The Bold and the Beautiful

I was pretty productive this past weekend. Partly because it was too cold to go anywhere. Partly because I woke up from a dream about making a ring!! Well, I made the ring of my dreams and a few other pieces to go along with it. I'm calling the trio Bold and Beautiful because that is what they are. All the pieces are made of sterling silver and are guaranteed to make a statement of their own.

The ring I made is a size 8, has a domed shape and is slightly hammered on the surface to reflect a lot of light.

The pendant is made of a two inch disk of sterling silver with a shiny satin finish. It has a bail that is 3/8 inches wide, making it perfect for placing on almost any chain or strand of beads.

Finally, make a bold statement on your wrist with a bold cuff bracelet. It also has a shiny, satin finish and a slightly domed shape. A little charm from my Graphic Collection gives a little extra appeal.

Surprise Weekend Work Time

I was able to enjoy some unexpected, quality work time at home this weekend. On Saturday, Papa took the kids to see the Veggie Tales movie and on Sunday, he took them to Grandpa's for the afternoon.

What did I do with this surprising gift of six hours to myself? Well after I finished my naps, I got right down to the studio and made more rings!

I seem to be on a ring kick lately for some reason. In my last post, I wrote about making several sterling silver bands out of embellished wire. I decided to stay with the simple look and made these delicate little rings. I used 14 gauge sterling silver wire and soldered it into round bands. Then I soldered on 5mm fine silver bezel cups. Next I set denim-blue lapis lazuli and black onyx cabochons. Finally, I burnished them with a brass brush and soapy water until they shined.

I was able to make one ring on Saturday and six on Sunday. Isn't that learning curve amazing!

My fingers are still sore from all of the stone setting and burnishing, but now I have a nice little ring to wear... and a few more to sell at my next show. And since I was on a roll and the boys were still out, I made a couple pair of matching earrings by soldering sterling silver earring posts onto the backs of additional bezel cups.

Not bad for a little surprise work time!

The Good Shepherd Bracelet

I love jewelry that has a purpose and a story behind it. In my opinion, this bracelet is one of the most meaningful that I have made. I call it the "Good Shepherd Bracelet" and it helps me memorize scripture, which I'm sorry to say that I never did as a child.

There are 12 Swarovski crystals in the bracelet and each color represents a key word or phrase. It all helps me remember brilliant pieces of scripture and God's provisions. "The Good Shepherd" is also made with an eclectic assortment of sterling silver beads, bead caps and spacers. It is finished with a sterling silver toggle clasp and two sterling silver charms. I like to think that the cross in the center of the Star of David charm shows how the passage elloquently points to Christ.