Playing with Metal - Sprite Earrings

Much safer than playing with fire!! :-)

For as much as I'm addicted to chainmaille, from time to time, I would find myself back doodling with metal wires, for its flexibility, fluidity, and best of all, forgiveness :-)  With only hand tools, forming the coils, stretching it, loosening a round, compress the next few, the possibilities are endless!

And if it's with niobium...

You can add pops of colors too; they are pure joy!

 

Now available in my online studio www.daisykreates.com.

btw, did I mention the possibilities are endless? :-)

They're equally delightfully in all precious silver!

       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

Japanese Polyhedron Nox Earrings - A Stargate-Inspired Chainmaille Creation

The other day, I was going through my long list of to-do's and one item sticks out again and again is "make more Japanese polyhedron earrings", with a big star marked right next to the note.  Hum....  right, I've always liked the architectural flair of this weave, can be elongated and soft, or very squarish and sturdy, it is fun and sprite-like, versatile and charismatic, shall we have a pair of these in shiny sterling?  With some colorful highlights, maybe?

These may look like the ones I made before, but this new design is a very tight and sturdy structure, each forming a bipyramid of sterling silver on the outer rim and natural titanium on the interior rim, held together closely with rainbow anodized niobium rings.

Oh yes, I made the niobium rings myself from raw wire, they're hand coiled, anodized with multiple colors, cut on my Ringinator, then tumbled to clean up the burs and residues from the cutting process.

I then painstakingly built the bipyramid shape with several different pliers, because the rings interaction was so tight, the sequence of weaving matters a lot.  A missed step often means a marred ring that had to be tossed and replaced :-(

But the results are very satisfying!!  My favorite is the way you can see through the polyhedron to take in the views and colors on the far side!  How neat is that?!

Oh and yes, the long, wing-like dangles are the result of an afternoon of moping around, thinking, sketching, testing, nearly giving up a few times, going back on the net surfing for ideas, heading out to the back yard watching hummingbirds zooming through my patio chasing one another..... then, a light bulb came on:-)

And I'm very happy with them!

These colorful and whimsical earrings are also available for purchase in my online studio.

~~~~~ So, why "Nox"? ~~~~~

Well, the fact that I made these on a Sunday afternoon may have something to do with it...  You see, I have a habit of catching the reruns of Stargate SG-1 on TV:-)  No, the Nox episode wasn't on any specific Sunday, but as I was watching the show and doing my "user testing" on these earrings, the way they swing, I see the shiny rings flicker on and off, echoing the little bling on the dangle, they all reminded me of the Nox.  Hence, the name!!

Byzantine Stars Earrings

There's something magical about anodized niobium.....

and sterling silver:-)

Light bounces of them giving off such brilliance few other metals can.

Words are unnecessary.......

Very happy these pretty little custom ordered stars are going to their new home, yay!!

Interested in custom ordering for my handmade jewelry?  Send me a note or visit my online shop DaisyKreates.com for more styles and options:-)

Complete views are also available in my online Picasa web album.

Sterling Silver Squiggle Adjustable Ring

Squiggly, wiggly!  Free form and adjustable!

Fits on ring finger just as well as on pinkie.

Open ended design for easy adjustments.

Tapered back for comfortable wear without worry of ring slipping off accidentally.

Hammered surface with micro facets catching light all around it...

Oh so shiny:-)

Weights at 0.11 troy ounce, fits ring sizes 6 1/4 to 7.  All 925 sterling silver, all hand forged, no two are exactly alike.

Pick this one up in my online studio DaisyKreates.com now!

Sterling Silver and Niobium - Chainmaille Mobius - Tea Rose Earrings

Yes, that's a mouthful of a name for a simple pair of earrings.  Blame it on SEO....  :-)  Any who, here they are!

Believe me this simple version is a long way coming from many experiments of regular mobius, with dozens of rings, or way too many colors.

Weeding out the extraneous is a delicate dance.  I want brilliant colors that work together, enough punch that catches attention, and the right highlights that twinkle with any hair style.

And yes, even the ear wires are coordinated!

And the result is an understated elegance, with a modern twist on the good old mobius weave.

These ready-to-bloom purple fuchsia tea roses are available for purchase in my online studio DaisyKreates.com:-)

***

Due to costs, I don't regularly stock precious metal items in multiples.  If you'd like to purchase this item but happened to find it sold already, please drop me a note via the "Contact Form" located in the upper right portion of this blog, or via the "Contact" button in my online studio DaisyKreates.com; I'll be happy to arrange a custom order of this item for you.


:::

French Rope Set

Commonly known as French Rope, these spiral 6 in 1 chains made with jump rings of half round wire have been popular for a rather long time.

This set is all in sterling silver, they exudes elegance!

The necklace closes with a hand forged heart toggle from heavy 12 awg sterling silver wire.

Right, and a couple more blings won't hurt:-) specially when their slender shape so nicely matching the heart shape clasp on the necklace.

Emmy-worthy! (padding self on back:-)

...

Asynchronous Orbits Post Earrings

Several of my friends/customers have asked if I have earrings that are not that long, and maybe on ear posts, as opposed to the common French ear wires.  Yup, here they are!

These are the same design as my Asynchronous Orbits earrings but slightly shortened on the top edge, and replaced with sterling silver ear posts.

They are still cute, very eye-catching, but not as long and dangly as the ones on ear wires.  The slightly shortened length allows for the silver rings to fall just below the ear lope, preserving their subtle movement without tugging on the ears.

These are still 1/2" wide, a tiny bit over 1" long, colorful but slender near the ear, bright and lively at the silver rings!

