Intermission

It is time to take a break, re-fuel and go play in the desert.  In a week or two I will have new and exciting stories about enameling, soft stone carving and all things jewelry.

Obsessed

A pair of earrings.  I'm obsessed with the detail that the artist designed for the back of the earrings.  I wish I knew who the artist was, the signature appears to be Eiel but my searches come up with zero.  Below is the front of the earring.

Jen Lobo

Chroma Theives my favorite piece by Jen Lobo an artist from Pasadena, California.  I find her perspective refreshing and subject matter unique.

Chasing and Repousse

Time to get back to making a few of my own tools.  While looking for ideas for shapes to make I came across several people who make beautiful chasing and repousse tools.  Above Knitsteel on Flickr.

 Anvil Fire

2MoonTools on Etsy

The Mettle Works

Victoria Lansford

 

Nechamkin Silver Studios

Chandeliers

From Wallpaper* magazine's April 2010 issue (yes a year ago).  Chandelierious includes platinum, gold and diamonds jewelry from Chanel, Moussaieff, Georg Jensen, Tiffany & Co. and others.  Bracelets, rings, pendants and necklaces are displayed together to make wonderous chandeliers. 

My favorites are the Van Cleef & Arpels piece with their iconic clovers (click to next page - second image) and the the net-like 'Alphabet' pendant chains from Jacqueline Rabun (image directly below).

 

 

Rock Crystal

Just sitting here wondering how my love for all things gem and mineral relates to my love for cooking.  Rock crystal candy of course!  I remember going into candy stores as a child and being obsessed with the formations of rock candy and the pretty colors.  As a grown up I would much prefer rock candy on a stick for sweetening my ice tea and skip the childhood memory of a mouthful of sugary sweet crunch.

After doing a Google search for recipes I came across Christian Grantham's Flickr page chronicling the process of failures and success and a winning recipe.  It seems the secret is starting the sticks with a bit of eggwhite brushed on them and rolled in sugar before adding to the jar of sugar and water mixture.  With some flavored extracts added to the mixture I think a whole grown up version could be in my future. 

Zzyzx

 

 Soda Springs California, aka Zzyzx, here I come.  I am packing up my tools, sorting through my gemmies and laying out projects to get ready for my trip to the Desert Studies Center with CFMS (California Federation of Mineralogical Societies).  I will be taking workshops in enameling, soft stone carving and lapidary and working on as many jewelry projects as possible.  Heaven!