Butterfly Rose Creations
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Butterfly Rose Creations" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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02:37 pm
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Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, to those of you that celebrate it. Regardless, my family and I would like to say, "Thank you," to all of you, for all that you have done, tried to do, or just wished that you could do for us, over the last year...or three. Whether you offered help, advice, support, encouragement, understanding, venting space, or even just distraction...you have made a difference. We are thankful for you.
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10:59 am
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AUCTION ENDS TODAY!
My AUCTION ends this evening at 10pm Central-USA-time! There is only one bid! Act now, in your own name or the name of a loved one, or mordath will steal away this OOAK hand-made creation of precious metal and gemstones, for its base price! (Don't worry, I won't let her be shiny-deprived if you do...and neither will she.)
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11:23 am
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Second chance at a one-of-a-kind pendant!
Part of the Butterfly Rose Creations Silver Leaves Collection, this one-of-a-kind, original-design pendant is hand-made from solid fine silver (.999 pure), sterling silver bezel settings (for strength), labradorite, spectrolite and grey moonstone cabachons (in order of descending size), and a "pale natural" oxidation wash (that could be removed to show the silver's bright natural coloring, if preferred). The whole piece measures at around 2.5"-2.75" long, depending on the angle you're measuring from, and the design is based around replicas of real leaves! Each leaf is used once, and destroyed, in the process of taking its impression, and no castings were made -- even among the few design replicas, no other piece will be exactly like this one. This piece of fine jewelry truly is wearable art, as unique as the one who will wear it.
Carry a timeless bit of the verdant woods into Winter with you....
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( AUCTION INFO )
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10:59 pm
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Three new pieces from the Silver Leaves Collection
Hmm...I think it's been a while since I posted any finished pieces. I've been stockpiling supplies for the big commission I posted the design sketches for (at least, I think I did) a while back, working on some event promo art (that the priorities-for-what-gets-finished-first keeps being switched on), pondering preparations for a Faerie Festival my work will be at in 2007, and plotting and scheming a number of new commissions and collaberative projects -- all of which amounts to much busybusybusybusyme-ness, but little to show for it, in any respect, in the immediate sense. I'm trying to "Oh well" at that, instead of "GAH!", but it only works so well, you know? Even when I'm somewhat productive, it's hard to feel productive...or at least, productive enough! I think that's one of the hardest things for me, about the kind of metalwork which is most of what I'm doing now...it's so much easier to get all kinds of work done tangental to it, than getting the work done on the pieces themselves! I know that's because it demands large chunks of solid work-time, which is especially hard to come by now that I have a baby, but....yeah. Frustrating. Anyway, I do have photos of three finished pieces that were commissioned and made recently...one maybe two months ago, actually, and two just a few days ago.
( 'Tis the season for falling leaves... )
Tags: custom work, jewelry, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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01:11 am
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The Crying Rose - Necklace Design
This design was originally intended as part of a collaberation with designer Kambriel, but those plans did not come to fruition. It remains unmade, but I'd really love to make it.
Current Mood:  hopeful
Tags: kambriel collaberation, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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11:07 pm
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The Bryony Commission - A Complete Account
The following is an all-in-one-place account of what has been ordered as part of the "Bryony Commission". It includes previously posted images and information, as well as notes unimportant to anyone but her (such as which stones have been purchased so far). It also, however, includes previously unposted design sketches -- thus, BRC journal followers might still find it interesting. There are six sets total, each including a full necklace, a set of earrings, a set of wrist cuffs, and a cloak clasp. In some cases, pre-made pendants, which were purchased, are shown alongside the sets that will coordinate with them.
( The Bryony Commission )
Current Mood: artistic
Tags: custom work, jewelry, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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12:37 am
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Because I already had it scanned and photobucketed
The following is an old bit of artwork, posted so that someone who is hiring me to draw, has a better idea that they aren't just being nice to me. :-P
That took about 20 hours, at the time. My hands were sooooo cramped.
Tags: coa, drawing
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11:17 pm
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This is why people put up with PayPal fees...
....at least you know where everyone's money stands...immediately!
