Silver Flowers in All Sizes

It's April and time is flying! I'm starting to get a little nervous about my inventory as I've been slowly updating things at my retail locations. So, I focused on some basics this weekend and set out to create new silver flower earrings--all sizes and styles.  This is what I came up with:

I love the various sizes and finishes, hydrangea inspired and daisy inspired. A pretty good bunch with a few more pairs ready to go on the bench. Can't wait to get them all together.

Autumn--Catching Up

I don't know where the summer went!  But it's fall now and it's been too much time since I last wrote.  So much has gone on--shows, sales, and events--with much more to come.  I'm back to weekly updates and goings on.  I'll share some of the commissions I was lucky enough to create this summer, as well as new directions for my jewelry. 

Here's a  selection of rings that I'm loving!  I call them bauble rings and are available with most any stone and made just for you! 

Commissions

I've been lucky enough to have some commission work to do this winter, so I've split my studio time between creating the commissions and mixing in a new piece for inventory.  Here are some of the completed commissions:

A silver reticulated cuff with balls and silver curves.

 

Reticulated silver earrings to compliment the above cuff. 

Sterling silver clip earrings with 18x25mm black onyx cabochons and 1 3/4 inch double dome beads with stamped pattern.  These are to wear with this:

A three-strand renewed necklace with carved beads, black onyx, and stamped double dome beads.

Another reticulated commission is this cuff--a little thinner with silver balls and a 4mm faceted apatite gemstone:

Isn't that turquoisey color gorgeous?!

Next up--some of the new inventory pieces.

Thinking of Summer

The little blast of spring weather made me dream of summer and warm sunshine.  After some brainstorming and inspiring talk with Mom, I was prompted to think of some new designs with summer as inspiration. 

Fish--what could be more summer-like?!

I started by sawing out little minnows and larger fish shapes.

Here are the minnows on the soldering block.  They are awaiting the torch to solder the jumprings to their mouths.  

After working up the fish pendants, I started playing with watery-color beads.  Here's a couple in process.

And finally the finished pieces:

A large alewife pendant strung on blue chalcedony beads.  I think my favorite part is the fish clasp.  I like to pay particular attention to the finishing of necklaces--the clasp is as important as the pendant and also adds interest and design to the back side of the necklace.  

 These silver minnows are one inch high and strung with watery-green apatite coin beads. 

And the last piece for today is a large sunfinsh pendant strung on a double strand of amazonite coin beads.  

It's a great start to some summer inventory.  There are more fish-inspired pieces to come, I only wish the weather was as cooperative!  It's snowing--again!