Working not talking . . .

Ocean Jasper and Citrine pinned bead

Here I am with new work and not much to say about it all.  In my last post I said I was going to get back to what I love doing most of all and that is cutting, polish and setting my own stones.  Stop trying to chase what I think will sell and make what I love.  And here you have the fruits of my labors for the weekend.

The Ocean Jasper is a stone I've had in my collection for some time and it worked its way to the surface of the pile on Friday.  The Citrine bead I pinned to a cupped bit of sterling silver and like the way it reflects the golden orbs in the jasper.  Pretty.

Rhyolite and Moonstone Beads

The Rhyolite has the most gorgeous pink, aqua and gold striations - just like a Sonoran sunset.  This stone started life as a matching pair that I wanted to make into earrings but I dropped its twin.  That was not a good day.  However, this little guy, accented with moonstone beads still holds its own!

The last piece I finished is a teardrop of Amethyst Sage Dendritic Agate.  Sadly, the photo doesn't do it justice as the stone fades from deep amethyst purple into olive green so softly.  The dendrites frame the horizon and give it such wonderful interest.

Amethyst Sage Dendritic Agate

I'm happy to be back doing what I want and what I love.  

So there, Almighty Dollar!  I refuse to chase you any longer!  From now on, it's all about me!

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.