22/52 Marchionesque

A Ring! 

Yes, I know I make lots of rings, but this one is a bit different. It is something that was on my challenge list for the year and it's all about the stone setting.

I've been wanting to make more large stone rings so this is just the first one, but also to start adding stones around the setting. I was really pleased with how this turned out.

The blue stone is an 8mm lab zircon and it is surrounded by 6 x 2mm lab rubies. I decided to carve the sides of the setting as well and was really pleased with the effect - the silver sort of looked quilted around the sides.

As it happened this one fitted me perfectly! ;) Unfortunately I decided to put it out for sale at my show last weekend and sold it immediately though!! So I'll have to make more along these lines now!

The texture around the band is one of my own designs. They will be for sale soon!!

Have fun!

Joy

New Work

 I've been having fun over the past few months making lots of different types of work.

These are a few rainbow enamelled pieces. I do love adding colour with enamel!! :)

Ive also been making lots more rings. No enamel on these ones, but still some colour on most of them (of course!) :D

The weather has been really hot over the last few days, but today it is cooler which is great as I plan to get enamelling.

So, it is kiln on and time to finish up a locket (or maybe two!!) that I have been working on. 

Photos tomorrow hopefully!  :)

Have fun!

Joy x

October Four A Month - Colourful Rings

 

I've made it (well almost!). This is the last of my late challenge pieces.

 

Colourful Rings! - my Four A Month for October.

 

These four rings are all fine silver made using Art Clay Silver. The first three have the stone fired in place. The one above is called Pink Diamond.

 

Below is Green Sunshine.

 

 

The next one is called Purple Dots. It has a slightly different construction method to the other two, which are made using my Ritzy Rings technique.

 

And finally this one is called Rustic Red Too. This has the same construction technique as the previous ring but the stone is set after firing. This gorgeous red CZ is a stone I brought home from my Japan trip a couple of years ago. You may remember I made me a ring called Rustic Red earlier this year using one of these stone but then sold it straight away :( I blooged about it back in July.

 

This one I really do plan to keep for me! It is on my finger now as I type...

 

 

... and to show it really is mine I put my name on the outside at the back of the band. That could be really handy if I forget who I am... ;-)

 

 

Here are all four ring together.

 

Now I just have to finish this months challenges and I am totally up to date.

 

I guess I will need a good finale for my December pieces - time to get thinking!!

 

Have fun :)

 

Joy x

July Four A Month - Bronze Rings, but nearly Silver!

My Four A Month Challenge pieces for July are rings!! Bronze rings to be precise - BUT they very nearly were silver rings :)

In my last blog post you will recall I showed you a stack of lovely shiny silver rings all made in fine silver using Art Clay Silver and I had planned to make four of those my FAM. However, I have also been doing a bit more experimenting and testing with the new Goldie Bronze clay and I wanted to see if I could make my usual styles of rings using that. 

DON'T PANIC - Art Clay Silver is, and I suspect always will be my absolute favourite, but with the cost of silver as high as it is, it makes a nice change to have a play with something else and expand the repertoire a little.

So these are the four rings I liked best out of the ones I made.

Stone Set Snake Ring, this has an embedded bronze prong setting to hold the stone in it which worked very well.

Sunburst Ring, a nice solid chunky ring, more suited to a man I think. I have not made many square rings but I really like the style. The design was carved in the clay state.

Spiral Ring, the texture around the band on this one is a texture I created using Scratch Foam. For more information on creating those textures have a look at this tutorial by Wanaree Tanner.

Last of the four is Stoneburst Ring. I really like this design. The textures on this are made using Rolling Mill Resource textures, and again it has an embedded bronze prong setting.

In case you are more of a silver lover here is my photo of the four rings that were going to be the Four a Month.

The ring below is called Rustic Red, and was my most favourite ring I have ever made! I was definitely going to keep it for me. The red stone is one I brought back from my trip to Japan in 2010. Luckily I brought four of these stones back because I wore this ring to the next fair I went to and sold it off my finger!

The raised setting for the stone had a lovely rustic look to it...

...with a finish that looked like it had been hammered, and the pattern around the band was made using a Rolling Mill Resource texture...

...and the stone was the most gorgeous red and sparkled beautifully.

Yep, that really was my all time favourite, but as my husband always say - no problem - just make another.

I think I will do just that ;-)

Phew that was a long post - well done and thank you if you made it this far!