Showing posts with label mixed metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed metal. Show all posts

Monday, May 2, 2011

Times flies...

...when you're having fun :-)

Gosh, things have been busy around here!

I said goodbye to a few favourites during my 15% off sale in the shop...




...and I can't tell you how happy it makes my heart to know that these lovelies are heading out across the globe!

~*~

I've also been busy with custom orders, including this matching *Koutoubia* Necklace and Ring for the gorgeous Katia of Plushka's Craft...


The necklace is constructed of silver and copper, mixed metal match made in heaven!  

With the cost of silver rising all the time ($48.55 an ounce at the time of writing), incorporating copper into my work is a great way of keeping my prices down.  

Plus it's beautifully warm and pretty and takes texture better than any other metal!  What's not to love :-)

Katia chose the gemstones to compliment the necklace - apatite, iolite, smoky quartz, mystic orange carnelian and a glowing Chrysoprase cabochon...



Katia also asked me to create a matching ring,
(which is one of the reasons why I love custom orders SO much - 
I would never have thought to create a matching ring had Katia not asked me!)

and this is the design we settled on...


The gemstone is a stunning 1.18 carat apatite...yum!

And you know that I always have fun signing my work... ;-)


~*~

This past week I was also very blessed to read some gorgeous things written about me and my work by the super lovely and super talented Triz.
(and even now I'm blushing thinking about it!)

I cannot wait to see what your incredibly creative and capable hands can produce with metal and flame, Triz! ;-)

~*~

The postman has also brought me a bounty of gems this week...


...a little of this...

(arghhh...I just want to eat them!!!)

...and a little of that...


...and a few of these...


Seriously, is there any such thing as too many gems?

No, I didn't think so.

I'm glad you agree :-)

Have a fabulous week, friends!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Fit for a princess...

Some of my favourite silversmiths work mixed metal magic with sterling silver and brass...
(there's Lenita, and Jo, and Sandi, and Sabrina & Dante to name but a few)

I have been wanting to try my luck mixing these metals for some time,

so it seemed rather serendipitous that some sweet little raw brass flower charms arrived on my doorstep the other day...
(Remember my surprise parcel from Rings & Things...!)


I decided today was the day.

With visions of a huge, steaming, (painfully expensive) pile of slumped sterling and brass,

I set out to create something small and dainty and fit for a princess...

...a certain three year old princess, to be precise :-)


So, I started with a single flower...


...and gave it a trim...


...this won't hurt a bit, trust me...


...a little bit of filing and sanding, and Voila! A beautiful bloom!...


....I just so happened to have the perfect piece of scrap sterling silver to adorn with my newly trimmed flower...


...a little sawing...


...and I had a match made in heaven...


...the ring band came next, ready to be soldered...


...hot, hot, hot!...


...ring band, done!...
(the tiniest ring band ever, I might add...cuuuuute!)


...time to give that scrap piece of silver a new lease on life...


...can you spot the brass flower, ready for sweat soldering...?


...and in the blink of an eye, success!...


...ready to be worn after a few hours in the tumbler...


...just what every princess needs...


...particularly pink pen wielding princesses...


...but just don't try and take it back off her because she'll turn you to stone with her steely gaze... :-O


This little project has definitely whet my appetite for more mixed metal creations...

Thanks for coming along for the ride...

let's do this again soon, ok ;-)