Stationery, not stationary. Necklace. 16/16.

As I promised (mostly for myself) I've moved away from the inlay for now, though I've no doubt at all I'll come back to it. For a while now I've enjoyed working with found materials - or at least the idea of working with them. I've accumulated all sorts of bits and pieces and had some interesting thoughts on how to use them, but mostly that's as far as it's gone. I decided when I first came up with the plan for this year that I would try to incorporate some of those designs into my making for the project, and maybe come up with some new ones.

Today was a day filled with busy work and errands, mostly for other people. The sort of things one does when one is a wife, mother, daughter and all. I started my day taking a family member to an appointment and it went on from there. I didn't make it back home till almost 10pm, so it was a mad dash to get something made tonight. It seemed the ideal moment to try something quick and easy with some of my found materials.

It's amazing what you can find, just wandering down the stationery aisle of the local supermarket.
A few months back, some colourful pencil grips caught my eye. I wasn't sure quite WHAT use I might have for them, but I KNEW that there would be a use. I thought of them on my way to the studio tonight and pulled them out of the cupboard. As soon as I opened one of the packets, I had an idea. It was simple, used only one pencil grip, and I was in and out of the studio in around an hour and a half - decision time, making and photography included. I even found time to have a coffee!

I used a rubber cord in a colour as close as I could find to the grip I chose, and of course I've used some sterling silver for added value (and to qualify it as 'real' jewellery for the folks who might question my use of such unconventional materials!) Personally, I believe the value of a piece is in the making, the context and the meaning ascribed to the object by the maker and the wearer, as much as in the market price of the materials used. What do you think?

Green Gooshy Necklace. "Gooshy" pencil grip, rubber cord, sterling silver insert and ends.

I turned the pencil grip into a sort of bead, if you like, by making slightly domed sterling silver end caps, then tube riveting the piece together, also with sterling. That silver tube on the inside helps to add a little extra sparkle to the translucent green of the rubber grip - and the glitter in it is silver, so it was a good combination.  I think that turned out pretty well for a rush job! It's made me wonder what else I might do with the rest of these, and some of my other off-beat 'finds'. In order to explore that notion, I've decided to declare this my first Artificial Colours and Flavours Week. (No, I'm not spelling that incorrectly. I'm an Aussie. We use the English spelling, not the American version!)

So, the rules for the week will be to incorporate at least one piece of found material into the work each day. Also, that material (or some of that material) must be colourful. There's a fair bit of scope there. Let's see what I can come up with over the remaining six of this seven days!