Volcano Arts Part III -- A Ring

I had never made a ring prior to this project -- not even a wire-wrapped ring.  Sure, I've purchased plenty of lovely rings, but now it was time to make one.

Disclaimer:  this project was truly a joint effort between myself and Christine, the owner and instructor at Volcano Arts.  I screwed up enough aspects of this ring that I required her assistance more often than not.

Starting with 18 ga brass sheet, using the rolling mill, we rolled a texture onto both surfaces.  Then we cut the sheet to the desired width (about 5 mm).  I then filed all the edges and rounded the short edge that would be exposed on top.  A photo would be helpful at this point.

Working with a ring mandrel and rawhide hammer we  Christine finally made the ring round.  This took a verrrry long time.  Drilling holes for the rivets came next.  Making, inserting and setting the copper rivets was the last step.  This brief description makes this ring sound simple, but trust me, it was anything but.

The problems included a broken drill bit in one of the holes, unmatched rivets, a rougher-than-I'd-like interior where the rivets are.  Other than that, I LOVE this ring!

Will I make another?  Probably ... someday.

And ... I bought a ring for myself

This ring is so different from any of my other jewelry, but I fell in love with it immediately.  It's big, bulky and a bit heavy.  My hands are really pretty small, so this ring looks even bigger when worn.  It's a very fun design.

I found it in the booth of a woman selling all sorts of crafts from Thailand including Hill Tribe beads and lots of silk scarves and shawls.  Yes, I bought a small amount of Hill Tribe stuff too.

The condition of my hands is a bit embarrassing.  I'll blame it on the weather and not on my age.

My Anniversary Present

On January 6, Rick and I celebrated our anniversary. I told him not to get me anything, mainly because I had no idea what to get for him. I feel like we're past tangible gifts. I'd rather focus on having a nice day together, sharing some terrific meals and enjoying everyday conversation.

I think I've now changed my mind! Look at this ring he made for me. I absolutely adore it. It has become my new favorite piece of jewelry and my new wedding band. The domed circle is mokume gane and the band is argentium silver.




Rick can be a real sweetheart sometimes. And then other times, well, that's a story for another day.

Kaskaad - Beautiful beads, simple designs

Today I'm featuring a team member from the Artisan Beaders Street Team. Ainsley is sweet, beautiful and a talented jewelry designer from the Toronto area. Her etsy shop is Kaskaad, a combination of her initials and those of her friend and jewelry collaborator, Andrea.

I am partial to Ainley's rings and I've purchased a few myself! She uses those large Swarovski rivoli buttons to make some of my favorite ones. This Volcanic Eruption ring is a perfect example.


Here's another ring featuring a vintage button. Again, such clever use of materials!


Ainsley's talent is limited to rings. She also creates bracelets and necklaces, this one being a favorite of mine.Be sure to visit Ainsley's shop on etsy. You might decided you need a ring with some serious bling!
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Smoky Quartz ... with a twist

I adore smoky quartz in all shapes and sizes. These beads are quite large and have a unique cut. The many facets and the twisted shape make them super sparkly. The circle from which the beads hang was fused from 16 gauge fine silver wire. I then flattened it and hammered for texture. I also made the earwires. All of the silver was oxidized and then tumbled. I love the resulting shiny, steel gray finish this of this process.