Tag Archives: handcrafted

Seaglass and Sterling Silver Cuttlefish Cast Pendant

Cuttlefish Casting and Seaglass Pendant

I finally finished making a pendant from the last piece of cuttlefish casting I had from our casting workshop earlier this year.

Seaglass and Sterling Silver Cuttlefish Cast Pendant

It’s a bit of a departure from my usual style, but the casting just seemed to need some softness with it!

Seaglass and Sterling Silver Cuttlefish Cast Pendant

My teacher gave me a couple of suggestions for how to finish it off – thanks Sue!  I love the nature of silversmithing, there’s always some new way to look at things and something new to be learned!!

Seaglass and Sterling Silver Cuttlefish Cast Pendant

I’m keeping this piece for myself!

 

Bright Orange Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Maria, whom I previously created a gorgeous ocean wave jasper ring for, wanted a drusy agate ring too.

Bright Orange Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I was happy to show her the stones I have available! She chose this divine orange one.

Bright Orange Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Thanks Maria! I confess I love this piece of drusy so much, I bought a similar stone in the same colour to make a ring just for me!

Pink & Purple Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Pink and Purple Drusy Agate Sterling Silver Ring

One of my fellow students, Jane, asked me if I could make her a drusy agate ring.

Pink & Purple Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I feel very honoured that she would want to buy a piece from me!

Pink & Purple Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I was very happy with the way it turned out, and Jane was very pleased too.  Thank you, dear Jane!

Inspiration – John Paul Miller

John Paul Miller

I came across the most divine pieces pictured in ‘Jewelry Concepts and Technology’ by Oppi Untracht, a fantastic book that I bought recently. I was inspired to research John Paul Miller, the artist who created them.

Miller was born in 1918, and started his career as a painter.  Inspired by the creations of a fellow student, he started making silver jewellery of his own.  After receiving advice from the director of his school that “we don’t need any more good watercolor painters. Why don’t you concentrate on jewelry?” he turned his full attention to the craft.

Miller rediscovered the lost Roman art of granulation. He immersed himself in enamelling.  I love his work, it is so intricate and organic. I can only dream of aspiring to be one hundredth as good as this!!

From the interviews I have read, he seems, at 94, to be a humble and gentle man, who has lived an interesting life – well worth reading more about. Thank you, John Paul Miller, for providing such beautiful, inspirational works to the world!

Coral Red Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Carmen commissioned me to make this ring for her daughter for Christmas.

Coral Red Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Funnily, I sourced this piece of drusy with Kish in mind, and out of all the stones there were to choose from in my collection, she chose it! 🙂

Coral Red Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I just love this stone, and how at the right angle it looks like a kiss.

Coral Red Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Thanks for choosing me to make this piece for your lovely girl, Carmen!

Sterling silver and titanium chenier hinge pendant set with blue quartz

The brief for our seventh project for the course I’m doing this year was to create a piece using chenier hinge as a feature rather than a function.  (Chenier is hollow tubing, in case you weren’t sure!)

Titanium, Blue Quartz and Sterling Silver Pendant

I designed this pendant so that it could be worn both horizontally and vertically.  The six plates rotate around a centre rod. There were a few challenging moments to my usual sadly limited patience during the construction of this piece. Titanium is an interesting but hard metal to work with.. physically hard rather than mentally!  It’s a dull grey colour, and very hard to cut, file and especially drill.  The gorgeous colour is achieved by heating very carefully, so it has to be riveted on rather than soldered.  I added the titanium mainly because I fell in love with the blue quartz bullet stones!!

Titanium, Blue Quartz and Sterling Silver Pendant 2

Once in a while, my fellow students and I agree, you make something that has many challenging stages in it, and many learning experiences. By the end of the process you are pretty over it – so you pop the piece away for a while, and when eventually you bring it out once more, it usually is much more pleasing than you remember!  This is one of these pieces! 🙂

Big Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Big Bright Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I made this ring for Gracie, my son’s girlfriend, to wear to her Year 12 Formal.  She is such a sweetheart, she deserves a whole handful of beautiful rings!  This one will have to suffice for now.

Large Bright Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

She chose the stone, and I set it very simply (as always!) and gave it a high polish.

Large Bright Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Thanks for the honour, dear Gracie, and have a fantastic night!! 🙂 xx

Sterling Silver and Aquamarine Earrings

Carmen commissioned me to make a pair of earrings for her good friend’s birthday.

Aquamarine and Sterling Silver Earrings

Aquamarine is the ancient birthstone for October, and these milky aquamarines are gorgeous specimens in my opinion!

Aquamarine and Sterling Silver Earrings 

I hope the birthday girl is pleased with them!

Navy Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Big Navy Blue Drusy Agate Sterling Silver Ring

I made this drusy agate ring for Leesa. I took it down to her yesterday evening, and she was really thrilled! Navy Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Everyone who saw this stone before I set it coveted it, so definitely a good choice, Leesa!

Navy Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

It’s so lovely when the person for whom you’ve created a piece loves the work you’ve done.  Leesa is keen to have another one, this time in gold, so stay tuned!! 🙂