Etsy Front Page Today

So cool to see my bangle bracelet making it to the Etsy Front Page today.  Sweet! It is the third item down on the left column.



A lot of people would ask me the font I use. Well, it's really not any word processing fonts or any other machine generated graphic design. It's actually my handwriting, inscribed onto the object with a sharp tool.

The ingredients? Lots of concentration and a steady hand. The result is personalized scripts that average about 1mm tall for lower case letters. If I need to squeeze many words onto a small area, the inscriptions can be smaller. You might need to use a magnifying device to read them.

Transition

Please excuse the construction dust and noise, I'm in the process of re-organizing my business.  This includes a business name change from Studio 618 to TKMetalArts.  Stay tuned!

Ikebana & Kusuma Necklaces

Just finished these 4 pendant / necklaces:

1. Ikebana with Red Quartz. This red quartz is really unusual because it has these really sparkly mica inclusions, like pieces of glitters embedded.

2. Ikebana with Labradorite. I thought this half round labradorite makes a perfect "bowl" for this miniature ikebana arrangement.

3. Kusuma is an Indonesian name that means flower. These agatized Fossil Coral is a natural stone formed when ancient coral is gradually replaced with agate. They usually have small flower-like patterns. Each piece of coral can display different colors, depending on weathering/oxidation and original mineral content.

I added some 14k gold dots to complement the warm tones of these coral.

4. The back of this pendant is inscribed.

Confetti Cuff - The Making

This is my latest bracelet listed in my etsy store. I'm using the photos to send with an application for a show in October. My friend, Jodi, bless her sweet heart, took photographs of the creation process:

Materials I used - bronze sheet, sterling wire

I use my AutoCAD software to plan out my design and figure out the amount of materials I need to cut. This creates a template for tracing onto the metal sheet, as well as keeping a record of my designs. I only use the computer for some of my pieces, not all of them.

Here, I transfer the design from a heavier paper stock template onto the metal sheet.

I saw cut the bronze insert part out from the sheet material.

Filing the edges smooth. Then I cut enough sterling wire to frame around the bronze insert.

Soldering the 2 materials together. Then I release Jodi so she can go home and get ready for work. Sorry, no pictures of me with the hammers, dust mask and eye protection.

The bracelet is bent into an oval shape. Now comes the FUN part (eyes rolling) - sanding and finishing.

The finished product. I could have skip the silver edging, which would save a ton of time. But here with the two-tone look, it seems to add so much to it. What do you think?

What Smith Are You?

A blacksmith works with iron and steel. The ancient traditional tool of the blacksmith is a forge or smithy, which is a furnace designed to allow compressed air (through a bellows) to superheat the inside, allowing for efficient melting, soldering and annealing of metals. Today, this tool is still widely used by blacksmiths as it was traditionally.

A bladesmith forges knives, swords, and other blades.

A coppersmith, or brownsmith, works with copper.

A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals, usually in modern times to make jewelry. Historically goldsmiths have also made flatware, platters, goblets, decorative and serviceable utensils, and ceremonial or religious items, but the rising prices of precious metals have curtailed the making of such items to a large degree. A goldsmith should be skilled in delicate manual work, have creative imagination and artistic flair, be good at drawing and designing, and be interested in metals and minerals.

The term, metalsmith, often refers to artisans and craftpersons who practice their craft in many different metals, including gold, copper and silver.

A pewtersmith works with pewter.

Traditionally a silversmith, or brightsmith, mostly made "silverware" (cutlery, table flatware, bowls, candlesticks and such). Only in more recent times has silversmithing become mainly work in jewellery, as much less solid silver tableware is now handmade. Unlike blacksmiths, silversmiths do not shape the metal while it is red-hot but instead, work it at room temperature with gentle and carefully placed hammerblows.

A tinsmith, tinner, or tinker works with light metal (such as tinware) and can refer to someone who deals in tinware.

A whitesmith works with white metal (tin) and can refer to someone who polishes or finishes the metal rather than forging it.

Clematis Ring

Took advantage of the warm weather the last 2 days, I got myself out of the slump from being on the road doing holiday shows. With some sterling materials lying around, I made some bangle bracelets and matching rings. Oxidized to show the intricate flower pattern, but mirror polished to slide on you like silk. I'm pretty happy with the results.

Prototype Ring

This is the first time I made this ring, using sterling sheet, sterling wires, and colored resin. It has over 6-1/2 grams of sterling and my hand-signature on the back. The top has a circle within a circle, allowing up to two color combinations. They can be complementary or analogous colors, providing me hours of adventure in mixing and pairing them.

The ring shank is made from heavy gauge round wire and is soldered only to the back of the ring top. The ends overlap, which allows for easy size adjustments. I smoothed out the wire tips for comfort. Customers will never have to worry about their fingers swelling in the summer heat, nor the ring slipping off their finger during cooler weather.

It is a really fun ring to wear, with its bright colors. It’s a definite show-stopper. I finished the ring two days ago and garnered compliments each time I wear it. I made the top almost 1” in diameter so it doesn’t flop around. It is also a good way to camouflage my big knuckles. :)

I haven’t quite decided whether to put this into production yet. I thought I would give my readers and fans a chance to vote. Send me your vote or suggestions/comments below.

My First Blog Post & Free Earrings GIVEAWAY

Wow, this is a historical moment for me - my first blogging effort. It's about time, huh?!

To celebrate this occasion, I will be drawing a name from my list of blog followers. Click "Follow This Blog" on the right sidebar. The drawing will take place at the end of the day on my birthday - October 14. This one lucky winner will receive a pair of earrings that I created. They look like this -

Amethyst and rainbow color coated clear Swarovski cubes, separated by twist wire rings. Ear wires and all findings are sterling silver. A great pair of Everyday Earrings.

Now a little bit about myself (so I can get this self-promotion behind me, lol):

After many years of practicing as an architect, I craved to create with my own two hands instead of just sitting behind the computer or drawing board and have other people carry out my designs. From mega-scale projects to micro-sized adornments, I execute my jewelry designs/fabrication with an artful eye, precision hands, and human comfort in mind. I hope my jewelry collections will bring you as much meaning and enjoyment as the passion I pour onto each piece.

My inspiration comes from my past experiences in life, my cultures, my environment or it can be a specific moment in time. Sometimes interesting techniques will challenge me to come up with different designs too. My work keeps evolving, with fresh ideas all the time.
I try to keep my designs simple and timeless, using materials of the highest quality. My preference is to use silver or gold since they are highly recyclable and highly shapeable. On the other hand, with the cost of precious metals these days, I do explore other jewelry grade metals as well. These materials will be specified in my descriptions and materials sections on my Etsy shop.

I'm also a proud member of the awesome, one and only, incredible team called eSMArts Guild. Go to our team site to find out more, and to get to know my extremely talented cohorts.