YOJ 2012 Week 12: Picasso Jasper heart pendant, fine silver

This is a Picasso Jasper heart that I have wire wrapped with fine silver and sterling silver. I have added a small Ruby bead to it. The stone got a bit scratched while wrapping....and I read later that this stone is very delicate and soft, and can get damaged easily. Next time I'll be more careful. It took me a long time to make this, because the stone and the wires were not in any mood to cooperate with each other. However, I do think it turned out nice. After taking pictures I can see that I need to file the wire ends on the curls more...and I'll do that before listing it on my Artfire store.

YOJ 2012 - Week 4 Fine silver woven trinket box

 

 

 

I had intended this to be a long bottle shape, somewhat like the first one I did, only longer and narrower, with a pointy bottom. You can see the first one here: http://fleurviolettejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/07/message-in-bottle-necklace.html But I had forgotten how I had shaped it, or how I had woven it. So I ended up messing up the shape and the weaving. 

I knew this will not turn into a bottle...and I had to turn it into a lidded box.So I thought it was time to be brave and try the hinge and clasp shown in Mary's trinket box tutorial here: http://theangstyartist.blogspot.com/2010/08/trinket-box-101.html I was quite terrified, but this was going to be no bottle...and if I had to salvage my fine silver, I needed to get brave and try the hinge and clasp. So I did. Thank you Mary for your fantastic tutorial!! I made a lid, and when I started making the lid, I remembered how I had woven the first bottle. So the lid weaving is different from the bottom weaving. 

The hinge alignment is not perfect.The box and the lid don't fit too good.

Many mistakes, but I still love this tiny little shiny box. Just looking at it makes me happy. It has a very happy feeling about it. I will keep doing this till I do it better. Because I love vessels, doors and windows! :-D I don't know why. Maybe because each holds within or beyond it, the promise of something probably fun, exciting, beautiful?

The box is made entirely of fine silver (pure silver). The bead on the clasp is a Ruby. The chain is sterling silver. The clasp is handmade.

Turning over a new leaf in 2012

I haven't been making jewelry for the longest time. And when I would try to, I would end up leaving projects incomplete. I have a whole graveyard full of stuff that need to be completed. So I decided to turn over a new leaf this year...and decided to get back to making jewelry again, and completing all my past projects. So I joined YOJ to motivate me. I had made this leaf with PMC, and then did nothing with it. It was made from a leaf from a tree just outside my home. So I fished out the leaf, and added a Ruby brio, and several Peridots to it. Added a chain, and made a clasp for my first piece for YOJ 2012.

Click on the picture to see it enlarged and clearer.

A Mary Magdalene Ring

I don't know if Mary Magdalene really existed. And if she did, I don't know how she really was, or how her life was...etc. But I do know I am very intrigued by her! Very! I like the stories about her....things I read, things I hear about her. She is fascinating, an enigma. I was told by a very intuitive friend that Garnets and pearls together signify Mary Magdalene. And recently a lovely woman, who is very intuitive herself, and very close to Mary Magdalene spiritually, asked me to make a Garnet ring for her. I asked her if I could add a tiny pearl, and ask MM to weave her energy and blessings too into the wire weavings. She said yes. And this is the result below. Made of sterling silver, fine silver, garnet, a tiny pearl, and a tiny sterling silver bead.

Blue Sapphire Earrings

These are made with fine silver wire, sterling silver wire, Sapphire beads and Blue-Grey Quartz briollettes.

Peas for Mary

This pendant is made for a wonderful person called Mary. The pea pod is adapted from a tutorial on peapods at http://www.rings-things.com/ (go to the design link, and then to the "sweet pea" tutorial). Or, go to http://www.rings-things.com/gallery/thumbnails-55.html and click on the Sweet Pea tutorial. For some reason I can't get to the direct link. Dave (owner of the Rings-Things store) has graciously given the direct link here in the comments...see if you can get there by clicking it. For some reason I cannot. At any rate, its a great online store for jewelry supplies, tutorials etc. Take a look around over there :-).

I have changed it a little by twisting the shape of the pod instead of keeping it straight, so the pod twists to the left. And I did not making any holes...instead I soldered the wire and made tendrils with it. The sheet is sterling silver and the wire is fine silver.

Jade Necklace

Made with Orange Jade central briolette, fresh water pearls, tiny white and honey Jade beads and sterling silver and fine silver wire.

Tarun's Cradle

This necklace is made for a new mum, who is absolutely in love with her baby. The sentiment behind this necklace is, "I will always cradle you within my heart, my child, my love, my Tarun". Tarun is the name of the baby. The pendant is a cradle, made of sterling silver and fine silver. There is a hand made fine silver heart inside the cradle with Tarun's name written on it. Also attached to the heart is a green fresh water pearl. Four Turquoise beads hang from the cradle. The chain is a sterling silver rolo chain. The clasp is handmade too with sterling silver, fine silver and a fresh water pearl. :-)

Click on a picture to see an enlarged photo.

YOJ Week 18: Sacred Rites - Childbirth

These earrings are made with flat Kyanite briolettes, sterling silver and fine silver wire. They speak about child birth...the silver frames depict the womb, and the Kyanite is the new life, going through the birthing process, making its way to ths world.

YOJ Week 17: Citrine earrings

These are earrings made with delicious looking Citrine briolettes, small Citrine and Carnelian beads, fine silver, and sterling silver wire.

YOJ 2008 week #4: Blustery

This piece is based on a blustery night that is well known by most people. The night Jesus calmed the raging storms and the sea and the gusty winds to stop the boat and the apostles from drowning. The silver wire fish symbolizes Jesus, there is a boat within, and winds and the sea storm are depicted by the swirly silver wire and Aquamarine beads, Peridot beads, and tiny fresh water pearls. A 10mm pearl depicts the moon. The chain & clasp are hand made too with silver wire and Amazonite beads.

A fine silver Viking Knit necklace

I love making these, and still have to finish a thicker fine silver chain and a gold-filled filled chain with end cones and clasps. I love how this turned out, and I love how my clasps are getting better and better! :-) Great to wear by itself or wear it with a fine silver pendant.

Puffy ring

Another piece made at school. This is called a puffy ring because it a hollow form. Two strips of roller printer, domed fine silver made the shank. And the setting is tube setting. The stone is a fake diamond. Many techniques learnt here :-).

Hollow bead pendant

This was made at school too. It is made from fine silver sheet. Learnt how to drill a hole in a stone. The stone is blue Onyx. The picture is bad because I had put away my home-made table top studio. We were selling our house and moving from MA to CA...one of the most heart breaking things I have experienced. I had lived in Shrewsbury, MA for 12 years...all of my married life. And got that house made ourselves (almost). It hurts even now to think of it.

Coming back to jewelry...the fine silver sheet was first roller printed, cut into circles, domed, soldered, and then the stone was set by soldering a silver wire post inside the hollow.