Grunge - I should have asked the expert!

One blue bead from my Mom's old necklace/ and some I made - the ceramic "love" dangle I made. The rest is from various stashes I've accumulated.

Patina Chemicals

I've been working with some tin again and after Marina's great earrings I've been trying my darnedest to work on a more recycled and grungy look. Grunge doesn't appear to be hard (ah huh!).  And that is what I get for assuming that getting a great patina of any kind is easy. You'd think I'd know better. While I was on a trip downstate I stopped at my favorite in state jewelry supplier and picked up a few new patinas. Better to drop your money on the patinas rather than the hazmat fee to ship the stuff.  Now I've got this great cornucopia of chemicals (royally ucky stuff) - some I had and some I bought.  I threw just about everything at this pair of earrings.  And, I keep thinking there must be an easier way.  So what's your favorite grunge recipe?  Oh, and what do you think of the earrings?

I wrote this post before I went blog hopping this afternoon.  Marina Rios must be on the same wave length or something - or maybe we both stayed up to late last night.  I dunno.  I guess there is no use in asking what your favorite grunge recipe is because today Marina posted hers.  You can find it here.  Like I've said previously - She is a very giving artist and that puts in her in a unique category called an artist's artist.  Giving of herself and techniques - and those with loads of talent and inspiration usually are. 

To see Fanciful Devices (Marina's business) just click on the name. 

Back to the grunge pile - I've got to get myself out a piece of sandpaper and pump up my muscles. 

Note please that all of the inspiration for these earrings came from the pair Marina sold me and that I wear proudly all over the house and to Walmart (where they are stodgy and a gawk at my ears).  I really need to move somewhere more arty.
 

Random Act of Kindness from Marina Rios

It's Spring! Or so I keep telling myself.   I will scream it from the mountain tops just how much I dislike winter.  It's really not the snow - it's just the general lack of sun and all of the gray.  So, in the midst of all of this and a good dose of Seasonal Affective Disorder I can get pretty well knocked on my butt.  Nothing to worry about but it can feel pretty crappy and affect the joy of creating.  During this time I do a lot of Internet surfing and talking to friends.  One of my favorite blogs (and people) is Marina Rio's of Fanciful Devices.  She's just a straight forward joy of an artist.  Nothing pretentious - just great art and good people.  I've been wanting a pair of her earrings, like forever.  Most people who know me generally see me wearing other people's work.  I like supporting other artists and when you find something original and fun to wear what is not to love.

Marina always lists her scrumptious new designs on her blog for us to drool over and a couple of times I've seen pieces that have just totally tripped my trigger.  Alas, instead of opening my mouth and speaking up the pieces they've sold before I could make up my mind.  I mean, really - she makes "to die for" neat jewelry.  Well, in my current (albeit, temporary funk) I've been dreaming about what it would be like to be a queen for a few days...all those servants, flowers everywhere, deep bath tubs, you know - the whole enchilada.  And then these earrings showed up on her blog.  Look at them - fabulous.  They're gold and they even got crowns on them. They screamed at me from the page to give them a home on my ears.  And so I did.  Look at how they arrived.  Isn't that packaging something?  It's over the top.  For a person who loves old letters and saves pieces of this and that like a hoarder it was a knock you on your ass moment.  I not only got those earrings that I was drooling over they came packaged for this queen as if Marina knew my most personal of thoughts.  I was bowled over with joy.

Earrings by Marina Rios of Fanciful Devices (Etsy Shop)

But that wasn't the only treasure in that box.  Marina knows I'm a maker of jewelry - she knows and has answered for me many a question of about her beautiful recycled look.  She's an artist's artist and like myself isn't afraid or put off by questions.  I can't tell you how wonderful that is and how supportive this community can be.  But then if you are here - you probably know that.  At the post office I could tell that the earrings weren't the only thing in that box.  I was like a kid at Christmas...the box shook and made noises.  I KNEW there was something else in there.  Ah, did I say something else?  I was shaking with excitement - all the gray of day just slipped away.

Something else would be an understatement.  Around my beautiful earrings was a treasure trove of goodies.  Pieces of this and that to aid me in my quest to make my own treasures.  Look at all of that stuff......  Even the beautiful little pouch was stuffed full.  The pouch is going into my purse.  I love  it and it's just perfect for me to put my "finds" into. 

Goodies that Marina slipped into the box for me to play with

The pottery is just perfect to set into a Mary Hettmansperger setting. And there are so many exciting pieces in that pile I can't even describe what it has done for my frame of mind and inspiration.  I keep thumbing through it and imaging what kind of jewelry I might build around it.

Thank You Marina.  This will definitely not go to waste and your act of kindness has more than made my day.  If it weren't a six hour Drive to Chicago I'd come over and give you the biggest hug you have ever had.  And did I say how much I love those earrings...I'll be wearing them at Bead and Button, maybe to bed too.