Dragonsglass

yep…we are getting closer each day so the last couple of days I focused on making a friend her annual “polymer clay” Hannukah present. My friend is a yellow rubber duckie fanatic. Her bathroom has yellow rubber duckie decor. Heck, last year I gave her a yellow duckie toilet seat for hannukah. It didn’t fit the toilet so I turned it into a clock and it is hung above the sink in there. This year I seem to be making Hannukiots so…..yep, you guessed it. She is getting a yellow ducky Hannukiah.

It took me a couple days to make the ducks. I think the hardest thing was coming up with what “profession” to give each duck. Once I had them all finished I made a base for them out of wood and painted it to make it look “watery” since we all know ducks like water. This picture is a composite one. The base is a curve and I missed with getting the angle right on one section. The penny is for size reference

And the ducks are from left to right (as you are looking at it)Nun duck, Artist Duck, Doctor Duck, Hippy Duck, Shamus Shalom Duck, Rabbi Duck, Construction Duck, Diver Duck, and finally….Professor Duck.

thanks for looking and I wish a Shabbot Shalom to you and yours

Hey…I figured that was a catchy title. It made you look didn’t it? Well, after playing with pods at Sandy Camp (thank you Donna Kato for sharing this technique with us!) I thought they would make some great hannukiots so I made a couple. One serious and one….well hilarious. I am going to bet you will be able to figure out which one is which

Once I had those finished I went back to making my *eye*pods. Here are a couple for you to look at

And they will look at you. They make great computer sitters. Chances are the *eye*pods will be showing up in the Dragonsglass store soon.

Have a great evening.

Today I sat down at my clay table and just let my hands create. I had no plan, no thought as to what I would make. What I had was a box of small test tubes, clay ready to be used and some time. What came out was what I am calling my prototype mezuzah. Once I had the clay portion done, sanded and buffed I decided that copper would look nice with it so dug around in my stash of metal stuff, found some sheet copper and hauled out the copper wire. A little tapping, drilling and wiring later the mezuzah was finished. A non-kosher scroll containing the Torah portions that are contained in the mezuzah, slide nicely into the test tube via the opening in the back. Here is a good description of what a mezuzah is and the scroll found at wikipedia.

When I posted the hamsa I had made, Toby asked where the close up of the home blessing was. Of course I had forgotten to take one so I am now fixing that error. Here is a close up of the blessing in part Hebrew and English, done using Lisa Pavelka’s waterslide transfer paper. I find this makes for a very easy simple method for transfers.

Thank you for looking and stopping by. Shalom.

Last week I was working on a few hamsa for the Judaica shop at my Temple. I finally got to finish them up this weekend. The canes I used were some of mine and some of Elaine Robitaille’s obtained off the ClayChicks Etsy Shop. Her partner in floral caning, Carolyn Jordan, added one of her beautiful flower canes to my collection too. Being as that I am NOT a flower caner, being able to purchase these canes from these two amazing artists was a blessing for me.

The fist hamsa is a smaller version which could be hung in a house, or studio, or where ever you would like one. The clay portion measures 3 1/2″ from top to tip of the finger. It also contains the Jewish home blessing, partially in Hebrew and then in English.

The next three Hamsa I made are of the larger version, measuring 5″ from the top to the fingertip of the clay portion. These too have the Jewish home blessing on them, and are decorated with beads and micro macrame’ and a hanger, either a ring or a small piece of mesquite wood.

A little history of the Hamsa for those who do not know what they are.

The symbol of the hand in Mediterranean cultures is ancient as in far east cultures. There are speculations that the Jews were among the first to use it as a protective amulet, also called “Hand of Miriam”. This tradition predates the Muslim use of the Hamsa (called the hand of Fatima, daughter of Mohammed) by at least a thousand years.

The hamsa, hung on a wall, is a very common ornament in Morocco, Israel and the Middle East. The use of the Hamsa is part of the Jewish and Israeli folklore and superstition, but it has nothing to do with the official Jewish religion. Of course, many people today display or wear hamsas as ornaments, without giving any thought to their supposed magical properties.

The symbolism of the Hamsa: The hamsa hand (Arabic) or chamesh hand (Hebrew) is an old and still popular amulet for magical protection from the evil eye known to draw positive energy, happiness, riches and health. The Chamsa’s (semitic root meaning five) includes five digits and symbolizes the Creator’s protective hand. Five is by itself a number which is known as a protector.

I finished up the hamsa’s I am giving to my classmates to say thank you for being with me during the journey to our B’nai Mitzvah. I am very happy with how they turned out. Today the first two will go to their new homes. I decided not to add dangles or anything because I wanted the hamsa to speak for themselves.

And now…I can clay to my hearts content without stress hovering in the background. I feel some more canes about ready to burst forth plus more hamsa, book marks, and so on
Chag Shavuot sameach!