Hello From Across The Pond!!

[Millymollymandy]

I read about the pond accident but is your dog OK now? I couldn't find any more about it and all the postings seemed to be on Feb 20th.

[Modern_Pioneer]

Thanks Spider, please join me on my blog I have lots more things to get done and lots to do.

Peanut, the family dog, is back to old self. Though most of that was posted in Feb 2010, it started from march 2009 up until those postings. I have a living journal that I just moved to a blog.

My next project is building my first cold frame as soon as old man winter goes away. My son and I went snowmobiling at a friends house over the weekend!!! I am all sore from holding on and keeping the sled going forward!!

Get much snow in Scotland?





I know I look all pro-ish on that yellow sled, but that is just the fierceness of a 39 y/o against a 13 y/o LOL!!!

[Millymollymandy]

That looks like fun! I'm so glad your dog is OK now. What a horrible shock that was for you all.

[spider8]

Like MMM, I'm so glad Peanut was okay as it didn't sound good at all, quite horrific.
We've not had as much snow as you but we've had more this winter than for the past 20 years or so...........at least that's what the old Orcadians tell us! It's lovely here at the moment, really Spring-like, sun shining and the birds all going daft pairing up and chasing each other around - lovely. When hubby gets back I'll get him to put some photos of Orkney on here.......he has to 'cos I'm a real technophobe, if anything happens that I'm not used to dealing with on this contraption then i'm stumped .
Looks like you had fun on those snowmobiles - hope your muscles recover soon .

[Modern_Pioneer]

Perhaps I have not mentioned that I work for myself, which is also a SS skill that I use to barter with. I am a Coppersmith with a level of working of a Master Craftsman and have my own stamp after 11 years of working under my mentor James Chamberlian.

Not only do I do some straight up copper work, sometimes I am commissioned to do work for people and corporations. Along those lines I also do signature pieces when I feel inspired to do them.

So I finished my siggie piece today, The Tree of Life, its headed down to the Gallery tomorrow. I am still considering price right now, so besides the folks in my shop, your are the first peeps to see it.

As I show pictures, I will explain more to you as there are different reasons for building this.



The four branches represents the ten year blocks of my life and its up/downs/struggles. As an artist my subject matter changes with the way I am feeling or what the purpose the item is. I am not going into great detail of the four branches and why they are shaped the way they are. All the info about this lamp is in a book that goes with the lamp and its new future owner.





The patina is my siggie patina and is completed to a highly desirable earth tone using liver of sulfur mixed with my secret other ingredient which the recipe will die with me as other well know Coppersmiths have done. There is little to no information on some artist patina formula.

One with Mother Earth brought the root system to life in this piece and with this piece, perhaps my last representation of the Art Nouveau transition to the Arts and Crafts style which is heavily represented like no other piece I have done to date.



When I design and make a piece, its a passion or love for what I am doing. So to get the best work possible in my siggie pieces I work on them when I want. I still have one that is laying covered in dirt and dust. When I feel the right time, I will complete it. Each of the four panels was hand filed to completion for detail taken from my sketch template. That template will go into my lifes work folder with my past/current/future works. This piece is signed/dated/numbered/embossed with my personal stamp given/designed by Jim. Its my registered trade mark with the Guilds of Master Craftsmen.

While in the middle of this piece I was inspired to complete yet another piece that I have been designing for 5 years now. The amount of detail and different materials will showcase some of my more skilled level of work. I expect the next piece to take almost a year to build from start to finish.

Working for myself, being SS also means I can make a living while at the same time work and design some of my own signature pieces which is used for my personal income gain.

[spider8]

Oh drool, if i saw your work in a shop I'd be drawn to it like a moth to a light beautiful work. I'd so love to own a piece like that but it's a dream - unless I win very big in a lottery!