Studio Saturday with Lynn Davis

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is commenter Paige Maxim! Congratulations!! 

You have won a Dove Bead from Humblebeads made by Heather Powers. Please forward an email to Heather with your mailing address so she can send your bead to you!

This week we are visiting the studio of Lynn Davis, who is working hand in hand with some other people, to make parts that combine and become an even greater whole.

Welcome to the studio, the fall weather has finally arrived and it brings many new and challenging things. Recently, Erin Prais-Hintz send me a package of her favorite and unique keys, to see if I could successfully mold them and re-create them as jewelry components in cast pewter.

I love when folks trust me with their originals, it makes me feel great thinking that I can give a new, second life to an antique or personal item by reproducing it. They are really special!

A while back Deryn Mentock sent me a paper bag of her remarkable finds in buttons, they are like tiny sculptures. I like finding ways to turn them into charms and connectors, to be used in unusual jewelry designs. It preserves the old, quaint designs and gives them a chance to beautify someone in a new way.

Some of them I turned into rings, with an adjustable band, so anyone could wear a little renewed piece of the past. 

I can picture them originally on a lady's coat or vest, the pretty button ornamenting a simple garment. Some of the buttons are quite large, and very ornate. I know that some folks collect buttons as a hobby, and seeing these, I surely understand why. They are truly lovely.

An example is this round, ornate button that Erin included with the keys. 

I really appreciate when others share their special items with me, and allow me to reproduce them and share them with you, and also to create with them myself. It gives me the feeling that history is a circle, turning around all of us, in small ways and large ones, like the changing seasons of the year.

Reply to this post with a comment, answering this question, and you might win one of the reproduced buttons!

Have you recently collaborated with others, to come up with something unique? Maybe it was online, or in person, or by teaching someone else a technique you know. Do you participate in swaps and round robins, and did you enjoy the teamwork there? How has a creative endeavor helped to connect you with others who share your creativity?

If you are the winner, you'll become part of my collaboration with Erin, too, in a way. I like that most of all.