SHOP NOW 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 ... 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 ...

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. View Product 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. View Product 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 View Product Caged Peridot Earrings AA grade peridot captured inside a sterling silver cage with AAA grade peridot dangling below. View Product Orange Glow Watermelon Earrings Beautiful watermelon lampwork beads hang inside hammered sterling silver rings.  Carnelian and peridot gemstones dangle above. View Product

Here are the online shows I'll be doing in September on Facebook: Sep. 6 1PM - Sep. 7 12PM - The Jewellery Show Sep. 10 4PM - Sep 12 3:30PM - LBA Designers Galleria Showcase Sep. 27 7AM - Sep. 29 2AM - Artist Spotlight 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.

7/2020 cserpentDesigns Newsletter - Mish Mesh Collection

 

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Mish Mesh Collection #THROWBACKTHURSDAY #TBT !!  I'm revisiting my Mish Mesh style designs.  The last time I made this style was in 2017.  I haven't made any since.  A soccer friend requested a smaller pair of Mish Mesh hoop earrings so I decided to make a collection of designs with various Mish Mesh pieces.  These are made from argentium sterling silver which fuses well when it is heated.  The name "Mish Mesh" came from the fact that these look a bit like mesh but due to the free form nature of metal fusing the result can be a bit of a mishmash.  I'm making one each of all the pieces so I can photograph them for my website and, since I get bored repeating the same design, I'm limiting the quantity to 2-4 each depending on the complexity of the design.  The pictures will show the piece I made.  The first person to order gets that piece.  Additional orders will be made to order and will be similar, but not identical, to the pictures. Shown below are a few of the designs in this collection.  Check out my website to see the entire collection.

Mish Mesh Hooplets Earrings These are a smaller version of the Mish Mesh Hoops Earrings.  These hang down about 3/4" (~1.8 cm). View Product Mish Mesh Spirals Earrings Light weight, fun, twisty mesh spirals. View Product Mish Mesh Spirals and Blues Earrings The spirals are a challenge to make but they look beautiful when they are finished and dangling from your ears.  Inside dangle kyanite and faceted blue sapphire to add some sparkle. View Product Mish Mesh Hoops Earrings Light weight, unique hoops.  These hang down about 1" (2.5 cm). View Product Mish Mesh Pendant The pendant was a result of a mish mesh spiral gone wrong - LOL!  One tricky aspect of argentium sterling silver is that if you stress it (for example grab it with pliers), while it is still very hot, it will crack.  The pendant resulted from the remnants of a cracked spiral that was reshaped and fused.  A stack of blue sapphires adds a nice little sparkle. View Product

It's National Mutt Day and I love dogs! If you don't already know that, you will if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

We always get rescue dogs and right now we have 2 - Max (our little old man) and Bijou (the youngster). Max (a Westie aka West Highland White) is from Westie Rescue of OC. They do rescue mutts as well, but they focus mainly on Westies.  Bijou (a Schnauzer mix) is from Karmic Rescue.  I share pictures of both of them regularly since they're both so CUTE!

In honor of National Mutt Day I'm doubling my dog donation. Purchase from my Dog Collection before midnight PDT and I'll donate 20% of your purchase to Westie Rescue of OC. I normally donate 10% of Dog Collection purchases but, for all purchases today, I'm doubling that!! Just click on the products to buy. I have many more designs in the Dog Collection and I'll be adding more throughout the day. Buy some cute dog love earrings to help more fur babies find loving parents!

The Love Bone Earrings are customizable! You pick the gemstone or color of glass that you want for the hearts.

The Rescues Rock Necklace is one of a kind so grab it before it's gone!

Here's Bijou	and Max

Rescues Rock Necklace Yes that is a rock that I captured between copper.  It is held together with brass screws.  A one of a kind necklace to show you love rescues!

Love Bone Earrings I create the bones by hand by fusing argentium sterling silver, shaping it, hammering it and then polishing it.  You choose the heart you would like.  I have a variety of gemstones and glass colors to choose from.  You pick the heart that is perfect for you.

I Love ❤ My Person Brass Dog Bone Tag A fun tag you can hang on your dogs collar.  If you want a different message (maybe you want a tag for you?) send me an email and we can figure out a custom tag for you.

 

The Very Nice Group on Facebook had a challenge to come up with designs based on the colors and textures in this inspiration collage:





With this inspiration I had some fun making new designs.  These will be in my shop once the inspiration challenge finishes tomorrow.  In the meantime enjoy!

Earthy Shades - amethyst sage agate, artisan lampwork, freshwater pearls, yarn and sterling silver


Softly Sulfured Waters Earrings - artisan lampwork, Czech glass, crystal rhinestones, citrine and brass



Sunshine, Sunset Earrings - Bumblebee jasper, artisan lampwork, freshwater pearls, carnelian and sterling silver



Whispers of Blue Earrings - blue lace agate, artisan lampwork, freshwater pearls and gold fill

What are you doing to keep busy while you're hanging at home? I'm making surgical mask earrings!

A lot of us in the United States are sheltering-in-place right now to reduce the speed of transmission of the corona virus.  I've been making jewelry (surprise!  LOL!).  It is also recommended to wear a mask when out in public so I had to see if I could make a mask with metal. It took a bit of measuring, remeasuring, hammering, annealing, folding, hammering, annealing, ... and finally enameling. Here they are! I can stamp a tag with MD, RN, PA, CV19, or ??? Or I can dangle a gemstone below them.



So what are you doing to stay busy while you're spending more time at home?

Tucson Day 1

We arrived in Tucson this afternoon.  Fortunately my mom is still doing well enough (she's in her 80's) to go with me and help me shop for beautiful gems!  We got out luggage and rental car and headed to the JGM Show.  It actually starts tomorrow but Toyo (Feng's Trading) lets me do some shopping while he's setting things up.  Of course he's continually tempting me with beauties that he's pulling out of boxes!  Here are some beautiful, double drilled pearls he has (and a peak at those maroon granulated pearls I'm getting).
       

I like these because they are a beautiful maroon color and look like they are granulated on top.  Very different!
    

And a shot of what I have in my basket so far :)  I'll be going back tomorrow to see what else needs to go home with me.  Aren't those amethyst leaves gorgeous?!!


After doing a bit of shopping with Toyo we headed north and east to find our condo.  We dumped our luggage, freshened up a bit and then went to the Blue Willow for dinner.  They have delicious food and a vegan vegetable stir fry which is quite tasty.  We both finished off the meal with desert - chocolate crepe with strawberries for my mom and a vegan coffee cake for me.  Quite delicious, but, unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures!