New Leaf Band

I'm so excited about making this ring!

It's not finished by any means but I positioned a cab I had on hand on top of the band between the leaves as a visual. I'm finding I'm having to do a lot of that especially when working with green & blue waxes.

The setting still has to be made but once I decide on the stone, then it's off to the casters.

I haven't decided on a stone yet but I'm toying with the idea of a topaz, but the list is endless.

...but if any of you have a good suggestion on a really cool stone that's about 6mm x 8mm...I'm all ears.

One thing I really like about this ring design are the weaved stems on the inside of the band and although most people will not see the inside of the ring, detail is a personal thing with me. I want to design the jewelry to look as if I went outside picked up 15 leaves and weaved them together for a ring.

So if you order this ring and your proud of it...take it off and show people the cool detail inside.

As of now it's about a size 7 and will be available in about two weeks.

Please e-mail me if you are interested in this ring.

And as always....thanks for taking the time to view my blog.

Finished! The London Blue Topaz, Garnet & Peridot are my absolute favorite but I did put a diamond up to this ring and it was absolutly beautiful and a 9mm x 7mm Oval Citrine would also look stunning!

New Cattleya Orchid Pendant, simple but elegant.

This is a small Cattleya Orchid Pendant but Oh! What a statement it makes.

I wear my orchid jewelry everywhere and what better way to do so, I love Orchids and I want the world to know it!

This pendant comes with a very nice 18" Sterling Silver 2mm Byzantine made in Italy.

Cost: $96.00 Now Back In Stock!

The pendant only can be ordered for $59.

Other items available are Pierced Earrings $89.00, as well as a Pin or Charm $59

Size: 7/8" wide by 1" high

Materials: Sterling Silver Weight: 8 grams

This is also available as a Charm in 14kt or 18kt

All Designs are Copyrighted 2007-2008

Sterling Silver Cattleya Pierced Earrings

These earrings are adorable. Only 7/8" across with the detail you would fine in the original Potinara Susan Fender Cattleya found on the front cover of the The World's Most Beautiful Orchids by Greg Allikas & Ned Nash.

These earrings have post for pierced ears.

8 total grams of silver

Cost $89

Now Back In Stock

New Cattleya Orchid Ring with tiny buds & leaves.

Potinara Susan Fender Cattleya Orchid Ring

There is so much character in this little ring. I hand sculpted this Orchid using the Lost Wax Method.

The Orchid is a Cattleya Orchid with 3 small buds with two tiny leaves to the left and two small leaves on the right.

This is ring is a size 6.5 but can be sized at no charge.

Weight 9 grams of Sterling Silver. Orchid Measures 7/8" wide

Available in 14kt & 18kt

Cost $85

Hand Sculpted Phalaenopsis Orchid Pendant

Phalaenopsis Orchid

From the Greek Phalaina (meaning "moth") and opsis (meaning "appearance")
I sculpted this Orchid from a book called "Growing Successful Orchids" by Mark Isaac-Williams. The orchids name is called P. "Little Hal" so it's only fitting that we give credit to the grower of this beautiful orchid and call it "Little Hal"

This pendant brings elegance to my new Orchid Collection.

This orchid is available in Sterling Silver although it can be ordered in 14kt or 18kt Gold. Pendant measures 1 1/4" x 1. 1/4"
The 18" Chain is a 2.6 mm Sterling Silver Byzantine Chain made in Italy.

I hand Sculpted each Orchid using the method called Lost Wax which allows me add the detail I want in each piece.
This Pendant can be purchase without the Chain.

Small Pendant: 1.25" Pendant with 18" Byzantine Chain

$145.00

This Pendant is available without the Chain.

Pendant Only Cost: $89.00

Click on link to purchase this piece or e-mail me to reserve one.

http://www.rubylane.com/shops/dawnv/item/SPCO-177

Exciting New Bangles Available Now

"Plantlets"

This is an adorable line that I have created for those who love Orchids as much as I do.

This idea came to me in the middle of the night, literally! I wanted to create a sleek line of Orchids jewelry. Well I thought, why not start in the beginning just like they grow.

Our first new Bangles consist of tiny leaves and orchid buds that intertwine creating a natural weave. The detail is consistant throughout my collection which gives my jewelry it's realistic beauty.

