Fall Sales taking Priority

I have been calling these pieces of wearable art "Le Coffret Secret" based on ad I saw in a French magazine several years ago.  Actually, what the container in the ad held was a type of coffee, and these, at present have nothing secretly hidden inside of them.   I was able to match up the gold/black polymer combination with some beads I got at an antique sale this summer while on a short trip to Wisconsin.  I had high hopes of using many of the beads, but for whatever reason, few of them have found their way into my works.  I have incorporated some into bracelets, but the ones I acquired were very large and my original intention was to make some ginormous necklaces with my own polymer beads and the antique ones I obtained.  Many are silver plate (I am pretty sure they're not sterling) and lots are brass like these accordion bellow types here.  Maybe as my inventory for fall sales and shows accumulates more of them will be added to fashion unusual fusions of old and new.

As for the coffret itself, the view above is the back side, or the one that would hang next to the wall if it were a wall piece.  I made the container over a glass bottle that was round on the front and flat on the back.  The more decorative view is pictured here.  The cording is adjustable and there is room inside for a picture, a charm or a note, (like some folding money, lol) or whatever else a person would want to keep.  When I made these before, I placed some French lavender seeds in a small sachet inside the coffrets, thus keeping with the French thème.  If I can find the appropriate sachet fabric, I will do that with these too.                           

The coffret pictured here is going to be used as a donation for the first in the November sales.  I'm involved in several this month:  The University Women's Club Sale at Ralph Conner House on 54 Westgate on the 12th of this month.  The Snowflake Boutique follows on Saturday the 13th which will be hosted by my friend Joy and then the following weekend I will be doing the Artisans Market hosted by the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library.  It is being held downtown in the new Manitoba Hydro Building Foyer on the main floor.  It runs Friday, the 19th and Saturday the 20th.  The Signature Craft Event is being held right across the way from there at the Convention Centre and visiting the two would make for a fun afternoon. I believe there is a pedestrian walkway that one could use to connect the two buildings if the weather should turn frightfully cold.  Entry to the Artisan's Market is free, but donations to the MCML are accepted.

I have a number of doll heads on the clay table right now...I was going to say chopping block, but that would be taking the French thème of La Guillotine a bit too far....so it's back to work.