New Copper Jewelry

I've been very productive lately making new copper pendants and earrings. Each piece that I make is etched copper that is then oxidized to highlight its beauty or left to its unaltered perfection. I design each etched image; these are not stamps or decal images. Each is an individual and can never be reproduced in the same way twice due to the etching process. All items are sealed, on both sides, to protect the wearer’s clothes and to prevent future oxidation. All items are beta tested before I sell them for appearance and wear-ability.

I start with copper sheets and then hand-cut each shape and acid-etch each image. After etching is complete, assorted finishes are applied and then each piece is sealed to protect the wearer’s clothing. Each piece is unique due to the chemistry of the air during the process. The back of each piece is an unaltered chemical finger print of the process often with beautiful greens or blacks.

All items are available at my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/nikkiskeleton

Twilight Bats

Relaxing in the cool night watching bats emerge and cross the moon is a captivating experience. Whether you are up late watching bats or up late being up to no good, the charming a casual pendant is an excellent accompaniment for your late night capers. Etched and oxidized copper round pendant 1.38 inches (3.5 cm) with 24 inches (60 cm) standard weight black rat-tail with lobster clasp and jump ring terminal.






Spiral the Sun Lizard

Reminiscent of petroglyphs found in the southwest, this sun scorched pendant gives a bold and contrasting complement to casual adventures. Etched and oxidized copper round pendant 1 ¼ inches (3.2 cm) with 24 inches (60 cm) standard weight black rat-tail with adjustable Lover Knots terminal.







Geometric Burst Earring and Pendant Set

An explosion of geometery, this pendant and earring set is reminiscent of star quilt patterns. Etched and oxidized copper round earrings (3.2 cm) 1 ¼ inches with copper ear wires. Etched and oxidized copper round pendant 1 ¼ inches (3.2 cm) with 24 inches (60 cm) standard weight black rat-tail with adjustable Lover Knots terminal.

Narwhals, Narwhals!

Narwhal Halloween Costumes

So basically these costumes are pillows shaped like fins and safety pinned to our coats. This is a good costume method if you don’t know how cold it is going to be beforehand, and need to travel in it. The horns are made of rolled card stock cones with muslin glue over it and held on with an elastic and stapled head band. Cheap and comfortable. We wore them to the zoo for halloween pumpkin enrichment.

Halloween Crafts

It's Halloween time again, so I thought I'd share a few Halloween-themed copper crafts that I've made Here are two different designs for witch-themed pendants. This first one one is a witch with a cat and broom flying against the moon. It's an etched and oxidized copper pendant 2.20 x 2.13 inches (5.6 x 5.4 cm) with 17 inches (43.18 cm) antique fine copper chain with lobster clasp and jump ring terminal.



The next design here is "Spiral Witch Flying Against the Moon". It's an etched and oxidized copper pendant 2.9 x 2.9 inches (5.3 x 5.3 cm) with 17 inches (43.18 cm) antique fine copper chain with lobster clasp and jump ring terminal.



And here are a couple of Halloweenish etched and oxidized copper cuff bracelets, one feeaturing a horde of bats and another featuring the Nikki Skeleton logo design.

DeWitt 4th Annual Harvest Festival

This weekend I will be selling at the 4th Annual Harvest Festival in Riverside Park, downtown DeWitt Michigan. The festival will be held on September 25th, 2010, from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. In addition to the arts and crafts, there will be a talent contest, carnival games, pumpkin decorating, an apple pie baking contest, and food concessions.

So if you're in the area, please come out to the festival and look for the Nikki Skeleton table. I will have a selection of metal and clay jewelry.

http://www.dewittareacc.org/pdf/2010HF-Flyer.pdf

Go Team Venture!

We've finally come to a new season of the Venture Brothers, the best animated series, if not the best series period, on television today. To mark the occasion, I present some Venture Bros themed crafts that I made some time ago as a special birthday gift. These are tile coasters, each depicting a favorite scene from the series with images and quotes. As you can see, they are fully functional for coasting drinks. Go Team Venture!

Catcraft

I love cats. Now perhaps I'm predisposed to one day become a crazy old cat-lady, or perhaps cats just make excellent inspirational artwork, but either way I do enjoy cat-themed jewelry. Here is a picture of my Tonkinese cat Basil. I know that some people treat their pets like spoiled children...my relationship with Basil is more like a respected friend and long-term roommate.



And here is a piece I did inspired by Japanese/Chinese style brush-painting and woodcuts. This is a collage that features 12 cats, in a variety of cat poses (including perennial cat favorite, napping). This is a 4.5 inches x 2 inches (11mm x 4.5mm) etched copper barrette with spring clasp.




Here I am walking through the neighborhood randomly making friends with the local neighbor cats. I like to name the surrounding cat populace wherever I live. I have often considered starting up a neighborhood walking tour of local cats, but that is somewhat weird.


And here is a second barrette I call "Japanese Cat with Kittens" in a similar style to a Japanese woodcut. The depth and shadows on the piece give it a haunting yet serene look. Also a 4.5 inches x 2 inches etched copper barrette with spring clasp.