Creative Play- Jewelry from dried plant material

Entry with some of the material: acorns, Franklinia seed pod, sweet gum  tree pod, pine cone, eucalyptus leaf, wisteria seed, styrax seed. (not pictured:mustard seeds, peppercorn)

I am a collector of seedpods, leaves and pretty much all range of flora.  Often I find inspiration for my jewelry in the infinite shapes, forms and texture.  This year I was able to use some of my stash to create a piece of jewelry to enter in the Jewelry Class at The Philadelphia Flower Show.  The theme, Un Colleir pour la Reine (a necklace for a queen), is not intended to be worn however it is supposed to embody all the attributes of a real piece.  There isn’t a monetary award or notoriety attached to this, however if you win a blue ribbon you and your guest get to attend the big Luncheon for all the winners. If you live in Philly and/or you are into gardening, this show is a big deal. I do this for my own pleasure and to take a creative break even though this necklace took about twice as long as a real piece to make.

Art supplies, nail polish and dried pods take over the kitchen table.

I have been designing and making jewelry for others and myself since attaining my BFA in Metals from Rochester Institute of Technology, back when it was The School for American Craftsmen. Finding inspiration for new work can be challenging at times and I have found that working in another medium infuses the creative spirit.  The design process is the same as if this were a commission however the only thing at stake this time is satisfying myself. And once completed, my necklace will be seen by thousands of visitors who slowly file past the lighted cases where mine and the other entries of this unique art form are displayed.

The pieces I did not make.

Looking back over my sketches and holding the finished piece, I see changes that I could have made to make this a stronger design. If I were to make another I know what I would do differently the next time. This is the creative process at work. There is always something new to learn and put to use the next time.

A few things learned:
Admit that something isn’t working and don’t be afraid to start over.
Don’t get hung up using one element.
Step back and see the whole piece.
Rather than add, simplify- take something away.

*Post by Mimi Favre. Originally posted on my blog Studio Jeweler. FavreBijoux on Etsy.

In The Garden

Breakfast In The Gardens Of Etsy

The Lotus Experiment...............

I just love the art of water gardening, always looking and experimenting with new ways to enhance mine. I have always had my favorite, water lilies growing there, but I always dreamed of having a lotus plant in my garden. The local nursery's stock was just not an option $, so I thought I would try to germinate and grow my own from seed.
First I cut the seeds out of the pod

Then I scarified each seed by sanding the outer shell until I could see the cream colored flesh inside. Placed the seeds in a small bowl of water, at a depth to just slightly cover them, changing the water 3 times a day. After 3 days, the seeds looked larger from the absorption of water. About 5 days later, I noticed a crack in some of the seeds. The next day some revealed a stout green shoot emerging. Within a weeks time, they grew very fast, still keeping them just below the water line, With the seed staying at the bottom they stand straight up ever reaching for the top of the water, I used a large vase for this part and yes kept changing the water 3 times a day.

At this stage I decided to plant them.

Ordinary dirt even clay based is fine for lotus. Think about where they grow naturally, in muck and mud of a still water pond. I used 8 inch round flower pots, place a plastic grocery bag at the bottom (to keep the roots in the pot) and some rocks to hold the bag down, then filled each flower pot with the soil & clay mixture. I made a hole in the center and gently placed the seed in. Firmed the soil around it and placed a thin layer of pea gravel on top of the soil, to keep the seed from floating out of the pot and to keep the dirt in.

I submerged the pots into a large black tub, (the kind you find at outdoor parties used for ice & drinks).
Lotus plants need very warm water to grow and at least 6 hours of sunshine and must be grown in still water. So for now I have them on my deck, until that is I finish the bog they will be placed in next year.

Success! My first leaf appeared about a week later, very exciting!

However the mosquitoes were also loving this still water tub. So I used a tiny piece of a mosquito dunk to control this.
Refreshing the water from time to time, I will keep these growing in this tub for the summer & fall, for they will not produce any flowers until next year (hopefully!) only leaves for now. I will bring them in when the weather turns here in New York & place them in the basement in water for them to become dormant (at a temp of at least 55 degrees). Never dead head the leaves of a lotus, for they keep feeding the tuber. I will experiment with one and lower it to the lowest point in my pond where the fish hibernate to see if it can survive a winter here.
Next spring they will be placed in the bog to grow.

This is the bog I am working on. A Thank you to Julie (willowtreepottery) for her bog garden she created and showed us a while back. Great idea for a different way to garden. Love that! Had to try it! This is also the garden I will be planting the wonderful gift of Money seeds I received from her for the backdrop of the bog, Thanks Julie.
http://gardensofetsy.blogspot.com/2011/04/bog-blog.html
http://gardensofetsy.blogspot.com/2011/06/bog-garden-continued.html

My bog ~ I dug the hole level to the surrounding soil of the garden, quite the workout! I will be filling it partially with a peat moss and soil mixture. In the picture you see a straight black liner leading to the bog. This is the drainage from 2 gutters on our house that will feed the bog as it rains. Here in the country, with well water, we have to conserve, so I thought this would be the best solution for that.

My last picture of them, taken just the other day, at 12 weeks old, So far so good! My baby lotus nursery :)
I am already looking forward to next spring :)
to be continued..................

Nature's Splendor

White, Yellow, Pink and Green from the Gardens of Etsy ...

Things of Beauty