My New Favorite Stone...

is Larimar!  I was introduced to this beauty just this year when talking to a friend who had visited the Dominican Republic.  She had purchased a pair of handmade earrings made with larimar beads while on vacation.  The aqua color is amazing!

...and here is my finished ring!

Open Studio - Ready to Polish and Set the Stone!

...so, I worked hard at Open Studio on Friday and my ring is ready for polishing and setting my stone! This collage shows the set up and soldering of the bezel to the baseplate -- this time my soldering went really well, flowing on my first attempt.  I'm beginning to see the correct state of the flux and know when the solder will flow.  A pickle bath cleaned everything up.

Next, I sawed the excess silver into my desired oval shape around the bezel, leaving a small lip as part of the design.  You can see my sawing skills need practice but I did get the basic shape and a good filing will smooth everything and refine the shape.  I've discovered I really like the filing stage and the control it gives me to create the vision I have in my imagination.  Plus, it's kind of soothing in that you have to take your time and be so deliberate in your purpose.

 You can see the baseplate nicely shaped using a fairly coarse metal file.  Next I prepared the ring band to attach to the setting by first filing a flat plane on the band, opposite the original soldering seam.  Sweat soldering the flat spot prepared to the attachment. I spent at least 10 minutes lining up the band and setting (the 'third hand' tool is MOST helpful!) -- I was very worried I'd solder it off-center or lopsided - but it was worth it.  I got it just where I wanted! yay!

Here you can see the attached pieces, its next pickle bath and the ring all cleaned up and ready for the stone.

...and the stone fits!!!!! 

 

(Please excuse the dental floss -- I wanted to be certain I could remove the stone to finish the ring! :)

 

My first sterling silver sheet metal ring band!

Where DOES the time go???

After a couple more weeks of work around the house, the last two have been a whirlwind of family fun! We've explored every corner of the island and more beaches than I can count...such a wonderful time! You may have seen me on my boogie board, riding the waves! I've been weepy since they left for home yesterday -- we miss you guys already :(

and we'll see you soon!

I had my metalsmithing class this morning which helped take my mind off their departure.  So far, I've loved it! Our instructor is a talented sweetie --

she explains and demonstrates projects clearly and is patient with us too.  So far I've made a copper and brass pendant using sheet metal that I sawed and textured. Last week and today, our project has been a sterling band, also made from sheet metal. I remembered my camera today, so have some photos just prior to soldering through several stages of sanding and polishing.  Right now, the band is ready for it's final buffing.  I plan to go to the studio on Friday to finish it and create a wider band, also in sterling. 

After class, I scooted to a local bead store that carries gorgeous gemstone cabs.  I found several pretties - lapis, kyanite, turquoise and larimar (this one is new to me and is a beautiful shade of aqua blue). Our next class project is creating a bezel setting and I plan to add it to my ring.  I am VERY excited about this step -- something I've been keen to learn for quite a while.

My ring band, ready for the final polishing!  I'll make sure to take photos next class of my finished ring :)