Friday, August 3, 2012

The new Friday

Usually I try to do a bit of creative stuff on Friday - as well as other days of course. But today I have had Drs' appointments in 'the city'. Hopefully giving me a clean bill of health after 'the incident'. Knowing we would be away Fiona and I declared that for this week Thursday was the new Friday - hence we had a morning coffee in town and both managed to do some creative stuff in the afternoon. I had four things on my list: make another ladle; make a few small bowls for Daily Words; cut blanks for daily words; and cut and anneal a stash of brass and copper bits for a friend.

Well I didn't get the ladle made; but I did beat the bowl below that will become the bowl part of the ladle. This bowl is about 6.5cm wide and 4.5cm deep.

©2012 Barry Smith - Copper and silver bowl for a ladle
©2012 Barry Smith - Copper and silver bowl for a ladle
The bowl is made from a cutdown rather steep sided goblet - copper lined with silver-plate. The test for me was to stretch the cutdown goblet into a more open shape. After a few beatings and interchange of stakes I did manage a pretty reasonable shape - still more goblet-like than ladle bowl - but then some of us like deeper ladles - helps to avoid spillage. I'm loving the texture that I'm getting on the insides of these smaller bowl shapes.

I managed two new Daily Words bowls; and re-cut and polished one I had beaten earlier but was not happy with the shape. A closer inspection shows that each bowl has its own texture: one fully hammered from the front with a ball peen hammer; one with an un-hammered rim; and the third lightly hammered from the back. The Daily Words bowls are about 9cm in diameter and 1cm deep.


©2012 Barry Smith - Daily Words bowls

The daily words blanks got cut as you can see from the photo below. But they did not get their edges sanded ready for stamping - another day!!! There are about 24 blanks each roughly 3-3.5cm long and 1-1.5cm wide. They are cut from scrap silver-plated EPNS tray offcuts.
©2012 Barry Smith - Daily Words blanks
And the stash of brass and copper is ready - cut, annealed and lightly cleaned with a scourer wheel.

©2012 Barry Smith - Copper and brass stash for a friend
So all in all a good Friday on Thursday.

7 comments:

  1. Wonderful compositions. I like these reflect light metals, precious pictures.

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  2. i love how you both make your special day a priority...
    you got so much done! i am a huge fan of your bowls and i thank you for pointing out some of the differences in your technique that result in different effects... i admire them all, just don't always know why one looks the way it does vs. another...
    best to you at the dr's - though i am guessing you are done by now...

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  3. I am also hoping everything went well at the doctor's and you have received your 'clean bill'.
    Your bowls are impressive and so very beautiful - and you were very productive on your new Friday...

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  4. Wow, you make a list of what you're going to do! No wonder I can't get anything done. I'd make one for the maid if she would just show up! :) Your pace hasn't slowed down I see - still pumping out all that beauty.

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  5. L, MJ, S/R & SZQ - hi folks - thanks for the positive feedback. Dr appt went well and have a clear bill of health from the incident and aftermath - have a follow up check on an artery issue discovered as part of all the checks - but nothing serious - getting closer to all clear. MJ - the techniques are both experience and learning for me - good to share. S/R - yes I'm in a bit of a production phase at the moment - though production can be creative if one is not doing a specific commission. SZQ - given the life Fiona and I lead we would not survive without the lists - but we are not driven by them - rather guided. All go well and create well. B

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  6. thursday is the new friday! hey... i like that :) actually everyday should be friday ;)
    still loving that ladle WIP thingy ... i think it's becos of the copper outside and silver inside contrast. did the metal come like that or did you somehow do some abracadabra on it?

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  7. L- I love declaring Fridays - gives one permission to do enjoyable things. The copper-silver combination does work well - but I did not do magic - just saw the potential in an object that could be recycled. Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.