MINERALARTS:

Guatemalan Blue Jade

A few months ago, a friend gave me two pieces of Guatemalan “Olmec Blue” jade for carving. It is a a muted translucent bluish-green, like seawater. Guatemala has produced green jade since ancient times. The source for the dusky bluish stone of Olmec carvings remained a mystery until 1999, when flooding from Hurricane Mitch revealed outcrops of…

ironwing

December 3, 2009

Iron & Metalwork, Lapidary, Uncategorized

Ironwing Tarot: Free Book Download

December 2009 is the fifth anniversary of the publication of the Ironwing Tarot. Although the full 78-card deck/book set sold out 18 months ago, I still get occasional requests for copies of the deck and/or book. Since I don’t plan to reprint the deck, I’ve decided to make the book available for free download from my website. …

ironwing

November 25, 2009

How-To, Iron & Metalwork, Scratchboard

Tucson All Souls Procession 09

We walked in the Tucson All Souls Procession last night. We took pictures this year – here’s my set, and from any of these you can link to Flickr’s ALL SOULS PROCESSION group and see more photos from other people. http://www.flickr.com/photos/leonfangs/sets/72157622765310126/ A big crowd this year, and more spectators than usual. This event is 20 years…

ironwing

November 9, 2009

Iron & Metalwork, Uncategorized

Archean Banded Iron Cabochons

I recently bought a vintage lapidary machine on Craigslist. It’s for cutting cabochons, and includes a trim saw, grinding wheels, sanding drum, and buffing wheel. I mostly want it for making beads and cutting preforms for gem carving. Wyoming Archean Banded Iron Double-sided drilled and polished pendant, 31x21x5mm. Matched pair of triangular cabochons, 20x16x4mm. This is…

ironwing

November 2, 2009

Iron & Metalwork, Lapidary

Making a Copper Mask, Part 2

Go HERE for the first post on how to design and shape the mask. The Copper Jaguar Mask could be used as it is, but I want to add spots and fabric decorations. RIVETS: A jaguar’s spots (like the markings on any spotted or striped cat) are unique to the individual, just like human finger…

ironwing

October 26, 2009

Cats, How-To, Iron & Metalwork, Nature, Needlework

Moon Pebble Necklace

I’ve been collecting round white quartz or chalcedony pebbles for many years, and for a long time I had an ever-changing series of them them arranged on a round “Dark Moon Turtle Shell” mandala in my studio, to represent the 13 moons of the year. I have been (and still am) drawing the more interesting ones for the…

ironwing

October 15, 2009

Iron & Metalwork, Lapidary, Nature

Chiltepins

Well, I didn’t expect to take such a long break from the blog, but self-promotion hasn’t been a priority lately, and life has been alternately chaotic and lethargic, so I have several projects in the works but have not finished much. We have a magical plant growing wild in our backyard. This is the Chiltepin,…

ironwing

October 12, 2009

Nature

Bell Sounds and a New Bell

I’ve made some small videos of several iron bells. See and hear them ringing on this Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/visualclutter Descriptions and prices are on the Iron Bells webpage: http://www.mineralarts.com/artwork/ironbells.html Here’s the newest bell. It’s the same triple-nested design that I used for the All Souls Procession Bell, in which the smaller bells act as clappers…

ironwing

August 8, 2009

Iron & Metalwork

A Rare Orchid

Today we hiked in Madera Canyon, the famous birdwatcher’s paradise in the Santa Rita Mountains not far from our house. It’s a popular hiking area in beautiful Madrean evergreen oak/pine woodland. Today there were very few birds (though we did spot a sulphur-bellied flycatcher in a sycamore tree). We followed a creek that flowed through…

ironwing

July 26, 2009

Nature

Make a Hammered Copper Mask

Instructions for making a wearable mask made with sheet metal and basic metalworking techniques, using tools and materials that can be found at most hardware stores. SAFETY NOTES: This is not a kid’s project. It involves sharp-edged tools, hammers, fire, and hot metal. It is designed for someone who has never worked with metal before, but it does…

ironwing

July 25, 2009

Cats, How-To, Iron & Metalwork