Art Fire Artisan Jeweler Guild.

June 2011 Artisan Jewelers Guild Members Gallery Members of the Guild have been invited to submit a piece of jewelry to be displayed in a monthly gallery.  For June 2011, two members submitted pieces for display.

Iris K. Stuart

I began making jewelry 6 years ago after purchasing an expensive pair of earrings labeled “hypoallergenic” and “sterling silver” that were anything but. I have a serious allergy to nickel so I’m very conscious of the metals I wear. This wasn’t my first experience with falsely labeled earrings so I was pretty aggravated. I’ve been making things with my hands since I was a kid, so I decided to make my own earrings. After awhile I needed necklaces and bracelets to go with the earrings so I got into beading. Then I wanted earrings that were a little fancier so I learned some wireworking techniques, and from there into making chainmaille. Then I discovered metal working — which is my real love. The ladies at work liked my jewelry and wanted some of my designs, and a business took form.

Every piece I make is hand fabricated from only the finest materials - sterling, argentium or fine silver - with beautiful cabochons and gemstones. You will never find nickel in any of my work. My style runs from office conservative, to weekend kick-around, to pieces that make more of a statement. If you see something you like but would love to own it in a different color or with a little more of this, or a little less of that, please email me and let’s design something just for you.

John Atwell Rasmussen

  I have had a passion for rocks and rockhounding since I was a small child. I followed this into my education and was a geology major in college. Graduate Geologist for the past 40 years (BS and MS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.) This passion led my wife to start me on my journey into gemology and jewelry design and manufacture. She bought a parcel of gemstones and brought them to me and said “You’re the geologist, what are these?” That started my journey into gemology. I am a current student for Professional Gemologist (International Gem Society). I have completed the theory examination and need to complete the practical examination. Then I started doing lapidary and cutting my own stones. This led me to join Western South Carolina Gem and Mineral Society.I furthered my education with classes and became certified as an Accredited Jewelry Professional (2009) (GIA), and Jewelry Design and Repair Certificate, Penn Foster Career School (2010). I am continuing my love for gemstones by making unique pieces at my bench and offering them to the public. Most of my work is custom pieces for individual customers.

Purple Passion involves Fluorite and Amethyst cabochons which were cut this week. I started Monday morning cutting three amethyst, one fluorite and one ruby cabochons. I have finished cutting the cabochons, and have completed two as necklace pendants. First to be examined will be the Fluorite. This gemstone is quite soft (Moh’s hardness = 4) and must be set in a protective setting. So I designed a bezel setting for the freeform stone. The fine silver bezel wire had a 20 gauge Sterling silver wire soldered to the bottom of the bezel to support the back of the stone in the setting. Then I hammered the bezel to produce dimpling. The top edge of the bezel was scalloped with saw and file. Finally, a bail ring was soldered to the back of the bezel. Now that the bezel setting was crafted, the stone was placed in the bezel and the scalloped edge was burnished over the edge of the cabochon and here is the finished product:

The rest of the 20 inch necklace was made with fluorite chips and silver colored ball chain. The next necklace was made with an amethyst cabochon. I had an amethyst crystal about 5 inches long. I cut the crystal into two pieces along the c-axis and then cabbed each stone. One has been completed with wrapping with 22 gauge Sterling silver square half hard wire in a criss cross pattern. The resulting pendant is about 3 inches by 1/2 inch. Here are my two pictures of this beautiful wire wrapped pendant.

Now I am watching the first game of the finals for the Stanley Cup, Boston playing Vancouver. Even though Boston beat the Flyers, I will root for them as they are one of the original six teams.

My granddaughter will be celebrating her birthday this July. As with the other recent birthdays, I try to make her a unique artisan piece of jewelry. This year, I am also honoring her for being inducted into the National Honor Society at her high school. Less than 1% of the students in her school receive this honor. Debbie and I mined in Franklin, NC (the Cowee Valley, where there are active ruby and sapphire mines) and found several pieces of ruby. I have had this piece of rough for a couple years now, and thought it would make a great cabochon. The stone is not of facet quality. The associated mineral us Fuchsite (a form of Muscovite mica, usually green). The rough was basically a drop shape, so I followed that and cut the cabochon using a Genie cabbing machine. The result is a 148.95 carat cabochon, with a wisp of fuchsite still attached. Then I designed a “frame” of wire, sheet and bezel wire to hold the stone to make a necklace. All components are Sterling and Fine silver. The wire wrap was soldered to the back of the piece, then wrapped across the front to hold the bottom of the stone in place. Fine silver bezel wire was soldered in place to hold the top point of the cabochon in place. Finally, the bail was added and soldered together. The pendant was then hung from an 18 inch Sterling Silver chain.

