New Cane: Victorian Autumn New tool: to be made

So, while I was getting ready for sending some photos and work to this Portland,OR gallery, I got the itch to create a new cane. I love the fall colors of turquoise, adobe and pale sand and decided to use those hues in clay. Instead of just sending images of what I have to the gallery (wouldn't that have been easier?) I was aching to make something new. Do any of you get achy inside when you haven't created lately? Well, I was near to tears, it had been so long. So - okay.....

My husband, Phil, has been after me, no - nagging, to make my large bead neckpieces. Every one I have made to sell has sold. And, well, you know the guys ($$$$). He even offered to make the base round beads for me. Yikes! Can I turn THAT down? No. So, while he was using those great plastic bead making tools I sat down and drew out the cane.

Now, it is one thing to draw the cane and another to make it. Hah. We all know that so well. He must have looked over at me a hundred times and all he saw was moi staring at a sketch. The trooper he is ~ he said not a word. This time I wanted to 'engineer' it. Same size beads (large & small), same size cane slices and, of course, the same size base bead. They came out very close.

I decided that I needed a new tool. I will make one sometime this week. The process I used on this cane worked... fairly well. But, the technique I developed needs a permanent tool to grab at a moments notice.

Oh, and I developed a new tool for metal clay too. That will be on the JewelCarnivalBlog here tomorrow. Up to ten jewelry/metalsmiths blog once a month on a universal theme. Tomorrow's is "my favorite hand tool". We have other blogs here for May and June if you want to scroll down. You can click on a link to see what they have written about on the same topic du jour.

So, back to the neckpiece. I'm gonna have to sell it for a bazillion bucks. Not only did the cane take a bit o'time, but the small polymer beads that give the elements a quilted look took time-ola. Then the small tools I found in my metalsmithing grab bag were perfect for adding very small textures. Oh, my.... this might be the only one I make. Each 'leaf' was hand stamped with a very small ... I mean VERY small phillips screwdriver bit.

But, hey... I am pleased with the results. I have two images. The second is a close up for the texture and to show the clasp and earring. I like to make my large beaded neckpieces without a noticeable clasp. .... that is just me. The beads are somewhat close to a 50 cent piece in diameter.
(Click on right image to enlarge)