YOJ 2012 Week 13 & 14

So this lovely couple contacted me...each one separately. They have their 25th wedding anniversary today. First the husband contacted me and asked me to make a spinner ring for his wife. A few days later the wife contacted me and asked me to make the same spinner ring for her hubby! And they were both doing this as a surprise for each other. It was a LOT of fun keeping their secret from each other, conspiring, coordinating, sneaking behind their backs to make sure they had the right messages on the rings, and that the rings looked very similar :-))). The 831 on their rings is a code that has a special meaning for them both. The gold spinner and the silver spinner symbolize the masculine and the feminine...thereby signifying them both.

This is the wife's ring:

And this is the husband's ring:

Both are made with Argentium Sterling Silver sheet, sterling silver wire, and 14K Gold-filled wire. And I have stamped the messages on them.

Hubby also gave his wifey a pair of earrings...these are made of absolutely clear quartz crystal drops, and sterling silver. I antiqued the silver black and tumble polished it for high shine.

 

YOJ 2012 Week 11: Citrine fluted wide sterling silver ring

To buy this ring, go to link below:

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/4537556

This is a US size 8 3/4 (8.75) ring. It is is 1/2 inch wide. I have bezel set a dark Citrine on it. The ring is fluted for comfort fit because it is wide, and also because fluted looks nice :-).

Week 9: Spinner ring with 3 spinners

This is a size 5 ring. The main shank is made of 18 gauge sterling silver. It is 1/2" wide. The  words stamped on it are, "love and angel blessings". It has 3 spinners on top on it. Two are sterling silver 16 gauge, and one is 14K gold-filled 14 gauge. 

I hadn't done silversmithing for a while, and really enjoyed making this! There is going to be a few spinner rings even after this, and a couple of bezel set rings.

YOJ 2012 -Week 6 Auction piece for animal rescue work

Before I talk about this piece, I must scream, "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!! I'm having the hardest time photographing this piece!". It looks so sweet, divine, in person. The Rose Quartz, and the shiny silver give it a very peaceful, divine feeling. But the photographs I have been taking suck royally! This is about the best I could do so far.

I am donating this piece to a really sweet animal rescue worker who will auction this piece to raise funds for animal rescue work. I really want her to be able to raise enough funds...but for that, the picture should do justice to the piece. However, the picture sucks. I don't know how to bring out what it really looks like. And that is so important for an online auction.

The pendant is a Rose Quartz heart, to signify the big loving hearts that animal rescue workers have...all those who work to save an animal from gas chambers, all those who try to raise funds, or will participate in this auction, so that the money could be used to save animals. This piece is in your honor. The metal used is AG silver wire. And I have made the chain using dyed fresh water pearls, and sterling silver wire. The clasp is handmade as well.

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.

Two rings - Aquamarine and Citrine

Made two rings for two lovely ladies -- twins. One sister - Anna -- got the Aquamarine ring made for her twin sister for her birthday. And I made a Citrine ring for Anna for her birthday. There is a secret wish which is stamped on the lower side of the Citrine ring shank...and it is there for a reason...so when Anna closes her fist, the wish is within her grasp. The three rings signify the holy trinity, and the Citrine stone, in that shape and color, signifies the flame of love.I pray that her wish comes true....very very soon. The Aquamarine ring holds a message too...from one sister to another...that message is stamped inside the shank. The metal used is sterling silver in both rings.

Carnelian, Garnet, Pearls, Citrine, Sterling silver necklace

Note: To see enlarged photos, click on the pictures.

I had started this necklace long back. Months back. Then I stopped mid way. I had some health issues at first because of which I couldn't do any jewelry work. And after that followed a long "blah" period when I felt totally uninspired, and didn't want to do anything. I thought I wouldn't make jewelry ever again. But the last Emerald piece..the story...everything brought the passion back, and I completed this too.

The main stone in the pendant is a delicious Carnelian. The two small yellow beads under it are top class Citrines. And the briolette hanging underneath is a beautiful Garnet. The stones have been brought together as a pendant by means of weaving and sculpting sterling silver wires.

I have made the chain with sterling silver wire and fresh water pearls. The clasp is hand made too. There is a chain extension added to the chain, so that the necklace can be between 16" and 20".

To gauge the approximate size of the pendant and the stones, see the picture of the pendant on my hand.

Ruby, pearl, 14k gold-filled hoop earrings

These hoops are made with 14Kt gold-filled wire, and I have wrapped fresh water pearls and genuine Ruby briolettes using sterling silver wire.

