metals Mistress friend Candace Steppes has been taking enameling classes at the Creative Arts Group in Sierra Madre and told me about their jewelry show Fabulous Fabrications.We both juried in to the show and when the postcards arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to see my stitched heart pendant and Candace's corrugated bracelet on the front!Friday June 17, 2011 7-9pm and Saturday June

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-69451386014389535952011-04-20T22:54:00.000-07:002011-04-21T00:12:20.552-07:00

This past week or two has been a bit of a crunch with looming deadlines, but gotta plan if one wants to have summer plans I suppose!Quick update on RAW projects, as I've fallen behind I've decided that my goal is now to complete 52 rings this year. Continuing to plug away at the rings slowly will at least give me the satisfaction of being able to work on pet projects along with other obligations

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-68566527009243960712011-01-25T22:38:00.000-08:002011-01-25T23:44:41.296-08:00

Week 3's rings for Ring(s) A Week were inspired by my youngest brother and all his teenage glory over the weekend. The rings are made of paper & an internet picture of one of my brother's favorite characters when he was younger.Week 3 RAW: Comic Rings(Angry Pikachu image by Beebarb) If I was a webcomic artist I would draw the panels, but as I'm not here's the back story of gory details. Mostly

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-58982677309568996672011-01-18T00:27:00.000-08:002011-01-18T00:49:29.282-08:00

For week 2 I ended up playing with the idea of rings. There are rings for fingers, ears, noses, and other places! This is a nose ring can be worn on a finger and has its own nose ring. What I like the most is that it makes people chuckle.Some people have also said the nose looks like an elephant or a tooth...This little guy is # 2.5/52. Playing with a ribbon motif, this little guy may end up in a

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-13466573037187654342011-01-04T22:08:00.000-08:002011-01-05T00:55:09.181-08:00

2010 mini "party animals"A New Year means time to start a new sketchbook! Though my digital sketchbook has been rather sparse on entries, the intention for more updates on activities this year is here.Ever get so wrapped up in thinking about the logistics of how something would work, that it feels like all the energy needed to physically make the project has already been spent? Hearing about

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-28947918901838675252010-10-19T22:08:00.000-07:002010-10-20T00:13:51.598-07:00

Blind Faith Star sapphire and laboradorite cabochons set in fine silver with gold accents. The bat's eyes are cubic zirconia.Batty the bat may be legally blind, but there's a light in him that he can't hide. His "blind" faith keeps him going as explores the unknown with a mischievous grin of his face.It started out as a competition entry, just to really try and "go for it." The stones

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-64409460440455995672010-08-22T23:15:00.001-07:002010-08-23T00:05:56.468-07:00

Last week someone told me they saw me as a little mad scientist, puttering around and experimenting in my garage...with jewelry. That still makes me chuckle! So part 2 of my copper clay experiment was adding silver to fired copper. Art Clay Copper doesn't need carbon to scinter, though the surface of the copper will oxidize, it isn't too bad to remove. The tricky part is the pitting during

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-70122453998884214112010-08-10T21:45:00.000-07:002010-08-10T23:00:13.503-07:00

BAM and POW earrings by StereoetteEver have one of those weeks where you have a million and one project ideas, suddenly 2 weeks have gone by without doing a single one? That is what my friends Candace and Leen have been discussing. We all have day jobs and sometimes finding the energy or focus for our art is a battle.Be it actual projects, an intriguing technique that keeps getting pushed aside,

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-8457104444115008222010-07-26T22:29:00.000-07:002010-07-27T01:06:30.202-07:00

This past weekend was Comic Con at the San Diego convention center. Among the huge conglomeration of artists, and cosplayers who look like they've just stepped out of a comic book, I found jewelry!Tammy of Stellanova Jewelry is an illustrator and comic artist. She uses her own illustrations as a focal for her pieces. Often depicting animals, the colors and tiny details of each illustrated

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-15749061236106536042010-07-09T01:52:00.000-07:002010-07-11T01:48:05.390-07:00

This week my POW (Project Of the Week!) was a magnetic clasp featuring 2 boxers from a Fisticuffs wine cork. The boxers have been circling my desk for a while, and it took a Clasp challenge issued at the last Art Clay Society of Orange County meeting to figure out what kind of function they will have.It sounds silly writing this as I taught a simpler version of this type of bezel and cork

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-42574072984939989862010-03-17T00:14:00.000-07:002010-03-17T22:45:50.521-07:00

Kitty the Bobtail SquidA real party animal, she is tattooed with swirls and a starfish.Her moonstone eyes reflect the glow of party lights as she jams to Weezer's Beverly Hills. This weekend was Babette the Bobtail squid & Treasure box classes with Gordon Uyehara & Louise Duhamel at Breabeadworks. Taking classes with Gordon and Louise is always fun, and the weekend just flew by! Now to finish my

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-46598901817982864402010-03-12T22:52:00.000-08:002010-03-13T00:17:56.989-08:00

