Something different

When I go to shows/markets I try to come up with something for the younger crowd...such as... stretchy ringed bracelets, leather cord bracelets, age appropriate pendants, or earrings... something simple, while in their price range!

This year I chose feathers for my last few shows and the teenagers liked them...the gorgeous rich jewel colors drew attention!

Cobalt blue feathers with pearls dangles...

Gorgeous purple feathers with dyed jade dangle...

I'm not a fan of green but I've been drawn to it more and more recently...nice rich green with dyed turquoise dangle...

These are dyed Guinea feathers ...they have been sanitized and the color is permanent, in case you were wondering!

Cheers

Circles, folding, different!

Below is a variation of one of my earrings styles that I often make... large, small, medium, with a stone, or without, sideways or facing forward like these! They are an everyday "go to" kind of earring made from fine silver ...as you can see this pair have onyx dangles which jazzes them up a bit!

Two of the fold forming cuffs...

If you are one of those people who prefers consistency these earrings are not for you...I had a number of the turquoise stones that sorta, kinda matched at least in comparison to these two and then there are these two stones, which as hard as I looked I couldn't see them matching in any way. I thought about doing two pendants but then I decide...these would make great earrings because they don't match...I'm a huge fan of the matrix and color difference so I really love these stones.

It was settled, I soldered the bezel to the brushed sterling silver rectangles and set the stones!


Enjoy the day...
Cheers

Pie Crusting Pendant

I've been doing a bit of experimentation lately, trying to see what direction I going in the future...I've been doing some fusing, soldering, wire wrapping, glass pendants...trying techniques I've not considered or had the time to try before. I've decided if I don't make the time I won't grow as a designer. Which would be fine if that was the direction I chose, but I love to learn so I'm jumping in with both feet...we'll see how I make out!

In August I found this amazing tutorial by Rosamond Bain..."Pie Crusting Pendant".
I looked it over then filed the tutorial away as a "possibly in the future", I found it again a few weeks ago and thought I would see what I could come up with. The tutorial is well done, easy to read instructions, with great photos...this is a great technique tutorial while allowing for artistic interpretation, detail and design.

These two pendants are made with 26g. argentium silver sheet, with coral, and turquoise stones.


I used considerably more metal than is probably necessary and curled around the edges a great deal more as I was nervous about the stones falling out, this also prevented the stone from moving around...I know more experience in folding the metal to prevent movement is what will do the trick in securing the stone. Eventually I will try another with less metal to show the stones more and see what happens! :0) None the less, I enjoyed making the pendants...

Thanks to Rosamond Bain for the great tutorial, it was fun to see the pendant emerge from a piece of sheet silver. It also made me realize I have to think out side the box!

I've more "new" pieces to show you...coming soon!
Enjoy your day...
Cheers

Wet...

Well... it had to end...last Saturday was unpleasant to say the least...it started to rain around 9:30am and continued for most of the day. Of course it rained the hardest in the time frame when I was packing up!!! :0) I didn't venture out from under my tent to take photos because we didn't have may customers milling around, the fellows entertaining were troupers, they actually brought a tent and played for the whole morning, gotta give them credit...a little but of fun in an other wise unpleasant day...BUT...we had 4 sunny days in a row so who am I to complain!!!

I've finally managed to take a few photos...

I've had a few requests in the last couple of weeks for lapis...I can only remember one other request for this stone two summers ago, a young girl asked me to make a pair of earrings for her mother as lapis was her favorite stone...other wise not a very popular stone. I've made a few pieces with sodalite, which looks rather similar but darker, more towards navy while lapis is more towards the turquoise...at least in my eyes!
So...made with lapis, resin, glass, and pewter beads with a star to add a bit of fun!

I've used this pendant before, as I rather like it, the large rectangle stones are natural coral, very interesting, glass, and agate, finished the a sterling silver toggle...

The focal is a rather unique resin pendant with shell inlay, hemalyke, and glass beads, finished with a silver plated lobster claw. For those of you who aren't familiar hemalyke is a man made metallic looking bead that very much resembles hematite...the word hemalyke means "look alike" and the bead can be mistaken for hematite.

Next is an Argentium Sterling Silver cuff...I've distressed this one more than usual as I was going for a more rugged look this time...

Here is a fun summer choker, wood, resin, metal, agate and dyed turquoise, finished with an extender so it can be worn a little longer if need be...

Love the dyed purple howlite, but then you knew purple is my favorite color, set off with pale green aventurine rondelles, pewter and sterling silver beads...

Here is another unique resin pendant inlayed with shell, a mixture of large and small smoky quartz round stones, glass rondelles, mykonos spacers and a sterling silver toggle finish the necklace... fyi the mykonos beads are a clay bead fired in a kiln, then coated in copper, fired again, after which they are coated in fine silver... a lovely bead, they come in many shapes and sizes as well as coated with 24K gold or copper.

Cheers