Tag Archives: sterling silver

Happy First Anniversary to The Silver Forge!

Who can believe a whole year has gone by since I opened my little shop? Not me! I’ve been having such a great time – it is blissful to create silver jewellery; and to bring joy to others with my creations is an absolutely wonderful thing, and is the icing on this delicious cake.

As well as creating pieces for my lovely bespoke customers, and to stock my online shop, (and making the occasional piece for myself!) I am proud to have supported a number of worthy causes this year. I believe that helping the world in whatever small way we can is just plain good karma. Do you have a cause that is special to you? I’d love to know about it! Let me know in the comments below.

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20% OFF SALE

To say a big “THANK YOU!” to all you lovely people for your ongoing support, I am offering 20% off everything in The Silver Forge Shop until 27 May. Do have a little browse, won’t you!

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EARRING GIVEAWAY!

As part of the celebrations, I am also giving away two pairs of earrings to two lucky winners. If you have a browse through the earring section of my shop, come back here and make a comment letting me know which are your favourite pair to the value of $30, you’ll be entered in the draw at the end of the week. If you’ve liked my Facebook Page as well, you’ll get a second entry!

A great big thank you for all of your kind words, Blog comments, Etsy treasuries, Facebook likes, re-Tweets, Newsletter clicks, Pinterest repins, purchases, worthy cause donations, and all the other forms of love and support you’ve shown over the last year! Happy days to you all. xx

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UPDATE:

A huge thank you to everyone who entered the earring giveaway. Thank you all so much for your good wishes, and your good taste! The winners were announced here.

Gataker’s Artspace – New Pieces

Some new Silver Forge earrings have arrived at Gataker’s Artspace in Maryborough. Gataker’s is a community artspace which displays the work of local and regional artists and craftspeople – they also have musical performances in their courtyard, and every month they open one Saturday night for music, wood-fired pizza, coffee, art and artisans. If you’re up around Hervey Bay way, stop in to 311 Kent Street, Maryborough!

Twin Butterfly Pendants in Sterling Silver

Keith contacted me via my website as there are two very special girls who have a birthday coming up – soon to be one year old twins. Keith wanted two butterfly pendants made for them.

Keith plans to have their names engraved on one of the butterfly wings.

What a lovely idea for a present!

Thanks Keith!

Electric Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Pendant

A lovely customer contacted me from Florida recently. She was about to purchase a pendant from The Silver Forge shop, and wanted to make sure she was getting the right one. I was happy to help!

Agate was apparently one of the stones in the breastplate of decision constructed at the God of Israel’s instruction for the priest to wear (Exodus 28:15 – the Holy Bible). It is felt that the agate in the breastplate was likely a sky blue variety.

My customer said of an agate pendant she already has “I wear the pendant to remind me of being grounded in my faith in my Lord and as a symbol of Him as my rock. It is my symbol of a shield guarding my heart.”

I offered some options which I felt might be right for her, and she decided to go with this lovely electric blue stone, which I custom made into this pendant. I was glad to be able to give my support in her quest for spiritual strength and peace!

Cherry Creek Jasper and Sterling Silver Ring

I came across this divine piece of Cherry Creek Jasper a while ago, and just finished making it into a ring for myself.

The design was partly inspired by my dear friend and classmate, Jane. She makes beautiful rings, and her shanks are often very squared off at the ends.

I love the very organic nature of the stone. Jasper is so hugely versatile!

Burgundy Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Rusty, the artisan behind the beautiful ‘Vance’ guitars, commissioned me to create a ring for his daughter’s birthday.

He chose the stone from my collection, then sent me a copy of a chart on which he’d measured the size of a ring from her ‘little gripper’. (Hehe, ‘little gripper’ made me laugh when Rusty send that to me!)

It was such a pleasure to set this beautiful stone for someone lovely to wear.

This is one of Rusty’s guitars: exquisite workmanship, and (apparently, from all who tell me) totally awesome to play. If you’re interested in owning one of these beauties, let me know, and I’ll put you in touch with him!

Vance Custom Guitars

Thanks so much for the honour, Rusty. I really appreciate it!

Lodolite Garden Quartz and Sterling Silver Ring

I bought two divine lodolite bullet shaped cabs a while ago, and I spent some time contemplating how to do them justice. I was waiting for inspiration to strike me, and it eventually did!

Lodolite is commonly known as Garden Quartz.

It is clear quartz with inclusions, which look like a landscape scene – garden or underwater garden!

I feel the organic vine-like nature of the ring complements the beautiful stone.

I’m looking forward to making another ring with my second gorgeous piece of Lodolite!

Peruvian Blue Chalcedony Sterling Silver Smokestack Ring

For a while now, I’ve had a design for a ring in my head. In part inspired by the power station we drive past a few times a week; and in part inspired by castles and towers, minarets and mosques, factories and smokestacks – I seem to have quite an industrial/architectural theme running through my head lately.

The stones are Peruvian Blue Chalcedony Briolettes, which I turned on their ends. Divine colour, don’t you think?

I learned how to flange chenier, which was fun! The briolettes remind me of puffs of smoke.

I have some little pear shaped free-form orange carnelians in my gemstone stash, and I think there may be another ring in this style coming along in the future! What do you think?

Domed Disc Sterling Silver Drop Earrings

I made these domed earrings for Gracie for her 18th birthday last month.

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

Sterling Silver and Garnet Crown Set Ring

The very last piece that I made in my training course last year was this sterling silver and garnet crown set ring. It’s a bit of a departure from my normal style, but I like it!

I specifically chose a garnet because my lovely sister who lives on the other side of the world has just turned 50, and she likes garnets.

Happiest of birthdays, dearest Christina! xxx

the silver forge

jewellery handcrafted by ruthie gray