Ok, to make sure that this is perfectly understood...I have a love-hate relationship with PayPal. I love it because I don't have $3,000 for a merchant account and credit card taking machine, so PayPal is the only way I can accept credit...the way most people prefer to pay for anything above $20 these days. I also love it because the fund transfer is immediate -- previously a key point simply because it meant desperate-for-money me, could HAVE the money faster. I hate PayPal because of the fees...which become more offensive the more money I'm sent. When all I'd ever sold was one $30 or $40 pendant here or there, it was easy to overlook, because it was just a dollar here or there. 2.9% of very little, plus 30 cents, is still very little. But now that I've had a few larger sales, PayPal taking their percentage has been taking a more noticible toll. I'm not even making enough to really help us make ends meet, yet...but if it tells you anything...from PayPal's perspective, they see the promise of taking enough of my profits that they've already made me a "Verified Premier Member" or some such. (What this seems to mean is that I can get a monthly e-mail of special "deals" from PayPal partner online stores...deals that do me no good, as they are things like, "Spend $100 and pay via PayPal, and we'll give you $10 off.")
Anyway, despite the aforementioned meager-profit-sucking, I'm currently leaning towards the love side of the relationship. Why? Because my bank (which was Bank1 but has just merged with Chase) is stupid. Not even stoo-pid. Just plain stupid.
One of my auction winners sent me a check. A week later, I checked my bank's account information online, and found that my account had been credited with the check amount Ok then. So I mailed out the piece to the customer, a few days after that, when next we had a chance to go to the post office. A few days after that, I get notice in the mail from my bank that the aforementioned check hadn't cleared after all, and that the bank was taking the check amount, plus the bounce fee, from OUR account. Now...thankfully, the aforementioned customer happened to be a trusted friend of mine, so I wasn't really in trouble, except for the fact that now our account balance was thrown off, and we had to bill-juggle and play the overdraft game, because the check that didn't clear after all, had been used to pay off a bill. But hey...at least I was lucky in terms of who this had happened with, and didn't have to worry about the fact that my work was now in the possession of someone who had not paid me for it, and at my extra expense.
Soooooooooo....going to have to wait longer to make sure checks have really cleared, before mailing things. Ah, but how long? So, I called up the bank today. What followed was at least half an hour with a customer service agent and her supervisor, trying and failing to get them to make sense.
Me: [Explaining what happened with the not-really-cleared check.]
CSA: Yes ma'am, we provide that service as a courtesy to our customers. Because of your good standing with us, we credit your account with deposited amounts immediately, before those funds clear to us. This way, our customer can use the money immediately.
Me: No we can't, because the money isn't ours yet. You just take it away from us, potentially after we've already spent said money we don't actually have...plus fees!
CSA: Well yes ma'am, but you can use that money before we have a clear from the other bank or not. That's a courtesy we offer to our customers, so you don't have to wait.
Me: Okkaaayy...so what if I would rather wait? Can you retract this courtesy? Can you NOT credit my account with money I might not have, until you know if I do?
CSA: The idea ma'am is that you don't have to wait to know. Those funds are made available to you immediately.
Me: The idea is that I WANT to wait until I KNOW. The check in question was to pay for my merchandise, as well as cover my shipping expenses. When my account was credited with the check amount, I used it to pay for shipping, and indeed shipped the merchandise to the customer. When you informed me after that fact, that the check had bounced, I lost the merchandise, lost the payment, lost the money I put into shipping, and lost to your bounce fee. That is NOT a convenience. I would therefore like you to retract this "courtesy service" from your dealings with me.
CSA: Well I'm very sorry that it wasn't convenient for you. Most customers find it a convenient sevice, which is why we offer it as a courtesy to our customers in good standing.
Me: And you won't STOP offering it, even though I'm asking you to?
CSA: It's part of our policy, ma'am, to best serve you.
Me: Uh-hhhuh. Ok, fine. You won't wait to credit my account until checks have actually cleared. That means I have to wait until you would definately know, and have had time to tell me that things have bounced, since you won't tell me when things have cleared.
CSA: Yes ma'am.
Me: So how long does that take?
CSA: 3-5 days, ma'am.
Me: In the situation I just described to you, I found my account credited with the check amount AFTER 3-5 days had passed. It was almost another full week after THAT, that I was alerted about the bounced check. Obviously, I need to wait more than 3-5 days, to be certain a check has cleared. HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE? Feel free to round up.
CSA: It generally takes 3-5 days, ma'am.
Me: Nearly two weeks is longer than 3-5 days.
CSA: That is correct.
Me: Riiiiight. And how long can it take for an international check to clear?
CSA: I'll have to check with my supervisor, ma'am, I'm not sure. [wait] ...Ma'am? An international check, depending on the amount, can take up to a month to clear. Or less. Or more.
Me: So really, what you're telling me is that you are going to credit my account with potentially non-existant funds, and never clearly tell me, automatically, if they are really there. There is likewise no way for me to guess, based on timing.
CSA: ..............
Me: You also refuse to withhold crediting said deposited funds until such time as they have cleared, which would render all the guesswork most conveniently unnecessary.
CSA: We are only allowed to withhold funds from an account for 10 days, ma'am.
Me: So what if I deposit a check, you withhold the funds for 10 days, and at the end of that time, I call you. If you don't already know if the check has cleared, you call the other bank, and you ask them if it is going to. Then, you tell me.
CSA: We cannot do that, ma'am. We are not allowed to make inquiries into fund transfers until a certain amount of time has passed.
Me: And how long is that?
CSA: 12 days.
It went on from there, but it never made any more sense. EGADS!
Current Mood:  frustrated
Tags: payments
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06:16 pm
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The Silver Vine Set - part of the Bryony Commission
Once upon a time I made this torque for a bride...
Once upon a time, some time after that, I was asked to design a wedding set based around that torque, for a renewal ceremony....
There were going to be other pieces, too, for other members of the wedding party, and parents...even the cats were going to have special collars. But then...the renewal was off...in fact, the marriage ended up off. Naturally, so was the commission. In all honesty, I thought the woman was better off without him, so I didn't mourn the loss much, except for the chance to make the set of pretties. BUT....
Now I have a new chance to make a set of pretties, based on the aforementioned original torque. This'll be a bit different, but I'm happy with it, all the same...
Bryony has yet to choose her purple stones. They might be cabachons, set cluster-style, as in some of my other pieces. Or, we might go with small, faceted amythysts or something like that, and have me set them dewdrop-style, as I did with the CZs in the original. I might also extend the earrings, have second or third leaves dangling down longer....that's up to her.
Current Mood: creative
Tags: custom work, jewelry, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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10:25 am
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The Silver Maple Set - part of the Bryony Commission
Now it's time to post the other Maple Set being designed for Bryony. Like the last one, this was inspired by this pendant...
( (...better/alternative views under here...) )
Except this one is going to keep the same stones and oxidation wash coloring as this original pendant. It was a fun challenge to come up with two different necklace designs, both focusing on the same centerpiece. I think I did it, though....
If Bryony wants, I'll add "wind" swirlies of wire to the cloak clasps, too, in the style of the necklace and wrist cuffs. Instead of the stems hooking, the leaves will be angled, and the ends of the wind swirlies will hook together.
Current Mood: creative
Tags: custom work, jewelry, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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10:52 pm
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The Autumn Maple Set -- Part of the Bryony Commission
As promised, I'm going to start posting the design sketches for the work I'm doing for "the Bryony Commission" -- Six sets have been ordered, each one including a full necklace, earrings, a set of wrist cuffs, and a cloak clasp. In some cases, they will coordinate with WWRF pendants that she added to her order. This first set is one such.
It started when she saw the "Large, Elaborate Maple Pendant" on the right, there...
Well actually, all those pendants inspired sets, and the maple inspired two, but that's for other postings. In any case, she wanted that maple pendant, but in an Autumn color scheme. It will end up matching the pendant on the left...
This evolved into wanting a full necklace design, so as to look more "together" and "natural" than just having a pendant hang on a chain. The other pieces are designed to coordinate with it, or with the pendant.
Tags: custom work, jewelry, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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10:23 pm
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Auctioning off SilverLeaf pieces originally intended for the WWRF!!!
I recently created 20 pendants of The Silver Leaves Collection persuasion, for a RenFest, only to have them never shown or sold. This was the first time I designed pieces on a non-custom-commission basis, and as a result of the Faire-plan's failure, they are now for sale to you, the general, virtual public! I had my package returned to me by FedEx today, and so far, everything looks to be in the same new condition it was sent in...naturally, I'll edit this post, if I discover otherwise. In the meantime, I am setting up here for the sale of all but the few pieces that are already spoken for.
I took a hard loss from this disaster, and need to make up for it, for the sake of groceries and diapers. For this reason, I am doing something else unusual for me....auctioning the pieces off. I keep being told that my prices are too low, that I don't pay myself enough per hour for my work, that my pieces could easily sell for much more...well, here's a chance to show me what you think they are really worth. Bidding will start at the base price which I need to pay for my materials and a low hourly wage for my time. This starting bid price is noted in US dollar currency, in the first comment reply under each piece. I will include a certificate of authenticity with each piece (another first), and possibly a little surprise treat, if I think of something good and managable.
I'm auctioning in here, as opposed to EBay, because you can surely use your money, I can certainly use your money...but frankly, I don't think EBay really needs to use your money. Each piece for sale will be placed within a comment of this post, along with its information. Place your bids by replying to the auction-comments. I will allow a full week for bids -- time stamping on comments will make this fair. If you are not a LiveJournal user, and must therefore leave comments anonymously, please include your identifying information in your comment reply, along with your bid. Once an auction is won, the winner will have two weeks to get a check to me for the item price, plus determined shipping charges. Special allowance will be given to international bidders. A $30 fee for bounced checks, applies. Items will be shipped upon clearing of the check. Normally I accept PayPal, but again...right now I need all that I can get, to make up for my losses, and can't really afford to lose anything to fees.
These Silver Leaf pieces are all hand-made using fine silver (.999 pure) -- a precious metal -- and natural gemstones (except for the occasional CZ), and the designs are based around replicas of real leaves...no two are exactly alike! All the different coloration effects are achieved with a single oxidation chemical. I did something new with these pieces...I made the bails look more bark-textured and branch-like, on all but the viney pieces. Unfortunately, it's very hard to photograph them, and get both detail and an accurate view of the color of the stones and finish...especially when rushing. Small leaves are generally between 1 and 2" long, and large leaves are generally around 3" long. If you want exact measurements, or have any other questions, you are welcome to leave a comment asking.
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NOTE
I was asked to mention here that custom commission orders are welcome...they are, in fact, how I normally go about things. This auction is merely to sell off what was created for a Faire venue.
If you would prefer to e-mail, over leaving questions in the comments, my e-mail address is: <silverbutterflyrose@lycos.com>
When it comes time to mail checks, e-mail for my full name and address.
Conversations on AIM are possible (Mnesome2), but my computer time is touch-and-go, because of my nearly-10-month-old.
Yes, I realize that a formal webpage would be beneficial. I own a domain and webhost already...have for a good year or more, now...I simply cannot afford to pay a professional webdesigner to make my site for me. I'm on my third generous offer that has flaked, if understandably. Please bear with me and this unofficial, unprofessional gallery space, as I try to get my life and finances in order.
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For ease of bid-tracking, since unlike EBay, this venue won't let you know when you've been outbid, I'm going to try to comment to let people know if they've been outbid -- which will only work for LJ people and "anonymous" non-LJ-user bidders who leave me e-mail contact info....but still. I will also try to keep the bidding charted up here, so that you don't have to search through the comments to know what the bidding has gone up to.
Small, Simple Heart #1 - Bidding started at $36. Currently at $50.
Small, Simple Heart #2 - Bidding started at $40. Currently at $40.
Small, Simple Heart #3 - Bidding started at $45. Currently at $45.
Small, Simple 5-Lobe - Bidding started at $30. Currently at $40.
Small Rosebud - Bidding started at $60. Currently at $60.
Small, Simple Rosebush - Bidding started at $44. Currently at $45.
Small Goddess - Bidding started at $40. Currently at $50.
Small, Simple Maple (with jasper) - Bidding started at $50. Currently at $50.
Large Bacchus - Bidding started at $70. Currently at $100.
Large, Elaborate Ginko - Bidding started at $120. No bids.
Large, Elaborate Maple - Bidding started at $140. No bids.
Large, Elaborate Ivy - Bidding started at $100. No bids.
Large, Laughing Mother Earth - Bidding started at $80. Currently at $90.
