cat skull

                      A bit more progress with the cat/skull necklace.

Here's this year's squash blossom completed, we made 70 beads for this one! It has a really nice weight to it, I've enjoyed wearing it. One of these days though I still want to make myself just a choker of the beads.

Current projects

Im not often compelled to make rings but the feeling struck me this week to make a large flower one. Feeling pretty excited to finish this piece this week. I've also been feeling the mood to get back into painting and started off with a little collage of my sweet Sugar kitty.

ideas

Working on some earring ideas for the Plaza art fair this fall. I was looking at my calendar yesterday and realized that I only have like 14 more weeks to prepare for this!! My inventory is pretty much nil right now other than a few brooches from last years Brooch A Day challenge.

I've still been working on trying to clean my studio and get old supplies packed and donated that I'm realizing I am just not going to touch. Managed to clear off a bit more space from my bench top last night which makes me feel sooo much better.

Bryan and I have been putting together an engraving area in the studio this week as well. I'm anxious to add this new element into my pieces(and get Bryan more involved with the jewelry!) He really took to the engraving well when we were at GRS 2 weeks ago for a week long intensive class on engraving.

Are you learning any new techniques or taking fun classes/workshops this summer?  I'd love to hear about them!

Squashblossom complete!

The squashblossom came out gorgeous and has found a new owner. Here's a shot of the finished piece and an awesome pic of it in the shade showing off the reflective quality of the street sign skulls!! How cool is that?

A skull in progress

Most of the time my designs are not pre-planned and sketched out. This piece started because I was rummaging through all my license plates and the color of this NY plate just struck me so gorgeous. I pulled it from the box and as I was looking at the colors and scratches the "X" screamed out skull and bones to me. Ok, I know your probably thinking that theme screams at me daily. It does, but this one was extra loud.

So, I had a skull cut out on my bench for another piece and grabbed it to put on top of the X. Yep, I'm making this for sure!

I've been playing around with steel this summer and put together a chain that's both sterling silver and steel. The skull will be bezel set in sterling with copper behind his eyes. Can't wait to see him finished. Im also trying to make more pieces that guys could wear. This one could definitely be worn by male or female.

Double sided earrings

I got this new app called Diptic yesterday, really cool. Works great for showing multiple views in one photo.

Earrings made from a curve in the road street sign, vintage noisemaker, license plate and sterling silver.