Showing posts with label bangle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bangle. Show all posts

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Challenge No.2 - Green Magnesite

Challenge No.2 - Green Magnesite

My second challenge is complete and yet again I thoroughly enjoyed it.  As I was working with plain rounds I wanted to make sure I used them in a way that made them look like something special and I really think I achieved that.  Since they are such a lovely bright turquoise I decided early on that I needed to team them with black to make them stand out.  I hope you agree that the contrast between the black and the turquoise is really eye catching. This time I managed to created a staggering 8 pieces, so that's a total of 13 pieces made for this challenge, so far!!

Here they are ......

    
Again, I started with a sketch......


The idea was to use black wire coils, made with the coiling gizmo, to separate the green magnesite.  However, I couldn't get them all exactly the same length and being a bit of a perfectionist I just wasn't happy with the finished product. So I dug into my stash of gemstones and found some faceted black agate beads for the job.  




Along with the agate and green magnesite, I also used black coloured copper wire and gunmetal coloured findings.  The gemstones and wire are both from Jewellery Maker.  The findings are from elsewhere, unfortunately, again, I can't remember where.

I also made matching earrings, ring, headband, bangle and bracelet using the same materials.  










After finishing these I only had single figures of the magnesite left so I decided to try out some chainmaille and use the gemstones just to add a touch of colour.  I made a bracelet and matching earrings using gunmetal coloured jump rings.






I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at the results of my challenge.  I apologise it took so long this time.  I've managed to get a bit of teaching work so I've been busy.  Over the weekend I'll reveal the next gemstone and hopefully it won't take me so long to get the pieces finished.  Watch this space ...

Saturday, 14 June 2014

My Favourite Gemstone - Lapis Lazuli

A Lapis Lazuli I made and sold over a year ago.


Despite Topaz being my birthstone, from the moment I saw Lapis Lazuli I was drawn in.  It intrigued me as has the topic of Ancient Egypt for so many years.  Lapis Lazuli was the gemstone of choice for the Ancient Egyptians.  The eyebrows of Tutankhaumn's funeral mask are made of Lapis Lazuli, Cleopatra (apparently) used powdered Lapis as eyeshadow and there have been hundreds of Egyptian amulets, ornaments and pieces of jewellery excavated over the years.  It seems only fitting that I would be drawn to Lapis Lazuli after being mildly obsessed with Anicent Egypt as a child (oh, who am I kidding?) and as an adult.

Lapis Lazuli is mainly mined in Afghanistan and as you can see it is an intense blue colour with lots of lovely specks of gold, and occasionally silver.  Lapis Lazuli is not one single mineral, but a combination of three.  It consists of Lazurite, Calcite and Pyrite.  It is the pyrite that gives it the wonderful shimmers of gold.

Now, apparently, all gemstones have some healing powers and special meanings.  I'm not dismissing that and I actually enjoy that aspect a little, even if I don't quite 100% believe in it, however, I can't find any reliable information on Lapis Lazuli.  The first 3 articles I read all stated different meanings and healing powers, so I thought I best not speculate and instead leave it to you to find out and decide, if you wish.

Lapis Lazuli Chips Memory Wire Bracelet.