On tap for today.... and a hint

Lots of new and fun things to photographs - this was a quick image I took yesterday - just on auto w/ flash - so it doesn't do them justice, but its just a hint of how fabulous they are. I'm thrilled w/ these and the batch of rings I'll be mailing out today! Hopefully I'll be finishing up several others and get them photographed as well.

Comparison - sterling, 14k palladium white gold, 14k yellow gold

comparison
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I've been meaning to post this here for awhile, and today is the day!
Just wanted to show the comparison in color of the 3 metals I use most. These are shown without the patina, but give for better comparison of the true colors.

charms all done!

charms all done!
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

yup. just as it says. Charms are all done and in the mail. bye bye! They are all a little different. Some are even more special w/ a little vine and some also have a little leaf. I don't like making the same thing over and over again. Luckily I don't have to choose who gets which one!
Thanks to Sara for doing all the hard work and getting it all together and keeping us motivated!

charm swap progess

charm trees
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

So all of my charms turned out and i was super happy. I think one or two of the diamonds might have turned in to metal - I'll have to see when I get them all completely cleaned up. It still is a lovely effect!

Yesterday was a most productive day and it didn't necessarily feel overwhelming which I am very glad for.



I even managed to get all 4 rings finished + 2 more, and get all the charms separated and cleaned - free of investment and pickled! yippee! So I will be able to get them all in the mail on time. Today I'll work on cleaning up the sprues - I have lots of other things to do as well, so I might not be able to get them patinated and totally finished. we shall see!

Subtlety - New Wedding Bands

Subtlety
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

When I was first learning to cast, I remember my teacher specifically saying not to cast something that can be fabricated more easily. When I was thinking of making these rings, that was all I could think about. Was it worth casting these when they are really just simple bands? The more I thought about them and looked around at other "simple" sterling bands, the more I realized that they are different and they are worth casting. It's subtle, hence the name.

The edges are soft and there is a very slight 'texture' that can only be achieved through the soft wax that I use. They are silky and satiny looking to me. And oddly, were hard to focus on as there seemed to be no hard edge the autofocus could land on! There is something about these that make me really happy. They are almost calming. A customer said it reminded her of a pool of water. They kind of remind me of a gentle breeze... maybe blowing over a pool of water.


You can see the listing on Etsy or Artfire.

ant hill garnet and palladium white gold w/ patina

ant hill garnet and palladium white gold w/ patina
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

so things have been really busy - as you might have noticed in my lack of posting. I am finally starting to feel like I'm getting caught up. I still have.... well, a lot of work to do, but I've gotten over that hump of feeling completely overwhelmed. I opened my Etsy shop back up - I had decided to close it for a few days to give myself some breathing room. It really helped! Yesterday I completed some important projects I had been working on. This set included - the first tube setting in palladium white gold. I've done tube settings before, though just using ones that had been purchased. Since you can't buy tube settings in palladium white gold, I knew I had to make my own. And since the tubing existed - I figured I could do it. I had to do a practice one in sterling first and I think it turned out pretty fabulous!

Though oddly enough - I am finding that flush setting is easier for me. I was scared of it for so long and now when I have an extra few minutes I drill a hole in a discarded ring and throw a stone in just for extra practice! It revamps the ring and gives me more confidence in offering it to customers.



So, yup, I'm still really busy, but going to try to come back to a more balanced work load that includes at least a couple of blog posts a week!

Review - AJM Guide to Lost-Wax Casting

I just got this book the other day and am super excited about it. When most of my casting was pretty straightforward - it was easy! I went years and never had a casting not turn out. However, as I've progressed and started experimenting - I try risky things that I haven't done before and often come up a little short. There is a great troubleshooting section which is just what I need! Its not a huge book, only 116 pages, but I can tell it is going to be a fabulous resource. It has a lot of info other books I have don't cover and one aspect I particularly like is that it is a collection of articles from different authors. You can check it out on Amazon, or the next time you place your Rio Grande order, they have it too.

New Setting!!

love knot w/ tube set stone (diamond)
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I am so incredibly excited about this. You know how sometimes you think about something too much and it turns it in to a huge seemingly insurmountable task. Well, finally, I worked on this design and it was a million times easier than what I had built it up in my head to be. I'm not sure why I thought it would be so difficult. Or maybe all that 'thinking' worked it out in my head so that finally when my hands got to it, they'd been mentally practicing for months? can that happen?!

I really like casting the diamonds in place b/c it gives a really nice and subtle look - but this is definitely a close second! I used a gold tube setting - well, b/c it was what I had, but also I really like the combo of mixed metals.

The excitement of finally creating this setting is that now I can do any kind of stone someone might want! Before, I was limited to diamonds, rubies and sapphires - or synthetic stones. And those don't even turn out every time they are fired (I'm working on that too though).

This ring had actually been a 'mistake' - and had a diamond in it that hadn't turned out. so I unearthed the damaged diamond, drilled a hole the setting would fit in to and soldered it in place. And lucky for me, its just my size! Sometimes I like to keep the prototype of something - it helps me remember what I did, where I've come from and how I can improve.

I hope today is as wonderful and successful of a day (for you too!).

Rough Ruby Knot

Rough Ruby Knot and sterling
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

Its an idea I've had rolling around for awhile, to get some rough diamonds rubies and sapphires to cast in place as my 'knots' And I finally got some to play with! This is the ruby version. It was one of my favorite of all the batch that I got and thought it looked perfect like a gnarled tree knot! Though I love working on custom orders, it was really fun to just make something that I've been wanting to do. Though I did make it in a size I couldn't wear! You can see the listing here and the green sapphire version here.