~~~~ Materials ~~~~

Sterling silver and anodized niobium.

Available for purchase in my online studio DaisyKreates.com.

About niobium

Niobium is a natural material, element number 41 on the periodic table. The color of natural niobium is a dark, warm gray.  Natural niobium requires no maintenance, will not tarnish in our natural environment.

When anodized, a layer of "skin" forms on the metal surface and reflects colors of the spectrum.  Niobium is hypoallergenic, even for people with most skin sensitivity.  Anodized niobium will not tarnish either; however just as any anodized colors on metals, they should be treated similar to your other fine jewelry, avoid contact with any abrasive materials and prolong direct sun light.  To clean it, use water and mild soap, gently slush and pat dry; store anodized niobium in separate bag/container to avoid accidental scratches by other harsh materials.

Niobium has long been my favorite metal to use in handmade jewelry. Hope you will like it too.

OOooOOooOOoo

--

Razzle Dazzle, Starbuck Takes on All Eight

This is a substantial, one of a kind, statement necklace, not to be ignored or forgotten.

Nearly 4 oz. of sterling silver in 5 different gauges and sizes went into this project. The jump rings are the highest quality by Spiderchain. I was fascinated by her Graduated Serpentine design, and here is my asymmetrical spin on that.

 

The necklace measures at 22 inches long, plus the symbolic "Viper" pendant at 2 inches long, which is my original design with sterling silver and jewelry brass rings.

The sterling silver toggle is secured and user friendly:-)

  

Inspirations

"Razzle Dazzle, Starbuck Takes on All Eight" is inspired by the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (BSG) Season 1, Episode 4, Act of Contrition. Starbuck's determination to "do her job" also lead her face to face against 8 Cylon Raiders. Tigh uttered in disbelief, "Starbuck is going to take on all eight?" gave me the idea of creating this necklace.

Special Feature

The brass-mixed pendant is a stylized Viper; the 8 chambers of Full Persian above are the 8 "Raiders", each with a red anodized aluminum rings holding in a Swarovski crystal. The asymmetrical graduated Full Persian hints at the more evolved, more organic Raider interior.  

 

 Now you know:-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have long been fascinated by the stories of BSG and totally enjoyed watching the entire show. As I watch (and re-watch) each episode, I create a piece of daisykreates original handmade jewelry with inspirations taken from the name of the episode, a line in the episode, a scene, an act, or a soundtrack.

