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YOJ11-04 In Production Mode

Posted on by dianne

YOJ11-04 Aquamarine Bridal Set
Aquamarine Bridal Set (2011)
Sterling silver, aquamarine
Formed, cold-joined, flameworked
Pendant: L 4.0 cm x W 1.5 cm
Earrings: L 3.8 cm x W 0.7 cm

I had such high hopes this week for getting a lot done.  I did get a lot done, but very little of it related to what I wanted to be doing, which was making jewelry for restocking galleries and for an upcoming studio tour.  Oh well.  As we said when I was a kid:  C’est la vie, c’est la guerre, c’est la pomme de terre…

I’m in production mode and working on things that can be quickly made.  These earrings and pendant are part of a “Something Blue” casual/bridal line.  The stone is aquamarine – a strand I picked up last fall at the GMCS show.  I’m still on a buying moratorium but the icy opaqueness of the stone is part of what appealed to me.  I have very little blue in my stone inventory, because most of the time, blue stones can’t withstand the punishment of tumbling.

I’m actively working through my stash of stones, so pendants and bracelets are also on their way!

YOJ10-08 Celtic Spiral Smoky Quartz Earrings

Posted on by dianne

YOJ10-08 Celtic Spiral Smoky Quartz Earrings
Celtic Spiral Smoky Quartz Earrings (2010)
Sterling silver, smoky quartz
Constructed, cold-joined
L 3.4 cm x W 0.65 cm

I love the quartz family of stones.  They’re durable and affordable, which makes them great for everyday jewellery. They come in a wide variety of colours, which makes them really versatile.

Since I’m still trying to catch up, I decided to go rummaging through my components box and pull together some bits to make this pair of earrings.  Earlier in the year I took apart a bunch of old jewellery that hadn’t sold.  I saved the pieces, because they were well made, and, quite frankly, if I can save a few minutes by using a recycled pair of earwires rather than making up new ones, why not?

Anyways, the celtic spiral I used here was once part of a bracelet.  Now they make a nice pair of earrings.

Tutorial – Art Nouveau Bangle

Posted on by dianne

I’m pleased to announce that my newest tutorial, Art Nouveau Bangle, is now available!

This bangle features lovely flowing curves and Celtic elements that were common in the Art Nouveau period.

The project was a big hit with my students at the Haliburton School of the Arts! Once you have the basic technique down, you can easily adapt the design and let your creativity flow to create your own variations!

16 pages, 103 photos, 110 steps, plus design notes
USD $15.00

Level of Difficulty: Advanced

Tools and Materials you’ll need:

Tools:
Flat Nose Pliers
Round Nose Pliers
Flush Cutting Wire Nippers
Permanent Marker
Measuring Tape/Ruler
Bracelet Mandrel
Penknife
1/4″ dia. Masking Tape
Rouge Cloth

Materials:
96″ (240 cm) 20 ga Soft Square Silver wire
69″ (175 cm) 22 ga Half Round Silver wire
22 x 30 mm cabochon

Substitutions:
22 ga Soft Square Silver wire can be substituted for the 20 ga. wire.

Available from my tutorials page and my Etsy Shop.

Tutorial – Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls Earrings

Posted on by dianne

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At long last, a new tutorial!

Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls Earrings

I created this design back in 1998, and it’s always been very near and dear to my heart!  For those of you who love all things Celtic, these earrings combine a couple of classic Celtic elements:  crosses and scrolls!

14 pages, 63 photos, 45 steps, plus design notes

USD $10.00

Available now from my Tutorials Page.

Bridal Commission

Posted on by dianne

Flotiste Headpiece Final Flotiste Necklace FinalBack in December I was contacted by a lady who wanted a bridal set based on the Musicali Necklace.

She wanted the necklace and a headpiece based on the necklace.

Since she was getting married in Scotland, she also wanted two Celtic-style pendants for her attendants – one based on a shield with a malachite bead, and another based on a treskele with garnet beads.

Flotiste Treskele Flotiste ShieldI got a follow up email from her at the end of last month. She was very happy with all of the jewellery.

Apparently the dressmaker loved the jewellery so much “she refused to allow me to put any kind of embellishment on the dress, because she said the necklace and headpiece were already the perfect compliment to it, and would take away from the overall effect.”

Here’s the bride wearing the headpiece and necklace, and another shot of the bridesmaids wearing their pendants.

Other Musings

Blasts from the Past

Photo of the Day

Judith Goldstein