Something a little different!

I've decide to show you something other than sterling silver pieces...

Lovely silver plated filigree from which I've hung teal pearls...delicate but a nice statement!

I've been doing a bit of experimentation with copper and brass...it is fun to work with but I don't find my customers as interested in these metals as much as sterling silver and silver plated products...I searched the internet for something to finish the copper with to prevent the heavy tarnish and came across "Renaissance Micro-crystalline Wax Polish" .

I purchased the smallest container as I wasn't sure if I would like the product...
I have to admit I haven't used it yet, but from my reading I can also use it on silver to help prevent tarnish as well. I'm very careful about the chemical products I do and don't use and I couldn't find anything to state this product was not-toxic, and I didn't like the smell when I opened the container, so me being me...I emailed the company and was given the following reply...
"The blend of waxes in Renaissance is "food-grade" and safe to use, in fact we know it is used extensively by silver and copper jewelery craftsmen here in the UK and in the USA."
Once I've used the product I will let you know what I think...

To get back to business...a wavy copper bracelet...

A copper pendant, textured and curled, hanging from a silver plated chain...

A large resin pendant and earring set...the chain is silver plated...

This one is made from all wood beads with the exception for the two white and black striped beads with are resin...this has a non metal clasp, for those of you who have metal allergies!

This bracelet is made from hand crafted recycled glass beads from Africa...they have a very earthy and organic feel to them...the sterling silver square beads spell out "faith"

Red & green agate, aventurine roundels, and lead & nickle free pewter, make up this set...

I couldn't go the whole post with out at least one pair of sterling silver earrings, now could I...upside down teardrops from which I hung died purple jade dangles...

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