2015 Year End: A Few Final Projects

Beaux Cadeaux went well for me and I think I'll try it again next year!  I've been out of touch because I was getting ready for the show, and then custom orders have been flying in.  Yay for me and Silver Serpent Studio!

Here are a couple of the many pieces I've been working on - to see the rest of my new designs, please visit my Facebook Business Page and gander through the photo albums!

Spencer Opal in Sterling Silver Wire Weave - custom order

Art Bookmarks - copper and flame patina, original artwork

Lapis Cross and Enhancer - sterling silver, hand fabricated for lapis necklace

I can't promise to post very regularly for the rest of the year, but I'm sure I'll return to posting and showing what I've been up to come the New Year!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Hannah

Beaux Cadeaux at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho!

I've been madly working on new pieces and some new designs for a local artisan show at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho called Beaux Cadeaux (beautiful gifts in French)!  The show runs November 13th and 14th so I don't have a lot of time left for finishing jewelry and displays.  But some good news is that after this show, I will be ready for additional shows next year without having to pull together nice displays!

Fine silver pendant from metal clay powder - my first!

Turitella at Night Pendant in sterling silver.

Mookite in rose gold-filled setting.

More after the show!
~Hannah

Introducing Golden Hues!

In preparation for a local art fair, I've started working in gold-filled wire as well as sterling silver!  Here are my first designs featuring yellow and rose gold hues - it's very exciting to be expanding into new metals once again.

Rose Quartz Briolette Earrings in Rose Gold

Jasper Dagger Earrings in Rose Gold

Deep Purple Chalcedony in Yellow Gold

Lavender Beryllium Opal in Yellow Gold

A little about gold-filled wire - gold-fill is NOT the same as gold-plated.  There is a brass core with gold-filled wire, but the gold covering the core is THICK and won't wear away like plating does.  It has the wear-ability of solid gold with a price tag similar to sterling silver!  

Thanks for looking!
~Hannah

Back to the Wire

Crazy Lace Agate Pendant in Sterling Silver Wire

I entered another juried exhibit last week - if I get in, I'll have an 8 foot x 5 foot display that I need to fill up with jewelry and artworks!  BAH!

Turitella Fossil in Sterling Silver Wire, Viking Knit

So, I'm busy busy busy creating bookmarks, pendants, other jewelry, and hopefully some smaller wall art in the next couple months!

Variscite Cabochon in Sterling Silver Wire

I figure, even if I don't get in, it's good to keep working and expanding my skills, my stock, and the types of pieces I offer! 

Thanks for stopping by!
~Hannah

Eastern Idaho State Fair - I PLACED!

I entered one of my pieces in the Eastern Idaho State Fair this year!  It's the first time I've entered anything in any kind of fair, and I'm very excited to say I placed.  My piece was accepted in the Fine Arts "Barn", under Professional, 3-D Based. 

Sea Serpent Panel - 3rd Place at the EISF!

I competed with other amazing artists and look forward to challenging myself again next year!  First place went to a lovely, larger-than-life bronze bust and the best in show went to a painting-style sculpture of a pair of highly detailed hands.

I can't remember the piece that won 2nd place, but I happily took 3rd with my Sea Serpent Panel hand-cut from copper, brass, and nickel!  My piece was also one of the first on display as you entered the room, right on the end cap of the Best in Show pieces.  It really couldn't have been better placement or a better time.

Enjoy the Fall Fairs!
~Hannah

Peach Smoothie - a two-sided pendant

There is a little bit of a story behind this cabochon - I found a colorful shard of jasper at a local rock hound's shop (I've been working with her for about a year, now, and get to look through her stock and order custom pieces!).  She couldn't remember what it was (other than jasper) or where it came from, but I decided I didn't care.  I mean, look at these colors!

Peach Smoothie - a 2-sided jasper pendant

The creamy peaches, pink, and lavenders enthralled me.  I asked her to shape it and make it double-sided because I didn't want to cover up any of the stone.  So here is the final result - a lovely pendant that can be worn with either side facing out!

Peach Smoothie - side 2

I picked up another couple mystery shards, too, with awesome patterns and colors.  One is all grays, the other is yellows and maroons.  Each is unique and one will be mine....

Thanks for stopping by!
~Hannah

Introducing Filigree!

I've been keeping busy - making more custom metal bookmarks, designing new pendants, and coming up with a fun home decor project.  More on the home decor later...but I will have my large scale serpent panel in the local state fair in a couple weeks!

Sterling Silver Handmade Filigree Pendant with Genuine Turquoise.

The only photos I have to show right now are of this new filigree pendant, featuring a small, genuine turquoise cabochon.  I love how it turned out and already have 2 more filigree-enhanced pendants in the works.

