Gem Stones have always fascinated me, Tigers Eye was one of the first to attract me. The appearance is a natural phenomenon that has drawn people in all down the ages. As a teenager I had a small collection of stones and tried polishing them with a little hobby kit. Stringing beads to make necklaces followed and then adult life got in the way.
There has always been something crafty going on in my life, be it knitting, paper crafting, drawing and painting. A couple or 3 years ago hobbies went full circle and I started making jewellery again. Making more and more seems I have loads of lovely things and ideas for more, I’ll never be able to wear it all. Making things as gifts is a lovely thing to do especially when friends admire your projects. Recently more and more people tell me to sell my things, so that is what I am now doing with my own Etsy Shop.
It will be fun to record some of my projects here, perhaps by telling you about my mistakes you can avoid them. By no means the most knowledgable about the different stones and techniques I use this is not planned to be a tutorial site, more a record of what I’m making and perhaps how I am improving.
Here are some of my recent projects.
This sterling silver bracelet with Amber links. Chain Maille is a new technique for me and I love it! By law if the silver content of an item is more than 7 grams it must be hall marked. I have not (yet) invested in a makers mark or registered with an assay office, so this bracelet is just for me.
Staying with purple coloured stones for this chain maille ring a 5mm crazed quartz bead was added and makes a sweet little dangle. The ring itself is made of both gold and silver plated copper jump rings in the clouds weave/knot.
Copper a beautiful metal, added to gold it makes rose gold but I just love it on its own, Copper is also an antiseptic, it kills microbes one of those random bits of knowledge. The weave is based on Japanese chain maille the full flower would have been hard to use for a ring so this is scaled down design.
Last project for this post Silver plate copper rings in different sizes all linked together to make a bubble bracelet. Amber has been strung in the 5 large rings. I’ve worn this and loved the drape, guess something similar will have to be produced for that shop!
I’d love to hear what you think, please feel free to leave some feedback. Your ideas can only make things better.
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