Of Sea and Stone...

What a gorgeous planet full of surprises we live on! Among my favorite things is Purple Spiny Oyster, a shell/stone from a fossilized oyster bed on the Gulf side of Mexico.

These oval Spiny Oyster earrings feature gorgeous examples of the stuff. I added reticulated silver tabs at the bottom, loving their rectangular shapes up against the oval stones.

These work well with my Spiny Oyster bracelet and necklace. All are found in my Etsy shop.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73149829/purple-spiny-oyster-earrrings-with

(You'll also find the bracelet and necklace in my shop!)

Art is a Hammer...

"Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it."

Metalsmiths celebrate this firsthand. We collectors of hammers, tools and torches explore the qualities of metal even as we shape it under heat and pressure.

I own about 30 hammers. Each has a voice of its own, from my dead-blow hammer to my tiniest riveting hammer. A brass mallet stamps letters and other images into my work. A 'magic' hammer I own is perfect for fold-forming.

Some hammers forge and shape, some flatten and polish. Each is an extension of my body when in use. The rest of the time, they hang from my hammer rack and beckon to me.

This copper cuff bracelet celebrates hammers and the shaping of reality through art with a truncated version of the quote. It is perfect for everyone who uses a hammer anywhere, for anything.

Here is a link to it on my Etsy shop site:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77047484/copper-cuff-art-is-a-hammer-with-which

By the light of the moon...

It was really fun making the pieces in my Diana Lunar series. This pendant was first cut from brass and then treated to several layers of surface embellishment: soldered volcanoes from my sterling 'splats,' and then moondust from my metal filings (sterling, copper and brass). I attached a sterling bail to hang it from cords and chains.

And then made two pairs of earrings in the same vein. You'll see all of these and more details on my Etsy shop.

Works in progress... a new Trapezoid Fan Necklace

Sometimes I like creating more complicated things and thought you might like to see a new necklace now underway on my workbench.

Fanned out at the bottom of this photo is my next Trapezoid Fan Necklace. I'm in the process of finishing the trapezoids' details and setting the stones. I'll add a heat patina and tumble the trapezoids just before the stones are finally set.

It's so tempting to rub the bezels down now, but then I could never add heat again, so I'll wait.

This next pic is a completed Trapezoid Fan Necklace already in my Etsy shop. Each one has been so different!

Dreaming of Jellyfish... an Etsy Treasury

This is a repost of my Etsy treasury, 'Jellyfish Dreaming.'

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTQyNzY0NDF8NDM1MDUwODQ5/jellyfish-dreaming?ref=pr_treasury


I wish I could post the whole grid of artworks I selected for this treasury!

Jellyfish Dreaming: A Treasury on Etsy

Dreaming of jellyfish... living not so far from the sea...

Following my instincts, I became aware of many artful jellyfish works on Etsy and have composed a gorgeous collection of 16 of them for you to see.


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In my time, I have created two jellyfish pendants in metals. On the left, you can see my new Etsy avatar image, which I composed in celebration of the 'Jellyfish Dreaming' treasury. Please visit the link, below to see the whole treasury, and visit my shop: CityRusticJewelry on Etsy to see my two jellyfish!






Here is the link to my treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTQyNzY0NDF8NDM1MDUwODQ5/jellyfish-dreaming

The Newest Metalsmithing Method... Fold Forming

Most of the forms of metalsmithing in the world are quite ancient. From casting, to stonesetting, to fabricating, metalsmiths have produced crowns and jewelry for millenia.

Along comes fold forming. Invented in the late 20th century, the metalsmith heats and folds the sheet metal and hammers it flat. Multiple heatings and hammerings yield a stretched, expanded and textured surface. And then the piece is opened from its folded position, to reveal new contours.

Once unfolded, the piece is subjected to grinding, polishing and drilling. And then often placed in a tumbler with steel shot and some solution to work-harden the piece and smooth its edges. This also brings a bright, shiny finish.

The fold-formed Leaf Earrings are made from sterling silver sheet metal. They bear fine hammer marks from a particular hammer's edge. The center veins of the leaves reveal the fold. I dish the leaves once they are open with a hammer and stake. Their contours are usually unpredictable. The airy sterling earwires were handcrafted by me, too. They're smooth and springy, for comfortable wearability.

Find these and others in my Etsy shop!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77073714/fold-formed-sterling-leaf-earrings-with