Cabbing Update!

I finally put in some real cutting time this weekend! Here is what I came up with. Ocean Jasper goodness!
Things are finally starting to go a bit smoother(literally) in the Purified cabbing department :)

What I have been up to...

Just a quick update with some eye candy! Got to get back to the bench!!!! PEACE!!!!

Handmade Division Talk about...

This Month’s question is…

Are there artists you would love to collaborate with? What would you make?

I would love to get into doing collaborations. I have actually been thinking about this off and on for a while now. It could bring about some very interesting work! On top of that, it would be a great way to promote.
My current idea is for a ring. One artist would do the band design and the other would do the top design and possibly set a stone. Since each artist would only focus on one part of the ring, it would be much easier to add some great details and end up with a really unique piece.
I would also like to collaborate with a non metal artist, say maybe a painter and incorporate a small painting into a pendant. Or on the opposite end, do a cool copper or brass boarder for a painting... something along those lines. It would be nice!

Please check out some other artists on the Handmade Division Team who are sharing their answers to this very same question!!!

Andes Cruz - http://andescruz.wordpress.com/

Lisa Hopkins Design - http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com/

ceeb wassermann aka howlindoggie: http://mettledesignstudio.blogspot.com/

Rickson Jewellery - http://www.ricksonart.blogspot.com/

Susan Moloney - http://susarto.blogspot.com/

nanopod: Hybrid Studio - http://www.nanopod.tv/

Work, play, help others...

I'm super busy this week! Here are a few completed pieces...

Amethyst!

Rhodonite!

I'm thinkin real hard about starting a new nano-reef. If/when I do, I will document it here :)

Since I have been playing with lapidary lately, a helpful tip came into my head last night. Now this may be a well known thing, but whatever!

So if you are into setting stones, and you like your bezels tight like me(I like my cabs to "pop" into place), occasionally you may get a stuck cab, even using dental floss underneath it. So a good thing to have on hand would be some dopping wax, a dowel and a flame. Make sure your cab is clean first and heat it up. No direct flames and not too hot as to crack the stone, but hot still. Heat up the wax on the end of the dowel, and clump it onto the entire surface of the cab. Let cool for 20 minutes or so to room temp and pull that sucker out! When you are done put the cab in the freezer for 5 minutes and the wax will all crumble off. Thats it!