I hear that hoops are the "in things" in earrings these days. Unfortunately, unless the hoops are really teeny tiny, they don't look good on me. But I am sure there will be someone else who will look really good in these luscious Ruby hoop earrings :-)). I do love making hoop earrings. They look so lovely....something really delicious about hoops that are laden with yummy gemstones.

"Flame of Divinity": A cold connections, sterling silver, fine silver, Rhyolite, fresh water pearls necklace

If you want to see the image enlarged, click on it. This piece is based on the spiritual journey of a beautiful person I met online. She said she felt she was asleep for a long time spiritually, but has awakened now. She has been having beautiful spiritual experiences...her words glide like poetry...gently...as she expresses her thoughts to me in emails. I see this piece as the flame of re-awakened spirituality or Divinity in her...burning steadily, brightly. The old, battered feel of the antiqued silver around it, cold connected with brass tubes represents her human journey so far. Often even the most gentle human journey can be quite hard on the free Spirit that is used to no limits. The fresh water pearls are wrapped up with fine silver which has not been antiqued, to represent the pure glory of the awakened soul pouring out of this steadily burning flame. The pearls have different hues of earth and gold tones....very soft and gentle...very softly divine...very pure in their feeling. This piece represents you dear Cynthia.

I still have to make the clasp. But I am leaving for the weekend...be back on Sunday and will complete it then :-).

I had this Rhyolite Cabochon with me for sometime. It looks like a perfect flame. When I saw it I loved it...it looked like the perfect flame of Divinity. Each time I had tried to pick it up, it said, "No, not now" to me. But when I heard Cynthia's story, I knew the Rhyolite was for her. This time when I picked up the Rhyolite, it did not refuse.

An interesting thing happened in the meantime. The stone disappeared while I was working with the other orders. I looked everywhere. Made my hubby look too. Finally I asked the supplier if he could cut a stone exactly like this. He did his best to help. And he did cut an excellent Rhyolite cab...only, it didn't have the flame. So then I was gong to email Cynthia and apologize that I lost her stone..when I heard very clearly within my mind to go look in my dresser. I thought, "Yeah well, I have looked. So has hubby. So many times. It wasn't there". But the voice was firm, and yet gentle that I looked once more over there before I emailed Cynthia. I thought it didn't hurt to look. So I did. And to my utter surprise...it was right there!!! Not even hidden under things. It was right there in plain sight in the middle drawer where I had looked so many times before. Hubby had looked too. We were both mystified....but I was very very very thankful!!! I guess the stone was truly meant for you Cynthia! :-)))

My fabulous Pink Topaz, Citrine & Sterling silver pendant!! :-))

Click on the pictures to see them enlarged.

Okay, I know its not very polite to blow your own trumpet. You must let others do that. LOL! But I really really really like this pendant I finished today! :-)))))))))) Took me ages to form and weave this flower. The Citrine is just GLORIOUS! The Pink Topaz looks GREAT! And for once I like the picture I took of my jewelry! LOL!! I guess the trick is in taking it in the highest resolution possible. Ever since I did that, I started liking my pictures. I'm still not sure what kind of chain I should put on it. But for now...that thin delicate chain it is! :-)))

Wooohooooo!!! :-))) I'm happy!!!

Agate and sterling silver pendant

This is for a young woman and a young man whose origins are from countries, and religions that have been clashing with each other forever. But they rose above all that, fell in love, and got married...setting a beautiful example of peace, love and beauty. Below is part of my letter to them, I have removed their names and the names of their countries of origin, religions they belong to, to protect their privacy. And changed it so it doesn't directly address them.

The silver beads at the bottom of the pendant signifies the dormant souls of the world who are moving up to awaken to who they really are. The colors at the bottom of the stone (an Agate) stand for the very different kinds of people in our world. Different because of race, color, nationality, religion...and so many other divisions. The colors green and red are very different from each other...but they combine into beautiful patterns in this stone, they do not clash. They do not even change each other. They simply accept each other for who they are, and harmonize with each other. Just like this young couple.

The colors, as they rise up in the stone lose their differences and become “one” by turning white. Just like people...when they rise above their differences, and move more towards their Divine Selves, realize they are not different really...they are just “one”.

I spent many many days to find the perfect stone that represented the story of these two beautiful people. When I saw this one., I knew, this was the one.

The designs around the stone show an upwards movement, showing the rising of human consciousness when they rise above their seeming differences, and only love one another...just like these two people did.

I weaved the bail of the pendant with silver wire, as a prayer of blessings that their lives be woven with each other's in complete love, harmony, and beauty.

