Lapis Ring

  Ok this is last ring for a while

I really like the gold fill band and weave pattern. Otherwise it seems just a bit boring to me. It's missing some kind of pop.

  Anybody have ideas to make it pop? All I can think of is to oxidize the bright silver to black and see if that gives me some wow factor.

Coiled Silver Ring

  I did not know that I was going to write another blog post within 4 hours of my earlier post.

I wandered off to finish a ring I began a week ago.

  Oh my goodness friends!! I am so excited about this ring! I wanted to give myself a perfectly wrapped ring done with excellent skill. I don't feed my perfectionism every day (you might think I do), but I felt a need to feed that desire for good workmanship so I began this coiled ring that would also celebrate silver.

  The pearl looks awesome  but I do wish I had a better quality stone to set in the center.

  I'm keeping this one bright, and for the first time I'm thinking a professional photographer would be a good idea.

  I hate to show my chubby hands, but this ring deserves for me to set aside my vanity:)

Copper Labradorite Ring

  I really like how this one turned out. It has a perfect ring fit and a beautiful labradorite stone.

  It's also unusual for me because it has an undrilled stone. I always feel somewhat amazed when I successfully set a cabochon. I never really believe I'll be successful at the the start of the project:)

Peruvian Opal Carnelian Wrapped Necklace

  I didn't know what to do with myself this week, so I turned to my pile of unfinished projects.

I had begun this necklace months ago and agonized over the original color choice of carnelian and amethyst. I like the peruvian opal much better. It has a wonderful luxurious richness while also being natural and down to earth.

Peruvian opal, carnelian, yellow jade, amazonite, silk, and sterling

Coiled Basket Bead Cap

 Last week, during her visit, my Mom gave me a coiled basket that she had made.

  I thought to myself, 'this would make an awesome bead cap if miniaturized and flipped upside down'.

  I tried to copy my Mom's basket but I eventually got lost and had to improvise the finish of the bead cap.

It's really just a tiny basket.

Rings

   I can't really predict what I will make from one moment to the next these days. My muse is as erratic as my life feels.

  With family staying with me this week I suddenly decided it was possible to make rings while having company at the same time. They can be woven while chatting or picked up to work on for an hour or dropped quickly mid design if need be.

  The above ring is a victorian garnet glass button with sterling and fine silver. I didn't get to run it through the tumbler because my mother (the button collector) just happened to have a book about buttons with her and gave me a quick course in the care of vintage buttons. Water is a no-no for victorian glass.

Also chalcedony and copper

 

  If I hadn't been under the gun time-wise, I would not have thought to make these rings. I hope to play with the design more. We will see if the muse allows that:)

Seaweed

My heart be still!!

That is an actual piece of seaweed; but looks like woven wires to me:)  I adore that it's pink.

I can't do any wirework right now. I hope this seaweed inspires you as much as it does me. Let the weaving begin!  :))

I really must find some pink wire....

Critters

  Not to make you jealous....but...it is 8pm in Los Angeles and my front door is wide open to the 70 degree weather outside. The almost full moon shines down on this city and the Santa Ana winds are blowing through the trees and somone's wind chimes make an occasional happy tinkle.

  It's the kind of night where you feel that anything can happen. And I've just pulled my weeks work from the tumbler.

Steel, silverfill, sterling and peruvian opal

Steel hoop, sterling, fine silver, shell and rhodochrosite

I have no idea what the heck I will do with either one.

Oh and that octopus is less that 2 inches!! His head part is only 1/2 inch.

Copper 3 Ways

  Last sea urchin for a while. Using coral beads.

In Bright:

Oxidized:

Polished oxidized:

Not a Sea Urchin

 
  Making sea urchin balls opened up many possibilities in my mind and I had to break with the ocean theme to make this woven copper drop.

  I only have two more days off and than I will be back at work and the work load waiting for me there will be a crush.

  I have so many wonderful wire ideas I want to explore. I see myself growing as an artist and that brings deep satisfaction. It's frustrating to have to constantly set it aside and take care of necessities and life problems:(

  January will be a pressing month with family events and a heavy work load. It may get slow again on the blog.

This weeks flurry of wire activity was really fun for me:))

  It was a great year in wire for me and I look forward to what will develop in 2012.