Ruby in Zoisite or Oh, The Tragedy

I have posted about this lovely stone in the past, here.  I decided to go through my remaining specimens to find some additional pairs for earrings.  You know how I love to make pairs. I found several suitable pairs and listed one of them in my etsy shop.    Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

I found a couple more pairs, one of which is causing me great consternation and frustration.  The top of one of the stones is severely chipped.  So badly in fact, that even after two attempts at wrapping it, I set it aside to wait for a better idea.

As you can see, that's a pretty decent pair, considering the random patterning typical of ruby in zoisite.  Here is a close up of the chip.  It breaks my heart.

I thought the wire wrapping would hide the chip, but all it really did was accentuate it.  I'm considering using some modeling paste to "build up" the chip area to give the stone the same shape as the other one.  If anyone has tried this, please let me know.  Or, if you have any other ideas on how I can make this work, please share.  Thank you!

can you take some more Jet cuteness?

Our adorable puppy dominates almost every aspect of our lives.  Events are scheduled around Jet's needs, as it should be with such a young puppy.

Saturday, we went for a long walk to the inlet.  He was very well behaved (most of the time). 

With his dad ...

Inspecting his shadow ...

Looking cute for the camera ...

He was so well behaved that we did the same exact walk on Sunday with Rick's friend Jeff and his dog Kaylee.  Jet only tried to hump her once.  Or twice.  So embarrassing.  She was so not interested in this little whippersnapper!

Totally Green

No, I'm not talking about my eco-friendly lifestyle.  I'm talking about a brand new pair of earrings.  These chrome diopside briolettes really spoke to me when I found them in Tucson.  I suspended them from fine silver circles I fused from wire and added a bunch of vesuvianite (often mistakenly called vessonite, which is not the name of any stone) rondelles.

These earrings have lots of movement and the two different greens really work well together.  You can find them for sale in my etsy shop.  Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Pricing Your Work

My friend Brandi has put together an ebook (free!) that covers every aspect of pricing your work.  This guide is specifically written for artists.  Brandi did an outstanding job of tackling this difficult and sensitive subject.

See her blog post about it here.

Even if you're not interested in the subject of pricing, you should have a look at her blog, brandi girl.  It is visually stunning and joyful.  Brandi has an eye for color and composition that is evident in every blog post and every piece of jewelry she creates.  While you're at it, visit her website.  You won't be disappointed in her spectacular jewelry.  I own a few pieces myself and I can attest to her meticulous attention to detail.

Puppy Kindergarten

All three of us have been going to school.  Every Thursday night we go to Puppy Kindergarten.  Whether or not we graduate is still up in the air.  I never thought I'd be back in school at my age!

The best and most fun part of class is play time -- kind of like recess in people kindergarten.  Watching all the adorable (about 10 of them) puppies running into each other and jumping over each other is hilarious.  They're mostly still pretty klutzy, which adds to the cuteness.

Jet and a male Great Pyrenees sniffing each other as class starts.  Not a great view of either one of them, but cute anyway.  They tend to be the two puppies that play the roughest.  That's Zumi in the foreground.  She's a German Shepherd-Husky mix.

Here's Jet and his dad, after play time.  Two Australian Shepherds (litter mates) are in the foreground.  Jet attacked one of them earlier and it ran away whimpering.  If this class has a bully, it's Jet.  Not so proud of that, but he is at least 6 weeks older than most of the other pups.

The Great Pyrenees is so gorgeous, I decided he needed a picture all his own.  He's so fluffy!

The two Shelties are perfectly behaved.  They are older and belong to the class teacher.  She demos all the commands with both of them and they do whatever she says.  That's a testament to her abilities.  Let's hope it works out for us.

New Blue Earrings

I recently listed two pairs of earrings with some of the new stones I purchased in Tucson.  Before Tucson, I felt that my inventory was severely lacking in blue gems.  I remedied that by finding some kyanite, iolite and lapis.

Iolite and Aqua colored Cubic Zirconia

Kyanite and White Pearls

Now I feel better about my Blues situation!