Recent Jewelry Creations

I made this necklace for my friend Jovita. I learned this technique a while ago from a wonderful jewelry teacher, Lisa Claxton at Baubles and Beads. Spool-knitting with sterling silver wire is not so difficult, but more a matter of getting into a rhythm, so that the loops are regular and even. You also add a handful of different beads and mix them up, so they are random. I chose faceted onyx, gray pearls, faceted hematite and tiny faceted sterling silver beads. I also made Jovita a pair of earrings to go with it.

This necklace was a creation for my friend Georgette's mother in law. Tiny fresh water pearls hand knotted on yellow silk and as a stunning centerpiece 3 round cushion-cut champagne citrines.

Silver Ginkgo Leaves

I have been making these Ginkgo leaves for a while now. They are made of PMC (Precious Metal Clay). This is pulverized fine silver made into a clay-like substance. It has a higher silver content than Sterling Silver, which is 999, (meaning it is 99.9% pure) while Sterling is an alloy silver , containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper . It is stamped as 925.

PMC is just as pliable as clay and therefore ideal for impressions of textures. I paint 15 - 20 layers of PMC slip onto the Ginkgo leaves. Once the PMC is bone dry I fire it in the kiln at around 1650 F. The extreme heat burns of the binding agent and compresses the silver molecules. The piece shrinks a little bit. Also the Ginkgo leaf burns away. What is left is its impression in silver. Since each jewelry piece is made from a real leaf and each leaf is unique, each pendant is different. The texture of the veins on the leaf are as individual as our finger prints. The Ginkgo tree is prehistoric and its leaves have medicinal qualities.