Tag Archives: The Silver Forge

Epilepsy Australia

A Wish Made (photo credit My Little Pixels)

Epilepsy Australia is the National Coalition of Australian Epilepsy Associations working together to advance the cause of people living with epilepsy and other seizures disorders in Australia.

Their vision is to achieve a quality of life for all those living with epilepsy and other seizure disorders no less than that expected by the majority of Australians.

Epilepsy is a disorder of brain function that takes the form of recurring convulsive or non-convulsive seizures. Epilepsy is not just one condition; rather it is a diverse family of disorders comprising many seizure types. 10% of the population are at risk of experiencing a seizure during their lifetime, while 3-4% will go on to be diagnosed with epilepsy.

Would you know what to do if you saw someone having a seizure? A goal of Epilepsy Australia is for every household in Australia to be seizure aware – find out more here.

I will be donating 10% of the proceeds of all The Silver Forge sales for this month to this worthy cause! Pop to my shop and see what you can do to help!

Boulder Opal and Sterling Silver Ring

My Granny likes opals, (I created this opal ring for her a few years ago), and I wanted to create her a ring that she could wear each day.

She admired this opal ring I made a dear friend, so I thought she would like one of her own! This stone is a boulder opal, which is found only here in Queensland, Australia.

I love my dearest Granny! xx

Sterling Silver Llama Pendant

It’s not often you get asked to handcraft a llama!

I was commissioned by a lovely client to create this pendant as a farewell gift for a psychodrama therapist, who also breeds llamas. Yes, a psychodrama llama farmer.

I was very taken, both by the notion, and by the recipient! A joy to create.

Raw Ruby and Sterling Silver Earrings

One of my clients asked if I could create a pair of earrings to match this raw ruby ring.

I was able to source her some matching cabochons, and here is the end result!

I think they turned out pretty well. I was fond of that ring, too, so it was nice to see it going off to a good home!

Chrysoprase Cabochons (6mm Round)

The chrysoprase gemstone cabochons shown here are 6mm in diameter, and are available to be handcrafted into custom pieces for you.

Cognac Quartz Cabochons (6mm Round Rose Cut)

The cognac quartz gemstone cabochons shown here are 6mm in diameter, and are available to be handcrafted into custom pieces for you.

Turquoise Cabochons (6mm Round)

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The turquoise gemstone cabochons shown here are 6mm in diameter, and are available to be handcrafted into custom pieces for you.

Black Star Diopside Cabochons (6mm Round)

The black star diopside gemstone cabochons shown here are 6mm in diameter, and are available to be handcrafted into custom pieces for you.

Flashback – Silver Textured Overlay Pendant

At the Goldsmith’s School I studied at, the second piece that all students created was a pendant. We were asked to come up with a couple of designs, bearing in mind that we would have to cut the pieces out of sheet metal with a jeweller’s saw. Good to see I’ve had the spiral theme going for a long time!

After cutting out the circle for the base layer of the pendant, I stippled it by hammering with a stippling tool (a steel rod with a design carved into one end) all over the metal. Then I cut out the top layer, and soldered it and a a simple cup hook bail on (with some assistance from the teachers!)

I was always very taken with how, out of a room full of people given the same basic brief, so many very different pieces come to life. I’m still pretty fond of this piece, although I don’t wear it very often – perhaps I should get it out!

Sterling Silver Skull Money Clip

Not everyone’s cup of tea, I know, but waaaay back when I was doing a casting workshop as part of my silversmithing training, my husband requested a skull.

I carved this one out of wax, and after the casting process, it lived on my bench for a couple of years. Finally, I cleaned it up, and thought about what piece to create with it for the minimalist man who has everything!

A money clip was the answer. This is the only piece I have ever made my husband, and it was a long time coming – but I think he found it worth the wait. This is a one-of-a-kind piece – not only because I made it for a loved one, but because I don’t have the specialist equipment required to do casting. The perfect gift for a metal-loving guitar player!

the silver forge

jewellery handcrafted by ruthie gray