Dragonfly Pendant Set!

One of my favorite orders to date - three custom "hidden" dragonfly pendants!  These pendants are handmade from sterling silver and natural stones, with a special cutout on the reverse side.

Tiffany Stone Pendant with dragonfly in sterling silver.

Shattuckite stone pendant with dragonflies in sterling silver.

Lepidolite stone pendant with dragonfly in sterling silver.

 The last pendant was set a little differently with a non-traditional setting - it's a partial bezel setting that shows off the sides of the stone as well.  It's been awhile since I've made this type of setting and I'm excited to make more!

Thanks for coming by!
Hannah

Sonoran Sunrise Feather Pins

I came across Sonoran Sunrise (sometimes called Sonoran Sunset or chrysocolla cuprite) awhile back and immediately loved it.  After a short time, a design idea came to mind - and I knew exactly what I wanted to make, and for who!

Sonoran Sunrise Feather Pins - natural stone, set in sterling silver

These matching pins are for my parents.  I had the cabochons custom cut for my design, then made the sterling silver settings.  They should get them almost in time for their anniversary.

Double pin backs - much more secure and still easily put on!

The backs are also handmade and feature a double pin back.  This keeps the pins from flipping AND adds security.  I've lost pins before and it makes me so sad every time - I wanted to avoid that feeling for my parents!  I think all my future pins will have the double pin back - I mean, why not?!

Sonoran Sunrise Feather Pins - matched pair for my parents' anniversary!

I wish I could be there when they opened these gifts up, but I'm certain they'll like them.  The colors, the reference to nature, the fact that they traveled to the SW several times together....The pins are matched, but not identical, and not, I think, cutesy.  Perfect!

Thanks for stopping by!
~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

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

Jewelry Sets - Combining Wire & Beads

I'm loving the creativity I'm finding with sterling silver wire, but have been missing beading lately, so I combined the two in a couple of jewelry sets!

First up is a gift for a dear friend's birthday - it is a necklace and bracelet convertible set!  They can be strung together for a long necklace, or worn separately as a collar and bracelet.  They feature matching handmade clasps.

Convertible Set - bracelet & necklace

My next set isn't a perfect match, but they both feature the same vibrant blue glass seashells and broody freshwater pearls.  I wanted to make my own chandelier earrings, and during the process I happened upon some wire weaving that looked like a mermaid tail - especially after adding a little seashell for her fin!  It was a happy accident that I wanted to incorporate into a bigger piece - the necklace.

Chandelier Earrings - pearls & seashells

Mermaid Necklace - pearls & seashells

I have been busy busy with new designs.  My torch is set up and and use.  More is on the way!

Happy Creating,
SSS

Fordite Pendant in Sterling Silver

After posting about Fordite way back in August 2013, Sue from Fordite Fanatics UK sent a fordite cabochon my way.  I was surprised and delighted - I really wanted to showcase the cab well and it took a while to come up with a design that I liked.

Fordite set in sterling silver with garnet accents.

I knew I wanted to bring in garnet because I love garnet, and because the fordite has so many colors in it that I wanted to bring out one to the forefront.  I might add some more garnet to the chain, I haven't decided.

I do think that I will keep this one for myself, though.  Fordite is becoming difficult to acquire and this is a rather pretty piece!

Happy Creating and thank again, Sue!

SSS

Remaking a Design

Today I'm showing some designs I restrung for my sister.  What I should have done was take before and after photos, but I didn't....

The first one features a dragon pendant, and another little dragon charm at the end of the chain!  It was on waxed cotton cord with a few red and green wooden beads.  My sister wanted something more sophisticated to wear, but still fun!  I chose to string it with gemstone nuggets, crystals, and seed bead spacers.

Dragon Pendant - redesigned and restrung with gemstones and crystals.

The next piece is a multi-strand necklace.  Originally it was all teal and green, about 10-12 strands of seed beads and chunky glass beads strung randomly and all twisted together.  There wasn't really anything wrong with the design, but some of the beads were loosing color (cheaply painted beads) and it was too bulky for my sister's taste. 

Multi-strand Necklace - redesigned and restrung with a removable pendant.

So I remade it with only 5 strands, and a couple of those are very light.  I reused the salvageable seed beads and some of the smaller glass beads, and added bugle beads and gold beads.  My sister also had a pin she wanted me to do something with, and I thought it would work perfectly with the necklace as a removable pendant! 

She loves both designs, so my work here is done!  Until she give me more jewelry to remake - or until I redo some of my old designs!  Don't be afraid to remake a piece - practice brings you closer to perfection!


Happy Creating,
PZ