SOLD!

I had the treat this week of shipping the Embellished Goddess off to a friend of mine! She saw it on Etsy and had to have it. I hate taking money from friends but I couldn't be more thrilled that she will be wearing it. I met her five years ago when I moved to Charleston to go to the American College of the Building Arts. We only knew each other briefly but she's one of those people you get to meet every once in a rare while who just fits right into your heart and stays there.
And obviously she has spectacular taste! I like to send extra little treats off to my buyers and I had fun putting her's together. I packaged this necklace beautifully in a paper mache jewelry "casket" that I bronzed and oxidized in a matching blue green patina. I made a backing for the necklace out of some heavy Halloween paper and the lid has a window so you can see it in there waiting to be opened, a creepy little surprise!

I was reading up on coffins recently and learned that the word "casket" was hijacked by the growing undertaking industry as a churched up word for coffin. A casket is a box containing jewelry. This means I get to call my jewelry boxes caskets and I won't be wrong! I made this oval casket from a paper mache box painted in the same fashion, but with a plaster cast of a small skull on the lid. All the nooks and crannies of the plaster skull took the patina beautifully. You can just barely see the "bonus" surprise in the box on the left...



I tied both caskets up in sheer black ribbon. Everything looks good in a black ribbon.
I like t0 send everything off in style, never underestimate the value of great packaging.

Monday I will post my very first giveaway. Be sure to comment to be entered into the drawing to win the surprise item I will have posted Monday! Winner pays no shipping as long as they live in the continental US. Shipping shouldn't be too bad; remember good things come in small, gorgeous packages.

Giveaway...

Okay loyal (but small) readership; I am inspired to do a giveaway by Lulu Kellog and A Fanciful Twist.
The way it will go down is like this,
first I need some suggestions for the prize in question, it could be something from a previous post or whatever you have in mind.
Second, I will post pictures of the prize.
Third, you will leave a comment on that post.
And last I will randomly pick a name from those who have left a comment and mail the prize to the winner!
Yes this is a bribe, but hey, free art!
A few examples include (but not limited to!) a necklace,

A hand painted vintage style candy container,

Or a OUIJA board decoupaged box (this one sold, but I can make another one).
Just a few ideas! Let me know what you think. Please feel free to link this to your blog.

New Piece

I am calling this one Embellished Goddess.
I made this a few weeks ago but only listed it on Etsy tonight. I cut the face from a porcelain doll. Actually, it was a Princess Dianna doll, ha! Then again, she is pretty regal...
The Goddess has been finished with a paint containing real bronze powder. It has a true green patina, achieved by applying a catalyst to the wet paint. It takes many coats and applications to achieve this deeply aged finish.She's mounted on a silver fretwork plate that's been hand hammered and oxidized.
Her headdress is three different types of chain, all with varying patinas to blend harmoniously with the plate and porcelain.
As my sister would say, the Embellished Goddess is the ultimate "Diva accoutrement!"
More to come to my Etsy shop soon....