This necklace wears beautifully on a 16″ sterling silver chain so it lays right below the divot in the collarbone.
Rain Drops Pendant available at Silversmyth.com
Woke up with the brilliant idea in my mind for the above necklace. When great ideas come, I run to get my sketchbook. It’s usually those mornings when waking up slowly is possible. The alarm clock is no friend to my creativity. I open my eyes to sunlight and while still half asleep I start to imagine designs. It’s not a *try* kind of effort. It’s effortless. Thoughts just pass through and when that one brilliant moment happens I’m ready. Then I do my mad dash. Have to get my design on paper before it is forgotten.
I’d been thinking of ways to interestingly set cabachon gemstones. I just love lots of bright colors set in bright shiny sterling silver! I’m already thinking about my next multi-gemstone piece. Ideas are popping into my head constantly.
A good view of the bezel set cabachon gemstones
Wish there were two of me so one could be drawing up the ideas and the other could be working away at the workbench. Heck, I could probably keep a team of people busy with all the ideas floating around above my bed. Here’s just a couple of design sketches to tease you with…
Sterling Silver Multi-Gemstone Necklace and Earring Design Sketches
I just love how this bracelet came out. I feel like royalty when I’m wearing it. Here’s how it was made… the Reader’s Digest version…
This bracelet was made from scrap sterling left over from several months of jewelry making. The scraps where melted and poured into an ingot mold.
Silver Multicolored Gem Stone Cuff Bracelet
The ingot was then rolled into a sheet using a rolling mill. The sheet of silver was textured with a ball peen hammer. The bracelet was again hammered into a cuff shape using a bracelet mandrel. Bezel settings were soldered to the face of the bracelet and then garnet, amethyst, citrine, ruby, blue topaz, and peridot stones were set. Bezel settings work by compressing the silver around the stone. There is no heat or glue used to hold them in.
Once completed, I didn’t want to part with it… so I kept it for myself. But, I’d be willing to make another if anyone cares to commission one. Due to that hand made nature of this piece, no two will ever be exactly the same. That’s the real beauty in it. And of course the stone colors of your choice could be used. Questions? email: info@silversmyth.com
Three sterling silver rings, two of which are tapered out at the base. The ring tapered in at the base houses a lovely deep purple high dome grade AAA amethyst cabachon.
This is entirely handmade by Silversmyth, Julie Hiltbrunner. Expect to see beautiful variations of this Minimalist concept in the near future…
It’s almost an injustice to show this piece on a plain white background. It will look just stunning laying against someone’s bare skin. Time to get some models to show off the Silversmyth line, don’t you think?
With an 18″ chaind this one is $97. See the color selections available and the chain options in the button below. Thanks!
Silversmyth is happy to create custom designs for you.
The intertwined bubbles design was created yesterday to be symbolic of marriage.
I was thinking about design in its relationship to writing prose or poetry. The goal when writing is to say the most you can with the fewest words. Writing should be clean and uncluttered.
My husband and I discuss design often. He tells me that poetry is kind of like design in that it’s best when simple, not over-reaching for depth or meaning. It has to happen and not be forced, or at least it has to appear that way.
Here is a poem my husband wrote just before we married in 1998 which I believe to be an excellent example.
(Excuse me, I must go off topic for a moment… but isn’t that the sweetest gift? I love that poem. I have it stored in my jewelry box. It’s as special to me as the treasures I keep beside it. )
So much of the jewelry design I see when shopping online or in stores is cluttered with stones and beads. But my favorite designs to see and wear are simple and classic. His advice on writing and design put into words what I believe about design. My designs should be simple and elegant. Uncluttered and clean. They should make the person wearing them feel confident in wearing a classic look that will not go out of style.
What I like about this circle design that it is versitile enough to compliment any outfit from jeans to an evening dress.
On leather (as shown) this pendant is a great everyday wear item. If you plan to wear it with evening wear I suggest selecting a sterling silver chain in 16, 18, or 20″. The pendant should fall just below the collar bone. On a small person, that’s a 16″ but on most people an 18 or 20″ is better.
Pendant with brown/black cord or varius lengths of sterling silver chain. Your choice of White (Super Premium) Cubic Zirconia, Simulated Aquamarine, Lab-grown Ruby, Natural Yellow Citrine. (See photo of stone colors reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s lithographs and Paypal button below.) $84.
Woke up this morning with this design in mind… maybe we all do have muses that whisper in our ears. If I do, mine is an early bird because I tend to get my best ideas right upon waking.
The muse told me to rivet the connection points instead of how I typically attach metal… which is by soldering with a torch. The great thing about riveting is that there’s no heat involved. I will keep this in mind when summer rolls around as the Texas heat (100 degrees for 2 months straight) keeps me indoors as I prefer to solder in my garage space because of the fumes. My riveting tools all remain indoors at my workbench in lovely air conditioned space.
Another great thing about riveting is that it doesn’t turn the metal black like soldering…. so there’s not as much cleanup!
I just love the industrial look of these earrings… they say, “Hey, I’m a girl who likes tools.”
Just finished these stackable rings this evening. They are stacked up but not fused together so any number of color combinations could work. These would make a fabulous Mother’s Day gift.
These look like candy and make me really hungry for jelly beans for some reason… I know there’s an Easter basket around here somewhere!
$42 for February-Amethyst, June-Moonstone, July-Ruby, August-Peridot, September-Sapphire, November-Citrine, December-Blue Topaz.
$52 for January-Garnet, March-Aquamarine, April-CZ(cut tube set), May-Emerald, September-Sapphire, October-Opal
Silversmyth jewelry handcrafted by Julie Hiltbrunner. Unique and custom designs with classic simplicity in sterling silver. Blog details what has been created in the Silversmyth workshop, Fort Worth events and an occassional story on an an interesting artist... Enjoy!
Silversmyth jewelry handcrafted by Julie Hiltbrunner. Unique and custom designs with classic simplicity in sterling silver. Blog details what has been created in the Silversmyth workshop, Fort Worth events and an occassional story on an an interesting artist... Enjoy!