Last week I went to my local Gem and Mineral Society for a broom casting session. All members that were interested had a chance to do some casting using sterling silver. We melt the silver in a crucible and then when it is liquid hot we pour it into the top of a gathered cluster of broom straw or pine needles or even juniper that has been soaked in water. One member even had some palm frond material that he wanted to try and it came out really well. No two are alike, and the organic structures are wonderful to set stones into for intricate and delicate designs.
Next time I do this I will photograph the process so you can see better how it is done.
Here are some finished pieces I had cast on an earlier date, as well as some newer ones.

These pieces have natural gemstones of Amethyst, Boulder Opal, Australian Opal, Citrine, Turquoise, Alexandrite, and Swiss Blue Topaz.
I also had made a gorgeous ring but chipped the stone while setting it.
An expensive Oops!

I was fortunate enough to have made a new jewelry artist friend in December 2008 while participating in Houston's Winter Street Holiday Art Market. She invited me over last Tuesday and we spent the day playing and creating with enamel. I had taken a previous class in Enameling several years back at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, but hadn't played with it much since then. My new friend Ingrid gave me a crash course and got me on track so now I can try it out in my own studio. Thanks Ingrid! Here is a link to her website so you can see the beautiful work that she does. Ingrid at Double Eye Design.
Here are a few photos of two pieces I finished.

Well it's been quite a while since I had anything new to enter here so I decided it was time! I have been working on a few new design ideas using something called Image Transfer System (ITS). It is quite different and has lots of potential. It is a transfer medium that allows you to transfer images onto metal. I purchased the product from my Delphi Glass catalog and it comes by way of an artist named Sherri Haab. You can visit her website at www.sherrihaab.com to learn more about the techniques and there is also a video. Here are a few photos of my new jewelry pieces using the ITS system. You can see more under the New Work category. Let me know what you think, feedback welcome!

Here are few photos of something new I have been playing around with. My glass artist friend Jan Locander and I are always trying to come up with something new and I was playing around with making a few new ring styles with her fabulous beads. I know that I can buy some of these mountings pre-fab but I prefer to make them myself. It is good for the soul sometimes to go out in the shop and pound on some metal with a hammer. So... Here are a few photos of the grand effort. Note the lovely hand model (My hubby).

I have been spending a little time at the Houston Gem and Mineral Society's Workshop lately learning to 'cab' my own stones. This means cutting, shaping, and polishing gemstone rough material into nicely domed and flat bottom pieces called cabachons. These are to be used in finished jewelry designs. Before learning to do this process myself, my jewelry was limited to designing around the stones that I would purchase mostly from the incredibly talented Lapidary Artist Ronald Talhelm. Now, I can design just about anything and then cut and shape my own stones to fit my custom settings. Granted, I am a beginner at this, but I am very excited about the possibilities on the horizon.






Photos include my first turqouise cabachons, plume agate doublet, my first heart shape cabachon, and leopard jasper.
The plume agate doublet was created using a layer of clear quartz applied directly to the top of a piece of plume agate to create depth.