engagement rings, bridesmaid jewelry, and wedding creativity!

I have been soo busy these past few months and Im so sorry to leave my blog hanging! I've been so busy this summer with family and friends but also planning my wedding!!

I wanted to create as many unique attributes for my wedding as possible, some related to jewelry of course and some a bit more of my creative side!   I'll be posting quite a few right in a row to catch everyone up on what Ive been up to!!

First off, Being a metalsmith I couldnt stand the idea of wearing a ring that was most likely mass produced. I do appreciate it the ring I got from my fiance very much and it certainly was beautiful! However, I really wanted to add my grandmothers diamond too it and a bit of my own personal touch.

(sterling silver, gold accents, diamonds and a yellow sapphire)

Photography: Kyle Hoffman Photography

Our wedding took place at Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown, NH

July 27th 2012

Not only did I re-design and re-make my own ring but I also made my Husbands ringas well!

Both rings have a lyric written on the inside...

Hers: it's always been...
His: there's no end...

 "You and me" by Soja
It's you and me, it's always been
And how I feel about you, there's no end, end
But you make me chase you around, all around
And then you need me there when you fall down, down
And when this dance is done,
You and me are still the only one
Well since our time begun
And I'm still with you even when your gone
When this dance is done,
You and me are still the only one
Well since our time begun
And I'm still with you even when your gone

Significance of the Yellow Sapphire

Happily married couples give credit to the Yellow Sapphire for its presence in their lives. The yellow sapphire is also said that if you seek to sort all marital problems, then it is the solution for you. The Power of this gem is such that the girl that you desire will be yours forever and if a girl will wear this gem then she will get married early!

Bolo tie, in progress!

In Enameling II Ken Bova assigned us to make a Bolo Tie. Being from New Hampshire I wasn't too sure what that was so I looked it up and apparently its basically a tie but looks kinda like jewelry too. So we had to design our Bolo Tie based on a specific person. I chose to do mine about and for my dad(he is an architect) and in the final result you will see a bit more about him really reflected. For now I have a simple sillhouette of a building that a drew and pierced out of copper. The plan is to have 4 layers, this being the top enameled component, then a thick layer of plexi to give it some depth then a sheet of paper cut from a blue print of his, then another back plate. Not sure exactly what I'll be doing with the finials at the bottom of the bolo cord. Guess you'll have to wait and see!

Erin Gardner's studio visit!

So I had the pleasure while in Oregon for spring break to meet up with Erin Gardner and check out her studio. Although we only had a chance to get together for less than an hour it was totally worth it. I spent part of the day  in Portland shopping a enjoying the unique city then made my way to Erin's studio. She's got a great space with Meg and it was awesome to see how such a successful Jeweler sets up her space. It is pretty overwhelming when you are about to graduate from school and be pushed off with nothing more then a few tools you may or may not have purchased along the way. Its refreshing to see someone maintain that creativity and flourish in the arrt jewelry world like Erin does. I saw a sneak peak of some of her new work and I even made it out with a pair of her red silhouette earrings! I highly recommend checking out some of Erin Gardner's recent work and projects.

More wax carving

For my senior studies class with Tim Lazure I had to design my own class to some extent. I was to come up with projects that I wanted to focus on that were relative to my senior show theme and that ties in with my work as a whole. As one of those components I wanted to really explore the wax carving technique and see what I can come up with. I told myself, (and Tim) that I would have atleast 6 carved and ready to be cast by the end of February. So far when I get the wax and tools out I love it and really get into it. However when the wax carving tool kit remains shut on my desk while I work on other things weighing me down my progress seems to suffer....strange huh?

Nonetheless, I think the little I have done so far is a start and I have plenty stirring in the sketchbook!

Electroforming = paint everything you can find in copper paint and see what happens

Electroforming has been a recent uplift in my studio. A new process that was introduced by Ken Bova in Contemporary Techniques. I heard and saw fellow students working with it last semester and have been interested since. However, when we were assigned the project  I came up with this idea that originally thought would be really great. I wanted to create a series of rings made from wax and other objects that I would collage together. (After they are completely painted in copper and set into the Electroforming bath for some hours they would be hollow copper basically). 

Long story short I just could not get into it and was not enjoying the process at all. Finally I decided to take a trip to the Dollar store then Michaels and see what funny little objects would inspire me. I picked up a bunch of random garden items, fake flowers and such at Michaels along with some plastic squishy grapes.

half painted with electrodag(copper conductive paint)

Lets just say that I ended up going back to Michaels 3 hours later and returned everything I had bought for more grapes.....or a whole bag full.

creative thoughts drowning in a never ending list of "to do's"

So I have a few different "projects" that I am working on these days in the studio at home and everywhere inbetween.... I have been super busy in there, if I am not working on the images you are about to see then I have been designing my resume, writing a business plan, learning to take "professional" photographs of my work, doing all my endless wedding planning that does not fit in well with a college student, making a website for the wedding, registering items for a house I don't have yet, meeting with graphic designers to do creative things on a computer, (things I finally realized I can't do by myself). applying to show after at show so people can actually see what I do all day in the art building, as well as learn portuguese as much as possible to communicate with this new family I am soon to be apart of.....All while trying to maintain a loving life with my family, friends, and fiance.

 It has been difficult to come to the studio, clear my mind and put away my to-do list. To sit down, and have creative, innovative thoughts. Sometimes, I get there and find myself accomplishing everything but the things I dreamed Id work on there the night before.....However, once I really get into it I never want to stop.

.....until my tummy growls.

Little Beauties I made for the Valentines Sale!