In honor of Dorothy Zbornak

The earring style that I ALWAYS gravitate towards is the hoop.  In fact, my jewelry box is overflowing with hoops: from teeny tiny to oh-my-gosh-my-ears-hurt-large.  I particularly like the look of mixed metal earrings (mixed metal anything, as a matter of fact).  

Instead of soldering on a tiny little ball dead center at the bottom, which I have done in the past, I created a bead from sterling silver tubing.  I just cut the tubing (with my saw, so as to not squish the tubing), sanded the edges, and slipped them on the wire prior to soldering.

While I do love the look of these hoops, I already have a very similar pair - in my ears as I type this, as a matter of fact.  

When I am in my studio, I HAVE to have either music playing or the TV running - I must have white noise  (that's how I made it through high school homework, as well).  My all time favorite show - to this day - is The Golden Girls. I have all seven seasons on DVD and I can quote any line from any episode!  (I am sure this factoid makes my mother so proud of me!)

I would give anything to be like Blanch Devereax - not necessarily her sex appeal, but her self confidence.  Sophia Petrillo's gift of story-telling is another trait that I very much admire.  No one has a heart as big as Rose Nyland - though naive as all get-out, she loves animals as if they are people - the real life Betty White, too.  But Dorothy Zbornak...quick witted, common sense, her height for goodness sake! (I am 5'1").  

Have you ever noticed the attire of these ladies?  So well dress and accessorized. I actually glanced up from my bench the other day, and the first thing I noticed was Dorothy's very large hoops.  But, they were post earrings - allowing the hoop to dangle as she moved.  

I remember this episode!

See those hoops?  In fact, the majority of her earrings are posts that dangle.  So, I set out to make a pair for myself.  

I knew that I had to have a wide opening from which I could hang the hoop.  So, I curled some 14 gauge wire into a coil of 3 hoops and soldered the hoops together on the back side. After filing the back smooth, I  soldered a tiny little sterling silver disc onto the flattened spot I created on the coils. Finally, I soldered the post to the disc.  Lastly, I added the hoop itself - 12 gauge wire as I wanted the look to be substantial...but not heavy.  A little bit of texture, a bath in liver of sulfur, buffing, tumbling..and ta da!

Post earrings are so difficult to photograph!  

These are my "Ode to Dorothy Zbornak" earrings - and they are so comfortable!  I know I will reach for them often!

Now I have an excuse for all the TV I watch - inspiration!

What inspires you these days???  Do tell!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

xo

Patti