There's a Land -Oh, It Beckons...

Sharing this fantastically large custom necklace I just completed ( finally!) for the most patient of ladies :-)

Custom designed around a gorgeous earthy agate, flanked by hand cut sterling silver feathers. The sides are noted like a compass is, N, E, S, W to keep ones bearings, and it emerges from a hand cut and forged three dimensional leaf that has been imprinted with a genuine leaf.

The back is stamped with the quote "There's a land - Oh, It beckons..."

Just fits all together quite perfectly, don't you think? I hope it is everything she has dreamed of and more for her special custom piece she entrusted me with!

Happy Halloween!

I hope you all have a happy and SAFE Halloween. If my costume turns out halfway decent I will post pics of it from the party I am going to tonight - I am going as a Queen Bee :-)

Heres a snap of Pumpkin carving shenanigans from the other night :-)





Mine is a couple of zombies in love :-)

Tunes to Tap Your Toes To

New series here at the Bella Blog. Since I have always been a bit of a rock buff, I am gonna post a Youtube video of my favorite songs every week!

This one has been one of my favorites since the very first time I heard it when I was a little girl. Remember me telling you about my freaky good memory? I can remember my Dad blasting Fleetwood Mac on Sunday mornings in his garage :-)
Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon

Loot :-)

The Tops of Trees Ring Size 7
Sterling Silver and Amethyst Sage

Sometimes I stare out my window at the mountain that is practically my backyard.
I gaze above the tops of trees that line it,
Past the misty fog,
And the setting sun,
As far as my eyes can take me.

I dream about what lies above the tops of these trees,
which seem to reach the sky.
The first living things to feel the warmth of the sun in the morning,
and the cool of night in the evening.
I wonder what stories these evergreens would tell if they could talk?

Hand fabricated around a gorgeous Amethyst Sage stone that I have been saving for the right moment. It has a gorgeous white spot that is filled with dendrites that look like the top of a fir or cedar tree, followed by purple then gold. I have set it in fine silver on top of two layers of sterling silver that I have sporadically cut into with my jewelers saw. 

Stone plus setting measures approx 3/4 inch (20mm) and sits on a size 7 split double band  ring shank. 

ThunderBolts and Lightening Ring Size 8 3/4 

Sterling Silver and Labradorite

This past summer I bore witness to the most incredible thunder and lightening storm in all my years. People stopped on the street and stared into the great big sky and watched incredible forks of lightening horizontally shoot through the sky, minute after minute. The sky was a rich, deep blue, and the thunder rumbled below our feet. 

Thunderbolts and Lightening Ring was fabricated around one of the most gorgeous flashing Labradorites I've had in my possession, it reminded my so much of the summer storm months ago. Flashing shades of midnight blue, this stone really needed no fan fare, so I simply bezel set it in fine silver with a slight sterling edge and split half round sterling band. Size 8 3/4 
Approx 3/4 inch tall ( 20mm)

You may not remember all the beautiful sunny days - but a terrific storm will always stay in your mind!

Desert Sun Ring Size 9
Sterling Silver and Amber

The Desert is a wild and mysterious place...
Scorching day time sun,
freezing nighttime cold.

Hills and plains of sand and the soul of things that once were,
stretch on for as far as the eye can see.

The sun comes down on the hot ground and it changes,
Beige, to amber, to terracotta, and finally almost plum - as the sun no longer illuminates it.

Desert Sun rings are inspired by the Southwest and traditional Navajo and Zuni tribes. They were innovators in metalsmithing techniques used by artist around the world.
Handstamped and slightly flared for comfort, I have formed this band from wide sterling silver. On top perches a sterling and fine silver bezel set 8mm wide honey hued Amber, which is flanked by two discs of 14k gold. 
Band is 13mm wide, and is sized to a 9, while it is flared for comfort, please keep in mind wide bands will fit snugger than thin ones!





Sorbet Swirl Earrings
Sterling Silver and Mookaite

Summers as a kid meant walking to the corner store with Dad for ice cream.
Not just plain old chocolate or vanilla - we liked sorbet.
Fruity concoctions of mango, raspberry and pineapple. 
Occasionally on their own, but better when mixed together! 

As the years passed, and I got older, my sweet tooth for this delicious treat has never died. I would still pass up chocolate and vanilla for zippy fruit any day.
Summer, winter, fall or spring :-)

Sorbet Earrings are made out of yummy Mookaite stones in shades of raspberry. They have been set in sterling and fine silver with handmade swirl filigree below them. Hung on sterling hooks, these earrings have been oxidized for depth and measure approx 1 3/4 inch (42mm) from bottom to top of earwire. 



Expect all these goodies to head into the shop at 10am Pacific Time Weds!

Saucer Full of Secrets

Holder of precious thoughts.
Keeper of dreams and aspirations.
Storage for tiny things of heartwarming meaningfulness. 
A Saucer Full Of Secrets to wear on your hand and close to your heart.