Handmade Filigree Pendant with Turquoise - about 1.5 inches tall.

The summer is quickly coming to an end and work is picking up for me - with my children, with college classes, and with my business.  I will soon have a couple days a week for myself and my studio work - whoohoo!

Happy creating,
~Hannah

Bracelets & More!

I now have some of my pieces in a local shop, called The Collective Boutique - so if you are traveling through downtown Idaho Falls, ID, you see them in person!  It's exciting news for me, and I need to make more pieces to keep both shops full.  Not that that is a problem - I do love working with natural stones and metal!

Here are some new lovelies:

Sodalite bracelet in sterling silver.

Tiger iron bracelet in sterling silver.

Green agate earrings in sterling silver.

Sodalite earrings in sterling silver.

Thanks for looking!
~SSS

A Silvery Summer

I continue to be busy and love every minute of it!  Here are a few more pendants I've crafted recently - I've also picked up a several more cabochons that I can't wait to set including more amazonite and lapis!

Chrysocolla, azurite, and sphalerite cabochon.

Dark green jasper and sterling silver beads.

Two-sided honey onyx pendant with sterling silver and gold-filled wire.

Amazonite cabochon in sterling silver with dragonfly cutout.

Thanks for looking!
~SSS

Sea Serpent Art Panel - Largescale Metalwork

After a long, long time, I have finally completed this piece!  It is not my largest piece, but it is my most detailed.  I'm very happy with how it turned out, and thankfully my friend and patron is also ecstatic!

Serpent Art Panel - copper, brass, and nickel on knotty alder.

This large panel artwork is made from copper, brass, and nickel sheet metal.  The metalwork measures 4 feet tall by 16 inches wide; the knotty alder frame adds about 8 inches to the height and width.  It's actually pretty light for being so large!

Serpent Panel - Metalwork is 4 feet by 16 inches.

I designed the artwork around a specific size, as requested.  I love the layout - panoramic photos and designs are very fun to work with!  This one has three separate designs in one panel - the top and bottom and then the middle.  Photos really don't do this piece justice - I managed to get a lot of color and detail in each area.

Serpent Artwork - Details of top and bottom panels.

Here are some more detail shots.  There are several hammer textures plus a couple different patinas doing on.  Honestly, I can't wait to start the next one!  It will be quite a bit smaller, but the plan is to have it just as detailed.

Serpent Panel - details showing texture and patinas found in the pieces.

If you are local to the SE Idaho region, you will (hopefully) be able to see it on display in person at the SE Idaho State Fair in September!

Serpent Panel - custom piece (sold).  Original artwork by Hannah Trost.

Thanks for your interest!
~SSS

Local Boutique Items!

I'm so excited - I will have a few of my pendants on display in a local boutique called The Collective by June 1st!  The shop is for locally made artisan crafts only, and your work is juried to get in - I got in! 

I've been busy getting more equipment for my studio (a kiln!), filling custom bookmark orders, designing displays, and getting packaging and tags ready for the store, so I haven't made a lot of jewelry lately, but here are a couple pieces that I finished last week:

Mariposite set in sterling silver and yellow gold-filled wire.

Petrified wood set in sterling silver and rose gold-filled wire.

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Creating,
SSS

May's Custom Orders

This month I had a couple of really fun custom orders!  One was for a set of purple kingman turquoise cabochons and the other was for a pair of matched Australian lightning ridge opals!

This turquoise pendant features 2 of the 4 cabochons the customer had - we drew up many designs and she found this one.  We're both happy with the end result!

Purple Kingman Turquoise set in sterling silver - handmade setting.

The next order was for cufflinks for my customer's father's birthday - he buys jewelry for his wife quite often but never for himself.  I thought it was a nice gift and was excited to work with these gorgeous opals!  I didn't photograph the fire very well - they flash blue, green, and red!

Australian Lightning Ridge Opal set in sterling silver - handmade setting.

I'm hoping my next post will finally show the serpent wall piece I've been working on, on and off, for over 6 months!  I'm down to the finishing details!

Thanks for stopping in and happy creating!
SSS

One of my custom pieces and some newly acquired cabochons that I've set!   The custom piece has a porcelain pendant strung on a handmade, beaded copper chain with a matching magnetic clasp.  The beads are agates and Czech fire polished glass.

The two cabochons were purchased from a local rock hound at the local Rock and Mineral Show - I love the way he cuts and polished his cabs and the fact that he usually mines his own rough, too.  They are very fun to design around!  I've wire wrapped the first one in a viking knit with rose gold-filled wire and the second in sterling silver.

Custom Piece - features a porcelain pendant from Ireland.

Peruvian Turquoise Pendant in Rose Gold-fill and Sterling.

