Rocks and Fossils

What amazing things come out of the earth!  Here are a few pieces I completed this week.  The first is a bracelet with plume agate, fossil coral, ammonite, and trilobite fossils.  The bracelet is big, sturdy, and elemental.  I used a heavy gauge silver for the links and it is a gorgeous statement piece!



This set of four pendants are also excellent stones with a very elemental quality.  They are fossil coral, crazy lace agate, laguna agate, and ocean jasper.  The metalwork in these is very minimal.  I made them with the simple riveted bail detail after drilling a hole at the top of each cabochon.  This enables me to make a simple piece using less metal, thus keeping the price of these affordable.   All four stones were cut by lapidary artists in the USA.  I think they look quite nice on a simple leather cord.  These pieces will all be at Gallery 54 late next week.

Inspiration

At the Museum of Natural History Butterfly Exhibit, Washington, D.C.

My brother is a photographer.  He has studied photography for years and is quite talented.  I am not a trained photographer, but his work has inspired me to have some fun with it.  What better to photograph than gorgeous living things?  I took these in a live butterfly exhibit at the Smithsonian.  Nature inspires most of my work, whether literal or abstract.  There is no better source for generating creativity.

Delicate fuzzy green ferns.  This one I took last year in April.  It looks like a tentacle.  I can't wait for spring!! 


Taken in my mom's backyard!

Some Custom Pieces

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope everyone has a sweet day, with or without a sweetheart.  I plan to eat some chocolate, one way or another!

I thought I'd share a couple custom pieces I've made recently.  Both are destined to be gifts, and I hope they will be warmly received.  The first is a sculptural piece, a spider that showcases a gorgeous glass cabochon made by Sarah Bookbinder.  It is fabricated entirely by hand in sterling silver.

The ring design below is the symbol for "om".  Om is sometimes referred to as "the universal sound" and is symbolic in Hindu and Buddhist traditions.  It can also be translated as representing "universal spirit or consciousness".  This ring is fabricated in sterling with a tiny diamond.  This piece was custom made for a friend's sweetheart.

Arctic January

Morning frost on my window.

Happy New Year everyone!  I am finally getting around to posting some new work.  It has been very cold here lately - sort of an arctic deep freeze!  Being originally from the South, I am not particularly well-adapted to this sort of weather.  I've been alternating between hibernating, watching movies, and working in my studio to make new pieces for my galleries.  December is always super hectic for me and it takes awhile to catch my breath afterward!





Peruvian opal "cascade of leaves'.



Happy Holidays!!!

"Winter Forest", sterling silver and montana agate.

I just finished this pendant.  I am always drawn to unusual stones, and this one really asked for a unique design.  The stone is montana agate.  It is a high arched cabochon and is almost translucent.  To me this piece looks like a pine forest on a snowy day.
Thanks to all my friends and customers for a wonderful year.  Here's wishing you peace and joy during this holiday season and a happy, healthy 2013!

A Wedding

A very sweet customer of mine, Sarah, recently got married.  She asked me to make her jewelry for her, and I was honored to do so.  Sarah loves nature-oriented themes. For her wedding she had a beautiful pale blue/ gray dress with embroidered vines all over it.  To go with it she commissioned this necklace of cast silver twigs and blue topaz.

Sarah's photography was done by Hannah Penny, who I think did a wonderful job.  The photographs capture how beautiful Sarah is and the dimesional quality of the jewelry very well.  Thank you Sarah for sharing these gorgeous photographs with me! 

A Clear Crisp Day

Today is one of those clear, crisp fall days.  I love days like this.  It's the perfect weather to rake leaves, drink coffee (one of my favorite things!) and of course, VOTE!  I voted bright and early this morning.  I won't write about politics here, as I'm sure we're all saturated with it, but I have to say that today is a good day to be thankful for the freedoms we have, and voting is one of them!  One unusual fact about my life is that I was born in the Middle East, Iran in fact, because my father was working there at the time.  I doubt I will ever have the chance to return there, but I do often think about the situations women in the Middle East are faced with, and on days like this I am aware that there are still many people in this world who do not have the freedoms we all too easily take for granted.  We have much to be thankful for.  On that note, it's time to get back to work.  Happy election day!!  Here are some new pieces just out of the studio.


Lace agate, Kingman turquoise, sterling. 

I'm in love with this necklace.  I recently purchased some Kingman turquoise from a woman in Arizona and this is the first piece I have made with it.  Beautiful colors of the Southwest! 


Sterling lock necklace with labradorite.

This lock has a Victorian feel to it I think.  What is the significance of a lock?  There are so many different meanings we could read into it.  I like the mystery.


Spinning rings!  These are favorites of my customers.



Sterling silver with laguna agate. 

This one reminds me of the desert.  It's amazing how many different colors and patterns can be found in agates.  Happy Fall!!