The creative process (2): found object bracelet

Earlier in May I wrote about my creative process, and used as an example a collection of found objects (weathered copper and stones from a beach on the Sea of Cortez).

After sitting on my workbench for five months, I finally set about working them into a piece of jewelry today.

The second step for me (after playing with my piles of objects for days or weeks or months, until an idea 'gels') is to lay out all the bits and see if my idea will result - practically - into jewelry.

I wrote about how I envisioned the flat stones and copper as a linked bracelet, so that's what I set out to do. I sealed the copper with satin Krylon clear, to keep it from reacting when in contact with skin (salts and perspiration would cause an adverse reaction, both to the jewelry and to the skin).

I laid out the found stones (flat pieces of shale, in lavender and terra cotta colors) with the copper and started playing with the colors. Musing on shapes, textures, and colors, I then went to my considerable stash of stones and objects and started pulling out other pieces that might work well to add to the storyline: rainbow hematite, amber, amethyst, opal, iolite, copper, and a piece of blue-green glass.

Happy with the colors, I then started cutting out the copper into pieces I thought would work for bracelet links. It is very brittle, so the saw didn't work very well - it worked better to carefully snip with tin snips. 

All joins will have to be 'cold' (without a torch or solder, since that would destroy the copper patina), so I marked where I will rivet or use miniature bolts to connect the layers. I like the look, colors, and textures . . . but I began to worry about the fragility of the pieces. The copper is very brittle, and the stones might not stand up well to the abuse a bracelet must withstand.

So I started considering making it a necklace . . . I mused on a metal chain, then started playing with cord and ribbon - I thought the contrast might be nice with the rough stones and patinaed copper. 

At this point, I started another project, since I want to mull this one over a bit before continuing . . .