Wednesday, March 31, 2010

90/365 copper

I was tired tonight, so I challenged myself to make my ring in 30 minutes. (After spending 45 minutes on a ring that wasn't working out.)


Tuesday, March 30, 2010

89/365 carnelian




Lots went wrong while making this, I gave up trying to fix it. It's sterling silver and carnelian.

Monday, March 29, 2010

88/365 carrie's ring


I used Carrie Nunes' ring #87 to make this piece from cardboard and paper, I cut out the design with my jeweler's saw.




Here's the first picture of Carrie's daffodil ring:


Then she got silly and uploaded this one:


Carrie is a fun lady and talented metalsmith, please visit her etsy charity shop. She is generously and tirelessly selling all of her Ring a Day pieces to support the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. She has already raised close to $900 and there are 276 rings to go. It's a lot of work and I commend her for doing it.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

87/365 fine wire




24 inches of fine 24 gauge sterling wire, fused. A little closer to what I was going for yesterday, but not quite.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

86/365 thumb


I have been wanting a thumb ring for a while now. This is two pieces of 16 gauge wrapped around each other, with the end of one wire soldered to the end of another, if that makes sense. I wasn't too psyched with the outcome so I made the wires crimpy. Needless to say, I am still wanting a thumb ring.


85/365 plain band


I have a three-day craft show this weekend and the opening reception was last night. This puny silver band was all I could muster, and I didn't even clean it up.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

83/365 exxon valdez


Today is the 21st anniversary of the devastating Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska. Hundreds of thousands of animals were killed, the best estimates are: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs. And we still haven't learned our lessons about oil.

http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/

sterling silver and copper


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

82/365 agate

sterling silver, etched copper, banded agate

Monday, March 22, 2010

81/365 tube setting


My first fabricated tube setting, the ring is a bit of a mess.
Sterling silver, copper, peridot.




Maureen Brusa Zappellini

Maureen Brusa Zappellini does wonderfully creative things with pewter and automotive paint. I lived in Maine for years and this fun lobster claw ring really speaks to me.


Pewter and automotive paint, the text reads, "Lobster Girl".


Sunday, March 21, 2010

shadowboxes

I'm excited about the last few rings I've made with the shadowbox form, I made this necklace today and have plans for some bracelets and possibly earrings.

sterling silver, etched copper, 18k gold, saltwater pearl

80/365 melted


I was making a quick ring from scraps and I overheated the piece. The long square silver wire on top is part of the design, the short one is not - I was using it as a support during soldering and fused it to the round copper piece. Tomorrow's another ring and I have moved on to better things.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Friday, March 19, 2010

78/365 submission

This is my submission for the Lark Books 30-Minute Rings publication, the deadline is today. It only took me 30 minutes because I had pre-cut the discs, the band is adjustable so I didn't need to form a complete ring, and frankly I paid less attention the the finishing than I would have liked.

sterling silver, copper, saltwater pearl


Thursday, March 18, 2010

77/365 peridot

sterling silver, 18k gold, etched copper, peridot


Jaqki Withycombe

Jaqki Withycombe, aka leftwingofthecrow on Flickr, made this fantastic copper weathervane, one of my favorite RAD rings to date. Look at that rooster! I love the torch patina.


Wednesday, March 17, 2010

76/365 claddagh



Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My mother gave me my first silver claddagh ring when I was a girl. By high school she had replaced it with a gold one, and sometime later, gold with a garnet heart. I'm not sure when I stopped wearing it, perhaps after college. I'm glad to have this one to wear for special occasions such as today.

sterling silver, etched copper, brass, nickel silver, fabricated.



Check out this amazing, gynormous claddagh made by Rosy Revolver, it is my favorite. EVER.





Tuesday, March 16, 2010

75/365 peridot

My first (premade) tube setting, the ring still needs some cleaning up. There are a few things I'd like to change about this design, but overall I'm happy with where these shadowboxes are going.

sterling silver, 18k gold, peridot