Thursday, January 12, 2006

Silver Frog

When I was a sophomore in college, I took a jewelry-making class as a non-art major. While I learned to cut metal with a jeweler’s saw with the appropriate amount of tension on the blade, soldering was a bit trickier. During my most ambitious creation, a silver frog with a blue tiger’s eye on its tummy, I melted the bezel for the blue tiger's eye stone four times before my professor intervened. She successfully got the bezel to attach to the frog, but there was so much fire-scale from the first four torch attempts that I never did manage to polish off all of the fire-scale thoroughly. I wore the necklace for a few years, and it made people laugh.

At this point, I know just enough about jewelry-making to appreciate the work that goes into it, even though I lack the artistry and technical skills to make pieces that provoke any responses but giggles. With that in mind, take a look at some of the My Aphrodite creations that Galetea of Blogopotamus Rex has made. (No bribes, including those in the forms of pendants or earrings, exchanged hands as a result of this post.) Each piece was inspired by a story, a song or a painting. I am a particular fan of the “Edwardian Blues” and “Serafina Pekkalah” necklaces, and am the happy wearer of the former.

6 comments:

Lone Star Ma said...

Lovely. What I really want is one of those pomegranate necklaces from your Persephone posts, though. It would make a great Red Party present! Does she make those?

Lone Star Ma said...

If you ever make one, not the seeds one but the one with the seeds spilling out of the copper fruit...oh, please let me know!

Saints and Spinners said...

We'll all be lining up for the pendant with the seeds spilling out of the copper fruit! I went back to that website where I found the picture of the pendant, and it had been sold, with no indication of another one to be made. I wasn't going to buy it, but I had still hoped someone I knew would get it, so I could look at it.:) That kind of pendant takes casting work, which (no pun intended) is a whole other ball of wax.

Liz said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Liz said...

Sorry about that, but after I read my comment it sounded all wrong so I had to delete it.

I love the frog pendant, sometimes I think your too hard on yourself. At least you tried.

Saints and Spinners said...

Nonny, I thought the comment was funny! I didn't mean to imply that I had anything but a fun time in the jewelry-making class. I was priviledged to be in the class with a lot of really artistic people, so early on I decided that I would experiment without worrying about creating enduring, beautiful pieces. Now, I think I would pour a lot more of my concentration into the class, but back then I had a full course-load and was struggling with that. (I am technically able to multi-task after a fashion, but I hate doing it.)

If you ever get the urge to take a jewelry-making class, do it! It's fun to solder (even if melting the bezel is a risk).