7.5" Sterling Silver Bangle

Each bangle is 27 grams of Sterling Silver

For more Information & prices, please click on the link below.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9711099

2007 Art Clay World Contest Piece and It's Reproduction

Japans's 2007 Art Clay Contest

I was told by a friend of mine about the Art Clay Contest being held in Japan and I thought I would give it a shot. I went to the art store, bought a couple of colored pencils & paper, curled up in my chair and started sketching. Evidently this design was in my head somewhere because I pulled it out and fine tuned it in one day. Some of my other designs had not been that lucky. I knew it was the perfect design for the Contest...It just felt right.






Being a porcelain artist it was only natural that I choose the Porcelain/Art Clay Fine Silver Overlay Paste Category but trust me, it would have been easier using all Art Clay Silver Clay.


The next day I started to draw the design on my steal bust. Working with porcelain was definitely going to be a challenge. I knew I would have a problem transferring the necklace to the kiln. The porcelain was an 1/8" in many spots with uneven weight. Not a challenge I was looking forward to. Another problem I saw with this piece once finished was warping. Porcelain is notorious for warping and here I had the worse case. I wasn't working with a flat piece, it had the bust curves which would not lay flat in the kiln.


To make a long story short, the first one broke and had to spend another 16 hours sculpting the second necklace and as far as the warping...I walked away from it for two weeks letting it air dry as much as possible and that worked.


Here is a bit of bad news though. Once it shipped to Japan, they really had no clue it was porcelain so when they removed it from it's stand...they broke it. So with it broken, there was no chance that it was going to win in anything. The good news was that Art Clay in Chicago professionally photographed it before they shipped it. So it was published unbroken in the 2007 Japan Catalog.

New Exciting News!

I have been asked to reproduce my 2007 Art Clay Contest Piece.

The request was made to reproduce the Orchid Necklace in sterling silver as a Limited Edition.

She has also requested the matching Orchid Bracelet, but I will also be making additional pieces to complete the Collection.

I have spent the last month sculpting wax parts for this necklace which consist of the Phalaenopsis Orchids shown below plus practicing on my buds and leaves for the big day and today is the day. I am so stoked about building this necklace.

Phalaenopsis Orchids are by far the hardest of all for me to sculpt especially in porcelain. They are such perfect little Orchids and with so many talented Orchid growers out there...I feel they have to be perfect!

The secret to my sculpting is simple...build the flower in layers. You first sculpt the dorsals, then the lateral sepals and then the petals and last, sculpt the lip or labellum.

You have to respect the uniqueness of this flower in my opinion to be able to reproduce it. Again, just my opinion but I think it helps.

I will be using my bust mandrel today and taking pictures throughout the process. My goal is to inspire someone to take out their porcelain, polymer or wax and make something...you might be surprised you have a wonderful talent like I did.

OK, this was a bit tough to do. I'm trying to stay true to the orchid design above but when I sculpted the original one in porcelain, I had to go heavier so that it wouldn't break. When you sculpt in wax (which will eventually be sterling silver) you can go much thinner. This unfortunately made my design a bit sparse.

So instead of 2 buds at the bottom tip of the cluster, I ended up having to add 4 buds plus a small leaf.

That same pattern had to follow all the way to the top of the cluster. Tomorrow I will continue with the left side of the cluster which will pull the design together.

Well it's Saturday and I have finished the left side of the Orchid necklace.

I've had to go ahead and put pieces on my mandrel so that I could make sure the pieces were flowing together. Unfortunately it makes taking photos more difficult plus the wax is dark green & blue so it's difficult to see all of the leaves and buds poking out from under the orchids but they are there.

Like the original design the buds intertwine between the leaves...it has turned out to be such a delicate design but yet this necklace makes a huge statement.

My next step will be designing the section around the neck. It will consist of sculpted leaves that can be lengthen or made shorter, depending on the person by adding or deleting leaves.

Well this is almost the last step for me before I cast all of the pieces in Sterling Silver.

The leaves will connect to each other around the neck and I'm in the process of designing the hook in the back. The original was a stiff necklace which is uncomfortable but the way this will go together will allow movement.

Custom Designs

How I start a Custom Design...

I'm in the process of designing a new Bangle for one of my clients. I was asked to design a new bangle based on one of my smaller bracelets sold in my Ruby Lane Shop. Here is the letter I received...

