The Penny Rings

Well I made 2 rings (Carved out of wax, now cast into silver.) The one on the right is the first one, the newer one is the one I think I'll get molded and recast. I need to adjust the area for the penny to allow for 5 percent shrinkage. Right now these are silver models, so they aren't polished or antiqued. The little cup on top will be a bezel for a stone, maybe a blue topaz.

A Shadow Shot Weekend....

(As a variation on "Shadow Shot Sunday.")

Taxes cast a bit of a shadow on my weekend. It would be easier if I understood what was going on, had all the correct forms, and, frankly, cared. As it was my major achievement this weekend was a headache. A certifiable world class record setting wine and chocolate craving headache. A traffic stopping headache, in the brain that is, or in the location where a brain should be if I had managed to pull off the feat of finishing my taxes. I didn't. I haven't. I face this beautiful monday with ibuprofen bottle depleted and desire to catch a plane. (To anywhere. And, I don't like to fly.)

Here's two photos, one of the "shadow," and one of Ms Bird whose best counsel is, when at loss scarf some catnip then puke.

The Lucky Penny Ring

I pick up change I see when I'm out, walking about. I call it "change road rescue." And this might seem, well, eccentric, um, to be kind. But I started doing it because my standard response when anyone asked about health insurance or my lack thereof, I'd say, "when I win the lottery.... " Or if asked about my retirement plans I'd say, " when I win the lottery." The trouble is, I don't believe in the lottery (as I have explained before, here, and here.) *Its a poor tax, not a stupid tax.... though the poor may be desperate enough to act stupid. Essentially, its a tax on dreams.*

So. To get around my reluctance to support a poor tax, I decided to pool the change I find while walking. Every 2-3 weeks, I accumulate enough for a powerball ticket. Two of my best finds are a 1896 penny (worth one dollar), and a 1918 dime (worth 5 bucks. Though it is a bit nicked. I found it in the street.)



Not all of the change I find is recyclable. Some of the pennies are torn apart, and some are just pulverized a bit too much. I keep these pennies, and have ended up with a rather gnarly stash of orphan pennies. Hence, the Lucky Penny Ring. Here is one design of the Lucky Penny Ring, and tomorrow I'm going to start working on another design. It is carved out of green wax and will be cast into silver. In one picture I have a diamond I dropped in just for fun. I will be setting a 5 mm stone there, but not a diamond! All pennies will be seeking their new life, with luck.