new work, etc.
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
Preview of a new item- the honeycomb ring is made of fused argentium sterling silver. My favorite part of making this ring was fusing the band to the top. This one has mistakes- the rings fused incompletely or opened up (which I like) but the final version will be solid. It’s labor intensive to get the honeycomb section perfect so I’ll be making these in limited quantities.
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
What could be better than water casting… water casting with pool blue enamel? And a few little hammer marks.
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
New enamel on fine silver ring. I made one for myself and I’m enjoying wearing it.
Here are some of my water casting experiments, and the results…
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
I’m really enjoying this tote bag from stevester.
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
I remember when I found the bark for this one- I just knew it was “the” piece of birch bark! Birch bark cast in sterling silver is sort of a contradiction- something so fragile, made fairly permanent. To really make the indentations stand out, I did some selective polishing to remove some of the dull gray surface texture, giving it a pearly white matte glow in contrast to the dark markings of the birch bark. It’s a large piece and something I don’t expect to sell many of, but I’m happy with the results.
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
Ring made from a cast sterling silver white pine branch for a custom order. I’ll be adding it to my botanical jewelry line soon. I really like the texture of the bark oxidized. It’s still comfortable, with the inside of the ring ground down and polished. I think this is one of my new favorite pieces!
Originally uploaded by esjewelry
I’ve recently added a series of five new pieces to my Etsy Shop involving heat textured (reticulated) sterling silver leaves, sometimes combined with tiny center drilled keishi pearls in a silvery white. After finding the pearls at a bead show, I wanted to create a background in silver for them, something that would make it a tone-on-tone piece. Achieving the texture (which always varies) involves gradually building up a layer of fine silver on the surface of the leaf shapes- so they’re extra bright and shiny, and extra polishing in my tumbler seems to add depth to the patterns created by the heat.
Here’s how I make my little hoop earrings…
I measure a length of hard 20 gauge sterling silver round wire, cut several more to match, then shear them off at exactly the same length. Using a round nose pliers, I make tiny loops at the ends, making them as small as the tip of the pliers. To remove any tool marks from bending the hard wire, I burnish it with the tips of the pliers by rotating them in the loop. The loop should appear shiny and round with no dents. (I usually make ear wires at the same time, those are to the left.)
After rounding the end of the wire with a 1 mm cup burr I use a plastic mallet to shape the wire into a circle on a smooth ring mandrel. The easiest way to do this with hard wire is to wrap firmly at the end of the mandrel where it’s small. Then slide it up, tap with the mallet, and grab the next wire. Complete each step for all the pieces to save time. When the wires are circular, bend up the rounded ends in a curve. Then place each earring on a polished anvil, and flatten lightly all around using a highly polished chasing hammer (with a head 1″ wide or larger) focusing more on the center part. This is done with many light taps- hitting the silver wire too hard in one place will deform it. Each will take about 20 seconds to finish the forging completely. It’s important to go this slowly to avoid mistakes. Also, try to keep the anvil and hammer clean (free of any grit or silver filings.) I use a separate area from where I cut, file and finish. This is a very old bench that my friend salvaged from an auto shop. It’s very heavy and sturdy. It’s a good idea to wear ear plugs- the noise can damage your hearing.
I always check the first pair for size and uniformity, then compare the others to those to make sure each is the same size and shape. When the batch is finished I put them in the tumbler along with some burnishing compound and usually batches of other jewelry. This makes them extra shiny and slightly harder. I store them on earring cards in plastic bags with anti-tarnish tabs inside, and they wait on a hook on a peg board until they’re sold and shipped.