I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I had crafting it.

This is the official Artfire Artisan Jewelers Guild blog.  Carolyn Good is the lead point artisan for this blog.  She will be contacting members and soliciting blogs, however, please feel free to go to the submit page and submit anytime.

AJG has one official facebook group page.  It is restricted to membership from the Guild.  Kay Sommers will be the lead artisan for Facebook.  You can find the group page here:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_202374129805268

John

After three years I am stepping down as Guild Master of AJG. It has been a pleasure working with each and every member.

I am moving in another direction from the guild and thought it only fair to resign.

John, gemlover has agreed to take over as GM.

Do follow my Personal page!

Thanks bunches! Dee

Find this ring for that special father or man in your life. Its in my artfire studio at www.secondnaturedesigns.artfire.com

It can be custom made to size and either oxidized or left shiney silver.

From some of the members MAN Gifts!

Lukelys - Silver Cratered Moonscape Cufflinks

2goodclaymates - Motorbike Tie Tac/Lapel Pin

Silver River Jewelry - Double Opal Copper Pendant

CreationsbyCarolLadine - Skull Guns and Roses Ring

exquisiteartfire:

So if you like Exquisite Artfire thus far, please follow us, and spread the word on FB and Twitter and anywhere you think appropriate.  The idea here is quite simple.  Add a picture and link to your exquisite creation or wares from Artfire.  So far the only rules are -

be polite

only Artfire pictures and links

you may most certainly post links to your items, but also find some examples from other studios on artfire - reseller’s may be deleted at our discretion…

For the recent past, I have been almost exclusively making pendants and necklaces.  The most recent have involved beading, silversmithing, stone setting, lapidary, design and several other techniques.  This pendant was inspired by the rock crystal cabochon that is the focal spot of the pendant.  It is internally flawless.  Using sheet Sterling Silver, I sawed the back of the pendant in an outline of the tear shape of the cabochon.  Then adding a 4 prong head for an accent stone, I set the cabochon with fine silver bezel wire.  A 6 mm faceted Citrine was added as the accent stone at the top of the cabochon.  

 

 

Today, one of my friends will be coming over to the shop to begin his journey toward gems and jewelry.  He is young and wants to begin learning.  So today he will start learning about gems and their properties.  With temperatures predicted in the 90s this weekend, I will enjoy staying inside to work in the shop at my bench.

Perfect for the man in your life

I decided to take a bit of a walk on the wild side.  I was looking at a quartz cabochon in my inventory and decided to use both copper and fine silver to make a bezel setting for this stone.  In order to show the internal flawless condition, I wanted the back of the pendant to be open.  This cabochon is so clear and cut so it works like a magnifying glass.

I traced around the cab on a sheet of 23 gauge copper with my carbide scribe, then using a divider scribed a line 2 mm outside the cab marking.  Cutting out the oval and then piercing out the inside oval gave me a ring about 2 mm wide.  Chasing widened this a little and then I had a shelf to put my cab on in the bezel. Next was the forming of the bezel wrap with fine silver.  This was done, sawn, and soldered with hard silver solder. 

Fashioning the bail for the top of the pendant was done with an 18 gauge copper jump ring chased on my anvil and provided a flat ring that was soldered to the back of the oval. 

The bezel was then soldered with easy solder to the front of the copper oval.  Pickled and polished the setting, then put the cabochon in place and burnished the bezel wire.  This produced an extremely unique and beautiful pendant for either a silver or copper chain to make a necklace. This and other artisan jewelry pieces that I have made can be found in my online shop.  Please stop by and look at your leisure.

Although impractical, this Hard Boiled Eggs method can avoid your precious creation get ruined by Liver of Sulfur. Liver of Sulfur is a sulfur solution that’s widely available and used to give rich patina on silver, copper, and brass. However, softer stones may be stained by this patina solution if you left it in the solution. Liver of Sulfur may leave undesirable effect on your stone. Applying Liver of Sulfur should be avoided on soft stones such as non-stabilized Turquoise and light colored drusies (I’ve had some stain on my drusy caused by LOS).

