Posted on Leave a comment

Ring-A-Day: St. Valentine’s Day ring

This ring was fabricated for my wife for Valentine’s Day. She caught on to the idea that if I’m going to make a Ring-A-Day, then maybe some of them should be for her (if not all of them). Smart woman! Lucky I married well.

Never mind that we had tickets to one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays, Richard III at BAM with Kevin Spacey, I still had to give her something red to honor St. Valentine.

My kingdom for a horse!

Kevin Spacey did it. I like the not to Verbal Kint with the leg brace. We were entertained.

NOTE: David Letterman spoiled 6th Sense on-air in 1999. The studio lambasted him. In response, Dave ruined 10 more films in his nightly top ten count down. It went something like this:

10: Patrick Swayze is a ghost (Ghost)
9: Lou Cypher is Satan (Angel Heart)
8: Bruce Willis is dead (6th Sense)
7: She’s her sister and her mother (Chinatown)
6: Kevin Spacey did it. (Usual Suspects)
5: Luke, I am your father. (Empire Strikes Back)
4: Brad Pitt is Ed Norton (Fight Club)
3: Kevin Spacey did it. (Se7en)
2: She’s a guy. (Boys Don’t Cry)
1: Kevin Spacey did it. (American Beauty)

6/365

Posted on Leave a comment

Ring-A-Day: Memento Mori

O.K., so if you’re not self-centered enough to know what Memento Mori means, loosely translated, it means remember your own death. If you were to phrase it in a positive light it means carpe diem, or cash your day rate check. (Oops, sorry, different diem.)

Because I tend to deflect our daily trials into metaphor, I prefer this ring to symbolize our mortal coil, or Portia’s father’s less-than-whimsical game of caskets. This ring has many more than Shylock’s 3 caskets to choose from, but of course, you can only see 3 at once. Tempting! Which is your casket; and does it contain silver, gold, lead, or — most importantly — the hand of Portia?

5/365

Posted on Leave a comment

Ring-A-Day: Star Ring

I know, I know. You’re thinking I’m a Marvel junkie. Avengers, Captain America, Stephen Colbert, the works. No, really, I carved a ring profile that I had no idea what to do with. Then I found the star from our next-door-neighbor’s four-year-old and I applied it to the wax model. It fit perfectly. (It was blue, not gold if you care). I was carving wax and I didn’t care either.

I hadn’t realized that it was a signet ring shape with both Captain America overtones as well as wicca foundations (if you wear it upside down).

In the end, I just love this ring. I want to make lots of them. I’ll put what ever color star sticker you find gratifying in the center. We all have our favorites.

3/365

Posted on Leave a comment

Ring-A-Day: Dia de los Muertos

I’ve been thinking about the folks I’ve lost in the last 6 months. Several have left the party too soon. 
I started a Ring-A-Day project and wanted to share the importance of those who’s shoulders I stand upon. I’m not Mexican, so Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead may not be something from my culture, but November 1st (All Saint’s Day) and November 2nd (All Souls Day) have always resonated with me being born near these important international holidays recognizing the people who made each of us possible. 
I carve this ring thinking of marigolds in the eyes of each of my family members who have helped shape me.
Thank you.
2/365