Large, Elaborate Tri-Lobe - Bidding started at $110. No bids.
AUCTION ENDS 10:30pm (US Pacific time), TUESDAY!
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Current Mood: hopeful
Tags: advertising, jewelry, silver leaves collection, silverwork, wwrf
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10:35 pm
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Renaissance Festivals, Faires, and the like...
I know I don't normally make journalistic entries in this gallery LJ, but it's not like this looks like a formal sales website anyway, so...hey, might as well keep organized.
Things remain unresolved with Jeff Mach of the WWRF. Tomorrow marks the fifth business day after the Faire, the end of the contract-allotted time to settle accounts. Depending on if, when, and what I hear back from him, I'll be making a public post about where things stand.
I have arranged with FedEx to have my package returned to me. Once it arrives, and in the same shape that I sent it, I get to fight for shipping charge refunds. I also get to sell off the finished pieces intended for the WWRF. A few of them are spoken for, but the rest might get auctioned off (with bidding starting at the base base price I need to make a profit), so I can (hopefully) make up a bit for my losses. Does anyone know if it's against LJ rules to hold a makeshift auction in here? I'd rather not lose all my desperately needed profits to eBay fees.
In the meantime, I have an invitation from the co-owner of the CTRF, to be a vendor there. It's too bad that I can't afford to do it. Once again, I'm in the wrong place...and certainly can't afford to pay for a traveling entourage, in my stead. It's an intriguing prospect for the future, though, if we make it back to the NE in a few years, as we'd like to, and we can somehow manage the commute. The vendor costs really are MUCH lower than with most other faires. I'd spend more on the required pavillion tent, than on vendor fees for selling under it for the month or so of weekends that the faire runs.
Naturally, my mind leaps ahead eniways...to how I'd make my pavillion stand out...aside from signage. If I can get some realistic looking green foliage "vines" to wind up the front poles, and to those, wire the nicer-looking fake florals that come out around Christmastime...burgundy velvet roses, and glittery silver leaves....maybe add a green feather butterfly here and there... It would catch the light, catch the eye, and go with my logo!
Tags: advertising, ctrf, faire, wwrf
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10:08 am
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The Wicked Faire was a Wicked Flop, for me
Well, my first Faire flop at best, a failure at worst...and that's without even being able to test anything! The short of it is that my package of goods never made it to where it had to go -- the recipiants were not available to receive it when it was scheduled to arrive, and for the next few days, it was neither delivered as they asked, or picked up as FedEx asked. So, my package sat in a FedEx center, and my work was never shown or sold.
If you want the long, ranting/whimpering version, you've got to be on the friend's list of my personal LJ.
I have not yet received my package, my refund, or my compensation...but they have a few days left, by contract. In the meantime, if anyone is interested in one of the pieces I showed in the last entry, speak up! They are now for sale at large.
Thank you,
...your dejected artisan...
~ LAOD
Current Mood:  depressed
Tags: wwrf
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11:55 pm
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The Wicked Winter Renaissance Faire is TOMORROW!
Tomorrow marks a momentous occasion...a new Renaissance Faire opens!
The NorthEast (of the US) will no longer be Faire-deprived during the loooong Winter months. Tomorrow (Saturday), February 11th, between noon and midnight, Edison, NJ will set the stage for this adult-oriented extravaganza. Fear not, the snow! The Faire will be held in a convention center, and things will be kept plenty heated up, inside. Everything that you love about RenFests will be there (except the dusty trails through the woods), from food to vendors to performers...but the latter two won't have to restrain themselves to "child-safe" show and tell, as it were.
Why am I so excited about this, even though I'm stuck in the wrong part of the country? Because tomorrow marks a momentous occasion for me, as well, since I will be a vendor at said Faire! I won't be able to be there (o, woe!), but some of my jewelry will be. This marks the first time that my silverwork is available to the general public, since up until this point, I have been working purely on a custom-commission basis. I am very, very excited...and very, very anxious. Ok, petrified. But giddy, too. Basically, my brain is a blendered mix of several flavors of adrenaline.
