The Teaball Project

This is a metal smithing project I did on my art blog.  It's both art and metal so I think it should be on both blogs   I made a teaball out of sterling because the standard store bought ones are not big enough for a pot of tea. This is not on my website  But pictures are on my Facebook page.

Braided rings

I've  been working on a set of braided gold and silver bands. These are open braids with one 2gold and 1 silver. The other is 2  silver and one gold

The braiding starts with 16 gage wire annealed to dead soft. I'm doing 2 different patterns so I need 2 coils 

The braid looks irregular and uneven at this stage but it can be straightened after soldering  the ends together by forcing it onto a mandrel

the finished rings silver and gold braid

This is one of the peices I've been working on that includes stones that I bought from a fellow artist at a "swap meet / flea market" for artists and art supplies. It was a fun day and I came away with a bunch of stones, some of which I don't even know what they are.  However I do know what this one is.  It's Charoite.  It comes from one place in Russia.

"It is a fairly recent discovery found in Russia in 1978 in the Murun mountains in Yakutia, near the Charo River. This is the only known location for this rare mineral. It ranges in color from a light lilac to a deep purple and can be mottled with gray, white and black inclusions. The chatoyant variety in a bright deep purple, is usually considered more valuable than the non-chatoyant variety although both are used in jewelry and compliment a number of other stones." from bernardine

 This is the domed side of a

 a 2 sided pendant

This big pendant is back set meaning the bezel was folded over the stone from the back and the "seat" that the flat side of the stone would sit on is now on the front   This makes this piece wearable either way

new display

As it turns out I'm not totally happy with the new display.  The bar for hanging earrings doesn't really function as hoped and I'm thinking of changing it again so I can include more earrings. 

New display

A new display is in the works for my jewelry at the artisans guild gallery in Gainesville  here are some pictures of the progress

First step was to cut some plexi to fit in the case that's there now

The current display is a black foam, rectangular block that I pin everything to. The block revolves inside the case. I'm replacing the block with shelves to, hopefully, let in more light. The birch dowel rods with black paint and copper brackets with patina are for holding the earring.  the shelf is upside down in this shot

test of concept. i think it will work

Here are the pendant boards set up on the earring shelf. There will be 2 of these. There won't be very much shelf space for things like cuff bracelets 

 Here is the before shot.  I have been using this revolving foam pad to pin things up with shelves below for bracelets and buckles.  The whole thing spins all the way to the bottom

 Here it is with no jewelry

 Here is the new look, I added the 3 shelves and the pendant displays with the earrings hanging from the black bars. some on cards and some just on the bars.

 the whole thing still spins

I like the way it came out.  There is about 20% less jewelry in here but it looks. More organized and more light which is why I got started on this in the first place.  So come on down and check it out 

 I had allot of help from my friend who couldn't resist trying on Rick's hats

If I had a hammer

Using my big textured face cross peen hammer, I forged out these tapered sterling rods. 2 are going to be bracelets and the the 3rd (first picture) is going to be part of a pendant.

Some of the other one off pieces being worked on at the same time