Inspire Bracelet and Etching Mess Ups

I've been in that fall spirit.  I used one of my metal etched pieces and created a little autumn bracelet.  At first I thought the etching wasn't good enough to use and I was just going to try again but the more I looked at it the more it grew on me.  It's very far from perfect (you girls know the word perfect is not actually in my vocabulary anyway) but I realized that is what I liked about it.  It's rustic, scratched up, worn.

It's funny, my daughter is so concerned about her stuffed animals' fur matting down after she's slept with and snuggled with them for a few weeks.  She tries her best to fluff the fur back up so they don't look old and worn.  She has one very special stuffed dog named "Pup Pup" that she has had since she was one year old.  That dog has been loved so much there isn't an inch on her that hasn't been matted down.  She use to have such beautiful silky fur but now she is rough and aged a bit.  That little stuffed dog has been through so much with Lauren.  She's gone to two surgeries, been thrown up on (I know that's gross), traveled to every vacation spot with her.  And it breaks her heart to see Pup Pup without her shiny coat.  I've told her that Pup Pup is happy to be worn and tattered that shows she is her favorite.  It shows how much we love something when it gets used and it shows wear and tear.  Think of your favorite tools or your favorite cooking utensils. When we love something we go back to it time and time again.  They show wear but they work just the same.  Ok, enough about that.

And the "Inspire" etched in the metal tells a lot about what we go through each day.  As artists we are inspired a lot by what we see, hear, feel, even smell.  The smell of burning leaves always reminds me of autumn and the brisk wind across my face.  Ok, wow, I guess I'm in a writing mood today.  Anyway, here it is.

 

And here is my second miserable attempt at etching.  I tried the StazOn which worked great for the imprint but this time I left it way too long in the etching solution.  Just look!

It breaks my heart to see all that beautiful copper ruined.  And look at the piece all the way to the right.  What happened there?  Some funky colors.  Ugh!  If first you don't succeed, try and try and try and try again.  Enjoy your Thursday girls!  Just one more day left till the weekend.