I began a course late last Fall and after months of interruptions, finally have the pendant finished! This was a real learning curve for me, learning how to work with multi levels of silver, bezel setting, and soldering techniques that nearly drove me batty…and also did some stamping that has opened up some exciting possibilities. Thanks Leslie Kail Villarreal for guiding us through this session with such spectacular results!
Hint- Valentines Day is just over a month away… stay tuned!This cuff came back to me for a rivet repair and I was amazed at the condition it was in. It had been worn and loved nearly to death..and I was thrilled! Glad to know someone likes it that much ♥.
A bit of polishing and buffing and it looks better than new-way better! It looks loved-
I am slowly realizing Christmas is only 35 days away–yikes! This pair of earrings is the first of a very few finished pieces that have even a remote chance of making it under any tree this year…,
Available on my Etsy site- one pair only!
Don’t ask what happened to the rest of the bird, but his feathers continue on…in jewelry no less. These were used to help create background papers for my next workshop that will involve resin- filled bezels. Wishing my good friend and amazing artist Lynn Mizera could have joined me in this, she has a “way” with paper and inks that she shares on her blog so pop over and have a look! And bonus for me, she lives in Creston!
Hate to admit how long this cuff took from start to finish, I measured production time in weeks, not hours. It began with the stone, called Unakite, that I cut here in our Creston Rock Club shop. Unakite Jasper, according to my stone directory is a stone of vision. ..one of the most healing crystals of the heart and mind.so I’m going with that! I also added a couple garnets – good for regeneration and vitality..this should be one healthy good luck cuff!
The silver cuff template came from a course I took with Leslie Kail Villarreal earlier this year and if you are a silver smith, it’s worth checking out!
SO loving this gorgeous white quartz…”Quartz is a stone of clarity which dispels negativity and clears away negative energy. It can be used to purify and clarify on the spiritual, mental, and physical planes. It is powerfully protective because of these properties..”
On top of all this wonderfulness, it’s just plain stunning. The band is hand formed and hammered 20 gauge sterling silver, that has not been antiqued—yet. May just leave it as is, or maybe not. I often wear my pieces for a bit before deciding on the final finishing touches, waiting to see what feels just right. This may never leave my finger-
Well, one more anyhow…this half formed ring was sitting around the shop waiting to become “something”..and tonight was THE night! Just happened to have some beautiful hematite stones on hand and they look scrumptious with the etched silver! Working on some new designs but keep coming back to this one-looks clunky but wears beautifully. This is a design from Leslie Kail Villarreal whose course I took earlier this year-a must for any metalsmith!
This lapidary stuff is becoming an obsession, like I need another one in my life….I just can’t help it. There are piles and stacks of some of most delicious looking rock slabs I’ve ever seen, at the Creston Valley Rock and Lapidary Club . And they let you touch them–and buy them–and cut them —
Here are a couple cabochons I did yesterday, and today, finally made some settings for them. Not exactly sure what the stones are but I don’t really care-they look amazing with my stash of copper, brass and bronze.
The monthly meeting enjoyed a fabulous presentation by local goldsmith Tony Mulder, where he shared all kinds of tempting tidbits on gem stones (natural and grown)-who knew you can make these things??? Thanks Tony for sharing-your knowledge and talent is impressive.
If you are in the Creston area and think you might like to give this “rock thing” a try, come on down to the club where there’s always someone willing and delighted to help you get started…if you are not local, look up your town’s own lapidary guild and jump in-the water’s fine 🙂
Hard to believe it was nearly 40 years ago that I cut my first piece of rock – and I still have it (and all my fingers)…Life took over and after all those years away from it, not long ago I was able to join the Creston Valley Rock and Lapidary Club. Getting a glimpse into the storage area where boxes and boxes and tubs and buckets of rocks are kept nearly gave me heart palpitations! Piles of jasper, agate and petrified wood-all calling my name.
Will take awhile and lots of practice to get my pieces to where they should be, but in the meantime, I am having a blast building the bezels for the stones to be placed in. My “new” love is bronze–I adore the warm and soft colours that it produces, and it etches and takes patinas beautifully. Look closely at the first setting-the etching was done with the Lord’s Prayer and the word Amen just happened to surface right below the agate…I didn’t even notice until I looked at the photo-Love the little surprises in my life!
