Absence and Acceptance

Egad. I have been very absent around here lately. I received some good news this week... I was juried into the Etsymetal Street Team! There are so many super-talented and skilled metalsmiths on the team that I'm very grateful that they chose me to be in their midst! I look forward to what's in store! Take a look at the Etsymetal Team!

The seattle sky was so dreamy last night with layers of clouds, both dark and light, so rich with texture. It was indeed a perfect backdrop to highlight the profile of a ring that is nearly finished. Someday soon you can find it here.It is a combination of textures and colors that I think look quite nice together. After a bit of static, due to unexpected life interference, I hope to resume more production up in the studio where I am most happy!

Stones

I recently got my hands on some beautiful, natural Indian Star Rubies and am daydreaming about how to use them all as quickly as possible! I did finish two rings, you can find one here and the other here. The stones are so uniquely different but absolutely stunning! I honestly can't stop looking at them! The light needs to hit the stone just right and that is when the star, or "asterism", reveals itself. The asterism is created by inclusions of rutiles within the stone. The settings are quite different as well. I lean toward asymmetry, but at the same time seek a little balance in my designs. I can't wait to work with the remaining stones!

Star Rubies... need to be seen in person to really appreciate!

Recycling Love

I recently realized that I needed to get my act together and do something about the scrap silver that has been collecting around me. I gathered the silver, sorted, cleaned it and ended up with what seemed to me to be a small, but relatively substantial, amount of sterling alongside a teensy bit of PMC scraps. I sent it to to my supplier then 4 days later was told my trade credit, placed an order and a mere 2 days later received a package in the mail.

So this hot mess:
                          

Became this organized bounty of fine lines and shine:

I learned a very valuable lesson, every bit of scrap matters. Recycle, recycle, recycle!

                                                                                                                                             

Blog love, improved studio space and a little Deception

I'm looking forward to a very productive June in the studio! I spent part of this past weekend rearranging my workspace, which is located in the attic. This essentially meant strategically moving a gazillion storage boxes, musical instruments, a bike, the two aquariums that our enormous goldfish have outgrown and other typical stuff you might find in an attic. In the end (when the dust cleared) I found that I had created quite a nice little, yet more spacious and uncluttered, space to design, daydream and of course work within.


This weekend my work and other talented Seattle artists were featured on an awesome blog by Alex of Skyejuice. I'm very interested to see what other great finds Alex discovers out there in her virtual travels.

We road tripped on Saturday with the intent to find whales to spy from land or ferry as the orca pods have returned to this area as have some gray whales. Ferries had ridiculously backed-up lines so we opted instead to just drive north and explore Deception Pass State Park. Along with non-manmade breathtaking beauty we encountered this very well detailed 24 ft tall wood carved sculpture by Powell Studios

The Maiden

I loved all the textures and details of this sculpture, including tiny fish and sea shells trapped within her robe.

The legend of the Maiden can be read here:  The Maiden of Deception Pass.  It was a beautiful day and yet again I was reminded of how much I love Washington!



Path to the edge of the world

I'm so looking forward to more explorations this summer and of course, spending a lot of time up in the studio!



Ain't No Sunshine... In Seattle

Seattle is continuuing it's soggy assault on us. Enough already! Though the sogginess did take breaks, as it always seems to do, allowing for a nice little walk over in West Seattle. The mostly unpleasant weather definitely has it's upside as I had a very productive weekend in the studio. I made eight rings, though only finished five of them as I'm waiting on some beautious sapphires to find their way to me. You can find the finished rings, in the very near future, over here.



Creating my own Sunshine



A favorite spot

 

rings, rings, rings!





A gaggle of rings awaiting their stones






Five finished rings awaiting new homes

 

Tower of Power




 

Studio Helper

This is Pasha. She is the official "Studio Kitty" and gleefully bounds up the steps at every opportunity to chill with me in the studio. She basks in the window seat watching birds while I work, occasionally coming down to meow at my feet, indicating a break is needed. She is oft a dark and moody creature but up here in the studio, she is calm and sweet.

Two Paws and Some Jewels

Birth of a Ring

I recently had a fellow, super-nice, Etsian request one of my rings in another size, this one: Sterling Wide Band with Sapphires. I love when someone digs my work enough to start up that first conversation. I decided to photograph some of the steps while making the ring for her.  

And the final result: