Excited to be making Stefana now .... Plus, a wire wrap w/ 2 kinds of Gold

Stefana are a Greek Orthodox wedding tradition symbol showing the connection and unity between a newly married couple. They consist of two crown / tiara-like hoops connected by a ribbon. I recently was commissioned through Etsy by a couple to create their Stefana. What an honor! They wanted a organic looking greenish color scheme. After photographing my different gemstones in shades of green, i ran a few color combinations by them, but my first choice (and the only one i really wanted to do, really) was Emerald, Watermelon Tourmaline, Labradorite, and Peridot. They liked this best too! So I created the Stefana for them out of these stones, Sterling Silver, and Organza ribbon. . I've sent her photos and they really like them! I put on the finishing touches tonight, packed them up, and they're ready to go out in tomorrow's mail. It felt very special to be contributing to their ceremony and I really hope I get the opportunity to make Stefana again!

And, something else i have wanted to do for a while:
i made a wrap making extensive use of gold
Actually, I made a 5 metal / 5 stone wrap:
http://mandala.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=3790128

" This unusual wrap includes 5 different stones held by 5 different metals.

a 9.5 Carat Herkimer Diamond
a 5 Carat Moldavite
10.5 Carat Peridot
13 Carat Black Tourmaline
24 Carat Labradorite

in Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver, Copper, and Bronze
All in a one of a kind formation

I'd like to note that the photos aren't really showing quite how nice the Herkimer Diamond or the Labradorite really are! "

This wrap also makes use of wrapping into the wrap a prong set stone ( this piece i actually did in my metalsmithing class but i could definately do this at home too) , another thing i've wanted to incorporate for a while

And, i made a Custom Grandmother's necklace, Sterling Silver, and heart shaped, incorporating Jasper, Garnet, Amethyst, Citrine, and Topaz

New Supplies: Shark Teeth, Spirit Amethyst, Azurite, and more

Yesterday I went to the Nederland Rock Gem and Mineral shop and bought some new pieces
Picked up a couple beautiful Spirit Amethysts, and I already made a pendant out of one of them, this evening. Wrapped it in Sterling Silver and put it on a Sterling Silver plated Curb Chain. I took a photo differently than I have before, with a Stilibite Cluster for the background, and I like how it came out. I may do this more in the future.

I still have another Purple Spirit Amethyst to work with, and I also picked up one that is a bright yellow color due to the presence of iron. It is really pretty and opalescent.

Also picked up a couple of Shark teeth from 15 million years ago. They are about an inch and a half long. Last night I made a pendant out of one, with twisted Sterling Silver wire, and it already sold to someone who seemed to really like it... his email address included the Ancient Mariner in it, and I remember reading that epic poem with my dad as a kid. He lives in Maine. I It sold about an hour ago, and I immediately packaged it up to go out tomorrow morning. I still have one other tooth to wrap.




Picked up 4 pieces I may try to use as Gem Tree / Tree of Life sculpture bases : a big piece of Green Calcite, a sliced purple Agate coaster, a piece of Lepidolite, and a large piece of gorgeous Labradorite (although i might have a hard time parting with that one!) I also finally received today, way late, a strand of Labradorite chip beads that I bought on ebay a long time ago. I might use those to make a Gem Tree on that Labradorite piece, in conjunction with some faceted tear drop shaped Labradorites I picked up at a Denver Gem and Jewelry show.

Also picked up a couple sparkly pieces of Azurite / Malachite to make into pendants. Found a couple of really nice pieces.

While I was there, I asked the lady working there for items out of the case twice. She seemed very nice. She was very conspicuous about finding a spot in a draw for a piece of Amazonite, mined in Colorado, and when i asked her for access to the Spirit Amethysts, she placed it on the counter in my view. I took the bait. It is a rich turquoise color and a very nice size and shape for wrapping, with even a termination on one end. I'm pretty sure she was trying to get me to buy it and she gave me a good deal on it.

Finally, I picked up a Citrine point with some Chevrons and other little points around the main point.

Today, I went to meet someone who came all the way from Parker, over an hour away, to meet with me about making some earrings out of Elk Teeth. I met up with him in Boulder, at a Mexican restaurant, which was easy to give directions to. I gave him the best directions ever! Anyhow, at the appointed time, he was there finishing up having lunch there, which he enjoyed. I used to live in that neighborhood and ate there occasionally. Good stuff. He was wearing a Harley Sturgis shirt though. I mentioned not having seen his bike outside -- He was supposed to have rode his motorcycle there but the high winds scared him off. I agreed - it was brutal out there. There is even right now a wildfire in Boulder that caused the evacuation of 1000 homes complicated by the wind. I sat and chatted with him about what he wanted. He has these small Elk Calf teeth that he grabbed off a roadkill while with a lady friend, and he wanted me to make them into earrings for her. I wasn't sure what he wanted at first, but after some discussion, we agreed that I would make medium sized hoop earrings out of twisted Sterling Silver wire, on Surgical Steel ear hooks, with the Elk Teeth and some faceted Amethyst Briolette beads hanging inside, a big assymmetrically. He had drawings and everything. He seemed shocked when I quoted him $18 (he was expecting at least $40) . I won't make much after cost, but then again, he wants to see what I come up with and maybe have me make a matching necklace. He had a little tooth collection - he used to hunt and also some that he found.

I also had someone contact me yesterday about making a necklace for his friend out of some faceted Moldavites. He wanted to meet up today but he has a cold and wasn't feeling up to it, so he may either mail them to me, or we might meet up next week. (Actually I just checked my email and he just wrote that he did send them in the mail today).

And, I hit up the craft store today, picked up a couple funky chains on clearance, some black hemp, ribbon, and some pin backings because i'd like to try making a couple of brooches. Made myself put back a bead organizer that even with 40% off woulda ran me $9. Oh well. Sometimes you just gotta draw the line. ;)