Thursday, May 5, 2011

Of Love and Spirals

A little bit on my process of creating the galaxy buckles.

I came upon the general idea of this design while trying to make a heart. I was using what I'll refer to as the drip method to do this. The drip method basically involves drawing a design on a piece of glass (with a writing implement that can be erased), turning it over and melting jeweler's wax over that design. It's very hard to be precise, and things are bound to always look a bit abstract. The spiral came out of frustration for not dripping precisely and fast enough for a heart shape. The wax hardens quite quickly and will not bond with itself unless the drips are still in a melted state when they touch. This means you've got one chance to make it, no backtracking.



The spiral is the perfect shape for this method because it is continuous, no overlapping drips until the layers and embellishments come in. On this example, an extra layer is dripped on the inner half and embellishments are dot dripped on the outer length. In the above paragraph, I mention that hardened wax does not bond with itself unless both drips are melted, but in this case, dripping melted wax on hardened wax holds on seamlessly. If bent or pushed, it will come apart, leaving the first layer of hardened wax as if it were never there at all. This comes in handy when I make a drip that I'm not happy with. I just have to wait a few second until it hardens, and I can push it off!

Finished product: Etsy.com/.../Galaxy-Boxed-Bronze-Belt-Buckle


Thanks for reading!

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Bunting Bandwagon

Fandango Bunting
Layered paper bunting flags- customizableSweet Vintage Linens Banner - 11'Petite Bunting2 Sets of Custom Scalloped Bunting Flag Garland.  Features Large Fabric Pennants in Your Color Scheme.CELEBRATE....white glittered font on natural burlap wedding banner birthday banner pennant buntingMelamine Party Flags PlatterHappy Bunting Shadow Box - Fabric Wall DecorGold and Bronze Banner Pennant Necklace

What is with all the friggin bunting!?
I didn't even know what bunting was until it popped up on the etsy frontpage every single day! It started in the child's nursery room... then crept into the the freespirited doorways that used to house Tibetan prayer flags... now they're miniaturized and hanging on your neck! Upside down triangles are everywhere!

What is this ambiguous bunting?

Wisegeek says,
"Bunting is a loosely woven fabric option that is often employed for the making of flag." It goes on to talk about a myriad of ways to use bunting to make things that are decidedly not flags, like window curtains and baby blankets."

"Can be either a cotton or wool fabric, woven in a plain open weave, similar to cheesecloth, and dyed in the piece. Cotton bunting is often woven with plied yarns. Wool bunting is woven with worsted worsted yarns, using strong, wiry wool.

A plain, drapey, loosely woven fabric most often used for flags and decoration. Also called banner cloth.

Is cloth decorated with the national colors. The term is also used for the woolen cloth used in making flags.

A loosely woven coloured fabric, traditionally wool but nowadays often polyester, used for flags and festive decorations."

Sooo, it's cotton or it's wool or it's polyester. Ok, it's made of fabric of some sort, that's decided.

My Matt says,
"Like in baseball?
me: no
Matt: It's also like those semicircular american flag banners
Matt: Like at an opening day or something"

What is this mass appeal? Why did this take off? Yes, they are quaint and pretty things, but we must be honest with our artists... these are replicated rows of upside down triangles! I received a bit of advice from a friend the other day, regarding what I might want to produce for my etsy store. She said raw rock gems were really in right now. That looking at what is popular in the mainstream is sure to bring you sales if you recreate it. Wonderful girl, but bad advice. Do I want to be an artist or do I want to be a replicator? Replicators can devour worlds if you let them through the Stargate, but let's face it, they're evil! Let's be artists and let's be original about it.

Is it as bad as the felted acorn boon of 2010? Only time will tell.

P.S. Check out our new items!
Galaxy Boxed Bronze Belt BuckleOriginal Heart Bronze Belt BuckleTuuti Yoff Shell EarringsTuuti Yoff Shell EarringsHanging Leaf Earrings in White Bronze
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleCityLoveTeam?ref=pr_shop

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Introduction

My name is Ruth and I am a creator.
My soon to be husband and I have started the Little City Love Team, our dual foray into making a living off our art.

He is a film maker, photographer, editor, silk screen and installation artist. His name is Matt.
I am a jewelry maker, writer, photographer, and designer. My name is Ruth.

This blog will be about what we're working on, the process and final products.
This blog will also be about other listings I find on Etsy, because there are very talented people with great listings, and some not so talented people making quite humorous listings.