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

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!

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

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

Blue Moon ...

We had a blue moon this month in San Diego (2 full moons in one month) which inspired this bracelet and earring design:



I used gorgeous lampwork beads by Marilyn of Novelty Beads, sparkly Swarovski crystals, luscious amethyst in the bracelet and sterling silver beads and clasp.

Misc musings ...

Got my consulting work done and once the customer gives it a try I should be off the hook until after Thanksgiving!

Finally designed a new bracelet - YAY! I've been in a bit of a slump. Partly due to the gem order I had to sort/ship, part due to losing Oscar. Now to just finish it off, take pics and get it listed!

Gino continues to entertain us! I have yet to successfully keep him locked into the kitchen when I leave. Today I put up all the crunchable/edibles but he managed to find a plastic cup Tony had and left teethmarks in it, moved one of Tony's shoes, pulled some OLD paperwork out of a file on the table and partially shredded it - I put all of it in the shredder since it is actually trash. He also found some headphones somewhere - I forgot to ask Tony where they came from ... This time he jumped over the barrier that didn't have chairs in front of it. Sigh!

Here are some more recent pictures of him and of Kirby ...



I still have no clue what breed he is exactly. Schnauzer I'm sure - but he has real curly hair from some other kind of terrier.

I also got to watch my friend make a bowl/plate at her glass lesson. I can't wait to see how the color comes out. It was fun watching her make it. I got to help with a little blowing in the pipe. Her instructor is Kathleen Mitchell and she makes GREAT glass gourds. I picked up 2 more for Tony's mom - in blue - which we'll be taking up to her. Hopefully she likes them!