When I saw that B'Sue Boutiques was hosting a Sari Ribbon Blog Hop, I knew I had to participate for two reasons:
1. As some of you know, I've been busy editing a forthcoming book on using ribbons and cords in jewelry. The projects in the book have made my fingers itch to work with fiber.
2. At the same time, I find this
particular type of ribbon hard to work with. I tend to
like things that are more streamlined, less organic. Even when the sari ribbon is sitting sedately in my drawer, I have fight the urge to pull out
the Fray Check and corral those edges.
My Earring Design
I made this pair of earrings using a sheet of copper which I've cut, filed, stamped, textured, punched, and sewn to tiny pieces of sari ribbon. Then I added brass ear wires, Czech glass, and cute glass leaf and flower dangles. (The stamped words say "plant" and "bloom".)
Me, But Not Me
It's odd looking at these earrings: they look somewhat like my style (mixed metals, flower beads, purple/orange/green combination, not-exactly-matching pair), but not my style (fraying sari ribbon, embroidery floss, pink and yellow colors).
You know what it's like? It's the same experience I had a long time ago when I wore a wig for a Halloween party and looked in the mirror. There was that initial shock: Who is that person staring back at me? But if I looked long and hard enough, I could still see me.
Unexpected Book Connection
During the time I was making these earrings, I began reading Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk. I was surprised to come across a passage in this food memoir about stamping metal.
The narrator is describing how she wanted to stamp phrases on metal napkin rings (a terrific idea, by the way!). She's worried about smashing her fingers with the hammer and when her dad criticizes her for being so timid with the hammer and making crooked letters, she says, "I want these napkin rings to look man-made. I want them to have errors. I don't want them to look perfect, Dad." He responds: "Don't worry."
Sari Blog Hop Participants
Have fun seeing what everyone else made with their ribbon!
Vickie Wills
http://www.jewelrybyvee.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy
www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Michelle Mach - YOU ARE HERE
http://www.michellemach.com/blog/
Michelle Lee Hardy
http://fireflyvisions.blogspot.com/
Ruth Crawford
http://www.home-with-ruth.blogspot.com
Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
http://fryestyle.blogspot.com/
Diana P.
www.suburbangirlstudio.com
Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/
Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
http://www.clarityofpurplesage.blogspot.com
Connie Rios-Relyea
http://www.JewelsDesignsCreativeCorner.wordpress.com/
Jennifer Justman
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Deb Davis
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Beanzie
http://www.thevintageheartcharmbracelets.com/the-vintage-heart-charm-b/
Cathie Carroll
http://www.cathiecarroll.com/
Rosemary Cowit
http://www.gemrosedesigns.blogspot.com/
Georgene Lockwood
http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/
Cathy Buckley
http://cathybuckleycatsmeow.blogspot.com
Harry Wood
www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com
Sonya Stille
http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com
Mary Deis
http://mdeis.blogspot.com/
Heather Goldsmith
http://asibeadit.blogspot.com/
Susan Rouleau
http://mountainshadowstudio.blogspot.com
Terry Matusyk
pinkchapeau.wordpress.com
Pam Chesbro
http://afortunatesoul.blogspot.com/
Mary Shannon Hicks
http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Janice Everett
http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com
Davinia
www.daviniadesign.com
Kristina Johansson, Maneki
wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com
Kris Binsfeld
www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com
Alice Craddick
http://alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/
Mandy
www.beadsforbrains.blogspot.com
Charlene
http://thebeaddreamer.com/blog/
Catherine Jeltes
http://www.galleryzooart.com
Jackie
http://kydojewellery.blogspot.com/
Sharon Palac
www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com
Deb Beechy
http://beetique56.blogspot.com/
Jean Yates
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/
Patrice Pfeiffer
http://treeseatreasures.blogspot.com/
Dorcas Midkiff
http://wondrousstrangedesigns.blogspot.com/
Lynn Perry Bennett
designsbylynnea.blogspot.com
Linzi Alford
www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com
Deb
http://greenshoot.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Wainscott
www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bsueboutiques/
Book Giveaway Winner: Congratulations to Linzi for winning a copy of Color, Texture & Casting for Jewelers. I've mailed your prize. Hope you enjoy it!