Inspiration

When I first joined Flickr, I remember finding the Wire Sculpture group and how excited I was...it was like a catalog full of the type of jewelry I love to make! It was a great source of inspiration to me, and it helped me start building up inventory for my Etsy shop (it was Flickr, after all, that introduced me to Etsy!).

I'm currently an administrator for the group, which doesn't require much, but it does keep me busy by making sure I welcome new members when they post to discussion boards and leaving comments on photos. Lately, however, I've been seeing many posts on Etsy related to Flickr, and how a number of sellers have been able to score sales through their groups. So, today, I decided to join some new ones.

I'm not going to list them all here, but I did want to mention my favorite of the day: Silversmithing & Metalsmiths ~Forging & Fabricating. It's a group that's all things metal, and of course intrigues me given my latest endeavor. Looking through the photos, I'm amazed at the amount of talent out there...and such unique designs. I keep thinking about what my newly composed pieces will look like, and there are a number of things that keep creeping into my head:

• Hand forged chains friggin' ROCK. 'Nuff said.
• The more hammered, the better.
• Blackened metal is my favorite metal.
• I don't think I'll ever be able to do away with beads, so many of my metal pieces will probably incorporate color through my favorite gemstones (which are too many to name!).
• Clasps and their design are very, very important.
• Fat rings with bezel set stones are a necessity.
• Mixtures of metal add depth and make for a spectacular focal piece.
• Everyone should have a metal cuff in their wardrobe.
• Heated metal is HAWT!

I just hope I can live up to my own expectations.

What types of things inspire you? Where do you get your ideas for your creations?