Crafting for me . . .

I have been busting my fanny getting work ready for a big show coming up the end of February and late yesterday I decided it was time to do something for myself.  I deserve it.

I dug around in my old cases of stones that I purchased at the very first Gem and Mineral Show I went to - I say that because the two little turquoise stones I picked up I had taped together and written "27 cents/pair".  Yikes!  A pair!  Must have been a loooooooooong time ago!  Tiny cabs - tiny bezels.  My fingers felt like sausages trying to craft the small bezels, I swear.

These little guys are not even 1/2" making the drop about 1" - swingy and the right touch of color for late winter.  (Spring's coming!)

I seriously love these and will wear them until they fall off my body.  Seriously.

Looking for Elvis, or elves, or any help at all, please . . .

True.  I've been away from the blogosphere for months now but trying to juggle so much just gives me fits.  My muse has wandered through occasionally; however, not with any constancy so I have to wrestle her to the ground whenever she strolls casually through.  So much has been on my bench.  So much.

Project: a ring of jade given to me by a friend last summer who wanted a necklace for her tweenage granddaughter.  It was to be my choice of design and when I took one look at the ring, it spoke to me.  (Well, my muse but dammit, she's been so busy lately.)  It needed to be youthful so I gave it a scalloped bezel and it needed to be current so I gave it a peace sign and it needed some texture for contrast so I hammered it.  (Okay I melted it once.  Just once.  Things don't always go as I want.)

My dear friend also gave me a little bag of rings and old earrings to play with and I found these moonstone cabs to be so lovely and a great size for a pair of dark and swingy earrings.  I set the moonstone in scalloped bezel and built a scalloped wall around the circle of silver.  Darkened a bit with silverblack and buffed on the edges to give it some life, I drilled out the backside of the stone's bezel so the light shone through.  I think I may work this design a few more times.  (Please love it!)

Special orders went out late last week for aquamarine sets and I used up all of the chunky aquamarine I had left for this hefty necklace, save for a few pieces that turned into earrings.

Next week : one big three day charity show that I am the organizer for along with a friend who I feel does even more than I do to prepare for the artists and the benefit evening.  It will be a wonderful Thursday, Friday and Saturday but I'm seriously looking forward to Sunday the 4th.  Also to go out in one week is work for an Omaha Gallery and there is a two day show at The Sheldon Gallery on the University of Nebraska campus Wednesday and Thursday just prior to the three day event.  Oh, did I mention that there is a four hour show at a local business on the 8th?  No?  Oh yes.

Help me Elves.  Or help me Elvis, either one.

And even more chalcedony . . . . .

Is there really more to say since I believe I've already outted myself as a Chalcedony Addict and who can blame me?

Swingy. Simple. Modern.

Glowing. Juicy.

More chalcedony . . .

This time, daggers!

Here are some sweet stones that really lend themselves to this 'hinge thing' I've got going on. Such great movement in these little guys with the hinge, the swingy legs and all.

Off to The Lux Gallery . . .

This one was fun . . .

A special request from another referred artist - a teeny earring for that piercing at the top of your ear (does that have a name?).

Sort of a personal challenge to see if I could make something that small that retained enough detail to be interesting. Amy requested something 'age appropriate' and I think that may fill the bill.

You can see by the size comparison with the little guy resting on a dime that it is pretty small - about 1/4" in fact and it hangs about 1/2" from top to bottom. The sidewalls and the center dot are higher than the well surrounding the center and I've oxidized it for a little visual interest. High polish contrast and a thicker earwire.