Sometimes when I look at the busy technological world around us, I
begin to hope that handmade and handcrafted are not disappearing from
our lives. As humans I think that we need that close contact with
beautiful items that are one-of-a-kind and made with care, quality, joy,
love, and by the touch of a hand. It is a great happiness to live in a surrounding
with handwrought items.
I am blessed to see handmades
everywhere as I look about our home. For example, I love this quilt that
my grandmother, my father's mother who hailed from the Ozarks in
Arkansas (a place famous for people who can quilt), hand-pieced and
quilted in the 1920's.
Grandma's Double Wedding Ring Pattern Quilt
She used even the smallest of pieces of fabric that she had available from flour sacks to pieces of leftover dress goods, and combined them with small amounts of purchased broadcloth to fashion this
beautiful and warm blanket of memories. Her small, even stitches have a story that goes with them from one of my aunts, - "She was very
particular about her stitches. We used to help her quilt in the day, but
in the evening, after we had gone to bed, she would pick out all of our
stitching and redo it 'correctly' ". The quilt can't help but bring a smile whenever we admire it displayed on our wall.
Certainly utility can be accomplished by a purchased factory-made blanket, but
nothing is better than the warmth of a handmade, whether purchased from an handmade artist or made by the giver themselves. How pleasant it is
to receive a one-of-a-kind piece, crafted, painted, knitted, crocheted, woven or sewn for you by an individual who has joy in making the item!
So,
we wish you the Joy of Handmade in your life today and pray that there
is someone making precious things and memories for you by hand.
Handmade Gallery
My Husband's Hand-Turned Mesquite Burl Vase on My Mother's Log Cabin Quilt
Grandmother's (my mothers side) Crocheted Afghan
My Denim Hat, Youngest Daughter's Crocheted Scarf
Mother-in-law's Embroidery
Aunt's Knit Personalized Socks
Great Aunt's Sewn Christmas Sock
My Baby Doll in Great-great Grandpa's Child's Rocker
One of the fascinating joys of visiting a summer fair or arts and crafts show is having the opportunity to see some amazing art crafted by some wonderfully talented people. A bonus is to have the opportunity to talk with some of the artists face-to-face and learn a little about the techniques and practice required to create their objects.
Recently, in a virtual way, online, I have been visiting some shops and making the acquaintance of some very talented artists from the Artfire Marketplace Guild - It's Better Handmade.
This week, I would like to feature one of these artists and describe a little about her craft.
Elizabeth creates jewelry using gemstones, cameos, and precious metal wire (silver and gold). She sets stones and cameos in her jewelry using the technique called "wire wrapping".
Wire wrapping is one of the most ancient of techniques used to make beautiful ornaments. The technique involves using metal wire (about the thickness of headed pins) to create objects of beauty. The wire is bent and molded by mechanical means (such as pliers, padded mallets, or jigs) without heat or soldering and wrapped around itself (probable source of the name wire wrapping) to finish a piece sometimes creating a holder for a setting of a gemstone or cameo.
To get a feel for just how difficult this technique is, here is a brief You-Tube video (from an artist other than Elizabeth.) So, one can imagine how skilled one must be to work with fragile stones or cameos and manage to shape delicate wire curves and scrolls without damaging the materials.
Elizabeth Divigili is an absolute master at this technique. Gold, silver, fine quality cameos and gemstones, are fashioned by her hands and become rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, or brooches.
For 10 years, Elizabeth has been working from her studio in Las Vegas, creating one of a kind items to sell in her shop or as custom designs for clients. Elizabeth is a woman of few spoken words. In fact, about all she says is "I'm the quiet type", but her art speaks for her and the words you see are "fine design", "artistry", "unique", and "quality technique".
