Long Time No See

It's been a while since I have properly blogged, other than posting the occasional photo of something I was recently working on in the studio. I hope that 2013 has started out well for everyone, and it's hard to believe that we are almost 1/4 of the way through the new year. It's still winter here and we had snow today, which pleases me as I love the colder weather, even if I have to put up with colds the way I have since December and my trip to....

......London, closing down my shops at the peak of holiday time, but it was well worth it! I hadn't been overseas since 2003 and 10 years was long enough, and I will share some of my travels with you.

Costume/Wig Emporium in the West End (look at the clock)

First, though, after almost a year of classes in metalsmithing and now wax carving, I am able to dream of making pieces that I hope to realize - complicated pieces that are a bit out of reach just now. I finally found a way to use the many cabochons and buttons that I've collected over the years that don't involve wrapping them in filigree, which I have been tiring of. I've been thinking about the work I've done over the last seven years and am re-imagining what it is I want to say with my pieces. Right now I'm keeping things simple, but I won't be satisfied with that for long, although the learning process takes time, and I don't have a studio for serious metalwork at home. I try to design and prepare components ahead of my work time at the studio where I take class, which is a great place to work, if noisy.

This is a piece that I struggled with - an ambitious (for me) multi-bezel bracelet. I made the 10 mm bezels to fit some lovely labradorite and olivine stones. The links and every component had to be soldered together before the stones were set in, and I ruined a clasp by overheating the first time. It took so much time that I decided to keep it after all. Olivine is a harder stone than labradorite, and one labradorite cab was destroyed when its natural occlusions couldn't take the setting process. I polished and oxidized the bracelet afterward, to the dismay of my teacher, who prefers the shiny silver finish.

Just because I love the blue flash, here's a closer pic of one of the labradorite stones!

*****

Here's a sterling silver ring that I recently finished: A large serpentine scarab, nicely detailed and chunky in a pretty, fresh green. 

You can see the ring base just out of the pickle, before polishing.

I really like the very wide, solid ring wire that was needed to accommodate the size of the scarab.

I originally thought of making an irregular setting with hammered lines, but in the end decided to keep the setting simple.

Here's the finished ring, waiting to be listed in my Etsy shop. 

More later! Have a great weekend. :)

New Jewelry...at Last!

I've been sidelined by a nasty cold that turned into a lingering cough and have not had the energy to update my blog. The worst of this cold happened just when the Whole Bead show hit my town, so I missed that...not that I don't already have too many supplies., but it's always fun to see what vendors bring. I did manage to score some pretty vintage buckles at the Pier Antique Show that will probably end up in a necklace.

Who knew that there are pills available that inhibit the coughing urge? They exist, and I am on them, but they can make you sleepy, so you have to work around that or just push on through to get things done.

I just finished making a bunch of new pieces, though some are retreads of tried and true sellers, the scarabs. I started listing today and will continue over the next few days.

Purple Majesty

New pieces in gemstones - don't you love the cool, smooth feel of these stones? I used jade in many colors, pink crazy lace agate, amazonite and turquoise, enhanced by brass and copper. I'm thinking of keeping the grape jade necklace for myself!

Red is the Color of Love

I saw these glass beads at a bead show last fall and am beguiled by the combination of translucency and opacity. Plus, the color is an amazingly deep shade of red, so it's perfect as a gift for Valentine's Day, which is almost upon us. It's also great for those of us who adore the color red and who need no holiday to give us an excuse to indulge ourselves.

On Etsy and Artfire.

New This Weekend

Chalcedony and Rutilated Quartz for cooling summer jewelry...I found some pretty stones locally and was inspired to make these pieces. I gravitate toward green - there is tons of the color in my shops and I have to remind myself sometimes to add other colors!


I combined aqua amazonite, minty jade, crystal beads and chalcedony in this new necklace. It's 24 inches long and goes over the head easily.

I also have a bracelet that so simple in chalcedony and sterling silver.

This rutilated quartz has subtle needles throughout. I saw some clear and black rutilated quartz, but the stones weren't as polished as I'd have liked. Next time - I am entranced by that color combination, but this soft green bracelet is most Serene and Calming.