Showing posts with label pendant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pendant. Show all posts

Monday, December 23, 2019

Crying Eye Pendant, Custom Order




A customer sent me the picture below of a crying eye (eye with tear) and asked if I could replicate the design for his girlfriend.  




Below, you can see my design from this original photograph (with my personal touch). 


First, I made a sketch with the measurements needed for the pendant.  

Second, I chose sterling silver and solid silver as my preferred metals because that's what I had on hand.  

Third, I chose a lavender color cz stone for the tear (as was required by the customer).


Initially we wanted to use a piece of beach glass as the tear drop but my sea glass pieces were too big for this project (and I didn't want to have to cut a piece of glass for it was just too small to handle).


In my original design, I had the idea of using PMC silver clay, which is a precious metal clay (a wonderful product because you can work it like clay then fire it in the kiln so that it burns off the clay and you're left with a solid piece of sterling silver or pure silver depending on the clay type you use).  Actually, you can also purchase this clay in less precious metals like copper, bronze, and of course you can also get it in PMC (precious metal) gold.  I've never used any other clays other than the PMC3 silver and the Art Clay 950.  Although silver clay is available on Amazon.ca I noticed the others are only available on the Amazon.com site.

If you are like me, and love to learn about new techniques, then you will enjoy learning about how to use silver clays with this how to book (it's worth knowing what you're doing because this clay can be tricky). Here are a few good books from the Amazon.com site 

*My blog contains affiliate links, which means that when you make a purchase via these links, the company may compensate me for promoting their products.  I only promote products I use or that I know are of the best quality.  Thank You.


What happened to my initial idea of using PMC3 Silver, you might ask?  Well, I did the entire pendant with the exception of the bail and everything looked beautiful (I was quite proud of myself especially since I was using the Clay 950 for the first time).  
After removing it from the kiln, I was giving it a good polish to get the metal to glisten like it should, and it looked amazing.  I knew the client would be very pleased!  

And then, to my horror, during the last shining, the pendant got caught in the polishing bit, twisted, under the pressure of the Foredom machine, broke into pieces that were flung across my studio (I have yet to find one of the pieces)! 

I had no time to be emotional, no time to panic, nor to give up.  The pendant was a surprise gift and my client was counting on me.  He was on his way to pick up the pendant the very same day.  I had to use my plan B (yes, I most of the time have a plan B with this type of project).

I took a breath, gathered what I needed to construct the eye (using silver .999 sheet and sterling .925 heavy gauge wire) and got to work.  

To my relief, in no time, the eye came together quite nicely; I was satisfied with the overall look.  

After cleaning and polishing it up, I added the cz stone and placed it in the jewelry box ready for pick-up.  

Results:  Happy client and a very happy recipient, the girlfriend!

Quote:  Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success!



Friday, August 16, 2013

Gentle Waves Washing on the Shore Pendant

New design added to my Shop - I designed this pendant with the idea of capturing the gentle waves of the sea slowly washing up on the shore.  The pendant is completely handmade by me from fine silver (pure silver).  The bail is handcrafted from sterling silver.  The overall piece has been purposely tarnished slightly as to give it an ethnic, organic feel.  Pendant comes with a lovely, black leather, slip knot necklace that will fit most sizes.  Wonderful unisex necklace!  See more information here.

Wonderful gift for the beach lover!  See more of my creations here.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Pink Topaz Wire Wrap Pendant in Gold

Here is one of my latest pendants.  I love this pink Topaz stone; it's beautiful and glitters so much! 
This pendant is designed with 14k gold filled wire. To read more about this pendant click here.




Monday, February 14, 2011

New Items in My Etsy Store

I've been working really hard to bring up the inventory in my Etsy Baysidewiredesigns and Artfire Baysidewiredesigns2 Stores.  It takes much time to set everything up for the picture part and then I need to process the pictures somewhat (zoom in, crop, lighten up, sharpen and re-size);   Then I need to prepare my little packages, price them and write up the descriptions, calculate the shipping and store them till they're adopted and find a home that will love and cherish them forever.  This is tedious work indeed, but I'm not complaining, it's all worth it in the end.  The store looks great when it's filled with beautiful products that are made with tender love and care.  It is even more rewarding when people love the creations I make and want to be part of who I am by purchasing them.

I've added a couple of really nice sea glass pendants (they are reversible, 2 in 1 pendants).  Here are a couple of pictures of the first one I made; click on the picture to see the second one (it's worth it because it's a piece of light rose depression glass - probably the knob part of a small dish cover or decanter).

Sunday, November 28, 2010

The Great Mystery of Pearls

Before I begin, I just want to make it clear that I'm not a professional in the area of pearls.  My passion my business is what motivated me to learn about this mysterious little gem.  I thought it would be a good idea to be informed before selling my pearl jewelry.  So, what did I learn? 

First of all we need to talk about pearl farming.  It’s kind of funny to actually say those words together: “pearl farming.”  When I think of a farm, I see a big red barn with chickens running around the yard, spotted, black and white cows scattered out in the field and the sweet smell of hay mixed with manure lingering in the air. Quite a different picture with pearl farming indeed!  First of all, a pearl farm needs water.  I guess that means a waterfront farm…  I really like that!

Although both types of farming are very different in structure and content, they are both very similar in that they’re a very risky and unpredictable business. Many factors such as bad weather, water pollution, excessive heat or cold and disease are only some of the problems pearl farmers are challenged with.

At this point it is important to establish the difference between the expressions: “Freshwater Pearls” and “Saltwater Pearls”.  Although both are cultured, meaning that they both are grown under human influence and intervention, they demand different farming techniques.  I will try to explain each one beginning with the Freshwater Pearls. 

Freshwater Pearls are formed in freshwater mollusks.  A technician will carefully remove a piece of mantle (the membrane between the two shells of a mussel), cut it into small pieces and surgically graft it to another mussels mantle.  One mollusk can accept approximately between 24-36 grafts per cycle. It’s in fact a very delicate procedure.  The mollusk will then react to the irritants and begin covering them with nacre.  Nacre is a combination of crystalline and organic substances.  Day after day for many years (2-6 years), this mollusk, like a faithful little factory worker, will keep producing nacre and cover the multiple irritants until the many layers miraculously form pearls.  Talk about multi-tasking!

In their natural state, freshwater pearls vary in an array of soothing colors such as pink to mauve to gray to rich cream to peach.  You probably think I forgot to add “white”.  Actually I didn’t.  Mollusks never produce white pearls.  White pearls are actually the result of cream-colored pearls that have been bleached.  Are you shocked?  I was when I first learned about it.  The thing is, I never much liked the white pearls; I always preferred the cream-colored pearls and now I know why. 

Because a freshwater pearl is the product of a small piece of membrane, it’s very difficult to achieve a perfectly round pearl, thus freshwater pearls are rarely round.  The interesting thing, though, is that the technician does have a certain amount of control over the shape of the pearl.

It’s a miracle indeed, that such a seemingly insignificant creature could produce such a beautiful gem as a pearl!

You really need to see and hold them for yourself to appreciate the cool, silky feel of pearls.

The pictures below are from my gallery.  This handmade necklace is made with natural freshwater pearls in ivory color and the main part of the necklace is made of a beautiful Mabe Pearl (which is a whole other story).  The handmade pendant below is also made with a beautiful Mabe Pearl.  The luster is amazingly beautiful!