New Blue Pearl Necklace

Sterling Silver Leaves intertwine with Blue Freshwater Pearls.

I am so excited about introducing this necklace at the ArtiGras Art Fair in Abacoa in February. I sat down for a couple of hours just staring at the Steel Lady (my bust mandrel) trying to get a visual fix on this design and then I decided to stick some of my leftover Swarovski crystal pearls on the bust, this helped and now I was hoping I was on my way, so I thought. Well after three days, I'm still not finished, but I went ahead and photographed the piece anyway.I think after a few more hours of scratching & scraping...I'm going to cast this piece.

My mentor told me not long ago...

If you become satisfied with your work, what would you do after that?

I remind myself of that comment often!

What I do like about this necklace is the single pearl that would be in the middle of the necklace...I did not want to just stop and start with another pendant but I wanted to incorporate a pearl right into the design.

Update! This piece was a hit at the ArtiGras Show in Jupiter. The piece was so elegant and when the ladies tried the pearls on, it just hung beautifully. I was so thrilled!

I had the necklace available in Pink, White and Blue Pearls.

Check out additional photos and prices by clicking on the heading "New Blue Pearl Necklace"

Phalaenopsis Bracelet to match Japan Piece

When I look at this design, I think of pure elegance with its leaves and orchid buds draping down the top of your hand! ...and then too it's probably because the Japan Necklace was just cast in Silver and it turned out better than I expected.

have just a moment to add these pics...we are packing up the trailer for the show and I'm still running around picking up banners & card holders.

We are back from our show and this elegant Orchid Bracelet Sold in the first three hours of the shows first day.

Cost: SOLD

I'm in the process of making a new bracelet, if interested I'll notify you once this piece is completed!

My Dogwood Collection - UPDATED!

I have been sitting on this design for about 4 months and I think it's time to start.

I like to keep a few projects going at one time, it allows me to walk away from one, think about it while starting another. I guess I get bored easily.

I have already started the necklace part of this design plus I've made and cast the Dogwood buds. I wasn't pleased with my first Dogwood flowers, I guess that's why I put it aside.

I had joined "CageyCrafters" a wonderful forum a while back and a few of them gave me thumbs up on doing the Dogwood Flower, or the push I needed to start back on this design. They also gave me some great feedback on what flowers they would like to see me sculpt. I'll be posting their suggestions once I go through the list.

I pulled out some of my designs for this project that I thought I would post. I have designed a a beautiful bracelet, ring, a single Dogwood Pendant, plus a slider. I had also designed 4 sets of earrings plus one very elaborate necklace shown.

I plan to use a small cluster of Peridot Stones inside each flower and I feel with the detail I have in the pedals...the stones will make the flower. Another stone suggestion would be garnet or pink quarts. If done in 14K or 18K, I would like to consider emeralds, rubies, or green tourmaline...all equally beautiful.

As always the first product being produced will be in sterling silver plus I really have my heart set on peridot in the center.

I skipped over the necklace and started on the Bracelet. It just popped into my head, no drawing this time but woke up and started sculpting on it this morning. I wanted a few buds, definitely some leaves but three dogwood flowers for sure.

Don & I will be picking out stones tonight. I have about 6 designs that I just completed and the next step is setting the stones. I know that I will be looking for 3 mm, 4mm and 5mm peridot for the center of each Dogwood.

Well the new pieces are starting to take shape and I would like to introduce my first pair of Dogwood Earrings with 5mm Peridot Cabs in the center. They are 3/4" from tip to tip.

I have chosen a few beautiful Gems such as Peridot, Citrine, Blue Topaz, and Garnets. On these I have used 5mm Peridot Cabs for the center of the Dogwood Flowers.

Update! The Dogwood bracelet below is a one-of-a-kind Dogwood Bracelet with three Garnets set into each dogwood flower. This bracelet set beautifully on your wrist.

If you love Dogwoods, this collection is a must!

This one-of-a-kind Dogwood Slider is one of the most beautiful pieces I have sculpted. The detail is amazing. If your not into Sliders, this beautiful piece can made into a pin.

I will list the Dogwood Collection on Etsy.com with additional pictures including the back of each. The workmanship of this collection is worth seeing.

Additional items will be added this weekend.

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.