Hand fabricated from scratch in sterling silver, this 3/4 inch diameter round box is perfect for petite mementos. On top, sits a luscious white freshwater pearl which is surrounded by plumes of sterling silver. The edges of have been given a hammered "ruffle" like finish and I have hand stamped the sides and band in a decorative pattern. 

Closing securely with a handmade bayonet style screw closure, this ring is sure to keep its contents safe! The entire piece has been oxidized for depth and then given a satiny brushed finish, inside and out. 

They do say good things come in small packages... just think of the wonderful little things that could be kept for safe keeping...

Heading into the shop this evening :-)

Ring a Ding Dings!

These will have their own blog posts dedicated to them, but I had to take a picture of them all together! Rings are my favorite pieces to make, can ya tell?

L-R
Desert Sun Ring in Amber, Saucer Full of Secrets Ring, Thunderbolts and Lightening Ring, Stormy Ring, The Tops of Trees Ring.

:-)

Monday Musings

I sing in the car. Always.
I can't not sing in the car - its an illness I swear.
I secretly think that is why Dan listens to techno, or radio stations I hate.
So I don't sing along...
But I really can't help it - If I know the lyrics, I should sing along, right?

Happy Monday :-)

Necklaces - oh my!

Lots of necklaces lately - I am loving them!
I do have a spectacular ring on its way though, I promise :-)

For the OOAK Shop

Twilight Necklace
Sterling Silver and Laguna Agate

Sunset Necklace
Sterling Silver and Mookaite
(isn't that stone delicious???)

And for the Made to Order Shop

Angel Wing Necklace
Sterling Silver and Mother of Pearl

Fringe Necklace
Sterling Silver and Turquoise

Twilight and Angel Wing Necklaces are in there respective shops already - the other two will be on their way tuesday evening!

Handmade Division Blog Talk About - October

By now you may know I am part of a team full of incredible artists called the Handmade Division! Every month we post about a predetermined topic at the same time, and Octobers topic is :
"Tell us about yourself - How did you get to where you are now with your skills"

This wont be the first time I have posted about my start in the jewellery world. Some may know I fell into it.
At the time I was searching for something.
Something to be all my own.
Something to be an outlet for my crafty tendencies.
Something to distract me from life a little.

I had recently moved in with someone who was all wrong for me in many ways.
I was looking for something that I could be good at, since he didn't seem to think that "thing" existed.
After teaching myself to crochet, busting out my old sewing machine, and painting up a storm nothing seemed to really fit with me. Then one day on a walk I discovered a small little gem store about 2 blocks from my home, and well as they say "The rest was history!"
Within a year I had created a little business that became the "something" I so needed in my life, and had left the ill thinking boyfriend.
My love of gems and jewellery grew, but my skill set wasn't enough for the designs I was dreaming up. I wanted to do so much more with my hands!

(I needed to feel the burn!)

So I took a beginner soldering class to learn about metals and safety, and before the course was complete I had purchased my first metalsmithing tools.

(my dad passed down a lot of his tools to me 

so I could follow my dream :-) Thanks Dad!)

Before I knew it tool shopping became more enticing that clothes shopping, days off I looked forward to getting my hands dirty, and my thirst for knowledge in my new craft was immense.

(late night at the bench)

I decided I was going to try and teach myself everything I could. I was going to challenge myself, and practice practice practice! Once I got soldering down, it was piercing, then stone setting etc etc.

(I swear it doesn't always look this messy.... I swear...)

I let my passion for my craft drive my desire to learn, and always remind myself that there is something I can work on, practice, or teach myself.
I'd say I am a determined person :-p

I know that in my career I will never stop learning. There is something so satisfying about getting an idea in your mind, setting it as your goal, and finally reaching that goal.

I think as artists you never stop refining your craft - your journey is part of who you are. It signifies how I have got here with my skills, and where I am going :-)

Please also read what these other great artists have to say about their journey:

Andes Cruz - http://andescruz.wordpress.com/
Tess Norberg - http://www.nova-designs.blogspot.com/

Purified - http://purifiedart.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale - http://www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Jewelry by Natsuko - http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/
Sand Fibers - http://sandfibers.blogspot.com
Alice Istanbul - http://istanbuldesigns.blogspot.com/
Thomasin Durgin - http://metalriot.blogspot.com
Susan Moloney - http://susarto.blogspot.com
Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com

emily watson- http://nocoloratall.tumblr.com/

Tosca Teran- http://www.nanopod.wordpress.com
Lisa Hopkins - http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com

JJ Papke- http://rosyrevolver.blogspot.com
Alisa Miller- http://alisamiller.blogspot.com

Sigh...

Poor Tucker.
He some how managed to catch his dew claw and split it yesterday. Of course because it was Thanksgiving Monday all the vets were closed or booked solid. So the poor little guy was very quiet and limping all night until he could go in this morning.
He is now sporting the ever fashionable cone and a little bandaged paw.

He looks so pathetic.

A little sad...

Kinda helpless...

And I can't help but think he is looking at me thinking "um, so do you think you can do something about this cone situation already??"

Still cute though....