Challenge #10 - Hobby, and Featured Art Tuesday #14

The challenge from 2 daughters, 1 mother, 3 cameras this week is Hobby.

Featured Art Tuesday is by Beth Niquette.

My true passion, even over photography, is making jewelry. 

I call myself a derailed kindergarden teacher, who in 1996 found my true calling as a silver smith/jewelry artist/designer. My training comes from many silver smithing summer classes in Norway and Ireland, and for the rest I am self taught. My jewelry style varies from traditional filigree work to modern style, and a combination of the two. I work mostly in silver, with the occational addition of stones and beads, and I work in my own home studio. I make all the parts from wire and plate, and solder them together. The only pre made elements I use are some locks, but in many cases I make those too.

These pictures are not good, I have to make it my next project to take better pictures of my jewelry, but they show samples of the kind of pieces I make. (I did not make the diamond stud :-)

This cuff bracelet is made of silver and Merlin's gold, a brass alloy.

This next piece is the main broach for my daughter's norwegian national costume.

My sister-in-law Liv has done all the embroidery. Unfortunately it doesn't show here, but the shirt has a lot of beautiful white on white embroidery on the collar and down the front. Some of it shows under the broach above.

This picture of my daughter was taken 10 years ago on her confirmation day. Most girls here get a national costume for their confirmation. This gives you an idea of the top part of the costume. 

Sewing.

Then of course there is photography. Earlier this summer I got sick of the black and yellow camera strap, so I sewed a new one, in my own style. I really love sewing too, and when my kids were small, I made a lot of clothes for them. Now a days I make mostly stuff like this and other accessories.

Knitting.

I am not a big knitter, and haven't done any for years,  but with our first grandchild on the way, I have  taken it up again. Also, as winter started to close in a couple of weeks ago, the need for hand protection came up. Those of you who live in cold climates know how painful it can be to just have to take that picture even if it's snowing and storming. And I find it hard to handle my camera with gloves on. I need to be really "hands on". So my solution is these gloves. 

The finger part has a little hood that can be folded back to expose the fingers, and the thumb can be pulled back. Very practical and very nice and warm. The design is not mine, I bought the pattern. The same kind of gloves are also used by hunters. Feel free to grab the idea :-)

Sorry about posting so many pictures, I get carried away :-)

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