New Earrings!

It's really awesome when a piece comes together perfectly, from concept to creation! That is how it was with my two new pairs of earrings I have listed in my Etsy shop! I got two fabulous pink mystic quartz gemstones from another Etsy seller, and knew I wanted to do something special with them. I waited til I had the perfect mix of pinks to go with those stones, which ended up being small pink sapphires and cubes of faceted rose quartz! Done up in 14 kt gold filled wire, these earrings were fun to create and I think they turned out very nice! The second pair happened today as a burst of inspiration came over me...I was looking at the faceted citrine beads and wanted to do something a little different with them...then I spotted my strand of flawless peridots that I have been saving for something special...and voila!...my citrine vine earrings were born! Hope you like them!

Finally!

Finally, I have decided to start a blog, to share my thoughts and inspiration with those of you out there who also make jewelry, or who just love jewelry as much as I do. Also, an occasional story about a volcano, since I am studying geology full-time and hope to someday be a working volcanologist. Believe me, it's ALL connected... geology, jewelry, minerals, volcanoes, magmatic processes, gem deposits and precious metals!! Without magmatic processes, we would have no large gemstone and precious metal deposits from which to create jewels, since a majority of gems grow as magma and/or magmatic fluids cool slowly inside the earth. (Well, there wouldn't be life on earth either, but that is another topic for another day!)

Wire wrapping is my passion although I do make other kinds of jewelry as well...I enjoy pearl knotting, stringing, working with chain, metal work, making glass beads etc. I recently received a cabbing station from a dear friend for my birthday, so I will someday be adding my own handmade cabs to my line of jewelry. I also recently joined the New Mexico Faceters Guild and have begun to learn how to facet my own gemstones! This is an amazing thing for me as it has been a life-long dream of mine to be able to cut my own gemstones! Extra special that my geologic and rockhounding activities have helped me to amass a large collection of gem quality rough material that has just been waiting for me to do something with!

This blog is intended for me to share some of my jewelry making experience, techniques, inspiration, ideas and challenges with you. Welcome!