The Persistent Life of a Small Bonsai

Or at least, I don't think the Bonsai is dead yet. Last summer I gave up on worrying about this thing. I do fine with plants that that are outdoors, plants that can survive fairly well with benign neglect. The tag on this plant when I got it said to do all these things to it, (forget what,) and that it needs temperatures between 50 to 70 degrees F. It has been where it is now, hiding behind a rose bush outside, since last summer. *I live in Rhode Island. That little thing spent the winter outside.*


I feel like I should reward this plant somehow by transplanting it. Or something. Weeding around it?

And here is the lid, cast into bronze. *It's been cleaned, but not polished or antiqued.* It looks big on the glass, but I made it with about 5% shrinkage calculated in in case I decided to mold it.

One More Lid...

The current thing I'm working on is a wedding present.... and I just dunno. Its another lid (for the glass boxes.) Weddings are so encased in homogenized format, that its tough to break through with something that feels fresh and fun. Except for the parties though! The parties do carry on rather well it seems. As for the gifty part, I think money is the best unless its an 18 year old couple that doesn't even own a skillet. But, you know, I make stuff a lot easier than I make money. ;) And money does seem impersonal anyway.

I decided on using the double ring symbol, and designed a branch like textured background. Here are some other marriage symbols I liked but didn't get into:



This is the thingie I've made so far. I'm going to have it cast in bronze, I think.

Warning: Serious Corn

If you need a laugh, click on the video. You might have to be desperate for a laugh to click, but, this is a gem for those in serious need.


*The fellow in the middle must be a ringer. But he's a wonderful ringer. ;)

Flower Power

Here's the next finished Lucky Penny ring, Flower Power! lol. The date on it is 1968. Kate suggested 1969 as Woodstock's year, and suitable for a Flower Power ring, but I'd already picked out a 1968. The stone is a 3 mm blue topaz.


Which brings up a funny point. As I stated before, I started picking up change I'd find in my walks for lottery tickets. Then I started admiring the varying road textures of the coins, and began making jewelry with them. The end result is, a growing mound of unrecycled road change. The only coins I use for lottery tickets anymore are quarters and pennies younger than 1983. (the last year of good copper content in pennies.) If I come across a totally unscarred dime, sure I'll recycle it. But, I have lots of great looking dimes, nickels and pennies covering my table top.

Which means, of course, I need to start selling lots or get a life! Eh. Maybe I'll go get a beer instead....

Indecision...

I have a bunch of small glass boxes. About 40 I think. The boxes are big enough for a small ring, or some pennies. I had these boxes made up with the plans for lids, and have finally started on them! Because I only have so many boxes, I'm thinking on only molding one design. So of these two lids, which do you like best? i haven't finished them so its kinda unfair to ask. And I'm thinking on doing one more design. *The finished lids will be in brass or bronze... or maybe even "pink" silver. (Pink silver has a high copper content, and is not .925 sterling silver.)


Both of these designs I've done before. I've used this particular house motif in drawings, earrings and a pendant. I have also made a My Town ring. The house motif is pretty iconic. Some day I'll sit down and try to verbalize why I keep returning to this, my particular version of it.