352/365 how to pronounce tomi

Here is the origin of today's video ring, you might need to click for the larger version to read it:

ETA: This video and facebook friends led to ring #354.

261/365

This was the best I could muster after a very long day at a craft fair. Blogger compressed my already compressed video and you can't see my skin blowing around very well. Tomorrow's another ring.

my pets

Watching the animals is often more entertaining than tv.

231/365 party popper

party popper, copper

There were microphone issues - I do not have a lisp! At least I don't think I do, and no one has ever TOLD me I do. (Look for my cat in the background taking off after the pop.)

176/365 shocking

This ring shocks the wearer when the button is pushed, I used the piezoelectric ignitor from a butane grill lighter. It doesn't hurt too badly, but reverberates through the copper well enough that it's oddly uncomfortable and kinda scary. I pulled out the wire that sends the shock for last part of the video, you can sorta see the spark. I would like to play with the design more. At one point I had the wire running into the silver button cap to shock the pusher, which is also fun.

The piezoelectric ignitor is an interesting device. According to Wikipedia, "It consists of a small, spring-loaded hammer which, when a button is pressed, hits a crystal of PZT or quartz crystal. Quartz is piezoelectric, which means that it creates a voltage when deformed. This sudden forceful deformation produces a high voltage and subsequent electrical discharge." Pretty cool, but it takes quite a bit of force to push the button, I'd like to find a substitute.

percussive bracelet

I'm couldn't sleep last night and spent the wee hours making a percussive bracelet that I can wear while playing guitar. It took me quite a while to get the sound I wanted, I sort of can't believe I spent so much time on it. Kitty likes it. Here's a short example:

154/365 sinnerman

149/365 wireless doorbell

wireless doorbell, copper

141/365 play dohmation

three rings

My second submission for the eXtreme Media Lounge at the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference in Houston this month. I still have some work to do on my jug cutter video before the deadline.

63/365 stop-motion

62/365 self portraits

57/365 why?

54/365 water gun

I had wanted to do more to this ring, but it's late and I still have to prepare for an artist residency that starts tomorrow. The vid will have to suffice for pics.

SNAG video submission

Last night I worked on this video, one of my submissions for the eXtreme Media Lounge at the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference in Houston this March. I re-worked my jug cutter video. I wish I had saved the original hi-res movie I took of the banana, I didn't feel up to shooting it again.

48/365 making a ring

9/365 button ring with spike

Bad Girl Button Ring. This took most of my day! When the copper button is depressed a sharp steel spike pokes the wearer in the finger. It's basically a ball point pen in design, I'm pretty happy with the engineering.

making

wearing