Revamp my etsy store

Yesterday I worked on adding more text to my site and improving my announcement. SO here's my ARTIST STATEMENT....I am not sure what draws me to create, but I feel compelled to ornament the human experience with constructs of my imagination. I see beauty in clean lines and in quiet and reflective pieces. The moon, shrouded in mystery, is a constant source of inspiration and the pieces I create resonate with the deepest parts of my human experience, which no words can express.....My style has been defined as industrial chic crossed with organic. My shop features my original designs handfabricated by me in sterling silver, copper, gold, pearls, champagne diamonds, precious & semi-precious gemstones.

http://www.sarawestermark.etsy.com

Prong setting

I got an order mixed lots of faceted stones from a gemstone company, and I never know what's in them. Well my citrine lot of checkerboard stones were not the medium ones I had hoped for, but were these huge ones!!! I decided that this would be a great opportunity to teach myself how to set a prong style ring. So I read up on it and this offset ring is the result of my study. Its very flashy, but it has the concrete hammered pattern on the band and is not as uniform as a stock jewelry store mold.

New Logo Metal Stamp

new logo
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

My friend and fellow metalsmith Rachael Sudlow designed this logo for me to have made into a metal stamp for marking my pieces with my name. I love the streamed lined design with clean edges and a twist. We all agreed at etsymetal that my last name was very "googleable" and that was good, albeit a long last name! It may not fit on all my pieces, but it will do for the smaller ones.
Now I just have to figure out how small to make it..........Be sure to visit her store!

http://www.rachaelsudlow.com/

http://sudlow.etsy.com/

sign up for her newsletter- http://www.rachaelsudlow.com/newsletter.htm

Hoops!

I have made a slew of hoops. Very simple round and hammered hoops. Somehow it seems very theraputic to just think with my hands. I begin with 19 gauge sterling silver wire and I wrap it around a dowel rod, or some cylindrical object with the desired diameter for the hoops. I snip the wire after two loops and "voila" I have two semi-curved pieces of wire. Then I take my wire rounders and make tiny loops on one end of each of the wires. Then I take a chainmaille or needle nose pliers and bend the loop to a 90 degree angle from the wire. I put both around the dowel and coerce into a round shape. Then I take a file (like a metal nail file, but for metal) or fine grit sandpaper (300) and file the sharp edges off of the non-looped wire end. Then when I get the shape I want, I take my favorite little hammer and gently hammer the bottom of the loop to give strength and thickness. Be careful to leave a centimeter or so of unhammered wire at the end that goes into the ear. I'm a fan of the brushed/satin finish, so then I take a green 3M scrubby kitchen pad (dry) and briskly brush the metal. The final step is to wash, dry and wear! You can also make a plethora of gemstone drops to dangle from the hoops! Have fun!!1

Happy Easter

Well I'm pleased to report that EXPERIMENT MERMAIDSTONES has worked out quite nicely and has kept me really busy. This morning the children came and opened up their Easter Baskets with sleepy eyes. I have to wake them up because they like to sleep in. I don't remember being like that as a child, so its funny. I have soooooo many things that I need to create and I am unable to because of lack of time. But I'm not lacking inspiration! We all had the flu here and we are still recovering--with I suspect secondary infections of some sort. Happy Easter to you too and wish us luck on eating 72 boiled eggs in the next few days!!!!

This drawing was for an alchemy request on Etsy, but it was rejected. It was going to hold rough garnets, but wouldn't it be lovely with any stones, or pearls in it? This is one project that I hope to get to in the coming week.

Enigma Garnets

This piece is one of my favorite pieces that I have made. I show it a lot, but I have been very reluctant to sell it. (I am wearing it a this very moment--I will sell it too if you are interested!! www.sarawestermark.etsy.com) The time that goes into setting the garnets is still enormous. Well, perhaps I should challenge myself to set stones in several pieces and that might make the process go faster. I drag my feet because these pieces have not sold as quickly as I would like them too, so I'm sort of afraid to put more time into them. This is part of the risk of being an artist. I should just get over myself and do it. When have I ever shied from risk? I do have good instincts--so yes, I'll do it. Today begins my challenge of quicker bezel set stones. They will sell with the right buyer--You are out there!!! Ready or not here I come!!! I started out with a jewelry making dream nearly 4 years ago and I have been surprised with the enormous positive response. One of my closest friends is also my biggest patron (see first blog). Its hard to have much self-doubt when I see her and she thinks that everything I do is brilliant. Truly I wish everyone had support and angels in their life as I do. I am truly blessed with a creative life and my dear family and friends. You know who you are. Without you, my life would not be possible.

Valentine's Day

Today I was trying to get around to my design with hearts on a pendant, but I got stuck making some heart hoop earrings. I also wanted to get these done, but alas I didn't get everything on my list done. There's still tonight! I am pleased with how this photo turned out. I experimented with light--used natural light, but also put a cloth up to have less shadow. The stone I use in my photos was found outside by my 1 and a half year-old son. I love this stone--color, shape, size and texture. My daughter picked up every stick when she was a toddler and now my son picks up every stone. Perhaps I need to do a piece themed "sticks and stones".......Aha! the inspiration I needed!!!