Shrine to the First Egg

Last Summer I was all excited when one of the chickens laid the first egg in the new Chica Casa. I blew it out, washed it, covered it in many coats of sealer and then stuck it in a box with some things I though would make a great 'shrine'. Just finished it. Right now - when I should be cleaning the bathroom and making beds and setting things up for the PMC Fine Silver workshop that's happening out here at Two Dog Pond tomorrow and Friday. What is my big fat problem? I know, my priorities are whacked. Anyway - the feathers are from Cocky Rocky, the meanest rooster in the world. The photo is my dad wearing overalls. Not something you would see very often....especially by the time he had his Doctor of Divinity Degree. He used to say "he's a good egg" so the brass piece hanging from the wishbone is stamped "GOOD EGG". The background photo is from when Leah, of Moxie Photo and Design, came out for a field trip and took lots of photos. It's the inside of the chicken house with the sun coming through the stained glass windows. I'm not sure what that vintage metal thing originally was, now it's an egg holder. There's a number 1 in the upper right corner, and a compass in the lower right corner. The glare is just glare - couldn't be helped. Shrine is done, house is dirty; it is what it is.

Learning to Enamel

After asking everyone and their dogs if they knew how to enamel, Lynn from Silver Works said she wanted to learn too and that she would talk to the Powers That Be at the Lux Gallery in Lincoln - and within a couple weeks had it all coordinated. So this weekend I had the privilege of taking a two day enameling intensive class. Deb from From the Heart Creations came out from Hastings, Lynn was there, and 6 other curious women. We learned to fire with torches and talked about using the kiln also. Above are the first exercises we did...

There were other cool things we learned, most of mine looked like vomit.

However - I really like how these two bracelet links turned out, and I do plan on making more. The piece in the middle is fused glass soldered on a piece of copper after which I patinaed the solder copper...So this morning I ordered some supplies so I can finish my bracelet and hopefully make some more jewelry.

Meanwhile - I'm workingon this mosaic mirror to hang in the Shop in Two Dog Pond. My fingers are getting cut up, but I love doing mosaics.

Visit Lynn's blog - Silver Works - to see what she made :: and go to Deb's blog - From the Heart - and see what she made in Enameling 101.

Necklace Contest - Week 33 - Beach Style

Here's a fun Summer image - Perfect for a Pendant.

The contest is simple - submit a phrase/comment/quote that you think would be perfect for the backside of this image. Enter as often as you wish - encourage your blog buddies to enter as often as they wish. On Friday morning an unbiased panel of judges made up of the PMC silver class at the first Two Dog Pond workshop (more on this later) will choose a winner who will receive a pendant with this image and their own perfect phrase on the back side. But wait - there's more! Along with this free pendant you will receive a 24 inch ball chain necklace to hang it from. Act now! Don't delay!

And - here's hoping that all of us land-locked-bloggers will make it to a beach at least once this summer.

Miss Wendy is the Big Winner

There were some great suggestions this week. It was a tough decision, but after giving it some thought - I just kept coming back to "What's in YOUR toolbox?" So - Miss Wendy - you are this weeks winner! Congratulations. Just send me your mailing address and I'll mail you your necklace.

Out of curiousity, dear blogheads - What IS in your toolbox?

Turtle Competition

Rumple found this giant turtle strolling down the path.

I found this teeny little turtle (he's sitting on a lettuce leaf now) while tending the vineyard.
I'm going to glue some rhinestones on his back and put a collar around his
neck and wear him for a pendant.
{Not really - Gavin is going to raise him as his own. He has an aquarium and some turtle food ready to go. The adoption is planned for later this week.}

Necklace Contest - Week 32

This photo/postcard was taken in 1910. Quite the fashion statement.

So - here's the contest: you submit a word/phrase/comment that you think would be perfect for the backside of this image. Enter as often as you wish. One lucky winner will be chosen on Friday and will receive a soldered glass pendant with their clever comment on the back side. The pendant will be on a 24" ball chain perfect for wearing right out of the box.

