Ahoy, Me Hearties!

    Welcome to the 15th Blogger/Non-Blogger round robin design challenge. 
    This round was sponsored by Kathy Lindemer of Bay Moon Designs.

           Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!

    Apologies to my followers for a post long over due. To my family and friends as well, who I've been teasing all week with promises of more photos to come. 

    The good news is, business is booming. The down side is I'm now spread way too thin. 

    It's all good stuff. It's all to the benefit of my business and my future. 

    There just aren't enough hours in the day to be all the places I need to be right now. 

    So, I'm going to try and make this a short post (something I'm not sure I'm even capable of).

    With out further ado....... 

"Who Shall Be Captain" 

Kathy chose this oil painting by Howard Pyle, housed at the Delaware Art Museum, as our inspiration photo. 

"Pirate's Booty" 

    I had a really tough time getting a good photo of the entire set. There's so much going on here that the camera wasn't sure what to focus on.   

    I didn't realize until after I finished my photo shoot and was editing to submit my designs, that I was only allowed to enter one photo for this round.  I got much better individual shots. 

   

    I started out with a pair of very cool Raku "Doubloon" cabochons by Wondrous Strange that were gifted to me with an order.
    Problem was, they're double sided. 

    How do you set a double sided cabochon?

    Both sides are really cool, so I didn't want to block either. So I had to get very creative. They have an awesome oak tree impression on the back.
    I hammered out some copper rings to frame them, and then set them with lacquer. The coins were irregular in shape, so they didn't fit perfectly into the rings.
    That's when I came up with the idea to use the rope to highlight. Kind of like a mat board in a picture frame.
    Incidentally the rope played even further into the pirate theme.
    Then I piled on the jewels. Kyanite, Labradorite, Pyrite, bronze stick pearls, carved bone skulls, sea shells, creamy white round pearls, and little copper skeleton keys.
    I had initially planned to just make the earrings, but while pillaging and plundering my stash looking for buried treasure, I dug up a whole slew of goodies that I only had singles of.
    So the necklace was born as well.
    I found another cabochon in my collection. This one a little bit larger piece, and single sided (so it was easier), by Harry Wood of Oscar Crow, featuring a dragon, and framed it the same as the Doubloons.

    One of the treasures in the necklace is a pressed penny with skull and crossbones, marked "Pirates Cove, Long Beach, Ca.". I've had this coin a very long time, and I'm not certain of it's origins. I've lived in Long Beach for almost 25 years, and I am unfamiliar with any Pirate's Cove around here. It's possible that it's vintage and been around since the original Pike amusement park, which entertained guests on the Long Beach shoreline from 1902-1979.

    Other treasures include, a full sized antique copper skeleton key, a miniature copper skeleton key, a carved bone skull, Labradorite, Kyanite, Pyrite, bronze stick pearl, creamy round pearls, sea shell, and a little hinged copper treasure chest with a copper padlock.
    It's hung on vintage sari silk, hand dyed in awesome shades of faded red and blue that complement the painting perfectly.
    Accented with dangles of  Labradorite, Sea Urchin spines, and sea shells.
    It closes with a fiber loop, and a vintage brass button featuring a royal crest.
     

How much does it cost for a pirate to get his ears pierced? 

                 ........ a Buccaneer!

    I was a little disappointed at first when I found out that this round was going to be chosen by the most "likes". I've never much cared for these kinds of contests, because they're basically a popularity contest, and as the shy quiet kid I figure I don't stand much of a chance. 

Shiver Me Timbers!

    Imagine my surprise to find out I'm the most popular kid in school this week. :)

    Thank you to everyone for sharing the love. You're helping to make up for those traumatic high school years when no one knew I existed. 

    Thank you to Kathy for my awesome prize, that I am anxiously awaiting. 

    I was given the option of a $25. gift certificate to her shop, or a bead soup mix of comparable value. 

    She makes amazing gorgeous jewelry. You should definitely go check it out. Here's is one of my favorites. 

    As  I rarely have opportunity to even wear my own jewelry, I've opted for the bead soup. I have far more fun playing with the beads than wearing them anyway. 

    Congratulations also go to Gloria Allen, who won the components category with her polymer clay ship focal, and coordinating beads. 

    By the toss of a coin, she will be hostessing the next round. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us. 

    Thank you to Kathy Lindemer for being such a gracious hostess. You can read her winner announcements post here. 

    Make sure you head on over to the facebook page to view the album with all the awesome submissions

                        Can't wait to do this again! 

  "Pippi in The South Seas", 
              one of my favorite childhood adventures. 

  Yo Ho Ho!  
       Weigh Anchor and Hoist the Mizzen! 
                                                  Sail Ho!