It's an amazing opportunity for me, a heck of a testing ground for my business, and potentially a tiny flash of light at the end of a long, dark financial tunnel, for my family. Or, it could be a disaster. **GULP** I'm trying to keep my thoughts focused on wild n' crazy hopes for selling out, garnering a lot of commissions, and spreading my wonderful reputation. I'm told my work is up to par with or well beyond that of assorted bigwig expensive designers...but they stand a class apart, because their names are KNOWN. Well a Faire will certainly kick up the speed of the word of mouth I've largely been relying on....and if, beyond the adoration and patronage of the masses (ha ha), I can earn the respect and consideration of other Faires, then...Oh! What a happy Rennie I will be! Naturally, all prayers, well-wishing, candle-lighting, good-vibe-sending, and other such goodwill would be greatly appreciated. For a great deal more fun for yourselves, you could think those good thoughts at me while attending the Faire yourselves. Come on...I know some of you are close enough. ;-)
Money and time worked against my sending more, but I still managed to send a decent amount....
( For a preview of the work that I sent, look under here. Be warned, this is VERY image heavy... )
Current Mood:  anxious
Tags: advertising, jewelry, maille, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork, wwrf
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10:04 am
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The Finished "Flame Talisman" tattoo design
An extra band of flamy Celtic knotwork has been applied to the rose gold layer of the version of the tattoo that the customer liked best. It was interesting trying to get the spacing of the knots to leave gaps for those gems, which were put there when the plan was to have a band of Runes, not knotwork.
Tags: custom work, tattoo design
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10:59 pm
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The Tapestry Set
I made this necklace/earring set for myself a while ago, to coordinate with a tapestry fabric used in some garb of mine. Originally, the centerpiece pendant was intended to be a fine-silver-work heraldric rose with a garnet cabachon in the middle. Unfortunately, the pendant had an accidental run-in with a sword as we were rushing to get ourselves ready for Faire. With no time to re-make it and unwilling to wear even slightly broken work (one of the leaflet points was snapped off), I substituted it with this Bali-style piece of sterling filigree (set with a faceted garnet cab.), which is actually half of a set of cloak clasps.
The "chain" of the necklace is made with sterling chain (a variation on figaro...I couldn't find any rope), along which is intermittendly and alternatingly spaced stone beads. Closest to the pendant, there is...silver bellcap (small leaflet style)--rainbow moonstone bead--silver bellcap (small leaflet style)--[joint]--silver bellcap (large leaflet style)--larger moss agate bead--silver bellcap (large leaflet style) --[joint]--silver bellcap (small leaflet style)--rainbow moonstone bead--silver bellcap (small leaflet style). Then you get silver bellcap (small leaflet style)--medium garnet bead--silver bellcap (small leaflet style). After another space of chain, it goes back to the moonstone-moss agate combination. There are two of each sort of stone bead "break" in the chain, on each side.
The danging earrings (on sterling kidney hoop wires) are made from one of the silver bellcap (large leaflet style)--larger moss agate bead--silver bellcap (large leaflet style) --[joint]--silver bellcap (small leaflet style)--rainbow moonstone bead--silver bellcap (small leaflet style) segments.
Hanging from the bottom of the centerpiece pendant is a large moss agate teardrop.
I just realized I forgot to get a photo of the clasp. It's a silver toggle clasp, in a leaf design.
Tags: jewelry, sets
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02:54 am
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More pretties for a customer (someday I'll own my own work)
A little something different, this time...
This is her mother's set:
I considered oxidizing the stem and leaves more greenish, but since we hadn't discussed it, I stuck with more subtle, warm antiquing. Of course, the chain is very shiny, so it doesn't quite match...letting the chain tarnish, or brightening up the pendant with a silver polish cloth, will amend that, depending the mother's preference.
This is a close-up of the pendant:
The stone is a faceted rhodolite garnet that's been fire-polished. It'll glow a dark red in certain light...otherwise it has a slightly mirrored dark sheen which goes with the general antiqued silver look. I decided on antiquing the piece more because it almost adds a little realism. Unlike the leaves, the rose was not a replica..it was entirely hand-sculpted...so I wanted to do something to blend the style with the real leaves, a bit more.
