Resurfacing….

Sonoran sunset ring

OK, this time, I really am back, after many upheavals and life changes. I’m thrilled to have relocated back to the beautiful countryside of the Eastern Townships in Quebec. It took me a while to pack/unpack, get sorted out, and set up my studio, which now lives in my beautiful, peaceful farmhouse, surrounded by very green fields, blooming lilacs and cows.

I’ve been mostly creating and selling lots of sterling rings with interesting stones, with a few types of earrings thrown in. Here’s an assortment of recent pieces…

Ocean jasper ring

Crazy lace agate ring

 

Missing in action

I must apologize for the long silence! It’s been a bit of a whirlwind here in my studio – and life. Things are nice and busy, which is the way I like them! Have been creating as much as possible, while I have the chance, during what seemed like weeks of rainy weather. Here are a few recent additions:

Quartz in the rough

I’ve just spent the past few days in Georgeville, Quebec, visiting with family, eating, knitting, reading and walking in the woods. It’s the last of the fall leaves and still relatively balmy weather. So nice!!! I came across some nice quartz rocks and thought it would be interesting to show these shimmery stones along with a piece of one I made into a ring with sterling this summer. I love the roughness of the stone along with its subtle shimmer. Here they are:

International travels

One of the very coolest things about having an online shop and presence is that people from around the world can wander into your shop as if they were in the same place. It truly makes for a small world….In the past week, for instance, I’ve mailed pieces off to different spots in California, Oregon, Massachusets and Australia. I love finding out where my customers are from!

Here is the faceted garnet ring I finished today, plus a lovely deep pink nugget of spinel I made into a ring as well.

New gem-setting tips in action

Today, I built this sterling ring around a gorgeous oval faceted peridot – one of my favorite stones. So brilliant and cheerful! I’m pleased to say I was able to use many of the great techniques and tips I picked up at my first class in gem setting last weekend. I was dying to try them and boy, did they ever work well! After fabricating a stepped bezel on top of a half-round sterling shank, I set this lovely peridot hammering directly onto the top of the bezel. I’ve done this before, but always hammered an implement applied against the filed edge of the bezel. This time, I just used a small, lightweight goldsmith’s hammer to lightly hammer the bezel directly. Works really well – so exciting! I have a garnet version on the go, so stay tuned. Here’s today’s final result:

 

 

Facets and photos everywhere

Today, I finished a sterling ring with an absolutely stunning vintage jade gemstone. It’s rectangular, faceted and feels very art deco to me. I set it in a simple bezel on a half-round sterling shank and gave it a somewhat scratchy, roughed-up finish, which I like in contrast to the smooth, milky jade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also made a pair of sterling drop earrings with some pretty, faceted aquamarine rondelles – my March birthstone. Can’t seem to escape the Pisces influence these days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really enjoying the photography aspect of my jewelry shop. It’s led me to invest in a great macro lens and a newer Canon Rebel – newer than my old original. I really love what the macro lens can do and the two in combo are the best! Have always been a shutterbug, but mostly of people until the past few years. Macro photography is a whole other world! Equally satisfying, I’d say. I’d love to hear what others have to say about this….

Adventures in gem setting

I started a course in gem setting this weekend. It’s intense and my head was spinning by the end of the first 6 1/2 hour class. Lots of note-taking, listening, watching the instructor set an oval faceted stone in a bezel setting and learning. I’m SO excited about it and can’t wait until the next class, when we get started on setting various stones in various types of settings. The instructor’s a very funny, very experienced diamond setter, and he has a LOT to teach us in seven short weeks. Will keep you posted….

Meanwhile, as I’ve just finished up some other work, I can get back to the fun stuff in my studio! Here are a couple of rings I’ve just made. A green freeform ocean jasper in sterling:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a lustrous pyrite cab, also set in sterling: