Finally the right setting for some challenging Aquamarine!

A few months ago I found these beautiful aquamarine beads at a show. The color is exquisite, the perfect soft aqua blue with nice clarity especially for large aquamarine that is natural and untreated. The challenge was finding a setting that would bring them to life... they are all free-form, faceted, geometric cut gems, none of them are symmetrical. I wrapped a few in sculpted settings, but the rest just weren't right for the swirls of wire sculpture.

I have been scratching my head for awhile trying to come up with the perfect setting. Finally, the light came on while I was making a pair of earrings! I decided to wrap them in a woven setting. This is a style I normally use with rounded or oval gems, but it's perfect for these geometric pieces! It's cool how the whole piece is linear and the weaves of wire balance the asymmetrical cut of these gems. Who knew! I like them oxidized and in natural sterling silver. The oxidation grounds the piece and lends an earthy feel... the shiny silver has much more of a water or soft ocean feel, reminiscent of beach glass.

I think I need to do some more experimenting with pieces I've been unsure of how to set. Think this is going to be a week of discovery. Hooray!

The NOT so Glamorous side to Jewelry and a Thanksgiving Day thank you!

How do you know you love what you do? When you're willing to take on 20 degree weather dressed like this...it's a start anyway! This is a quick shot of me outside in the freezing cold getting ready to buff the latest batch of my jewelry creations! This is the not so pretty side of the job, but when I'm done I can't wait to wash everything off and see how beautiful it looks. It's too much work to create jewelry and not properly polish it--it would be like cake without frosting. I don't rouge or buff anything in the house because polishing compound is not good for you and it gets all over EVERYTHING! See all that dust on my hand, imagine that in the house. It is a mistake I made only once and it never came out of the carpet or off the basement floor! This time of year can be challenging. Cold fingers make for tough work on tiny things.

I know my neighbors must think I am nuts... perhaps I am! LOL! I'm the only one around here that wanders around frantically picking leaves off of the weeds at all hours of the day or night with flashlight in hand (for clay)... that sits on their patio in any weather, even snow with a scarf and respirator mask on (cleaning jewelry), that wears a fur hat and pajamas to let the dogs out, at noon (just weird I guess), and I am probably the only one with the lights on posting listings on ebay and in their blog at 3 and 4 in the morning (weird too?). I love what I do and I am addicted to it, I would forgo food to look at stones and think of ways to wrap them.

Thanksgiving is almost here and reflecting on the crazy life I live I want to thank everyone that has supported and helped me to grow as an artist over the last few years. My family is great, my ebay friends, and all of you out there I've created for and typed with are great! I love your messages, ideas, and feedback. I am so lucky and grateful to all of you... what did I ever do before the internet. It is the greatest thing, how many people I've met and how many friends I've made from all over the world. Life would be so mundane without you. Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!