This is a bad close-up of one of the stud (sterling posts and backs) earrings:
Here is her sister's set:
I went with a kind of leaf I haven't used before...I think of it as a spearhead shape...I hope that she like it. She wanted three leaves, and none of the other leaves I had preserved, that I had enough of for the pendant and earrings, looked right for a design with three leaves. The cabachons are amythysts. I oxidized the veins, then polished most of the rest back up. There's a touch of natural tinting in the shadows, but by and large, the piece is brightly silver, like the shiny chain.
A close-up of the pendant:
A not-particularly-good and too-dark close-up of one of the stud (sterling posts and backs) earrings:
By the time I had her payment, I couldn't find 22" chains, as she asked me to approximate. I got the best of what I *could* find....two different (both very sparkly variations on a round, vine-like chain) 20" sterling silver chains. Since both pendants are a bit over 2" long, however, the necklaces at large should still fall at about the average place.
Ok..I think that's it. As she wanted...one set reminiscent of a rose, featuring pendant on chain and stud earrings...and one set featuring a pendant of three silver leaves and amythysts, on a chain, and stud earrings. Fine silver for leaf replicas, bail-on-the-leaf-pendant and sculpted rose.....branches-on-the-rose-pendant and bezels are sterling plated with fine silver...amythysts in pendant and earring set...faceted, fire-polished rhodolite garnet in the other pendant. 20" sterling chains...one a "tornado", and one with a gobbledygook identifier but it has lots of little flat round spots all over the surface, that catch the light. Budget of $150 for each.
I'll format this like the other Silver Leaf entries when I'm less bleary.
Tags: custom work, jewelry, sets, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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10:07 am
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Three Silver Leaf Pretties
Remember forever ago, when I did these design sketches for a customer's commission?
He chose three of the basic leaf design shapes. He sent me a deposit. Then, I waited a rather long time to know the last few details of what he wanted me to do with them (some of the stones, finish, etc.). Finally, he left it up to me. Then, I waited a rather long time to know where to send them. He still hasn't told me, actually. Seeing as it's been about a year, I'm sending them to his son, who he will be seeing for Christmas. It's his perogative to wait, and he's got good reasons to be hard to reach, but I only have so much space to carefully store things. Eniways, with them on the way, I feel that I can finally post them. Well, I posted the first one a while ago, and one of the others is a variation on this one. But...here are all three...
From left to right...
Elaborate Tri-Lobed Leaf Pendant -- This piece features replicas of two sizes of a mystery leaf with a cool shape, as well as "vines", made from fine (.999 pure) silver. Sterling silver bezel settings hold three stones in the moonstone family. From smallest to largest, they are grey moonstone (pale glowing grey), spectrolite (black with a purple-blue glow), and labradorite (reflective shades of blues and greens, in these samples, in a grey base). I have given the leaves a kind of aurora borealis oxidation finish, with color play largely in the blue/green/purple range, fading to the natural silver color at the edges of the leaves and the trailing ends of the vines.
A better view of this one...
Elaborate Ivy Leaf Pendant -- This piece features replicas of three ivy-shaped leaves, as well as "vines", made from fine (.999 pure) silver. Sterling silver bezel settings hold labradorite cabachons. The silver has been left it's natural color, with oxidation only highlighting the veins.
Elaborate Maple Pendant -- This piece features replicas of maple (smaller) and silver maple (larger) leaves, made from fine (.999 pure) silver. Fine silver sets the stone cabachons, which are rhodilite (dark burgundy-red) garnets given a fire-polishing (which gives them a hematite-ish mirror sheen, in certain light). The leaves have been given a subtle, natural, oxidation tinting, which plays largely through the brown/green range.
Tags: custom work, jewelry, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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04:01 pm
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The leaves fall, but Nature's beauty endures...
The stark beauty of Winter brings with it many occasions to let yourself shimmer and shine. 'Tis the season to honor beauty that doesn't fade -- your own, or that of a loved one -- with something truly special. Anyone can dazzle in mass-marketed glitter, but what kind of indulgence is that? My Silver Leaves Collection are all original and custom designs, hand-made using fine silver, gemstones, and replicas of natural leaves. No two are exactly alike, so each piece is as special and distinct as the recipient. Almost any kind of piece is possible, with almost any kind of stone...but leaves are now limited until the Spring. Contact me now to discuss commissioning pieces in time for the assorted Winter holidays.
Tags: advertising, custom work, jewelry, silver leaves collection, silverwork
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