...This bracelet is wonderful, as are all of your designs. Can you give me an idea of what kind of ballpark $$ on having 2 and/or 3 of these made? I would like the sterling and differences in individual designs. I really like heaver jewelry.I would want you to choose the particulars of the appearance. I am not opposed to stones, patination, use of and inclusion of different metals, etc. Please forgive me for my endless questions and be assured that as this would be a purchase for my use, there would be no time constraints. Thank you for the help and I hope this is and will be a beautiful season for you.

Based on my original Leaf Bangle and her request, I designed this bangle for her. I was planning on 2 or 3 bangles like the one I designed to the right but each having their own unique design.

I like the design but was concerned about her width after further discussion. She was looking for a Bangle that was about 2" if not wider so I redesigned this bangle to one large bangle instead of three.

This (to the left) is just one bangle measuring 2.25" wide. I want to use several stones that sit next to the stems. Some of the stones that I'm considering 5 or 6 stones such as Citrine (yellow), Amethyst (purple), Topaz (blue), Tourmaline (Pink)

I would like to also incorporate 14K or 18k into this bracelet. Possible gold surrounding the stones.

But to get an accurate price, sometimes you have to spend a little more time on the piece. So I'll take you on one of my projects from start to finish.

At 9:45 am I started to lay out the stems for this bracelet. The process I use is called Lost Wax. I actually sculpt wax to make the piece. At 6:45 pm...this is what I had. It's only half finished but this will give me a good idea about the weight, cost and of course, how the bracelet will look once cast in Sterling Silver.

I have a lot of shipping to do today but I will continue to form this piece tomorrow so that I can get a weight from the wax to converted to the weight in silver.

I hope all of you find this interesting, I personally think it's all pretty amazing!

Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow! I will be starting another project at the same time. This is an amazing piece that has a wonderful story behind it.

Dawn

Latest Design - Cattleya Orchid Bracelet

When I sculpt my pieces I have half of design in my head and the other half comes out on the mandrel. This piece was no exception...I knew I wanted the Orchid at the very top but I knew I didn't want a typical design, totally symmetrical so I started on one side with two leaves, added my sculpted orchid and then to the right side of my orchid...

I added three tiny buds for new growth.

I hope you enjoy my sculpted designs and I always

appreciate your ideas, feedback or just to say hello.

Process: Lost Wax
Materials: Sterling Silver
Weight: 41 grams
Orchid Size: 2" x 2"

Hand Sculpted Cattleya Orchid Necklace

This is a beautiful hand sculpted Sterling Silver Orchid Pendant using the Lost Wax Method.

This is my signature Potinara Susan Fender Orchid found on the front cover of the book, The World's Most Beautiful Orchids put together by Greg Allikas & Ned Nash.

This Orchid caught my eye several years ago because of the velvet ripples in the lip or labellum and to me, it is the most beautiful orchid in the world. If you have time, Goggle the title and just look at the Orchid on the front cover...it's breathtaking.

I have added an 18" Sterling Silver 2.6mm Byzantine Chain which makes a beautiful statement on it's own.
It's just a beautiful piece and words can't describe the depth of detail that was added when sculpting this piece. Pictures do not do it justice.
Pendant Size: 2" wide x 2"

I have just finished the matching Ring, Earrings and two Bracelets to this Cattleya Orchid Collection.

Update: This piece was a Limited Edition and was replaced by my New Cattleya Orchid Pendant & Ring.  Cattleya Orchid Necklace

Asymmetrical Leaf Necklace with Amethyst Stones

Words can't describe how elegant this piece is.

When sculpting this piece I was thinking of a leafy vein just curling around whatever was in it's path, so it gracefully curled around my byzantine chain.

My Leaf Design was made in Sterling Silver which makes the Amethyst Stones pop!

I used two hanging Amethyst Teardrop Briolette Beads plus a beautiful 10mm x 8mm Oval Royal Purple Amethyst at the top of my leaf design.

The 2.6 mm Byzantine Chain is 18" long and has a "S" hook in the back but it can also be adjusted lengthwise from the front. It has a clever little clasp that holds the chain in place.
10mm x 8mm Oval Royal Purple Amethyst & Amethyst Teardrop Briolettes (HT)

I will be sculpting matching earrings, bracelet and a ring all with Amethyst stones to match the necklace.

For more information about this Necklace, please e-mail.