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!

New work and a bug...

I have a few new pieces finished up and ready for wearin!

Emerald and Prehnite Pendants...

Jumbo Herkimer Diamond ring...

Medium Herkimer Diamond ring...

Also, Lothar(my dog) and I were wrestling in the living room when I stumbled upon this buggy frozen like a statue. So I took pics! She was an excellent model. Looks great with blue lace agate! She is now back in the wild(my yard) bein all tough n stuff!

Mission Accomplished!

Well I finally finished my first ring with one of my very own cabs! So exciting!

From Slab...

To finished Ring!

New Bench!

New bench! New studio layout!

It is soooo nice to be out of the basement. I want to sleep in my studio! Sometimes I just sit there with just the desk lamps on at night and listen to music. My fav room in the house!!!

H20 Candy - Takashi Amano

So if you are a reefer, or a fresh water freak... well no matter what you are, Takashi Amano's planted tanks are just pretty freakin awesome to look at.
You can see more of his work here amanotakashi.net

Make sure to check out his tanks!!!

photo credits Takashi Amano