Bird of Paradise - Dole plantation Gardens, Oahu.The time change this weekend reminds me Spring is coming. With it, opportunities to grow as an artist and teacher. I recently completed the Senior Level Certification course through Art Clay World , and got to spend time with friends in Hawaii. The work didn't really start until I came home and had to start dealing with motivating myself to the

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-59920208016588875052010-01-03T14:34:00.000-08:002010-01-03T16:17:09.466-08:00

Hatchling #1: DeuteronomyHatched: Jan. 2, 2010 9pmWeight: 9.8 g *Length: 1.5 inchesOk, New year, New clay. With the holidays & what not, there's been a bit of a stalemate going on between me & an open packet of Art Clay copper. Basically, if it can be torch fired & I've done something like it in silver, I want a crack at it. Getting things to fire right has been a bit of another story as

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-26120039063664023142009-11-01T22:40:00.000-08:002009-11-01T23:33:07.212-08:00

By now I really shouldn't be surprised by this, but goodness October super fast forwarded into November! Besides Halloween, this past weekend included friends' birthdays & a baptism.Is it funny I thought of swords when trying to come up with an idea for my friends' birthday presents? They're artists fighting to make a living doing what they are passionate about, have a lot in common when it

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-79222184058036187592009-10-01T23:15:00.000-07:002009-10-01T23:53:40.087-07:00

A la the Twitter question "What are you doing?," here's what's on my desk:Did you know after bead shows people scavenge for stuff vendors drop or leave behind?? As everyone was packing up after the Pasadena Bead show, poking around for beads was like following a trail of sparkly bread crumbs! I've been puttering with this clasp on & off since the Pasadena show. Made a mold out of the wooden

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-24297116220598600722009-08-23T23:46:00.001-07:002009-08-24T00:24:49.417-07:00

Copper cuff bracelet with laser ink transparency resist.Copper etching is another one of those things that I've read about, sounds interesting...not gonna try it for reason X,Y,Z...but today I took a copper etching class with Candace White & dang is it fun! The class & the process lol :)Before: Doodles with Sharpie.Anything black (resist) will be protected from etching action of ferric chloride &

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-66943665632968265672009-08-05T22:35:00.000-07:002009-08-06T00:27:50.454-07:00

This past weekend was the Pasadena Bead & Design show. I was volunteering there Saturday & Sunday for the Art Clay Society of OC. It was fun seeing people from MCWC so soon, & hanging out with Estelle & other OC peeps to spread the love of clay...whoo-hoo! :DSo evidently at the end of the end of bead shows, when bead vendors break down their displays, they don't worry about broken strands of

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-41956675665471790972009-07-28T22:31:00.000-07:002009-07-29T22:45:55.427-07:00

Flying high on the trapeze with no net below Challenging the stars with balls of flameKnives sharper than claws Paws that show no mercySometimes dreams turn into nightmares,What started as Dream now looks like Death.Comic con was this past weekend, & I think Neil Gaiman's Sandman kind of rubbed off on me! The wires for the juggling stars seems to form the outline of a skull with a bow ...what do

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-61898261455016547182009-07-22T19:25:00.000-07:002009-07-22T23:21:25.692-07:00

Last week was the Metal Clay World Conference in Chicago. Jackie Truty, Tom, & Katie Baum of Art Clay World USA organized an awesome conference experience & I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to listen to so many artists share their knowledge! Meeting & making friends from all over the country & world in a hotel that was like a huge beehive? Sweeet!!Monday & Tuesday: Caged glass

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-72217879122417705632009-07-02T21:39:00.000-07:002009-07-29T01:03:17.269-07:00

Ok, maybe not really but seeing how complex of a piece I can torch fire is an interesting challenge & I'm totally tickled (chuffed?) that this piece held together!It was fired before MCWC & I took it with me, but since then it has had a bit of a face lift with some polishing "wheelie bobbers" to give the flower a satin finish to contrast the band & decorative spikes.The flower was made & fired as

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-27036566240944958102009-06-30T00:11:00.000-07:002009-06-30T00:25:16.971-07:00

Ok, took a bit of a break from the flower ring & tried putting together this little unicycle dude that's been bouncing around my desk. Well, mostly figuring out the cycle part, as the unicyclist has been chilling on my desk for a while.One side of the wheel says "dream" & is decorated with silver flakes.The other side has a pattern with the silver flakes.The unicyclist is a paste person with a

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-80047868061945009892009-06-28T22:46:00.000-07:002009-06-29T00:12:31.807-07:00

Today I'm going to go with 1 small win. Very small.The flower focal for the ring is fired.Yeah, that's it.At least the flower won't have any accidents sitting on my desk! ><The coiled swirls for the shanks has proven to be a bit more challenging than expected. Or at gravity's effect on them, as they tend to slide of the mandrel. Between the open design of swirls for the shank & the rather top

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-14667425489754070742009-06-25T00:22:00.000-07:002009-06-25T01:06:16.726-07:00

Ah, that title sounds so much more productive than it really is! "Challenge pieces" = the pieces for my challenge project. It is almost July, & once again not much seems to have come from my sketchbook. But, the purpose of having a journal is to record the journey, up or down, right?The challenge theme for for July's Art Clay Society meeting is "Holes." Most of the pieces for the ring are

