Pyramid power...

I recently created a sterling pyramid ring for a client using the lost-wax casting method. Lots of fun!!! I carved it in wax initially, then brought it downtown to have it cast in sterling silver. I actually made two of them and I'm quite happy with the results:

Also did some rustic little sterling post earrings:

These were fun to make as well. Involved a fair bit of sawing and soldering.

A really strange thing happened in my Etsy shop today. Yesterday, I had a typical number of visitors (103) and favorites (36). Today...for no apparent reason, I've so far had 1,293 visitors and 149 favorites. I'm quite baffled by this and would love to find out how this happens....And clues??

Ruby Tuesday?

Sorry - I couldn't resist....I've recently made a few pieces with rubies I had on hand. One's a lovely oval cabochon that's a beautiful deep magenta. It now lives, bezel-set, in this simple, slightly rustic ring:

Next, I made sterling and fine silver bezel settings for these two rough, organically shaped ruby nuggets, also a deep, lovely magenta:

I got these nuggets from a supplier in Valencia, Spain: Gems Beautiful I seem to have rubies on the brain....Enjoy!

Peridot Sterling Nugget

Now, this was fun to make! First, I recycled some of my sterling scraps by melting them into an orb shape. I cleaned that up a bit - not too much, because I like the slightly rough texture it ends up with. Then, I drilled and prepared the hole to flush set the 4mm faceted peridot in. Next, I formed a round wire sterling shank and soldered it to the back of the nugget, cleaned up all the silver, then - my favorite part!!! - set the stone. I gave it a satin finish with some light abrasive, et voila!

Leaf imprint and opal rings

I've been really busy with my other work, so haven't had as much time as I'd like for jewelry. Still, managed to do a wide sterling band with leaf imprint and a rectangular opal set in sterling with a rustic finish.

Love the detail in the leaf print - oxidized it to really bring out that detail. Also adore the gorgeous blues in this opal!

Meanwhile, it's gorgeously warm and spring-like here - up to 25 celsius today! Happy spring!

World travels

One of the things that's so interesting and wonderful about having an online Etsy shop is the international nature and possibilities of connecting with people from anywhere! I love that my pieces have now found homes across the US and Canada, as well as Sweden, Malaysia, Portugal, Scotland, Afghanistan and Australia. This could never have happened not so long ago. Very exciting - really makes it feel like a small world!

Here are a few things I made this weekend - some more feather imprinted sterling earrings and some small freshwater pearl earrings wrapped in sterling wire and hung from sterling earwires:

Also made another carnelian ring. This cab is 8mm high and a nice oval:

Little opal ring

I'm in love with opals, I admit it! This is a particularly pretty sea blue one, with green and pink shimmer. It comes from I Want That Rock on Etsy. I set it in fine and sterling silver bezel setting on a round sterling band.

 Just love the depth of the colors! Also did these fun earrings out of sterling sheet that I imprinted with a feather in my rolling mill. It's very subtle, but I love the results! I oxidized them to bring out the detail.

I'm hard at work on a big editing job, so not enough time for jewelry....Will get back at it soon!

Weekend fabrication

It's sunday night and we're just gearing up for the new week. Managed to get some jewelry time in this weekend, amid hanging out with teens, doing chores, walking dogs and life in general....First up is a carnelian and sterling necklace - a deep, rich orange that brings to mind the Fanta orange soft drinks of my youth. If, like me, you didn't like cola, Fanta orange was it!!! This orange is slightly less zingy, but equally colorful and cheerful!

Next up is a green onyx and sterling ring. The onyx is such a lovely deep emerald green and a gorgeous cushion cut.

Finally, I made a small, delicate garnet and sterling ring. I find it very pretty, with its deep wine color and bright sterling.

Happy Monday all!

Many facets to these rings....

How about starting off the weekend with two very different rings, both using faceted stones? The first is a gorgeous 10mm round green amethyst (also called prasiolite, I believe). It's the palest of greens and hints at spring being just around the corner....I set it in a completely hand-fabricated (by moi) double bezel on a round sterling shank. Very comfy and lovely to wear.

The second is a really pretty cushion-cut carnelian - a gorgeous deep orange, which it is very tempting to eat! But resist.... I got it from Find Your Stone and set it in a simple fine and sterling bezel on a round sterling shank. I'm big on comfort in rings! Check out this color:

Pretty, eh? Happy Saturday!