Shine, cut, test and melt

 

As the title suggests over the last couple of days I have been doing chores that either follow on from making (shining metal); or in preparation for making (cutting paper, testing colours and cutting, melting and forming metal).

The opening photo and those below show some of the outcomes and processes of shining Daily Word sets.

I have finished cutting the paper offcuts separated out as part of our recent paper inventory and sale. The pieces have been cut into sizes for mini posters and business card size inspiration cards.

Instead of just looking into the various paint boxes I am using I finally got around to doing colour tests on a couple of postcard size pieces of watercolour paper.

Today I cut up some salvaged discarded pewter objects and poured some stars and hearts. The stars will be gifted as is; and the hearts will be stamped with words and then gifted.

It often fascinates me that as artists we progress small things on many fronts to finish and facilitate the actual making.

A new year

 

As we move into 2025 I hope we can be kind to ourselves, kind to our minds and kind to those around us. 

We are all likely to be challenged by many personal, political and global matters this year. There will be much that will be beyond our control, capacity and capability. 

May we identify and do the little things we can; and remember there will be many many others who will be feeling as we are feeling - we are all facing the issues and challenges of 2025 together.

Daily Words - hammered metal bowls

 

As many are aware one of my regular creations is the Daily Word sets (see above) made up of one shallow mannered bowl and 7 leaf forms with inspirational words stamped on the.  The bowls vary in texture as they are cut from recycled silver plated metal. 

In addition to the Daily Word Sets I have printed a limited addition of my 7 Daily Words prose poems (see images below) that stand alone or can  be purchased to complement the Daily Words set.. The poem booklets are $39.95 each.

Checking gallery- shop inventory recently revealed I had two complete sets of Daily Words and two sets of word leaves so I decided to hammer out a few more bowls. Process photos follow.

Images of completed highly polished bowls follow.

So now there are four Daily Word Sets ($75 per set) available.

Letterpress challenge

 

Some time ago I started the process of planning to print a concertina Daily Word booklet to complement my other Daily Word pieces. 

It was quite a challenge to do the printing of one side of the book because I was using refolded Kardi paper concertina booklets. The type was set up in one of our galley presses because of the length of the paper and layout of the booklet - see opening photo.

To hold the concertina paper flatish it was necessary to tape it in place - see below.

Even so the paper moved slightly each time I printed. Still the outcome is not too bad.

I have now set up the type for printing the reverse side.

The second print run will have to wait until the ink is totally dry and I can get back into the studio. 

Daily focus - continuing the series

 

For many years now I have made and sold silver-plated Daily Leaf Words sets. The sets are made up of a small metal bowl with seven formed leaves each stamped with a different word. The idea is that one choses at random a leaf at the beginning of the day. That may help one to be calm and maintain a gentle focus with through meditation or just reflection through the day. See photo of a couple of sets below. Daily Leaf Word sets can be purchased on my online shop.

I have complemented these sets with a small pamphlet stitched publication where I wrote words that might inspire or add a bit more focus to the day. I did all the letterpress set up, printing and binding myself - a limited edition of 25. See some photos below. The booklet can be purchased on my online shop.

I'm now planning to print a 7.5cm square concertina book on Kardi cotton paper. The opening photo is me comparing a number of letterpress fonts including narrow wood 2.5cm high type. I have chosen to go with Empire 72pt - the bottom font - very elegant and quiet. The following photos show some of the process of me setting out and choosing fonts, layout and ink.

I'm looking forward to printing this little pocket-purse book even though the concertina nature of it will make it a bit of a challenge on the letterpress press.

A whole lot of leaves, a whole lot of inspiration

 

I'm currently making 7 sets of my Daily Leaf Words. Most people would know that the sets are made up of a shallow silver-plated hammered bowl that is capable of holding 7 silver plated leaf forms - each stamped (as in the opening photo) with a different word: hope, joy, peace, love, dream, shine and wonder. The idea is that the owner randomly choses a leaf each day; and the word on the leaf might act as an inspiration-guide for the day.

The leaf forms are cut from good quality silver-plated placemats - you can see one marked up below. However, because I was cutting silver-plate I decided to make not only the daily word leaves but also: giveaway leaves, leaf pendants and leaf earrings. I cut up four placemats and a few small silver-plated trays.

I cut over 140 silver-plated blanks of varying sizes - fit for purpose - some for earrings, pendants and daily words in photo below.

Following are further photos of stamped blanks.

A photo of what the final folded forms are going to look like before finals hammering, opening, grinding and polishing etc. In sequence: earring , pendant, daily word and give-away words.

I hope to further progress all 140 plus pieces next weekend.

They just keep giving

 

I have been selling Daily Leaf Word sets lately  - leading up to Christmas I think. I decided to make a few more sets to replenish stock in the Deckled Edge Press studio-gallery shop.

I like making these sets. They not only look sculptural; but given that the leaves have seven different words stamped on them they can be used as daily inspirations and so by mixing them up an choosing a leaf each day they do in fact just keep giving - inspiration that is.

A few photos of the making of some bowls.

And a few of the making 28 leaves for four sets of seven.

These were not all made today - I made the bowls last Sunday and made the leaves today.