New Works in the Works...

Working with a lot of brass lately.  Many suppliers market it is NuGold (aka: poor man's gold, jewelry bronze, merlin's gold).  It's a lovely, matte gold color and as the name of it implies, used as a gold "substitute."  I've been noticing a higher demand for gold-toned jewelry here on the West Coast, which is unusual since gold jewelry is more common and often associated with the East Coast.  Of course today, gold has also hit an all-time high.  It's not very affordable or practical to play with and design with.

I'm getting used to working with brass.  I want to learn how to do some soldering with it (I have to brush up on my soldering skills in general - and I'm a jewelry artist!!!  Shhhh - don't tell!).  But it's beautiful.  It polished differently, it shines differently.  Heat brings out different lovely warm shades and it also patinas differently.  Also, wounds inflicted by brass heal much more slowly than silver.  Hmmm.  It's beautiful, tough and rough!

I also feel like I'm growing into a third generation of jewelry style.  I've created a few new pieces that have yet to be named.  I like the general category titled "MMA" for Mixed-Metal-Arts.  My husband argues that it will remind people of MMA as in Mixed-Martial-Arts.  I think I like that, though.  Rough, tough and with its own particular beauty...