The young man told his cousin (who commissioned this pendant), that one of the special moments of their lives was the time when they both saw a movie called “Arth”. “Arth” means “meaning”. And they have certainly showed by example the “meaning of life, and the meaning of love” through their beautiful love for each other. This is what I have hand stamped behind the pendant, to not only remind them of that special moment, but also to honor them for showing us the meaning of life and love.

It is through people like them that our world will change, and will know peace. For many, it is unthinkable for people originating from country X and country Y, of A and B religions to unite in matrimony. You both have shown that not only is it “thinkable”, it is completely normal, and completely loving to rise above outward differences and acknowledge our inherent divine One-ness. Their union will change many, their love will change much.

This pendant is one of a kind. There will never be another pendant just like this one, because this pendant tells their beautiful story.

Blue Sapphire Stamped Sterling Silver Ring

This ring is made with sterling silver and opaque dark blue Sapphire. It has been stamped with the names of the twins I wrote about earlier in the Sapphire pendant. Here is the letter I wrote to the grandmother for whom this ring was made..it explains the meaning behind this ring:

Dear XYZ,

Your nephew and neice-in-law asked me to make a ring for you for your 60th birthday. You are very special to them, so they wanted this ring to be something that is meaningful to you...they wanted to make your special birthday memorable, because you mean so much to them. They told me about how you are always there for the family, and how much you have done for everyone.

I thought about what would be most special for you at this time, and immediately thought of dear Deeya and Aarya. Who can be more special than them at this time to you? Beautiful twin grandchildren...they must be the highlight of your heart! So this ring signifies your beloved Deeya and Aarya. Their birthstone is Blue Sapphire, so I set a pear shaped opaque Blue Sapphire on this ring to signify them, and stamped their names inside the ring shank. This way their names will always touch your hand, and your blessings will constantly be touching their lives.

The metal is sterling silver, which develops a patina over time, giving it an antique look. If you like the antique look, you could keep it that way, but if you prefer it to be white for a longer time, then when you are not wearing it, wipe it and put it in its box and put the box in a ziplock bag. This prevents tarnishing for a long time. Keeping it away from chlorinated water will also help in preventing tarnishing.

Ruchi and Siddharth give you this ring with all their love and admiration for you. Wishing you a very Happy 60th Birthday!!

Love,
Swati

Sterling silver and Citrine earrings

I found these gorgeous Citrines in my stack from my gemshow loot a few years back, and wondered why I hadn't used them! So out they came from their packets, and I pulled out some sterling silver wires, and set them in these prongs to make these delicate earrings. My handmade earwires have tiny Citrine beads wire wrapped on them.

Blue Sapphire, sterling silver pendant

This sterling silver and Blue Sapphire necklace is for a very sweet grandmother with very special grandchildren. She is celebrating her 60th birthday, and her cousin got this made for her, for her birthday. Her grandchildren...a beautiful boy and a beautiful girl, are twins. Their birthstone is Sapphire.

So I designed this pendant to represent the twins. The sterling silver circle is divided into two by a sterling silver wire in the shape of the yin-yang. And I bezel set two pear shaped opaque Blue Sapphires in each half, facing opposite directions. I added texture to one half of the yin-yang, to show it is different from the other half. The Sapphires are the twins, in the same womb (circle), but still separated to have their own space...connected, yet individual...equal, and opposite (yin-yang space in the circle).

I have stamped the words, "my pride, my joy, my deeya, my aarya" behind the pendant to represent their grandmother's feelings for her grandchildren Deeya and Aarya.

The chain is a sterling silver rolo. I made the clasp with sterling silver wire, and wire-wrapped a tiny pearl on it to represent motherly/grandmotherly love. I hope she will like her gift :-).

A ring for a girl named Anna...

This sterling silver spinner ring is for a very special person called Anna Taylor. She placed an order for a sterling silver spinner ring with these words to be stamped on it:

"I love, I dream, I believe, I sing, I share". These words speak a lot about who she is, and how she is.

I know her through a spiritual forum I go to. And I see her generously devoting her time and energy to as many people there as possible, replying to their requests for prayers, wishing them happy birthday, taking part in everyone's joys and sorrows. You can see how she genuinely LOVES everyone. Loving comes easy to some people, and Anna is one of those special people.

She has a dream, which is to reach many many people through the songs she writes and sings. The words of her song are such that they touch the hearts of anyone who reads them or hears them. She also has cerebral palsy because of which she needs crutches or the wheel chair. Yet, when you talk to her online, you will not always be aware of what she faces on a daily basis. She is always listening to people, responding to them, praying with them, laughing with them, holding them when they cry. She is just 29 years old. This beautiful young woman (beautiful to look at, and beautiful within) wants to be a successful singer, and reach many many lives, and let people know that even if they are "different", they can succeed. This is Anna's dream.

