A Couple of Special Gifts

I as of yesterday had not given Martha her Christmas gift.  It's not out of procrastinating (this time), neither one of us had been struck with a divine vision as to the look of the jewelry she wanted. I have a couple of silver "metal" bird charms I had bought when we were in the Northlands. I was playing around with the largest one and some of the antiquing mediums I brought home. There is a kit by the same company that makes the rust anything kit. This kit has either gold or black bronze paint with iron dust. When you add the sulfur type antiquing medium it turns the piece lovely shades of verdigris :)

The perfect shades to use with turquoise beads. Birds, nests, earth colors, hmmm I was beginning to get a stirring of that vision for a gift for the original Earth Mum, founder of a NGO dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of the birds and mammals of the Mexican dry forest.So out came the turquoise and delicate brown striped clay beads, and that ever so cool bronze wire from Vintaj. 

 

For the clasp I made a wire nest and hook to close just above the focals

I took a vintage watch case of course you realize that Martha tends to be a matching, symmetrical kind of girl, so I had no other choice then to add a bit of verdigris to the case. :) Inside the case I placed the words Rescate (rescue) Rehabilitar (rehabilitate) libertad (liberate), I'd cut from a vintage Spanish dictionary. For the earrings to the set Martha like many women especially Mexican women here,likes to have them match the necklace, I made two teenie tiny nests with tiny pearl "eggs". I used copper as I don't have any 20 or 24 gage bronze wire. Not to worry though they will have a lovely patina within 2 weeks, and will blend with the bronze of the necklace quite nicely :) 

 

I have to tell you I was a bit apprehensive giving Martha this set. She is somewhat conservative although she is slowly learning to enjoy and wear art jewelry. But there was no need to worry she loves it!! She plans on wearing it Tuesday when she goes to Culiacan as the state representative on President Calderon's ecology & responsible development task force :) 

 

You guys remember this necklace? I made it for the Art Bead Scene Dec. challenge.

 

This necklace is what I gave Luci for her Christmas gift. I just didn't have any creative or even boring ideas for earrings. This is an ongoing issue for me. I know how a lot of my bloglandian sisters really enjoy making earrings, and have the most creative and beautiful results. I on the other hand have so much trouble making earrings that are a bit creative and not just stringing a couple of beads on a wire.!! But the other day  I was contemplating the wire coils I made as spacers in Luci's piece. That's when I came up with the idea to incorporate wire coils in earrings. I was pretty darn tickled with the results, but more importantly Luci loves them!! :)

These last 2 pictures are at LW's request. He is always teasing me that I spend as much time on the presentation as I do making the gift ;) Which isn't exactly true, but I do like to put a bit of thought into the first thing someone sees when they receive a gift. Well if truth be told I can not wrap using wrapping paper or paper and gift ribbon. And I really hate having to do it, in fact I'll do anything not to. I use to pay my kids to wrap each others Christmas gifts! :) No it true just ask them. This is the little pouch I made for Luci's present. I made it with a bits of scrap silk & lace. I thought she might enjoy using it as a little stash bag. Besides putting together a presentation is always another chance to make art. And you just can't have to many chances when it comes to making art!!

 I'm off to do a bit of Blog hopping I haven't had time to check in to see what you guys have been up to. ...Remember today is a perfect day to make art no matter where in the world you are  p;)