What I've been up to--finishing commissions

I started into the winter with a number of jewelry projects to be designed and then created. Slowly, I've been ticking away at the list and here are photos of some of the finished projects.

This pendant was made with vintage jade buttons that were carved and suggested butterfly wings. the client and I came up with a butterfly inspired pendant set upon reticulated silver and baubles--touches of 18k gold.

Reticulated silver earrings with 4mm diamonds that are tube set in fine silver. The lower disc swings on the Inspired by a pair the client purchased a couple years ago and wears every day.

This cuff was inspired by one in inventory but added several little diamonds that were from the client's own ring--she didn't wear it anymore and thought let's use them in something else. 

This ring is 18k gold and silver with carnelian and lapis lazuli stones. The colors were chosen to correspond to an antique Navajo bracelet.

A lot more work is coming out of the studio. Will write again soon!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Yes, it's that time--already!  Christmas is here and I'm still trying to catch up from all the busyness from the year.  I was lucky enough to be able to create a few beautiful pieces to be given as Christmas gifts this year.  One being this necklace for a special woman. It has a reticulated silver pendant with a square black onyx and strung upon a strand of faceted black spinel beads.  A lovely combination!

Another piece, a simply classic reticulated silver cuff. 

I hope everyone enjoys their new goodies! 

Mother of the Groom Necklace--A Summer Project

This commission started with a phone call--a woman wanted to have a special necklace made for her to wear at her son's September wedding.  She found me and my jewelry online, liked what she saw, and gave me a call.  We set up a studio visit to discuss design thoughts and ideas.  We met in July and quickly figured out the colors, stones, and basic design--blue lapis lazuli alongside reticulated silver.  I drew up a few sketches and this is what was proposed and approved. 

 

Here are the beads and stones I found to use for the actual piece. I had never made a reticulated necklace that was half beaded, so I was looking forward to seeing the results.

The frontispiece started--silver rectangles reticulated and bezels and squiggles placed.

Next the silver ball accents and the articulated joinery.

The stones are bezel set in fine silver and the whole piece is getting laid out for stringing.

The full layout of lapis beads with the reticulated silver, hollow lentil shape beads I created.

And after the initial stringing, it was time to try on the necklace for length...I emailed this photo to J. and she loved it!  Upon her next visit north, she came with her wedding clothes and we tried it all on.  The necklace being an elegant accessory to make her simply classic outfit shine.

The length was almost perfect, but we decided on one minor design change--we added a chain closure for adjustable lengths allowing more versatility for wearing after the wedding.  Simply striking!

Thank you for allowing me be a part of this beautiful collaboration and special event!  It was a pleasure to work with you!

And after the wedding, in her words:

     "I'm wearing my necklace tonight, two weeks after our son's wedding at ....  The wedding couldn't have gone any better and I received many compliments on my "bling" , as one friend termed it, made specially for the event.

     Thanks again for all of your help. I shall enjoy my wedding necklace for many years to come."

Deliveries!

It's that time of year--I've been running around delivering jewelry to my retails shops to start the season!  Be sure to check out Rock Paper Scissors in Wiscasset, Casual Interiors in Boothbay Harbor, and Gleason Fine Art in Boothbay Harbor.  Lots of new designs and the series continuation of some of my favorites.  Next Saturday I'll be delivering to CRAFT in Rockland. 

Reticulated cuff with Umba sapphire at Rock Paper Scissors

Coral necklace at Casual Interiors

Hydrangea cluster earrings at Gleason Fine Art

Two Styles Merge -- Reticulation and Minnows

Recently I was contacted to create a pendant.  The woman loved my jewelry designs and had a stone that she wanted me to work with.  I was happy to work with her and the stone and we met to discuss the project.  After a fun story about her property, pond, and minnows, we worked on a design to feature my textured reticulation, as well as a minnow.  I drew up 4 designs and this is the one that she selected:

Reticulated silver rectangle 1 5/8 inches wide with a sterling wire squiggle and balls and a gem cut quartz bezeled in fine silver.  We wanted the minnow to have a hammered pattern and wiggle. 

