Mid-week Bench Check - 10/08/2008

Just getting this one in by the skin of my teeth - still 20 minutes left of Wednesday! Today was a good day, I finished 5 1/2 pendants, 3 pairs of earrings, 2 sets of stacking rings, and prepared ring shanks for 2 of tomorrow's pieces. I am officially in full panic mode trying to get everything finished before it is time to leave for the retreat!





I must say I'm actually having fun trying to streamline my process and become more efficient. The better I get at this the more time I'll have to create new pieces. i wanted to get at least two new one of a kind bezel set pieces done before Saturday, so that means I need to get a LOT done tommorrow. Here are a few shots of today's work in progress.....plus my new favorite stacking ring set - a gorgeous center-line Tiger Eye is the centerpiece. I put it in the Etsy shop today.

Mid-week Bench Check

Yay, I have finally gotten caught up with customer orders! Now I'm working on two gallery orders, and then I'll be working on new designs. I have sooo many ideas for new pieces, I can't wait to get some of them made. And I'm feeling like the pink opal piece I blogged about back a couple of months ago might get done soon, too.

Another thing I'm very excited about now that I am not juggling my day job with my jewelry is finally having the time to get my metalsmithing area organized and looking better. My bead studio is a lovely bright space on the 2nd floor and overlooks the garden. What a contrast this is - I call it the "dungeon", lol!



My goal is to get a storage area for my tools, probably some type of rolling cart with drawers, and a real jewelers workbench with a place to attach real bench pins and everything. And a drawer to catch what I drop - I drop a LOT of stuff! I have gotten up the courage to post my "before" pictures. Please don't be frightened, ha ha! This is what it looked like this morning as I was working on a couple of stacking ring sets.

Also pictured are two stones I'm working on ideas for - an easter egg jasper cab with a little pocket of drusy, and a yummy moonstone. I'm thinking about making a ring for myself out of the moonstone - I really love that stone, it is totally gorgeous in real life.



Well, that's about it for today, time to get to bed so I can get an early start in the morning. And drink coffee out of my NEW CUP! (Yes, I bought the cup, and it came today - I love it!)

It's a funny thing...

Okay, so I posted back in April about what was on the bench - those projects are *still* on the bench, and I keep doing something else instead. It's a funny thing, but if I plan something out, next time I go down to the bench, I'll make something completely different. (unless it's a customer order - those come first!). Anyway, I've finally started setting my collection of beautiful cabochons that I've been accumulating over the last few months. Here's the first of the group, a very unusual Polka Dot Jasper - I really love this stone, it's like a miniature painting! The piece is called Mountain Sunrise, set in sterling silver, and hangs on one of my handmade neck rings.

What's on the Bench - Works in Progress

I am just itching to spend a few days down at the bench with my torch, but haven't had time. These are my next projects just waiting to be started. Maybe tonight when I get home from the day job - we'll see. The pink is absolutely luscious Peruvian Opal, with a little purple sugilite for an accent. That will be one of the smallest stones I've ever made a bezel setting for - we'll see how that goes, lol. The other cool stone is a huge crazy lace agate with gorgeous patterning, accented with a chrysocolla stone. I really love the taupe color of the agate with the bright turquoise of the chrysocolla. Stay tuned for progress photos.....