Dreaming of Spring

We've had lovely weather this week. It felt like the beginning of spring. But, being Colorado, we're expecting "1 to 3 inches" of snow on Sunday. Until then....

Jewelry Genealogy

Almost two years ago, I created my very first "Rainbow Necklace." Since then, it has undergone a few transformations and variations, eventually morphing into its most recent incarnation, the Spectrum necklace. This is one of those pieces that continues to inspire me, even after a couple of years. Is that common for jewelry artists, I wonder, to be inspired by one of their own creations so that just that one piece breeds many variations? I've read about painters having to totally exhaust a theme in their work before they can move on to the next thing. It becomes kind of a compulsion, or ongoing drive, and you can't make yourself be done with it until you're done with it. In my case, the Spectrum necklace is like the mother necklace, and from that has been born all her little babies. And believe me, she's not done breeding yet. Not by a long shot! On the first branch of the Spectrum family tree, we have the "original" Spectrum earrings.

In red/purple/pink:



Blue/green/teal:


Yellow/green/orange:



The next branch on the tree, and Spectrum's most recent progeny, is the linear Spectrum earrings at the top of this post. Of course, the blue/green version is coming soon, as is the red/purple. And I've got plans for more branches, including a variation on the necklace. And perhaps a bracelet. And I'm sure there will be more branches I can't even anticipate yet. What a fertile little necklace that Spectrum is.

Bench

Here she is...my new workbench! I actually bought it almost two weeks ago, but I couldn't get it set up until today due to travel, illness, baby (not necessarily in that order). She's lovely, isn't she? I had to take a before photo, as I'm sure it will never be this clean again. For a hint of what's to come, see the after photo.

Today I played with my new toys: letter stamp sets in two different sizes (practiced first on brass, natch). I'm working on a little somethin' somethin' soon to be featured in my shop. It's a secret 'til then.... ;-) And in case you were wondering, yes, that is the Rio Grande "Tools & Equipment" catalog in the first picture. I'm going to pimp my bench big time! (Side note: does anybody ever paint their benches? Aren't the plain sides just screaming for some color??)

2:00 PM:

2:05 PM:

The Lady or the Tiger?

Ever since I discovered Etsy, brick and mortar shopping has taken on a whole new dimension. Nowadays, when I see something I like, I think, "I'll bet I can find something like that on Etsy." Which, if true, would be great because 1) I'd be supporting a real, living and breathing artisan, and 2) I'm voting with my dollar, so to speak, and casting my lot for smaller, better, kinder.

Recently I went looking for potholders. Well, I didn't actually go looking for them. They found me. But no matter. So here is a little summary of what I found.

Behind door #1, we have some potholders for sale at Anthropologie (not singling them out; it's just where I happened to be shopping). Obviously they are mass produced, and are imported from China and/or India:






Now, behind door #2, we have a few potholders I found on Etsy (click on the pictures for links to the shops where they are for sale):







So, as you make your way through the retail world, which will you choose? The tiger, or the lady?

Happy shopping!

Robin

Papa Walt

Basically, there is my life before I read Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself," and my life after. I was lucky enough to be introduced to his work in my sophomore American Literature class, so I haven't had to live too long without Papa Walt. I've been re-reading "Leaves of Grass," which seems to have sparked thoughts of the universe, stars and the cosmos (or "Kosmos"). A few bits for your enjoyment, in words and pictures...

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

After the dazzle of the day is gone,
Only the dark, dark night shows to my eyes the stars;
After the clangor of organ majestic, or chorus, or perfect band,
Silent, athwart my soul, moves the symphony true.



All space, all time,
(The stars, the terrible perturbations of the suns,
Swelling, collapsing, ending, serving their longer, shorter use,)
Fill'd with eidólons only.

Pretty

The Etsy main page looked especially nice tonight....

Wow! Are Those Real?

So I'm generally a pretty easy-going person. In fact people have actually called me "sanguine," which I take to be a compliment. But one thing that really gets on my nerves is deliberate deception in the world of jewelry and gems. Specifically, I'm speaking here of those unscrupulous people who sell fake gemstones and call them real. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about synthetic or man made gems. There is a place for lab created gemstones, as long as their origin is disclosed to the buyer. Also, lab created gems actually attempt to look like the real thing. And I'm also not talking about certain treatments that are considered essentially industry standard (such as heating, irradiating, etc.).

No, I'm thinking of the lowest form of deception: "gem" stones that are obviously some lesser material dyed in whatever color would approximate the genuine article, or man made materials, such as glass or plastic, sold as a genuine gemstone. So, for example, chalcedony dyed red and called "genuine ruby gemstone." Or quartz dyed a shade of purple not found in nature and called "genuine sugilite gemstone." Or perhaps in the worst case I recently came across, plastic chunks being sold as "genuine Baltic amber."

So, with the direct goal of educating myself further on the subject, and the indirect goal of providing useful information to others, I am officially introducing the Gem of the Month. Each month I will pick a new gemstone and offer links and further reading on it. I'll try to find links that discuss the real gem as well as common substitutes (fakes), treatments, enhancements, etc.

To kick off the Gem of the Month, I've picked ruby. Happy reading!


http://www.bwsmigel.info/GEOL.115.ESSAYS/Synthetics.Simulants.Fakes.html

http://www.minerals.net/gemstone/gemstone/ruby/ruby.htm

http://www.claddagh-rings.com/ruby-information.htm

http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=1195

(If you would like contribute helpful or interesting links and/or information, please by all means submit them in the "comments" section!)


Links for further investigation:

http://www.kevincoffey.com/travel/purchasing_phony_gemstones.htm

http://southwestaffinity.com/stones.htm

http://janinaforjuldizon.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-do-you-know-if-your-gem-is-real-or.html

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15721234.900-hot-rocks--theres-a-secret-to-cooking-up-the-perfect-fake-diamond-oremerald-whatever-your-brand-of-alchemy-throw-in-a-few-flaws-says-amy-adams-or-the-gempolice-will-get-you.html

Ancient

So, about 2 weeks ago I wrote about my new "curly headpins." I promised to post some pictures of jewelry I've made with them, so here goes. All of these pieces are part of my Ancient series, inspired by gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome.

Diana

Crete

Oracle

Venus