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-38569601594441898872009-06-05T14:10:00.000-07:002009-06-05T14:11:58.775-07:00

Poor old sketchbook stuffed full of notes & doodles waiting for their turn to hop out & try to make it in the 3D world. So it's been a bit quiet on the blog-front, but doesn't mean my sketchbook hasn't been getting a workout! I admit I'm a planner & draw to try to work technicalities out on paper before reaching for clay, wire, or pliers. I'm also trying to get into the habit of taking notes

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-83171800859536751532009-05-31T00:54:00.000-07:002009-06-04T17:16:46.313-07:00

Crafty Surprise - Ponte wine cork set in Art Clay silver bezel with the couple's names, wedding date & a heart on the back.Crafty Surprise was a chain-note, going through Facebook (see end of post for the text). Based on the concept of Paying it forward, you make something for a couple people & they do the same for others. I looove stories, if they involve friends being happy, even better! Last

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-5777525021357287252009-05-14T23:58:00.000-07:002009-05-16T00:20:57.369-07:00

Funny the Metal Clay gallery on Yahoo Groups has a sketch to completion themed challenge this month as that is the whole point of my blog-venture, well here goes: Neuron-ic as the Next Guy.This doodle has been bidding it's time in the sketchbook since my birthday in February, & the amethyst cab was one of my gifts. The design for the ring is based on a neuron twining itself around 2 fingers.

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-56684356069843852692009-05-05T20:36:00.000-07:002009-05-05T21:20:54.591-07:00

My brother expressed interest in glass fusing, so we both gave it a shot. I think he's pretty good at it! Steven's pieces assembled, tacked, & ready to fuse. Can you tell who they are? Eevee is on the left (I love how it's cheek fuzz sticks out & the dichro is perfect for the face!) & Giratina is on the right (SO much work went into that one!)

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-43900023907917446682009-05-05T19:29:00.000-07:002009-05-05T20:34:11.882-07:00

What a weekend! I admit I've read about doing jewelry shows, but never attempted one before. It has always seemed SO daunting. Well, a week to prepare is pretty good motivation to get things done! The seller's permit wasn't as difficult as expected to obtain as expected, make some more pieces, update business cards & hang tags. In the end, not so scary & definitely do-able.The Pretty Little

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-83241484316323577172009-04-29T07:42:00.000-07:002009-04-29T07:56:14.122-07:00

It's been a hectic this weekend, but I'm really excited to participate in Tall Mouse's Pretty Little Pageant jewelry show this Saturday! I will be at the Tall Mouse in Yorba Linda, which craft store I grew up with, so fun for all! :)So what's the scoop?Saturday May 2nd from 10am - 3pmTall Mouse in Yorba Linda7576 Yorba Linda Blvd.Yorba Linda, CA 92886(714) 996-0101http://www.tallmouse.com/

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-9188657455115451792009-04-25T21:04:00.000-07:002009-04-25T22:12:58.826-07:00

There's something brewing this week, requiring a 3 day weekend, but more on that later. :) Today's break involved stepping away from the clay to go to a jewelry & handmade soap/candle party held by a fellow jewelry making coworker. It's relaxing to step out of my busy bee mind for a couple hrs & hanging out with people I don't run into or talk to everyday.I DO find it funny how "hey, can I use

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-74994955508573524412009-04-18T16:58:00.000-07:002009-04-25T00:40:36.169-07:00

So it seems this whole blogging thing will take some practice! Either way, here's a some of the shenanigans that has been bouncing 'round my brain:In the debate over cupcakes or scones today, the winner is scones!These are Mango-honey scones, recipe adopted from http://tinyurl.com/mangosconesI really like how the dough puffed up & became ginormous after baking! As I haven't made scones before,

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-40753925683121618932009-04-11T09:24:00.001-07:002009-04-11T09:42:52.185-07:00

I'm off flitting around this weekend, but leave my Cloudswing aerialist pal here for your entertainment :)This adorable lampwork aerialist hails from the studio of Stephanie Sersich & the yummy sherbet-y ribbon created by Heidi Bond of Jamn Glass.

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-5916253328282630552009-04-05T22:28:00.001-07:002009-04-05T23:08:35.744-07:00

Has it really been a week since Breabeadworks' Bead Away in Las Vegas? Well, obviously there's been too much fun (& tool unpacking) to be had!I took a carving workshop with Gordon Uyehara, & learned how scrape/carve a tsuru out of a flat piece of clay. It was challenging, fun when you get into the groove of it (haha), & something I want to keep playing with. Besides learning the techniques

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2334834013422377298.post-89890927027519204572009-02-19T23:27:00.001-08:002009-04-18T18:11:45.676-07:00

I've found the more I try to single mindedly pursue 1 medium, Art Clay right now, the more tangents I find to explore & incorporate. With so many different possibilities, my sketchbook ends up being filled with doodles, but not many things actually make it out of the ink & into my jewelry box.

Michelle Loonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17032118957344649627noreply@blogger.com0