Newly Finished

I jumped back into the studio last weekend after nearly a month of crazy busy-ness.  I'm so happy new designs are happening!  Here's a sampling of what I've finished:

This necklace with pendant follows along the design line I was working on back at the end of April.  This is a natural amethyst and quartz druzy bezeled in fine silver with an 8mm amethyst cabochon.  The hammered silver curves around the stone and forms the loop bail.  The bail easily slides over the small faceted amethyst beads.

This sterling silver pendant is file carved with a brushed finish.  The Peruvian opal is bezeled in fine silver and a freshwater pearl dangles belong.  A large sterling bail slides effortlessly over a necklace of amazonite and freshwater pearl beads.  This pendant is also versatile as it comes off of the beaded necklace and can be worn on a silver chain or wear the beads alone.

These sterling silver earrings were designed to compliment the opal necklace.  5x7mm turquoise cabochons are set in the file carved, brushed silver face.

Another idea I've wanted to explore is creating my double dome beads and featuring them singly on sterling silver cables.  Here are a couple I've just finished.

 This is 1 inch diameter and features stamped squiggles & dots that are liver of sulphured and then brushed.

This is 1 1/2 inch diameter with varying sized holes pierced through.

I made another double dome bead with stamped flower silhouettes on both sides and decided to string it on an amber nugget necklace.  

Similar to past necklaces, I made a fun flower clasp to complete the look.

And... last but not least, this flower is a new belt buckle.  It's made of 18g and 20g sterling silver.  Just need to go to the leather guy and get a belt made!

Finishing up

Here's the finished bead from yesterday.  It's strung with the amber nuggets and I think it works.  Definitely a substantial piece--the problem with photos--it's hard to tell the scale.  I like the way the amber beads hug the center silver bead and reflect off the shiny surface. 

I also worked on another double dome bead.  This one with appliqued flowers.  It's sterling silver with one 18k gold flower.  I love the look of this bead, but it has taken me almost as long to polish and finish it, as it did to make it!  Not sure what I'll string it with, but am leaning toward some beautiful faceted blue kyanite beads.   

Until next time...thanks for reading.

Double Dome Day

I revisited one of my favorite things to make--the double dome bead.  I like to use them as pendants and string them with different beads like this--it's sold, but still one of my favorites:

Today I started with 2 two-inch discs that I stamped and hammered with a multi-flower design and then domed them.  After doming, I filed and sanded the edges to make a nice even fit where the two circles meet.  Before soldering, I filed 2 small holes in either side (where the string will go through), which allows the air and gases to escape while soldering.  Here's what the bead looks like so far.  It's highly polished so it's very reflective in the photos.

front

back

I'm thinking I'll string this new silver bead with these funky amber beads.  Check back tomorrow to see the finished piece. 

This is another double dome bead.  It's one inch around and reticulated, and will look great strung with some small black spinel or green tourmaline beads.  I'll figure it out tomorrow.

This and That

Days are flying by and I haven't had much energy for creating.  But...I keep trying.  Yesterday, I spent the day working on a new gold ring.  I've wanted to make a ring with a center diamond and thought why not do it today and jumped right in.  Working with 18k royal yellow gold, I made a tube setting for the .50ct diamond and soldered it within the lowdome ring shank.  I thought the ring needed a little something more, so I added 2 small Sleeping Beauty turquoise cabochons to either side of the diamond and went with it.  The finished ring is very comfortable and wearable.   

Today I needed a little help getting inspired, so I asked and my mom suggested links.  I love links--circles, squares, ovals joining to make bracelets and necklaces and earrings and thought this was as good a starting point as any.  I looked through my drawers of materials and pulled together all the leftover links I had from previous projects and decided to put them all together.  Small, large, round, oval, hammered and stamped, once linked together, they hang beautifully as a long necklace. 

The necklace went together so well (and fast), that I decided to go ahead and try to complete one more thing.  (I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I tried to use every minute of my day off today.)  Earlier I reticulated a small piece of silver and decided to cut it in half and make a pair of earrings.  These are 1 1/2 inches long and about 2mm wide.  I added the silver bars and balls and then the amber nugget beads to complete the design.  A successful design in one of my continuing series. 

Like I said, a little bit of this and that this weekend, but definitely all usable.