New Wedding Band set - Midnight Vine

Midnight Vine - set
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

These were based on a ring I made many many years ago. One of my very first cast rings. Its refined a little bit from the original version, but I think has the same essence - and I think is a much more successful as a wedding band. You can check them out here.

palladium w. gold love knot w/ patina

palladium w. gold love knot w/ patina
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I love working w/ palladium white gold - and I think it looks oh so lovely paired w/ a diamond and my tree bark texture! My new listing for EtsyMetal's New Release Thursday!

14k palladium white gold tree bark rings

14k palladium white gold tree bark rings
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I got the set all finished. I'd done a set before but they were both the same width - I had yet to do a complete set! But yippee!! all done! These are without the patina. I'm half hoping they want the patina so I can add it and get photos of them with it. But its much easier to add the patina than it is to take it off.

Though they do look quite lovely just as they are! So warm and lovely and luxurious. You can see the listing here

Leaf and Diamond ring

leaf and diamond ring, a bit more patina and dulled down a bit
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

This was another custom order - one of a pair I am working on for a sweet sweet couple. I love the simple elegance of the single tiny leaf imprint and slightly offset diamond. It was made in wax and the diamond was cast in place. I had initially finished it shinier and with the patina only in the leaf, but it was a little too 'blingy' (my word, not his!) for the groom, so I added some overall patina and kept a matte finish. Its simple, elegant and organic.

Check out flickr for more photos and the shiny previous version.

palladium white gold dandelion wishes

palladium white gold dandelion wishes
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I recently finished these up for a couple in the Netherlands! I love working with white gold. I recently got an account with a new company and tried out their palladium white gold and like their variation of the alloy even better!

I also did some dandelion key chains for them as well! That was super fun as I haven't made key chains in a long time. I used to make great 'scrap' key chains that were super fun and always different, but that was about 5 or 6 years ago and I haven't made any since!! You can check out more photos of these rings and the key chains on flickr.

Ring all finished

ring all finished
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

This ring had to be remade. The first stone that was in it must have had some weak matrices (obviously) as a piece fell right out of the middle of the stone. It was the weirdest thing I had ever seen. You can see the original here. I didn't have any others really close to that size or shape, but went to the Franklin gem show a couple weeks after I got the ring back. So I was on a mission to find something kind of similar. I brought back about 10 stones for my customer to choose from, and I really think she got one of the best. It is so unique and reminded me of a Japanese landscape painting - an wirey looking tree growing up and off the size of a cliff. I was both sad and happy that she picked this stone. Sad to see it go, but then again, I liked it so much I probably would have left it in a drawer for a few years before ever using it! It is safely on her finger now.

Tree bark ring set w/ diamond

tree bark ring set w/ diamond
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I have some of the most lovely customers. Julie from Vancouver, sent me her and her husbands wedding bands to melt down and cast in my tree bark texture. She also sent along her engagement ring with this sweet diamond. I absolutely love how they turned out!!

So I made some new rings in wax - added the diamond to hers and put them in the kiln! After waiting a several anxious hours, they were ready to cast - I melted down her rings and cast them. Then I had to wait another hour to let them cool - quenching too soon can shock a diamond and cause it to crack. Everything came out perfect!! I added a patina which gives gold such a lovely earthy tone. Who knew I'd be a gold and diamonds type of gal?!

I had actually done an experimental one with a smaller diamond a week ago, but when i tried photographing it... the lighting was all off. I'll have to rephotograph it and do a post on it too. A much smaller diamond, but super cute. I really like the contrast of using gold, giving it a rough and organic texture and pairing it with something sparkley, like a diamond.

I also got a couple of sapphires I am wanting to try - I think they will look gorgeous in silver or gold. So many things I want to try and so little time! I am off to get to work!

Land Sea and Sand Rings - set

Land Sea and Sand Rings - set
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

This is a new custom set I've been working on for a couple getting married at Coney Island!! They sent me some lovely 'findings' from the beach and i created these rings with 3 distinct textured sections. I really liked how all the shells and drift wood looked layered together which was the inspiration for the design of the ring. One section is the wood, one is the sand, and one is the shell. I really like how they came together.

Gold Tree Bark Rings with patina

Gold Tree Bark Rings with Patina
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

All finished and with the patina!!! I love them. And more importantly, so does Sarah and her soon to be husband!

I used to not like gold very much. That was, before I actually worked with it. Gold is so lovely to work with it, I jump at any chance I have to use it! It is just so warm and lovely and seems to have a depth to it that sterling doesn't have. Maybe its just that I look at sterling all the time. But I think gold is something special. And these rings, they are something special also!

oooh loooky!

oooh loooky!
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I just couldn't wait until these were done to share!! I'm so excited. These will actually be my first full set of tree bark rings in yellow gold. I've done single ones and sets in white gold. They are so pretty already, I'm excited to see them all finished. As I'm sure the happy couple that will be wearing them will be too!

Look for the finished photos coming soon!

Eucalyptus and tree bark rings

Eucalyptus w/ tree bark
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I love these rings together. My new eucalyptus leaf imprint and my ever popular tree bark. At some point I'll work on a set of three rings that will each be a different natural texture. For now, enjoy these two! Oh and look for more of the leaf imprints to come. I really love working w/ eucalyptus! It smells yummy and looks so pretty!