Setting Stones in Filigree Pendants

I keep going back to filigree - I love the organic, free flowing lines!  This pair of pendants have "mystery" cabochons set in them. 

Poppies Pendant - red jasper with filigree "petals" in sterling silver.

Thermal Pendant - sterling silver; reminds me of Yellowstone's hot springs!

One is a red jasper, the other a true mystery.  I purchased these cabochons years and years ago - I don't think I knew enough at the time to ask what these lovelies were!  Nonetheless, they make pretty pendants.

Enjoy!
Hannah

Rolling Mill Pendants and Handmade Neckwires

My posts have dropped to about once a month - I've been busy adding tools, techniques, and new designs to my shop and my local artists' studio.  One tool I've been playing with again is my rolling mill - I still love this alternative to etching that is chemical and waste free!  Plus, it's more versatile too.

Copper pendant - patterned in a rolling mill and "painted" with fire.

Here are a pair of pendants that I created with the rolling mill - another cool thing about the mill is that when you make a metal sandwich to impress your pattern, you get two imprints at the same time!  I chose to use sterling silver and copper so the pendants are similar but different. 

Silver pendant - patterned with a rolling mill and hammer; painted with LOS.

I added additional texture to the silver pendant in the form of dots along the petals.  Both the copper and the silver pendant have been patinaed for create the variation of color on their surfaces.  Next, I made neckwires for both.

Completed necklace with handmade neckwire.

For the copper one, I flattened one side of the copper with the rolling mill and then hand twisted the wire.  For the silver one, I twisted gold-filled and sterling silver together and then finished it off with a handmade chain and clasp.

Completed necklace with handmade neckwire with chain.

Until next time!
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

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

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

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