In March of 2011 I was experimenting with copper clay, which is fine particles of copper suspended in a fireable media that shapes like clay. When heated in a kiln, the organics burn away and the copper remains. I made this squirrel for my Dad, and after firing it measures about a half inch tall.
Photo description: copper squirrel sculpture with acorn side view
What I liked about this sculpture is the way I treated the tail. From the side it looks like a full fluffy tail, but the back shows that it is spoon shaped, which reduces the bulk and I feel was a nice design choice.
Photo description: back of the sculpture’s tail showing a spoon shape and lines indicating fur direction
Here is something from July 2008 that reflects most of the crafts I was involved with at the time: crochet, wire work, and glass fusing.
Photo description: copper and glass necklace from 2008
The rope was crocheted with copper lined seed beads (I think, I may have crocheted copper wire with clear seed beads, but the rope looks too even with a nice drape, which tells me I probably used silk cord, rather than wire, and the the copper color may come from a lined seed bead). I finished the rope with hand made wire cones and a purchased copper toggle clasp. The pendant is fused glass with a hand made chased copper inclusion in the shape of a four loop Celtic knot. I was experimenting with fused glass using a small kiln because I could set it up, let it run its program overnight, and check on it in the morning in my own time, very important when dealing with a young child and another on the way.
I attached the glass pendant using copper wire, and added five independent coils of copper around the rope. I must have done this for flexibility reasons, it would have looked better with a single longer coil, but that would have changed the drape.
These seed bead crocheted ropes do make me nostalgic for the times I could wear necklaces. They have a comforting feel in the hand.
Here is a different version of a row counter for knitting. I used flat round wood beads and copper wire to make a chain with larger loops to accommodate larger needles. I then used a wood burner to number each bead; it is actually easier to wood burn the assembled chain rather than individual beads. To mark the tens, I used a copper lobster claw clasp with a copper clay leaf (that I made many, many years ago and has been waiting for a project). I find the lobster claw easier to deal with than a melody clip.
Photo description: handmade row counter in the center with handmade copper leaves on the right, then going counter clockwise: purchased copper lobster clasps, bead reamer, pliers, a pile of row counters waiting for their dangle, and a spool of 22 gauge copper wire.
Critters and Craft 