These jewelry pieces are not endorsed by anyone related to BSG, and are not intended to infringe upon any of BSG rights. I am an admirer, showing appreciation for the best TV program EVER! If any official BSG representative feels otherwise, please let me know; the last thing I want from this line is to upset the BSG creation.

Check out here for more views of the necklace.

This beautiful necklace is available for purchase in my online studio DaisyKreates.com.

Sterling Silver Oops Finger Ring

One of my all time favorite chainmaille patterns: Oops:-) But ahh, there is nothing "oops" about this ring!  Precision-crafted from bare sterling wire, hand coiled and cut with a jeweler's saw into hundreds of tiny jump rings, then woven together to create this awesome ring. Talk about labor of love!


Unlike most commercially produced finger ring, chainmaille rings have the advantage of having a bold presence without the weight.  What is most unique about this ring is in the Oops pattern, where each jump ring interlocks its neighboring rings at such angles that produces the strongest hold with the thinnest ring shank/wall.

Enough tech talk:-) Here are the ring specs: The ring is size 5 1/4, measures at 7/16 inch wide, 1/8 inch thick, weighing at tad over 1/3 troy oz.

Please visit this album for all photos of this lovely chainmaille finger ring.

Byzantine Stars Earrings

Here is a pair of earrings worthy of its name. Beautifully woven of an array of colorful anodized niobium rings, with sterling silver rings marking each point, and sterling silver chains trailing underneath. These darlings are a joy to have!

Although these earrings are based on the most classic Byzantine pattern, arranging 5 of them into a star shape, together with the long dangles, brings them into the 21th century.

The earrings measure at 2 1/2 inches long from the bottom of the sterling ear wires, 3/4 inch wide from point to point of the stars, and are made entirely of sterling silver and anodized niobium. The stars are solid but still light weight to wear comfortably throughout the day.

Click here for more views of the earrings.

More Oops Rings

Five more, to be exact! :-)

I started out wanting to fix my first Oops ring so that it's more of a "common" size. So that took a while to take apart the original, reduced 1 column, then split it horizontally into two, and this is where I started having lots of "Whaaa...?" moments.

Learning how to do Oops went really fast for me; that usually also meant I never fully understood how it's supposed to be.  Ah, but nothing like repairing a weave to truly let it sink in.

And when it did (that's aka. the light bulb moment), it finally made sense for me; then it happened, a temporary insanity set in, I made one in sterling 20 gauge (awg), then a 22, both in saw cut rings by me:-) Then I noticed I have some bright aluminum rings, WD 0.75mm, from TRL, that are perfect size for Oops; so that's another one (we'll call this a prototype:-)

But the last one is my favorite: Over 7 feet of 24 gauge 1/2 hard sterling, wound on 1.6mm mandrel, then saw cut into tiny ant-size rings, woven together for the most comfortable ring I've ever made or seen!

I lost track of time in making this ring; but it's about 4 long evenings and nights, lots of searching for dropped rings, several 'huh" moments, and a few times swearing, not to mention some unavoidable silver saw dust that may be lodged in my lungs ...

But this is my pride and joy! Light weight and sturdy, slides on my finger with ease but won't fall out when I wash my hands. Giving myself a big pat on the back. Good job, Daisy:-)
For more photos, please check out here.

Tetra Orb Shoulder Duster Earrings

Another pair of Tetra Orb earrings.  These are addictive.  Fun to make, goes everywhere!



These are super long, shoulder duster long, perfect for the holiday gathering or a holiday day shopping trip:-)



The orbs are super airy.  The stainless steel rings are doubled on all "ears" around the orb for extra sturdiness.  Inside each orb is a SW crystal.  The long sterling silver chains and blue sequins put the total length at 4 inches!  Oh they sway, they sparkle, and they just wanna have fun, like you:-)



Specs:



Stainless steel rings, 0.8mm, ID 4.76mm, from B3.  SW crystals are 6mm style 5000 in clear AB.  Fine chains are sterling silver.  Sequins are.... well whatever small, sparkly thingy will do.  I picked violet blue here to match the blue sequins on my blue sweater top:-)

So, what's the color of your sequins sweater? :-)