Labradorite "Passage for Life" Necklaces

With the move into my new studio very nearly complete, I have begun the process of digging deep into designs and projects that have been on the back burner; in some cases, for years. This series of necklaces is one of those projects. The design of the pieces are based on a tutorial by Magdalena Borejko. But the techniques of wire wrapping, and looped weaving are techniques that I have explored in other iterations.



The series utilizes one of my most favorite gemstones: Labradorite. Per the site Mineral Miners, Labradorite is said to provide quick relief from anxiety, hopelessness and depression, replacing them with enthusiasm, self-confidence and inspiration. It is said to dispell negativity and to bring clear understanding by enhancing clarity of thought and improving one's ability to cooperate with others in harmony. Labradorite is also said to give perseverance, strength and enhanced intuition when one is experiencing times of conflict and change.

In the first picture, I have paired the labradorite with sterling nuggets. In the above picture, it is paired with black spinel and tiny sterling beads on the inner layer. In the picture below, the pendant on the left features blue topaz along the right side, and iolite along the left.



The design is luxe, and both time and material intensive - especially on the large pendants. It takes a finesse and awareness, as I (re)developed during practice (pendant not shown!) to create the frame and to weave the stones onto the frame without breaking the wire.

It was the perfect series to create at the inception of my new studio in the Arts District.

Turquoise Treasure on Leather

My friend gave me a bead that she got from a music festival over the summer and asked me to do something with it. I revisited the wrapped wire frame design that has figured prominently in my previous work.


I created seven loops to attach the spike details. All of the wire and findings are sterling silver. I really rather like this side of the piece as one can see the carved detail of the bead more clearly as it is not obscured by the coloring of the stone.


I opted to use a graceful "S" clasp design to add more interest to the back. I can't wait for her to see what I have done with her bead!

My Heart - That's Amore'

A friend sent me a piece of red coral and gave me creative carte blanche to make a piece for her. It was a sizable chunk, larger on one side than the other. As I mused over its form, it seemed that on its side, the shape was evocative of a heart. So I decided to utilize some of the new skills that I had learned at Bead and Button this past spring in Susan Lenart Kazmer's class - Relics, Riveting, and Staples. I would mount the piece on a back plate with a head pin through a silver disc which would hold the coral in place and would also serve as a decorative element in the pendant. I also decided to do something totally new for me and put a word onto the pendant. I chose "amore" to reflect upon the heart shape, but also because this person is such a warm-hearted, passionate person, it just really seemed to resonate through and through.


I took a plate of sterling silver and after determining the dimensions, I used my new jewelers saw to cut the piece to its designated size.


Safety glasses are always sexy.


In this picture, I am filing the sharp edges of the metal plate and rounding the corners.


So now at this point I have my blank plate, and a head pin that I created with my torch. It was critical to get the properly sized gauge wire that fit the hole of decorative disk for a secure fit.


In keeping with the organic nature of the coral, I hand chased the surface with hammer-struck punches to create visual interest and a natural visual transition.

I didn't take pictures of the process of stamping the word "amore" onto the piece. It required my full attention to properly place the letters.

It was also an adventure getting a small drill bit to create a hole to fit the the diameter of my wire. Fortunately, I got some advice to pick up metal drill bits locally at a welding supply shop which are used in that trade for cleaning welders. They worked brilliantly! And it was totally a bonus that they were inexpensive and I could support a local business.

I then oxidized the silver part of the pendant, wire, chain, and clasp prior to putting the elements together. Liver of sulfur would have damaged the delicate coral.

After I designed and assembled the necklace, I methodically polished the surfaces to get a soft luster.


Red coral pieces really complemented the focal point of the necklace.


This is a close-up of the clasp of the necklace.


The pendant turned out beautifully. There is also a signature secret stamp on the back of the piece.


The necklace is a vibrant, completely unique piece. It was such a pleasure to have someone trust me to create this special, timeless treasure.

Skull meets Steel - A Collaboration

I am a huge fan of Christina Root-Worthington's ceramic work. I have an awesome collection of her rings. When I saw this skull pendant at her display at a downtown Benton Harbor Festival the day of the Jack Nicklaus event, it was a no-brainer. I had to have it. I figured that I could think of something cool to do with it.


I decided that it would be a natural fit to make a necklace out of steel wire. It would match the bail of the pendant and would fit the overall feel of the piece. When I looked at the floral motif on the skull, I decided to work with my old school curves and spirals. It would pick up on the organic feel of the motif and be evocative of vines and maybe a trellis.


I utilized 16 gauge steel wire. Creating all of these pieces sure ruined my manicure, and I pinched the bejesus out of myself on a few occasions when I was trying to shape the pieces after I had pounded them.


This is the clasp of the piece. I really like how everything turned out. I like the jangle of the necklace because it sounds like chains. I am ready and set for the Day of the Dead, and well, any other day when I want to rock a completely fab skull.

Simplicity

These are some quick shots of a line that I have for sale at Blue Gallery in Three Oaks and at their Annex in South Bend. They are simple, stacked designs in sterling and onyx, new jade, serpentine, and golden obsidian with hammered sterling silver.


These necklaces are lariat style. There are also some traditional, horizontal styled necklaces that are not pictured that are part of the line.


The line is simple, striking, and reasonably priced.

Gemstones round the hoop

Among my latest work, these three pairs of earrings are currently for sale at Chartreuse Art Gallery. From the left, the first pair was created with blue topaz and smokey quartz gemstones. The second pair features different shades of citrine gemstones. And the third pair has moody, dark labradorite and iolite gemstones. The earring hoops were created from sterling wire and hammered to give them strength. The gemstones were wired into place with sterling wire and the earrings were given an oxidized patina for a vintage look.

Bead and Button - Steel Wire Intensive

Another class that I took in June at the Bead and Button Show was the Steel Wire Intensive by Brenda Schweder. I like the look of the wire; it has the industrial, hard aesthetic that I love. I also like the fact that it is a fraction of the cost of sterling wire. I also think that there is the potential for more unisex styling. So said I, as I surveyed the class description. The fact is, as I am thinking about it, is that I worked with steel craft wire years ago, and I was ready to reintroduce it to my repertoire.

The first piece that I completed utilized a large piece of beach glass from my collection of innumerable found objects. Brenda gave valuable info on how to plan out the finished product and tips on how achieve the desired results. Also, I created the wire choker for the piece, utilizing her techniques, which was the first time I created this kind of thing.

The next piece that I created with a transistor tube provided by Brenda, utilizing a caged technique where the object moves freely within the wire frame. The pendant is quite a large piece but it looks good and is comfortable on a long, adjustable leather cord.

Fortunately, I had leather cord in stock that was about the same diameter as the wire, so it works well with the design of the piece.

I am ready to do some more designing with the wire and I am really glad that I took this class!