My summer ‘blog vacation’ is officially over!

And yes, this is finally a piece for my “Stones of the American West” collection.  One of my main goals this summer was to increase my production speed so I can keep up with orders and work for my galleries, but still have time to create new things.   Ha ha, and my goal for the Fall is to keep up with orders, make new things, and still have time to blog and twitter…….and we won’t even mention the benign neglect that my poor garden has to put up with!

Speaking of galleries and shops – I now have work in the lovely Spirit of the Hand gallery located in Dandridge, Tennessee, just outside of Gatlinburg.  I’ve shopped there for years, one of my very favorite places for Christmas gifts and fabulous pottery.  I’m so excited to have my work featured there!

I’ve also been busy this summer with quite a bit of custom work, which I am finding that I really love!  My customers are truly a source of wonderful inspiration for new pieces to add to my shop!  I’m making myself a pair of these Dragonfly Dreams  earrings that I made for Doris to go with her Dragonfly Treasure ring (originally inspired by another customer request!)  Doris loves iolite, and both her ring and earrings have gorgeous iolite stones.

 Another request from this summer with an iolite stone was this sweet pendant that I did for Robin.  This one will soon be available in my shop, too.  I’ll be calling it “Live, Dream, Soar”, a saying that I’ll be incorporating into several new pieces that I’m working on.  

 

 

I’ve also been playing around a bit with fold forming this summer.  I really love this technique, and will be filling out an entire line in the next few weeks.  I wish silver prices would go back down so I can do some pieces in silver, but sheesh, I hate to buy a bunch of sheet at today’s prices – it’s almost $17.00 per ounce!   Here is a sneak peek at my next cuff-to-be.  This is just a small piece that I was playing with, and unfortunately, not long enough for a cuff.  It’s not soldered or anything yet, I’ve just got the embellishments set loosely on the piece.  Not sure what I’ll be going with in the end.  I might end up making a brooch and some earrings out of this piece.  It’s made with 16g copper, requiring HUGE fire to get it hot enough to solder, but I love how the thicker metal makes such detailed ruffles and textures.  (had to get out the BIG hammer, too, lol)   This fold forming technique is the ‘line fold’ which has been hammered flat after it was opened.  It’s amazing what can be created with fold forming, such fun to play! 

That’s all for now, but I’ll be back soon with great Etsy and 1000 Markets finds, as well as more about what I’m working on, and of course, gardening and cooking tidbits.  See you all later!

 

Technorati Tags: Maury Mtn. Agate,artisan ring,sterling silver ring,amethyst,dragonfly earrings,iolite,copper,fold forming

My Goodness, Where Did the Week Go??

I can't believe it is Friday already! I've barely been out of the studio all week, and am finally almost caught up on orders. Not caught up on gallery items, though. I am just so excited about these new opportunities - the two new galleries I mentioned before, plus a little boutique in a mall, and a museum gift shop that is opening in June. Oh, and I will be having a booth at our local farmer's market which opens in April. They have added artisans this year, and I've also joined the new board for this rapidly growing local market. I'm also hoping to sell cut flowers and herbs from my garden - we'll see how that goes. My plan is to use the garden for excerise - hopefully this will work, since my elliptical trainer is still gathering dust in the garage. Too bad metal smithing isn't good exercise, ha ha.....

All of the above is my excuse as to why I haven't blogged all week. And, oh, yes, there are those pesky taxes that are becoming more urgent with each day that passes - eeeek! I did finish the citrine ring, though, and have a new set of stacking rings with labradorite and green moonstone, and the start of a new series I'm calling 'Silver Tuxedo' ready to photo. So, here is the photo of the citrine ring, which I also finally listed in my 1000 Markets shop today. And now, more caffeine and down to the studio. See you all later!