How to Patina Silver/Copper/Brass using Hard Boiled Egg Method.

Materials:

- Chicken egg

- Zip lock bag/small plastic container with air tight lid

- Small towel

Instruction:

1. Hard boil an egg. If you stored your eggs in the fridge, boil for at least 15-20 minutes.

2. Immediately put the hard boiled egg inside a zip lock back along with your jewelry to be patina’d. If you use plastic container, slice/crush the egg in 4 parts and put each of them in each corner and your jewelry in the middle. I like to put my jewelry on top of the egg so there’s no “flat” spot left unoxidized. Quickly put the lid on.

3. Wrap the container inside a towel. This will keep the eggs warm longer. The oxidizing process will stop once the eggs has cooled down.This process usually take 20 minutes - an hour. If you have a lunch box that can retain heat, you may put the container inside that to prolong the heat.

4. Once the egg has cooled down, remove your jewelry. If the patina is uneven, you may repeat the process with a new egg.

Your jewelry should look like this if the patina process is successful. Evenly dark all around.

I hope this tutorial is helpful.

-Kharisma-

Kharisma Sommers is the owner of Popnicute and PopnicuteSupplies.

I love creating “Goddess” jewelry designs. Goddess Selene Necklace is a design representing the Greek “moon” goddess. Selene has the power of giving sleep; lights the night and has control over time.

This goddess is part of a sterling silver chainmaille necklace with carnelian, onyx and bone beads. She is crowned by a wreath of sterling silver wire loops. What a beautiful serene expression she has…would that help you to fall asleep?

See the Goddess Selena Necklace and other jewelry art at my Artfire Studio - AMDesigsnbyAngela

Hey everyone!

Why don’t you stop by my website and tell me what you think about it.

Art Jewelry

I look forward to meeting you.

See these rings on Artfire.

Using 14 gauge Argentium Sterling Silver, I make these three skinny Silver Stacking Rings by first fusing each ring and then lightly hammering it. I tumble them for a bright shiny finish.

These rings are each 1.6mm wide and are slightly rustic and sometimes ever so slightly wavy. You will not receive these exact rings. Your rings will be custom made just for you. Very slight variations may occur.

These rings are fun to wear just by themselves or grouped with other, different rings for a wonderfully unique look.

Each set of rings is made to order in any size from 3-16 including half and quarter sizes.

About a year ago, I bought a fire agate cabochon from a fellow artisan lapidary.  Last evening, I had an inspiration when I looked at the stone again.  I saw how to put it together with Sterling and Fine silver to make the pendant for a necklace.  Single stones seem destined to make necklaces or rings.

Using sheet Sterling Silver, I pierced out the shape of the stone and drilled a small hole in the center of the shape (used to pop the stone out while fitting).  Taking the fine silver bezel wire, I soldered the wire to the back of the pendant and set the stone in the serrated edge that I made with a triangular file.  Before setting the stone, the bail was soldered to the back.  All this made a very unique and beautiful necklace:

gemlover

Hi, I’m Carol at wiresNpliers, and I like to bend, twist and turn, pound, tap, and even chisel metals. I am ever learning.  I am especially looking forward to trying my hand at etching metals without hand tools, and the need for a box of bandaids after the fact. Duas Amazonas

I have been making jewelry and other items for about 8 years now, and plan to retire from my day job as a hairstylist very soon. I hope to make a smooth transition and interface one profession into the other. Either way it will be nice to not have to put one thing away to go and do the other. ~cheers~

I am a member of the ArtFire Artisan Jeweler Guild living in Georgia.  I work in so many jewelry media including precious metal clays (perfer copper and bronze), polymer clay, ceramic clay, metalsmithing, and resin that it’s hard to pick a single medium—often I combine two such as ceramic pendants and wire work.  Right now I am working on getting my firing schedules sorted out for copper and bronze clays.  My first attempt had a perponderance of good luck—the second, so-so.  But while not intended, some of the second batch are really cool and will make unique and amazing jewelry…check out the results next week at http://catcophony.artfire.com—Diane

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Here are some etched copper washers I etched yesterday. These are for some planned projects!