Jewelry makes a Great Gift

Adrian Fudge is now 4 weeks old and I can’t wait to get back to Seattle to hold him. Take a look at my last blog post and you will also see that I am not going to be able to have my yearly pre-holiday sale this year. I am already missing it but made the right decision for the present time. I am still making jewelry, as you will see below, and would still love to show it off.

If you are considering purchasing jewelry for gifts (or for yourself!) please don’t hesitate to contact me.  You can come to my home to see it or I can pack it up to show at your house, a coffee shop, etc. It is fun for me to just show it off; you don’t have to feel any pressure to buy.

The turquoise necklace below is made from the stones I bought several years ago from a roadside vendor in New Mexico. The cut of the stones and the way they are graduated in size makes them unique to the 60’s/70’s when they were shaped.

Kingman Turquoise & Karen Hilltribe Silver

Garnet is my birthstone so I am particularly drawn to it. These tiny garnets are faceted and shiny so I put them in a beautiful tiny chain of sterling silver along with sterling silver droplets.

Faceted Garnet & Sterling Silver

In contrast to the tiny garnets, I found several beautifully set ammonite fossil slices from the Cretaceous Age (found in Madagascar). The chambers are really well defined in all of them. I placed one of the single ammonite pendants on braided leather with sterling silver leather ends and clasp. Others are on sterling silver chain. The second photo is of an ammonite slice paired with a large fresh water pearl and faceted smoky quartz. I think this looks great with a rolo chain of sterling silver and additional smoky quartz.

Ammonite pendant on braided leather

Ammonite slice, fresh water pearl and faceted smoky quartz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least once a season I make a necklace from semi-precious stone nuggets because I love the colorful, larger size. They aren’t easy to find and I am always on the lookout. These green chrysoprase stones are one of my favorite “finds” at the Tucson Gem Show last winter. I think they look really good with the Java brass links that pull the rust colors out of the apple green

Chrysoprase & Java Brass

I highlighted the next 2 pendants in my last blog because I found the stone pairings unique and interesting. The  first has a large, faceted, green amethyst, a moonstone and a druzy. A druzy is a coating of fine crystals on a rock fracture surface or within a geode. There are green amethyst earrings to match (see last blog). The second pendant has a larger moonstone with a fresh water pearl and faceted amethyst at the bottom. I have this hanging from a sterling silver chain at the moment. Never hesitate to ask if I can change the length or style of a chain, etc.; sometimes it is very easy to do.

Green Amethyst, Druzy & Moonstone

Moonstone, Pearl & Amethyst

The last necklace featured here is very different, for someone who likes a long necklace and an “earthier” style. I have made several necklaces from similar pieces of lapis lazuli set in silver and imported from Afghanistan and they have been very popular. The silver content is unknown but it is tarnished, giving it an antique look.

Lapis and Silver from Afghanistan

So enjoy the season, take extra time to sit in front of your fireplace, and let me know if you want to see anything “in person”. The colors are always better, you can feel the coolness and heft of a real stone, and you can try them on!