My Studio Buddy, Bogey — A Saturday Morning in the Studio

My studio buddy, Bogey. He may technically be my son's dog, but somewhere along the way, this 87-pound Old English Bulldog became part of my creative life. ❤️🐾

My Studio Buddy, Bogey

Saturday Morning in the Studio

Saturday mornings have a way of slowing things down.

The coffee is still hot, the studio is quiet, and before I get too far into the day, I sometimes find myself looking around at this little creative space I've built and thinking about how life gets us where we are.

And these days, I have a studio buddy.

His name is Bogey. ⛳🐾

Technically, he's my son's dog.

But when my son travels, I take care of his home and Bogey. Since my studio is here too, Bogey has become a pretty regular part of my creative life.

And somewhere along the way, I've kind of adopted him.

Bogey is an Old English Bulldog, weighs a very respectable 87 pounds, and according to Brad, his birthday is around September 10th, so Bogey is almost 1 year old.

I recently had to ask Brad exactly what kind of bulldog he was because, honestly, I couldn't remember.

The conversation went something like this:

“I'm pretty sure he's a Traditional English Bulldog.”

“Old English Bulldog.”

“Lol... Old.”

“Different.”

😂

Gemstone Rings — From Hand-Carved Wax to Cast Metal

 🌿 The Art Behind My Gemstone Rings

Every gemstone ring I create begins in wax. I carve each detail by hand — the branches, the textures, the curves — building the design one small stroke at a time. This is where the ring’s personality is born.

Below are two versions of the same ring design, showing how a simple wax base can grow into a sculptural, nature-inspired piece of jewelry.

Wax Model & Finished Ring — Green Amethyst Leaf-Twig Ring

This design began as a hand-carved wax model, created to cradle a beautiful green amethyst in two organic leaf-shaped prongs. Every groove, vein, and curve was sculpted by hand to capture the natural movement of leaves wrapping gently around the stone.

The final ring is cast in solid sterling silver and finished with a rich oxidized patina, enhancing the depth of the twig texture and bringing out all the fine organic details.

A true nature-inspired sculptural piece — from raw wax to wearable art.

From Wax to Wonder: Carving the Foundation of a Tree-Inspired Ring

 

In this stage, nothing is polished, nothing is shiny, and nothing is “perfect.”

But the character of the piece is already alive.

This design features tree-trunk prongs that grow upward to cradle a natural gemstone. All of the bark texture you see is carved by hand. No molds. No templates. Just wax, tools, and time.

The stone sits in place during carving — something that surprises many people. It helps me shape the prongs around it exactly as the stone wants to be held. Every raw diamond or gemstone has its own personality, and my goal is to create a setting that supports it naturally, almost like growing a branch around it.

Once the carving is finished, this wax model will be cast in metal through the lost-wax process. The wax is melted away forever, leaving a perfect metal version of the sculpture you see here.

This is where the magic begins.

Thank you for following along with my process

Sharing these behind-the-scenes steps helps me stay connected to why I love creating — because every piece begins with an idea, a block of wax, and the desire to bring nature into wearable form.

If you’d like to see more of my work or upcoming designs, you can visit my shops:

🌿  Shopify

🌿  Etsy