Painted Rhyolite Pendant in Sterling Silver.

More custom pieces on the way - hopefully I'll have photos next week.

Thanks for visiting and happy creating!
SSS

Busy Busy Busy! Newest Designs

I've been busy with custom orders and haven't had a lot of time to work on my own designs, but here are a few that I've managed to squeeze in!

Amethyst chunks and sterling silver - handmade earwires.

Quartz beads and drops, sterling silver wire - handmade hoops.

Green picasso jasper and sterling silver beads, handmade clasp.

I'll have photos of the custom pieces to show soon! 

Happy Creating!
SSS

Custom Bookmarks II - Copper Treatments

I've been so busy that I've missed a couple weeks!  Here are just a couple things I was working on - more custom bookmarks!

Copper Bookmarks - shiny finish (middle) and rainbow finishes!

This set shows how I can finish the copper bookmarks - shiny or with a rainbow patina!  I love the rainbow effect but it is nearly completely random what I'll end up with - differences in the flame, the density of the copper, the size of the cutouts - it all changes the boundaries of what the flame patina will result in!

Enjoy and happy creating!
SSS

Custom Bookmarks!

For Christmas last year, I made about a dozen bookmarks for friends and family.  They were a lot of fun to make, and I found a bookmark blank in a size I really like, so I'm now offering custom bookmarks in my shop!

Here are the newest bookmarks, in a similar size to mass-produced bookmarks at the store.  These are 6 1/4" long by 1 1/4" wide, and are available in copper, brass, and aluminum.  For more information & photos, please see my FB album or my Etsy listing.  Thanks and enjoy!

Custom metal bookmarks!  Quotes by R.W. Emerson, Aristotle, & Cicero.

Here's a "Before & After" shot of the cutouts!  First I write out the quote and draw the design, then I stamp the quote, drill the cutouts, saw the cutouts, file rough edges, and sand the entire bookmark.  In this case, I applied a rainbow flame patina with my torch before spraying on a clear coat to protect the finish.

"Before & After" of a custom bookmark.  Quote is adapted from Nietzsche.

This is one of my favorite cutouts to date - the boy and dog are so dang cute!

Happy Creating!
SSS

Greens & Pink - Natural Stone Pendants

Between custom orders, I've captured another stone and a couple beads in sterling silver wire settings! 

This first one is an aqua terra jasper bead - this is one of my favorite stones.  The sea green color with the tan inclusions never bores me!

Aqua terra jasper bead wrapped in sterling silver wire.

Next is a mariposite cabochon wrap.  This one is fairly large at over 2 inches long.  I wasn't sure I was going to be able to set this one, actually, because my first stone broke!  Thankfully, I had purchased it from a local couple and she was able to make me another - from her last piece of stock!  I like the new stone even more than the old one - it has a bit more green in it.

Mariposite cabochon set in a sterling silver wire wrap.

Finally, I have a rhodochrosite bead accented with smoky quartz.  I think this stone is remarkable for its natural pink color and crystalline banding throughout!  I still have a few beads left - I pull them out to use them about once a year.

Rhodochrosite and smoky quartz in a sterling silver wire weave.

Thanks for looking and happy creating!
SSS

Silversmithing & Stonesetting - Pendants

I've met one of my goals for this year - setting stones in sterling silver again! 

I don't mean wire-wrapping, either.  I have loved wire-wrapping for the last couple of years and will continue to wire-wrap, but I'm very excited to be setting stones in traditional (and eventually a little less traditional) bezel settings! 

Bigg's Jasper Pendant in sterling silver

I have 2 completed pendants to show right now and more on the way.  I've handmade each bezel setting from sterling silver sheet metal and sterling silver wire, depending on the pendant.  My cabochons are usually impulse buys and they are rarely calibrated so even if I wanted to (and really, where's the fun and creativity in it?!), I couldn't just buy a pre-made cabochon setting to mount my cabochons into.  But I'm okay with that!

Bigg's Jasper Pendant in sterling silver - details.

The first pendant shows off a Biggs Jasper cabochon and a notched bezel setting.  My bezel wire was plain and smooth to begin with - I made each notch to add a little something to the pendant without overwhelming the stone. 

Azurite-Malachite Pendant in sterling silver.

The second pendant is a triangular blue azurite with a hint of green malachite cabochon.  I've held onto this cab since college!  Again, to dress up the pendant some without detracting from the stone, I textured the bezel wire with my rolling mill prior to making the cab setting.  I love the rolling mill, because unlike acid etching, there is no waste and no toxic chemicals to clean up.  It's simple, clean, and green - imprint any pattern or design into your metal with a quick roll through the mill!

Azurite-Malachite Pendant in sterling silver - details.

Hope you enjoyed!
Happy Creating,
SSS