Monthly Archives: July 2011

Turquoise Conquest

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Well, what else is new. I’ve acquired more turquoise…

Recent conquests yield 3 pairs and one large cabochon of natural turquoise. The first two pairs are perfect for the gauged folk or those desiring earrings…

NOTE: THESE ARE UP FOR GRABS!

First up, we have mini Pilot Mountain mine turquoise with water webbing. “Water webs” in turquoise is like your basic spider web pattern-which is a web between the turquoise and host rock (the higher of qualities among turquoise). The difference is a water web is a webbing pattern entirely out of turquoise! As you can guess, this means its an even higher quality than your normal webbing. This mini pair is adorable, sweet, and roughly 7mm diameter for each cab. These would work in a plain style for anything 4 gauge and smaller, or higher gauges if given some kind of border…

For our second pair, we have water webbed natural turquoise from the Kingman Mine in Arizona, Southwest. This is the *highest quality* Kingman I’ve gotten my fingers on thus far. These lovelies have a very defined web to them, and are roughly 14mm in diameter. They would work in a plain style for anything 00 gauge and smaller, or anything above 00 gauge with a border of some sort…

Our third and last pair are free form triangles-great for dangling bits/bottoms on gauges or normal sized earrings. They are Nacozari turquoise- a mine located in Mexico that is highly sought after for its extreme “blueness”. It occasionally can have black inclusions-this pair and one additional cab are all that I currently have from this mine. These lovelies have a very slight water web to them. They are roughly 20mm tall. I can see these swinging with open tunnels, moonstone, rose quartz, or more turquoise…

For our last turquoise cab…we have a gem.

This natural webbed cab is from the Pilot Mountain Mine, and is not only the highest quality I’ve had from this mine, but one of the higher quality turquoise stones I have. period. The tight webbing is incredible, these photos are *unaltered*, and the depth of the lush green teals and rusty ochre patterning is drool-worthy (and collector’s quality, too).  I’m thinking about keeping this gem for myself, unless someone

*really falls in love with it*…

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In other news, just dropped off *FOUR NEW RINGS* for lady Karin at The Muse’s Window in Concord, MA. Behold…what you’re missing out on!

White Buffalo and Kings Manassa Mine rings:

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New GEMSTONES in…
goodies are just waitin’ in the pot!
new gems include: AZ turquoise, white crystal, rainbow moonstone, prehnite, garnet, amethyst, and white topaz…
Well folks, that’s it. We’re having a heat wave in New England, and anyone who knows me knows I hate heat to begin with. No A/C in the studio…it is an official sauna. Today has been a break day (in other words…restocking packaging goodies). New items will not hit the shop until the weekend after this coming one…commissions are in progress!
xx
Stray Arrow
stay cool ladies ‘n’ gents

Guillotines are Handy + Preview Night

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So I now have two amazingly new handy and…well…*A-MAZING* tools to work with. Firstly, my new guillotine, compliments of lady Alice-the best non-grandma-grandma ever. Alright….it is *really* called heavy duty shears for cutting sheet metal-with all the class of a medieval chopping block….now instead of sawing ring bands slowly and filing them perfectly straight I can just chop them straight and smooth in seconds! Talk about a time saver!

 

 

The second new goodie is my new, glorious, and overall self-promoting jeweler’s stamp! Custom made for me from *my hand drawn logo design* into carbon steel. Now all jewelry pieces (except plugs) shall be marked with this! It simply says “Stray Arrow” with an arrow underlining it. Look for it on all new work!…

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and now. a preview

rings coming soon in square labradorite (design and size undetermined) and American Southwest variscite (size undetermined)

Also a soon-to-be ring is the Southwest History ring with natural King’s Manassa Mine teardrop turquoise and a stunning Wild Horse Magnesite in sterling, possibly 14k rose gold fill embellishments (size undetermined)

***ALMOST FINISHED AND COMING THIS WEEKEND:…***

another version of the King’s Manassa and rose gold droplet ring, in a size 8. Patina and oxidation are almost finished.

AND! The King’s Feathered Ring, featuring a really funky rare natural King’s Manassa Mine turquoise stone, and a thick fat feathered satin finished ring band. Ring size is 5.5 on a mandrel, but because of the width of the band will fit *at least* 1/2 size smaller…

can you tell that I am in love with this one? Good thing I made it too small for myself. The way the satin feathered ring band is done is so nice and soft against the skin-I hand sanded the insides vertically so they slip onto your fingers smoothly. I will most likely be making plain fat ring bands in this style-made to order in ye own size.

ALSO COMIN’ TO THE SHOP FOR YOUR SHOPPIN’ SOON:

-black leather fringe dangle earrings with sterling in two sizes

-mini “Chained and Charmed” bracelets, earrings and necklace

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So, not as many new goodies as I had hoped, but I have been slaving away on commissions, commissions, commissions. All of them are REALLY groovy, I am excited. Fear not! If you have commissioned something from me it is in the works. Here is a taste…

below~finished lapis lazuli with pyrite inclusions plugs, King’s Manassa Mine turquoise and feather silver dangle plugs…

Also recently finished were a pair of 1 inch hollow sterling plugs featuring 3 King’s Manassa Mine turquoise stones on each plug earring, ornate borders, and secret Joni Mitchell quotes on the the inside backings! 

*ONE* of the many commissions in the works…Candelaria Mine (rare rare rare!) Turquoise ring and Apache Mine Turquoise and crow bracelet. This is all one commission, and includes a STUNNING old stock rare Damele turquoise, but it is currently in the studio and I refuse to venture out when I hear coyotes..so photos of it will have to wait. These will be done completely within the next few days!…

Well folks, that’s all for now. The new finished pieces will hit the shop this coming Sunday by 8pm. There are new pieces just posted in the Gauged shop and more on the way Sunday. This week I am off to hunt the fields at the Brimfield Antiques Show, wish me luck and good turquoise finds!

xxStray Arrow