And here's the finished pendant!   

I love the way the reticulated metal evokes the feeling of undulating water and the balls creating bubbles from the fish.  Loretta loved it and so do I!

Rebirth: Old made New

What do you get when you have a client with a collection of antique Native American silver pins...:

 

...who would like you to make a "Squash Blossom" style necklace?

An amazing feat of beauty, nostalgia, and a whole lot of WOW!

This is one of my specialties--taking something you own that you don't wear or isn't your style and turn it (or them) into something you will.  Let me turn your history into your legacy. 

Yes, More Flowers!

I was thinking spring was on its way, but I guess we're in for another round of snow!  Looks like a foot of snow--UGH!!! 
In the meantime, I've been playing with more flowers.  This time they are tiny four-petal flowers--they remind me of forget-me-nots, but still based on the hydrangea idea.  These are clustered along a curly, sterling vine with a 6mm faceted peridot that is tube set in fine silver. 

I also made this pair of earrings along the same idea and design as the pendant.  4mm faceted peridots are also tube set in fine silver and circled with a sterling wire vine and earwires. 

Lots more jewelry coming.  New designs for inventory and lots of commissions too.  Let's hope the weather people are wrong!  But it's a little too early for April Fool's Day!

THE Book!!!

You might remember me talking about a book project I started quite some time ago that involved one of my most fabulous collectors.  Well, it is finished!  And all I can say is WOW!

This is the cover:

It's a hard-cover coffee table book with a dust jacket to boot!  44 pages in all featuring our amazing collaboration--the fashion and clothes of Linda and the jewelry I've created for her.  (If I can figure out how to upload a pdf, I will show the whole book, but until that time), here are some of my favorite pages:

I was fortunate that my local paper did a story about the book project and you can read that here:  http://www.boothbayregister.com/article/artist-and-collector/10003

Another exciting result from the book is I'm giving a talk at the Boothbay Harbor Library on April 17th.  I'll be talking about how to make a book online using blurb.com, including all the steps from start to finish.

A great big 'Thank You' to Linda and Tom for inviting me into their lives and home!  I treasure our friendship!

Flowers for February 2

Here it is! 

The newest hydrangea neck cuff hot off the bench!  I love this piece!  The open front for easy wear.  The way it hugs the neck.  It's very wearable--and incredibly striking!

Details of the two flower clusters:

12 flowers here

and 8 flowers here. 

Not the best photo, but this is what it looks like around your neck:

Oh, what will be next?! 

More Flowers in February

So, I mentioned in my last post that I've been working on a new flower series--inspired by hydrangeas.  I thought I'd show some pictures of the work I've made in the last 2 weeks.

This is a neck cuff that I LOVE!!!  It simply goes around your neck and sits.  The cluster is made of 17 flowers of various sizes soldered on to 12g sterling vines. 

I made these earrings out of a heavy wire swirl and added the small flowers.  They have stud backs and look so very graceful on your ear. 

Here's another version of clustered flower earrings.  These have an earwire and sit just below your earlobe. 

And here's the ring I made before my last post.  It's a heavy 10g sterling silver wire wrap shank with 3 clustered flowers.   

More to come soon.  Another neck cuff is on the bench, so check back soon!

Studio Helper

I had a little helper with me in the studio today.  Well, he really didn't help, but he sure was cute--all curled up and nestled in his box. 

While Tiger caught up on his sleep, I worked on this pendant.  It's reticulated silver that I cut in 2 and added a long sterling silver wire squiggle and balls.  A rose cut, tourmalinated quartz is bezeled in fine silver at the bottom.  The pendant is suspended from a sterling silver rolo chain. 

I like the movement flowing through the piece--it moves your eye from the top, through the body of the pendant and then around the stone and back up again. 

I'm pushing through the dreary January blues and doing what I know.  I'm hoping a surge of creativity will emerge soon!