In 2008 I designed an item I was so happy with, a birch bark cuff bracelet in sterling silver. I think I sold about four of them before two things happened. First, silver prices went up dramatically, to the point where the cost would have doubled. Then, my mold broke. I had a plan- I just needed to find a new piece of birch bark and this time it would be cast in bronze. Five years later, I still hadn't found the perfect piece of birch bark, until this summer. I was walking my dog in the woods, and there it was. It was just what I was looking for, a deeply lined piece of bark, smooth, but with dramatic texture. The lines in the bark made spaces, which I loved. Now, silver is down, the economy is better, and I thought why not sterling silver? After this one is sold it will be a made-to-order (1-2 week) item. I have three cast in bronze right now, and I'm excited to see how they look finished. Bronze takes on an interesting patina with heat, and I'm thinking I could achieve something even more realistic. (In case you're wondering, the bronze version will be priced a bit lower, at $180.)
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