Final Assignments ~ Pretty Little Things

Last week, we contemplated the theme of "home" throughout Little Pretty Things, and Donna Cook created this fabulous "I'll Be Home for Christmas" shrine, as a part of our weekly assignment.

	Gotta love the doggies in that piece!

This week, we are working on our final assignment. 

Our focus is jewelry, altered jewelry, and especially soldered pendents and charms.  Read through and review the portion of the book that focuses on pendants  and charms, pages 50 - 73.

On page 72, Sally Jean combines her home theme with a jewelry project that incorporates found objects, turning solo earings, little bits and baubles, into a new necklace.    In the beginning of that page, Sally Jean describes a bowl she has - see through the catch the light, chipped, to better coddle other found objects - that holds her favorite little pieces. 

What do you have that resembles, in purpose, Sally Jean's bowl?  What serves as your don't-call-it-junk drawer? 

Mine is the middle shelf of my in-box, on my desk.  Little pieces and tiny treasures that I can't bear to lose, but have no place for - end up there.  Right now that shelf houses three tiny glass cherries given to me by a friend who knows I love such things, a pair of doll eyes, and a shiny polished rock that my step-daughter gave me.

This week's workshop assignment is to gather a few of your favorite baubles, those tiny pieces that have a story that only you can tell (a broken chip from a childhood tea set, the stone from your high school ring, etc.) and create something new with them.  Using the book, and tips for sautering, try creating a special necklace with multiple pendants, or a charm bracelet for yourself - if you have the equipment.  If not, work with the same artistic theme, and use a shadow box, small container, or other base to create a mini shrine with your tiny bits and memories.  Upload your work into The ZNE Book Club Galleries, or on your blog.  We want to see!

Enjoy this last assignment, and thank you to all of you who participated in The ZNE Book Club this month. 

Oh, and we can't forget, we have a contest too.  A magical contest!

On page 104 Sally Jean shows us her version of a fabulous magic wand.  The contest challenge is to create a magic wand of your own.  In corporate your own words, favorite colors, and style.  Sally Jean's magic wand looks just like a magic wand she would create, would look like.  What would YOUR magic wand look like?  Show us!  Upload onto your blog or into the ZNE Galleries on or before September 10, and YOU will win some magical goodies from The ZNE Store!

SEPTEMBER BOOK CLUB NOTE: 

The first assignment for the September book club will be posted on WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12.  Please join us!