Fashionably Fall

What a fun weekend this was!  I really love Halloween, especially when it's on a Friday!  It was a good thing I had today to recover though!  I spent some time this afternoon photographing new work for the store.  I've removed all the collage items from my Etsy shop and will be adding new work throughout November and December that involves fusing, metalsmithing, beading and wirework.  Here's just a sneak peek at some of the items coming.

 

I originally made a pair similar to these and loved them so much I created this pair for the shop.  This piece is hammered sterling silver, stick pearls, sea glass, kyanite and seawall beads on fused silver headpins.  I hand-crafted the earwires from sterling silver.  I always recieve compliments on mine when I wear them out or to the office.

 

I think I'll call these my "Sweetheart Earrings".  They would be perfect for Valentines day or any other special day don't you think?  The hoops are fused fine silver which I textured and oxidized.  The hearts are from Hip Chick Beads and have tourmaline above them. The earwires are hand-crafted from sterling silver and then oxidzed with liver of sulpher.  I put a tiny garnet below each one.  I'd love to keep these but then I'd never have anything to sell!

     

Can you tell I like making hoops?

These are also fused fine silver hoops.  Suspended below are green garnet, freshwater pearls, tourmaline, rhondonite and swarovski crystals.  This pair reminds me of a lovely garden.  I'm thinking about calling these "English Garden". 

Ok enough sneek peaks.  Here's a little show and tell from my metalsmithing lessons over the past year.  This is my first bezel piece.  It's rhondonite set with sterling bezel wire on a copper disk.  I hammered and textured the disk and then oxidized it with liver of sulpher.  I soldered a bail on the back so it can be worn as a pendant.

I have been accumulating a large collection of stones and vintage glass cabochons over the last couple years and it's exciting to know I will finally be able to use them!  Since I also just completed my first fabricated sterling ring (photos will come soon-it was in a showcase this weekend) my next project is another bezel-set piece.  I'm thinking of using two small Kingman turquoise cabochons I have for some earrings.  I have yet to come up with a design though.  I really want to challenge myself and I think that designing is actually the most difficult part.  I'm going to try to find inspiration for them in nature. Perhaps I'll go through all the photos I took from when I was in the southwest this summer... 

Comments

[High Desert Diva]

Your metalwork is looking good!

[315thomas]

your earrings are really gorgeous!

[Lisa C]

Hi there! I wasn't sure if you were still up and running, but wanted to let you know how much I love these earrings!! Gorgeous!!