If you have a minute, check out my new etsy shop:

www.twodogpond.etsy.com

There's not a lot in there yet, but hey - I finally did it!

Winner Week 31 - Kate and her WHAT?

Congratulations to Kate Spike and her KatS!

There really were some good comments this week. Clever women out there.

I like Kate's entry of "What poem by Yeats?" -

BUT - I can't believe that none of you entered "That was a good session, Doctor. Just put it on my bill." I would have....would that have won? Probably not. It just cracks me up.

Meanwhile - if you haven't visited Kate's blog, go there. I lost about 25 minutes this morning just watching her Johnny Depp show.

And now - I'm off to deadhead the irises.

Have a lovely weekend ladies! Kate and your Kats, don't forget to e-mail me (rachel@twodogpond.com) your mailing address so I can send you your pendant!

Thanks, Girls

Tim cut the grass last night. The yard is beautiful this time of year.

I went to take some kitchen scraps to the girls...

They left me some eggs.

Gotta love the country life.

Necklace Contest - Week 31 - "Conversations With a Swan"

Welcome {back} to the Two Dog Pond Necklace Contest. This is where you submit a comment/phrase/word/quote that you think would be perfect for the back side of a soldered glass pendant. On Friday a winner will be chosen to receive said necklace with their words on it - on a chain. Yes - it's that easy and that fun! Enter often~complete rules are on the sidebar.
Let the games begin!

Kate Burke Comes to Two Dog Pond to Discover My Chaotic Mind

On Wednesday, Kate Burke from the York based paper, "The Advantage" came out to Two Dog Pond to conduct an interview with me. She was quite gracious about listening to me rattle on about soldered glass jewelry, fusing, art camp, chickens, stained glass, etc all in incomplete sentances. When she left I told Sweatshop Worker Lynn that I felt so sorry for Kate who is now going to have to make sense of my rambling, disaddled brain. {I don't know what disaddled means, but it's a good description}. There are so many more talented people out there making art, but I can assure you that no one is having more fun or loves what they are doing more than I do... Kate asked me some questions that my brain (which survived the 70's with minimal damage) didn't wrap around until after she left. She asked me why I came to Nebraska, and who influenced me in my decision to make art (or something like that). The answer is - I was going to college in Missouri and saw a film documentary on R. Marxhausen, an art professor at Concordia University in Nebraska. I decided that I wanted to study under this wonderful man and tranfered. He's an amazing artist who has influenced and inspired many people with his found object art, his perspective on seeing the world, and his enthusiasm. He was in Dallas doing some work with Mary Kay (of Mary Kay cosmetics) and took the time to have lunch with me. While in college he let me teach some of his Art Appreciation classes when he was going to be out of town. He encouraged me and inspired me.

This is a mural that Reinhold Marxhausen did in the State Capital. His murals and art are everywhere. I have one of his "Stardust" sound sculptures. We traded art one time - He gave me the Stardust for a banner I made for his wife. I know I came out way ahead on that deal. I still have some encouraging letters he wrote to me after I graduated. He was so good about keeping up with his students and inspiring long after graduation. You can't say that about alot of College Faculty.

Sadly, he now has Alzheimers. If you would like to see him in his prime, watch this short video of him on the David Letterman Show. He was a guest on the show several times, this is his first appearance. You will quickly see why I loved learning from this man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nNKxPIoxiU

Thank you again, Kate, for your patience and for bringing your friend Karen along to shop!

(If someone can tell me how to embed this video, I would be most appreciative!

Winner Week 30 - Congratulations!

LynnW submitted the suggestion of "He Never asks for directions", and I'm sure that it's not because her man never asks... right Lynn? Congratulations, and remember to email me your mailing address and I'll send your winning necklace right out!

Next week - a brand new image - stay tuned!

Necklace Contest - Week 30

Welcome to Week 30 of the Two Dog Pond "Make A Comment~Win A Necklace" Contest. It's Memorial Day, so to honor our Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers, I have chosen an image of their heartthrob, Rudolph Valentino, for this week's contest.

Enter as often as you wish - the winner won't be chosen until Friday morning.

Have a great holiday!