gourmet and clay?

Yesterday morning, I heard a little bird outside my window.  I think the poor thing was just protesting and asking himself–or a pal, if he had one–“Just who’s lame idea was it to come back here, already?”

With many feet of snow laying over my yard and my garden, I have to sadly conclude that spring is still a long time away.  But I made a new mold today with some fresh herbs:

a polymer mold of thyme leaves

My secret?

My husband gave me an AeroGarden for Christmas this year.  (My sister calls a gift like this a “Homer.”  As in–Homer Simpson.  It’s a gift you give someone that you really want for yourself, or you want them to use on your behalf.  Since I love to cook, and he loves to eat what I cook, I’d have to say she’s right! –Okay, so I admit, I love to eat, too….)

Anyway, an AeroGarden is a hydroponic indoor growing system for herbs, flowers, or miniature tomatos.  Mine came with a kitchen herb kit.  It sits on my kitchen counter and cheers me to see it grow, and smell the basil and mint and thyme every morning.  We started it on December 23, and in less than 4 weeks, I was able to use fresh herbs in various dishes.

So here’s a new pendant with a metal clay embellishment from the new mold.

thyme pendant

When I first made leaf molds, I was using mature leaves from trees and plants and using them in larger projects like trinket boxes, picture frames, and other home dec stuff.  To find leaves suitable for jewelry scale projects, I turned to my herb garden.  I also pick leaves for molds very early in the spring when the buds are just opening.

Early spring maple leaves that were less than 1/2"

from a mold of russian sage leaves

Have a great weekend, all!  Our Friday evenings are frequently movie and homemade pizza night.  I’m planning to use some of that fresh basil!