Mystery Mangroves

Materials: sterling silver, 3mm tourmaline cab
Size: pods are +/- 3cm in length

These are the first mangrove pods that I have had cast from my new mangrove mold. I created the original model by casting a dried out* mangrove pod from a White Mangrove tree.

I came across the pods while on holiday at the Wild Coast earlier this year and I was completely thrilled by them. I am not very familiar with mangrove swamps and this was the first time that I had seen these delightful pods-I collected as many as my sun hat could hold. Tell me again why I decided at the last minute to leave my backpack behind?!

* I cast some of the pods before they had dried out and they are also very lovely. They are quite a bit heavier and less textured than these that are cast from the dried ones. I enjoy both versions though-each have their own charm and beauty.

Below is a collage from the wonderful mangrove/beach walk.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...

"To be a star you must shine your own light and follow your own path and not be afraid of the darkness, for that is when stars shine brightest." Author Unknown

So here is one of my new favourite things-a little star and a reminder to be bright and shiny! It's only 12mm wide, but (at 6mm thick) it's quite weighty/chunky for its small size. I cast it (using the lost wax method) from a smooth, hard sweet.* The sweet reacted to the moisture in the investment causing the surface to become slightly pitted. I quite like the texture it produced.



*I want to thank my kind friend Elmien. Without her gift of star sweeties I would not have my new favourite thing :)

With a little help from my friends...

After a pretty frustrating and unfruitful late night session of me trying to get this thing going, my dear friend Carynn has had to come over to give me a few pointers to help get me on my way! My first attempt at posting had me putting words in all the wrong places whilst getting annoyed at a computer that wouldn't do what I was sure I was telling it to! What would one do without friends?