RAW 52/08 - Larimar Ring

I'm suppose to be doing my taxes but all I can think of are rings.  So this will have to do for now.

Handmade Larimar Ring

Handmade Larimar Ring

RAW 52/07 - Bud Ring

Bud Ring

I had fun making this ring, making it up as I go.  I used sterling silver (recycled, of course), copper, and a lab grown golden topaz (no excavation of the earth to get this gem).  It's my first flush set piece and you have to be SO careful not to cut the opening too big or the stone will fall too low below the surface.  This one turned out to be slightly on the higher side, but it did snap right in there. 

Teh-dah, here's the inspiration for the piece.  That's right, it's the bud bur.  The bud bur is one of the burs that I used to cut the seat for this stone.  

Bud Ring

RAW 52/06 - My Pearl Ring

Ring made with sterling, bronze and pearl.  I'm hoping to convey movements by setting the bronze skewed from the sterling band, and by setting the pearl off to one side.

I must admit that I had a nightmare trying to re-apply a patina to the bronze, so I finally just stripped it.  I was hoping that the patina will darken the bronze in order to bring out the row of silver dots running down the center.

RAW 52/05 - Year of the Hare

Year of the Hare Ring

Year of the Hare Ring

This year is the Year of the Hare in the Chinese Lunar Calender.  The Chinese paper cut arts inspired the design of this ring, although cutting sheet metal is not as easy as cutting paper with scissors.  I saw pierced the design and soldered it onto another sterling piece.

Very late in posting this ring, but let's say I learned so much when applying a patina on it. Lesson learned is that the patina stays where you don't want it to, and comes off where you want it to stay. Arrrrgh!

RAW 52/04 - Green & Pink Ocean Jasper

Green and Pink Ocean Jasper Ring

For the third ring, I used one of my favorite stones, Ocean Jasper.  It is one of the orbicular jaspers which contains variably-colored orbs or spherical inclusions or zones, found along the intertidal shores of northeast Madagascar.

New Pendant Necklaces in my Shop

Some new pendant necklaces I posted to my shop, using similar white druzy (or sometimes spelled drusy) agates.  This stone is pure white like sugar or snow that glistens when light hits the different facets of the crystal points.  They are the insides of geodes.  I set them with prongs to let more light through the stones.  The sterling setting is oxdized to a pretty mottled black.  These pendants come with an adjustable black satin cord, 16 to 30 inches long.

Although the stones and the mountings are similar, I saw pierced the sterling backing with different designs.  

You can find these in my shop.