Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Pantone Colors of the Year - 2021

The Very Nice Group on Facebook had a challenge to come up with designs based on the Pantone colors of the year for 2021.  The colors are "illuminating" (yellow) and "ultimate gray".  Here is the inspiration picture we got.

I'm having a LOT of fun with enameling, and crackle enamel is what I've been playing with for many months now, so I decided to start by combining those colors in enameling.  With crackle enamel you layer many different colors layers, heat them up and the crackle enamel causes the colors to separate showing the colors below.  It is part science and part luck what you end up creating.  For these enamel pieces I used 3 colors for all - opaque grey, transparent and opaque yellow.  For some I also used a transparent opalescent white.  Just changing the order of the layers creates very different results. 

Here are the designs I created. The first 2 have enamels in the same colors and order.

Sunshine and Gray Skies - SOLD - Enamel on copper, artisan lampwork, citrine and copper

Relics - enamel on brass, dinosaur bone, citrine and brass

Relics Earrings - dinosaur bone, citrine, enamel on brass and niobium

Going Tribal - for these I changed the order of the enamel.  Gray was added at the end and it almost disappeared as the crackle enamel caused the colors to move.  The transparent yellow turned out brown as it reacted with the copper.  The patterns and shape reminded me of sea slugs - LOL!

For this pair I enameled in gray, added some gold highlights and then did feather raku to get those random black patterns.  Feather raku is a challenge.  You want to get some nice random patterns, but don't want a big black smudge.  I also used gold fill/vermeil beads and wire for the yellow rather than a yellow gemstone.

Golden Gray Skies - SOLD - enamel on copper, artisan lampwork, gold vermeil and gold fill

And, finally, I made a pair with just gemstones - though the lemon quartz is AAA quality with fabulous step faceting.

Leaves and Sunshine - Botswana agate carved leaves, AAA lemon quartz and sterling silver

This was a fun challenge and I enjoyed making a variety of designs in yellow and gray and it was a popular color palette for several of my customers as well!

Saturday, March 13, 2021

St. Patrick's Day is almost here. If you need some jewelry so you'll be pinch proof keep on reading.
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cserpentDesigns Newsletter

March 2021 #10

pinch proof green designs for St. Patricks Day
St. Patrick's Day is almost here! I've been remiss in sending out emails so I figured it was high time I got my behind in gear! I absolutely love the green beer mugs in the earrings below. If you're local and want to be pinch proof on St. Patty's Day we can hookup for in person delivery to make sure you get them on time.
Lady of the Green Kirtle Earrings - Handmade green earrings with chrysoprase gemstones, glowing green and metallic artisan lampwork, organic green ceramic spikes and sterling silver

Lady of the Green Kirtle Earrings
Originally made for a The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe themed show. For these I used fabulous artisan ceramic spikes and lampwork glass, chrysoprase and sterling silver.

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Malachite and Petals - Artisan, handmade green malachite gemstone, dainty, short earrings with sterling silver open petals caps in sterling silver, drops

Malachite and Petals Earrings
Sweet, dainty earrings with beautifully patterned malachite.

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A Mug O' Green Beer Earrings - Artisan made green and silver earrings with artisan lampwork frothy green beer mugs, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver

A Mug O' Green Beer Earrings
I just LOVE these frothy beer mugs! They are artisan made glass beads and hang below a rich, green Swarovski crystal and sterling silver connector.

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Artisan made dark green earrings with handmade dark green and square lampwork glass, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver.

Green with Envy Earrings
These have so many shades of green with silver sparkles!

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Deep In The Forest Bracelet - Handmade dark green and brown bracelet with artisan lampwork, ivory Kazuri ceramic beads, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver

Deep In The Forest Bracelet
The beautiful, ceramic Kazuri bead started off this design. I added fabulous lampwork beads, more kazuri beads and Swarovski crystals.

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Thursday, August 27, 2020

 

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cserpentDesigns Newsletter

August 2020 #5


Are you an August baby?  Peridot is the birthstone for August.  Maybe you just love peridot?  If so then read on ...

peridot gemstone
I love that peridot is such a bright shade of green.  For me it is a happy stone.  Peridot is known as the stone of compassion.  It is believed to bring good health, restful sleep and peace to relationships by balancing emotions and mind.  What I didn't know, until I did a little research, is that peridot is one of only two gems (diamond is the other) formed in the molten rock of the upper mantle of our planet and brought to the surface by the tremendous forces of earthquakes and volcanoes.   How cool is that!  I guess I should really say - how HOT is that? 
Even more interesting is that peridot has been found in pallasite (iron) meteorites.  The peridot stones from meteorites are usually very small since the meteors are subjected to tremendous stress in space and come crashing to the ground on earth.  Needless to say peridot from meteorites is pretty rare.

Some designs for the peridot lover ...

peridot and lampwork sterling silver earrings

Purple and Peridot Earrings
Fabulous peridot set in sterling silver hanging below beautiful green and purple artisan lampwork beads, framed by peridot and Swarovski crystals.

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Artisan made lime green black earrings with handmade glass peridot onyx sterling

Rough At The Top Earrings
I love these artisan made, lime and black lampwork beads.  Peridot and onyx are the perfect gemstones to accent the glass.  Peridot rough is on top with onyx rondelles.  Below is a faceted onyx drop with little peridot beads.

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Peridot and sterling silver necklace

Caged Peridot Necklace
AA grade peridot captured inside a sterling silver cage and flanked by A grade round peridot beads on a sterling silver chain

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Artisan lime green earrings with caged peridot and sterling silver

Caged Peridot Earrings
AA grade peridot captured inside a sterling silver cage with AAA grade peridot dangling below.

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orange glow watermelon sterling silver earrings with peridot carnelian hammered sterling rings

Orange Glow Watermelon Earrings
Beautiful watermelon lampwork beads hang inside hammered sterling silver rings.  Carnelian and peridot gemstones dangle above.

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Here are the online shows I'll be doing in September on Facebook:

I also have one more online show to do in August from 7AM on Aug. 30 - 2AM on Sep. 1 in the Artist Spotlight Facebook group.

If you're interested in any of these shows and not already a member of the Facebook groups just click the join button on the group page.