And she has faith. She totally believes that she will succeed, and will be able to help many hearts heal.

She sings like an angel. She sings from the depths of her heart. Anna's had a life - long love of music and singing and has shared her voice internationally, with performances in London, Dublin, California and Hawaii. She is currently raising funds to record her debut album with her co - writer and producer, Robert Berry, at his Soundtek Studios in San Jose, California.

On June 4th 2009, her local newspaper featured an article about her and her story. To view the online version and video of Anna, (which includes details of the 'Wall Of Love' where for $US 111 people can sponsor one of 111 hearts and have their initials added to this special page on her website and CD booklet), click here:

http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/videos/SINGER-ANNA-Taylor-is-hoping.5335003.jpg

To know more about her songs, and her upcoming CD's please visit: http://www.AnnaTaylorMusic.com.

She generously shares of herself, her time, and her wisdom with everyone. Anna is an ANGEL THERAPY PRACTITIONER® certified by Doreen Virtue, PhD. She is also a Theta Healing™ Practitioner. She offers sessions in person in West Sussex, England as well as via telephone and email, and holds monthly Sound Healing Telecalls where she connects with the Angels to offer healing through her voice.

To know more about her, go to her website: http://www.Anna-Taylor.co.uk.

When she asked me to make this ring for her, we thought for a while what words would be most appropriate for her, and when she came up with, "I love, I dream, I believe, I sing, I share", I was thrilled! Because I know Anna, and I know that these words speak a lot about her.

I added a 14K gold-filled spinner ring on top, because gold helps in manifesting dreams. And the spinner ring concept itself comes from the Tibetan prayer wheels where they spin wheels and pray. This action is supposed to help in manifestation too.

I pray that all your dreams are always fulfilled dear Anna! (((hugs)))

This ring is for $70. Plus shipping and handling. If you want such a ring made for you, please contact me.

Blue Topaz Ring

I had made a similar ring long back which got sold. A lovely lady saw its picture on my Facebook album, and placed an order for it. So here it is, a beautiful emerald cut Blue Topaz, wire wrapped in sterling silver, made into this open, free size ring.

Amethyst, sterling silver, wire wrapped prong ring

To buy this ring, go to my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25176190

I have a few of these really pretty emerald cut Amethysts that I bought at Intergem show a couple of years back. Its been a while since I have worked with this particular wire working technique. I had learnt making wire prongs of this kind from Robbie Ward. And when I first learnt it, I was so in love with itthat I made many pieces with prongs of this kind. Then I moved on to weaving wire. A few days back when I was uploading pictures to my facebook account, I saw some of my pieces which were made using this technique and I wanted to make more. Also, I got an order through Facebook from a very sweet lady to make a similar ring in Blue Topaz (a design I have sold before). So while I was waiting for her ring size, I made this ring. My daughter was very happy to see me use this technique again.

The shank is made from square and half-round wires. The ring is "open" and adjustable between sizes 6 and 8.

If you want to a similar ring in another stone, please contact me.

Tourmaline, Green Gold, sterling silver, gold filled, woven, wire wrapped earrings

To buy these or to see more pictures, go to http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24908216 I am offering free shipping during May and June for celebrating the opening of my new Etsy shop for wire jewelry.

These earrings are 3" long from the top of the ear wires to the bottom of the green gold drops. They are 1.1" wide at their widest part. The green gold drops are 15mm long, and beautifully faceted. The tourmaline beads that border the frame are micro-faceted and glitter in light. I have blacked the sterling silver wire, and used 14K gold-filled wire for design inside, and for the hand made ear wires. The combination of black and gold looks very dramatic.

The stones are so beautifully faceted and of such high quality that when you wear them, they catch and reflect light absolutely divinely! To me this is very important when buying most faceted stones. They should reflect light really nicely.

I have tried them on with regular dresses for the day time, and really "dressy" party dresses for night time, and strangely they look perfectly great on both kinds of outfits. They give a very feminine and elegant look.

PLEASE NOTE:
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I always change the ear wires to new ones before selling them.

I am still learning how to photograph gemstones properly so my photographs really don't show how remarkable all these stones are.

Healing properties:
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Tourmalines are said to enhance understanding, increase self-confidence and amplify psychic energies. It is also said to dispel negative energies, fear and grief. They help with concentration and communication. They energize you, and also relax your body and mind, and relieve you of anxiety. It is said that Tourmalines help with arthitis pain and heart disease.