LP necklace. Warping vinyl

 

 I am currently working on a necklace made of silver and vinyl domes and began by piercing out flat vinyl disks and slumping them into silver domes in the oven. 

  I encountered an unexpected problem in that the vinyl disks, when heated/slumped, warp or stretch in the direction in which the lines or grooves run, hence warping the circles into ovals. I have had to make the disks too big and cut them down to size as circles afterwards.

Elementary my dear Watson

I used a silhouette resembling Sherlock Holmes on one of the vinyl cuffs I made.

Sherlock Holmes is an iconic figure from literature, movies and even animations such as The Great Mouse Detective which i remember watching when i was young. 

I have always been a fan of a good old "whodunnit" and this image stirs that  thrill of trying to figure out who the culprit is. I am reminded of the computer game my siblings and i played when we were younger called "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiago" in which you were a suave looking detective in search of an escaped criminal clothed in the immortal black and white stripes of a jailbird. 

The most recent movie which brought about that same old feeling of intrigue and excitement was the 2007 movie Sleuth. I thought it a lovely token to later find out that Michael Caine was now playing the older of the two main characters, of which he had played the younger in the 1972 version of the film. I like the thought that the same story now holds two eras of memories for him, and new ones for my generation, because someone was not afraid to bring back the past in a modern context and keep the story alive.

LP Bangles

Here are some prototypes of Vinyl bangles/cuffs. I cut sections of the record and then slump them over a bangle mandrel in the oven at about 90 degrees Celcius. I then take them out holding them in place on the madrel (with my hands covered for protection from the heat) and submerge them under cold water to harden in shape.

 I found that instead of or in conjunction with filing the edges smooth, it works very well to peel the sharp or feathered edges off with a sharp craft knife for a smoother, more comfortable finish.

 I used a curved thinner strip of vinyl and experimented making the new shape shown below. It is reminiscent of a tuxedo-type sleeve.

Teacup Graveyard

 In our garden at home we have what we refer to as "The Teacup Graveyard" where all broken cups go to rest and be home to new life in the form of the plants that grow in and around them. There is a flat cicle of cement surrounding our herb garden in which bits of mugs and cups and saucers have been embedded like a mosaic of sorts, but it has been so overgrown with herbs that it is no longer visible. If it is ever seen again i will be sure to take a photo of it.

There is a memory or two behind every cup that makes it's way here and a simple viewing can bring back a whole world of recollections.

Teatime etc

 I sourced some pale green, cream and blue-grey cord to use instead of a chain. It reminds me of curtain ties..a homely look. They work well with the pendant when all strung together and balance both the colour and visual weighting of the piece quite nicely.

 Glass firbe brushed blackened silver -creates an aged effect

 

I am considering knotting the strings together in some places along the necklace to spread other focal points.

Teatime conntinued: Blackened setting

 

Blackened Setting- Better contrast between the porcelain back and the silver silhouette outline, but a bit harsh and loses it's precious silver look.

Front with blackened claws and bale.

Teatime: Porcelain piece and starts of a necklace

 Highly polished sterling silver setting with teapot silhouette pierced out. I used quite thin sheet metal for the plate as to be able to manipulate it (by hand) to the contours of the pottery so that it is well supported in the setting.

 I made the claws and the bale to mimic the pattern style of the porcelain. I think they feel quite dream-like, as if to create the feeling of being in a memory or transported to another time.

 The front view with the highly polished claws. I was unsure about the use of highly polished silver in contrast to the old aesthetic of the pottery.