Ruby Zoisite Necklace

Well hello again. The weather has kept me indoors for the most part since my last blog but happily it was a nice day yesterday and I set up my market stall at the Mossman Markets. I love those markets. They are small but very friendly and while tourist numbers are down there were a few locals out and about. I had a great day catching up with people I knew and chatting to others I didn't know, and I am happy to know them now. Not only was it a great day from a social point of view but I sold quite a few pieces ranging from my basic ear rings that I sell for $5.00 a pair right up to some Sterling Silver necklaces. And I sold one of the rings featured in my previous blog and had lots of really positive feedback from people who came to see what I had on my stall. The $5.00 ear rings are made with my left over beads. If I have 2 beads left they generally get made into ear rings. The beads can be anything from semi precious gemstones, cultured pearls, freshwater pearls or glass beads, even metal beads. I do make other ear rings that cost more and they are a lot more involved to make and made of sterling silver or rolled gold.

As we have had nothing much more than rain since cyclone Yasi a month ago I have not been able to get down to the beach to take photographs of my work I as make it. You would have seen that from my last post. Indoor shots just don't do the pieces justice like natural sunlight does but hey, that's just how it goes. One of the pieces I sold at the markets yesterday is a Ruby Zoisite, Sterling Silver and Rolled Gold Necklace I made during the week, the result of being cooped up inside. I wore it to Mossman on the Friday to see if it felt good on, basically road testing it, and I received compliments from just about everyone I spoke to. So, I thought, I'll put it out for sale at the market. One of the women who I had spoken to in town the previous day had admired it and when she saw me at the market she asked, "Where is that lovely necklace of yours". I showed her where I had it displayed and told her I had decided to sell it. She bought it there and then and then later on came back and asked If I could make a pair of matching ear rings. I've given it some thought and I now know exactly what to make, so that will be one project to keep me occupied this week.
 

Ruby Zoisite, Sterling Silver and Rolled Gold Necklace.

I mentioned that it's been raining, raining, raining. Some nights we had in excess of 250mm of rain. That means little out door activity but the opportunity to play around with silver and gemstones etc. (If the sun was shining I'd be mowing the lawn, or whipper snipping or continuing to clean up after Yasi). Below are a couple more photographs of examples of the work I have been doing lately. I'll post the result on a blog when I have made them.

Sandelwood Seed and Sterling Silver Bracelet

                                                                                      

 

I've mentioned in a previous blog that among the media I use, I use natural material, like seeds, to make jewellery. Above is a bracelet made with Sandelwood Seeds, sterling Silver Beads, Sterling Silver Clasp and finished with a cute Sterling Silver Frog Charm.

Coral is another medium I use and while playing around to see what sort of beads I could make with Sterling Silver I thought I would try a spot of basket weaving, quite appropriate when you consider I was starting to go stir crazy with all that rain keeping me indoors. I came up with this fun bead, I call it my bead in a basket bead. I will have to make some more woven beads. I haven't woven anything since Primary School when it was a craft activity we did with our teacher. Believe me, that was a long time ago so I will need to practice to make something really fabulous.

Bead in a Basket Bead made of sterling silver and a Coral Nugget.