It recently occurred to me that the majority of the jewellery in the gallery is for women, or unisex. I decided that wasn't fair, and I do a lot of custom work involving pieces for men, and so have begun to incorporate men's ring designs into my work. Part of the challenge is making the rings appear masculine without being too plain.

For this ring I started with this flat topped onyx and designed the ring around it. I wanted to add a bit of a contemporary feel to a classic design, and so went with a wide, softly squared band, hand textured and highly polished, with a classic rub-over bezel around the stone.

It's only been in the gallery for one day, but is already drawing comments, so hopefully I'm on the right path!

Peace :)

One subject I never tire of creating is dragonflies. With stones or without, big or small, I enjoy the challenge of coming up with new designs of a familiar image. They've been a popular item in the gallery as well, which is a bonus!

This large yet light piece features open upper wings, which is an element I've not tried before, but am happy with the finished piece. Lots of texture and intentional patination gives the pendant a feeling of depth and weight, although it is very light when worn. It is a design I will continue to play with, and one I hope you will continue to enjoy!

Peace!

Congratulations to Maureen G. and SydneyT. on being the prize draw winners at Little Gypsy's Fine Jewelry, Gifts & Gallery last weekend. Each has won a $50 gift certificate!

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the gallery...good to see some old friends, and make some new ones:)

Peace!

A few years back I was lucky enough to be able to take a lost wax casting class at Mountain Gems in Burnaby, with instructor Rose. Being an avid carver, I was really excited to try my hand at micro carving pieces to create jewellery.

One element that often turns up in my artwork, whether I am carving, painting or sketching is the Wild Woman, and so she turned up in my wax carving class as well! Each element was individually carved, often under a magnifier due to the small size, then cast in silver which is an experience in itself...oxy-acetylene torch, centrifugal casting arm, lots of noise, flames and steaming water as you plunge your flask into a bucket of water once the silver is injected...primal and one of the most fun techniques I've been lucky enough to learn :)

The finished piece is a one-of-a-kind pendant, and you can find her at Little Gypsy's Fine Jewelry, Gifts & Gallery in Port Moody, B.C.

Peace!

because sometimes you just need to do something for yourself, the first thing I made with a recently purchased skull stamp was make a ring just for me. A good excuse was that my thumb ring had become very damaged over the years, sadly I wore away much of the beautifully carved native design, but the truth was I just couldn't wait to make myself a new ring!

Whether you call it a meditation ring, a fiddle ring or a spinner, this one has become my new favorite, and yes, I definitely make a lot of use of the spinning band. At this rate I'm going to wear away the skulls! On the bright side, I can make myself another one, lol.

Peace!

Whatever your affiliation or beliefs, I wish you a wonderful time on this beautiful spring day:)

I'm open at Little Gypsy's Fine Jewelry today, come on in, pick your gift, and crack an egg for 10, 15 or 20% off any purchase today!

Little Gypsy's Fine Jewelry is now on Facebook, and the website, while still under construction, is open to viewing....littlegypsys.wix.com/finejewelry. Pop on by and have a look, and a like!

Peace!

especially when picked up during a Mexican vacation! This commissioned piece recently completed started with a small bag of organic keepsakes gathered on the beach in Mexico. After looking at each fragment, we decided to go with this roughly heart-shaped shell fragment, and build from there. The first sketches were too heart-shaped; the client wanted something more organic looking, and so I came up with this organic, jagged design, and included copper overlay to pick up the colors of the shell.

Careful shaping of the bezel was required, to follow the contours of the shell as closely as possible, and I left the bottom of the bezel open, so I could move a little silver around without putting too much pressure on the delicate shell and risk breaking it. Epoxy was used to hold the shell in place, and a few places on the bezel were pushed over slightly, in the places it seemed safest. Lots of texture...and done!

Happy client, and lucky recipient of a piece of Mexico to wear every day!

Peace!