A few new items will be hitting the shop throughout Sunday, made again in between filling orders. Long term custom orders are almost all complete so more pieces will be filtering in soon!
AND FOR THIS WEEKEND ONLY:
In the main shop enter in coupon code: FIREWORKS, for 10% off of your order.
(not applicable to custom orders)
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Check back to the shop tomorrow for these sweet and simple new pieces!
xx Stray Arrow
A few new items will be hitting the shop this morning that I’ve created in between filling orders and custom pieces.
Here’s a short preview…more news soon!
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xx Stray Arrow
Alright folks. This is going to be a fairly long post, so hold tight.
To give a brief summary, I’m sharing my experience and rock haul from the Tucson Gem Show this year. Anything marked N/A in the photo is not available for custom orders. All other stones are up for grabs and will ONLY be fully reserved once you nail a design down with me and a deposit for said design has been paid. Please be aware that unless you’ve sealed a piece with me, I may be showing the same stones to others.
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So. I started in New England, looking at this:
Packed up jewels from my personal collection to sport in the sun:
Took a few planes…
….and entered a region where aliens are abundant. Aliens. Yes. They are everywhere, in bizarre variations that look inviting yet are secretly hazardous…
And yes. I’m talking about these:
I swear these are the weirdest, coolest things. I got so many, “Uhm how many photos of cacti is this girl going to take???” stares. I don’t even care.
Oh yeah. There was also the huge gem show all over the city, that was cool too.
(^natural rough Sleeping Beauty mine turquoise)
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Now, onto conquests.
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^Broken Arrow mine variscite. natural. straight from the mine owner.
^Burtis Claim Cripple Creek mine turquoise. natural.
^Royston turquoise and Royston ribbon cut turquoise. natural.
^Royston turquoise. natural.
^White Buffalo turquoise. natural. Straight from the mine owner.
^Blue Moon mine turquoise. natural.
^Royston ribbon cut turquoise. natural.
^ left to right: New Lander mine, Peacock mine, Carico Lake mine, Number 8 mine (!!! truly!), Damele mine.
All natural.
^the amazingly tight webbing in this one is hard to photograph.
^this one has a very high dome.
^ Sleeping Beauty mine turquoise. natural.
^Fox // Cortez mine turquoise. natural.
^old stock Number 8 mine turquoise. natural.
^Royston turquoise. natural. Along with some strays.
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That’s the haul folks! I hunted and enjoyed the skies of the Southwest
Then I returned home to a series of snow storms. Fantastic.
Keep a look out as I’ll be posting NEW ITEMS to preview here on the blog this coming Sunday before they hit the shops!
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SALE NEWS
From tonight until next Thursday at midnight, enjoy 15% off of your order in the Main Etsy Shop with coupon code:
SNOWVERDOSE
in honour of there being too much snow here and wanting to empty the shelves in the shop a bit for new items! Sale does not apply to custom orders, minimum purchase of $25 required to apply.
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KEEP POSTED FOR SUNDAY.
In the meantime, if you aren’t in a sunny land, stay warm and bundle up!
xx Stray Arrow
No. This isn’t a post about rocks.
There will be one down the line, but not today!
I’ve been spending some time going over old photos, admittedly clearing space on my computer. I thought I would share some old and new that may not have made it to item listings, social media posts, or just been swept under the carpet of time…
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I hope everyone has had a lovely Holiday Season, whichever you choose to celebrate!
For future notice on a packaging change:
I used to send all bangle bracelets and bracelets in general in plain sweet little muslin bags. They’ll now be going out a bit more spruced up, as such:
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That’s it folks!
NEW ITEMS will be hitting the shop throughout tomorrow, including two Chained in Turquoise rings, and two unique stacking ring types.
xx The Stray Arrow
Things are now settled, it’s time to share the new place and new jewels!
Here is a tiny peak at my new place, and some detail shots of the new studio…
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^Russian music boxes that each play a different theme from “Fiddler on The Roof”, antique mirror with Stray Arrow Featherblade necklace, and my favourite designated CAVE LADY plaque. The music boxes represent an old memory from one of my grandmothers. The plaque was made for me by the dear Tory of ToryNova, featuring me in true Cave fashion on the left, and her in true T-REX fashion on the right.
^ My favourite old TURQUOISE TREASURE CHEST. I scored this favoured piece at an antique & flea market. The Marines illustrated fold out piece was acquired along the St. Martin Canal, Paris.
^ Three different Arrow Vane sizes. Painting of Muninn with oils, cold wax, and fire ashes.
^ My gargoyle Askewheteau (“He who keeps watch”). Dangling from him is one of the first finished necklaces I made 4-5 years ago. The necklace was an “East meets West” theme featuring a Southwestern Thunderbird and the three clans from the Kanienkehaka (turtle, wolf, bear). Dangling stones are white buffalo turquoise and Crow Springs mine turquoise.
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The Bookcase
with some snippets of my vast collection…
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JEWELRY DOCKING STATION
—where jewels await new homes—
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THE STUDIO…
I’m now in a shared studio space with other artists. These are just a couple of close ups. To see peaks of my space throughout its evolution you can follow me on Instagram: @thestrayarrow
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NEW JEWELS
—these new pieces will be added to BOTH shops by the end of the night—
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That’s it folks! Thanks for keeping up and supporting my work. As always, there’s more to come!
xx The Stray Arrow
I’ve spent a little time lately outside of the studio, doing inventory of the pieces I already have made up. A ton of jewels have been sitting quietly and patiently in the corner, waiting to be photographed and listed. I’ll be posting some of these throughout today (Sunday) and tomorrow. I’ve also reshot some oldies but goodies. Oldies will be posted first, followed by newer pieces. If you’ve been keeping up with my Instagram (@thestrayarrow), you may have seen some of these already!
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NEW JEWELS
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(ghost echo)
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Check back to the shop for these new pieces soon!
xx Stray Arrow
For Rock Appreciation Day this month we have King’s Manassa Mine Turquoise.
Manassa mine turquoise has also been called King’s Manassa turquoise, King’s turquoise, and was originally called the Lick Skillet mine. It is located in South Central Colorado near Manassa. The Manassa mine is reputed to be the oldest turquoise mining deposit in Colorado, and was speculated to have been mined by the Anasazi Pueblo peoples. The mine was “rediscovered”, or founded, by Israel Perviose King when he was searching for gold in 1894. He filed claim on it the next year. The mine has stayed with the King family and is now with his grandson Bill King.
The turquoise from this mine is some of my favourite. It is known for it’s deep greens with host rock rhyolite golden brown matrix, but can produce turquoise in a range of colours.
The turquoise can come in solid colour, bi-coloured, or with host rock webbing. It pairs beautifully with gold and some of the most saturated dark greens are among the most collectible. I love that turquoise from this one area has been used for over 1,000 years and is still seen as a prized and treasured finite commodity.
Below are photos of pieces used with Manassa turquoise that have been sold or claimed.
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Below are photos of Stray Arrow jewels still available!
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In the works is another triple turquoise ring in the “Three Needles” horse shoe style everyone has been asking about! Coming to the shop soon.
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That’s all folks!
xx Stray Arrow
This post may be a bit longer, as I feel text has been slightly dwindling from this blog. Firstly, new items! These will be hitting the shop later tonight and tomorrow.
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Stone rings in natural old stock Royston and Manassa mine turquoise, and a luscious pink rhodochrosite.
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Other newer pieces include mini “Sweet Sayings” rings. These sterling bands feature delightful short quotes by yours truly. Each ring features a different quote, but they can be made to your size upon inquiry. Currently made are: “We are the brazen bold“, and “A darling day for rain” (for the English). These sterling bands are patina darkened and then polished to a steel like finish, with the darkened quotes hidden on the inside of the ring band. On the outside is my jeweler’s mark. These also make great knuckle rings.
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A wampum necklace with mini wampum beads, old stock cut of green Manassa mine turquoise, wild horse magnesite Crossed Arrows dangles, and silver & rose gold stackers will be joining them.
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It’s also been pretty evident that I’ve been somewhat neglectful of the Stretched Ears Jewelry shop. The Arrow Vanes, signature Stray Arrow wear, will soon be available in multiple gauge sizes in the shop. I’ll also be making more plugs featuring rare turquoise (Blue Moon mine), and other designs quite soon.
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Now for my favourite new addition. Awhile ago I made a necklace for myself that, along with The Stray Arrow necklace, has become a signature daily piece. Out of bronze and silver sheet metal I made a 5 string banjo. Completed with a wrap around quote on the body, and sawed out arrow in the back. I’ll be offering these in the shop as of tonight as a *CUSTOM* piece. The quotes and backing design can be customized. Four string banjos are also available. They’ll put a little folk mountain life in you. No templates, all hand forged.
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That’s it for new items for the next few days. I’ve also been working on some custom orders that’ll be shown here and the usual outlets (Tumblr, Instagram @thestrayarrow, Facebook), once finished.
A Note-
I’ve been noticing people imitating my work. While this is a touchy subject that seems taboo to talk about, this is getting unavoidable. Artisan one of a kind jewelry design is a difficult art to protect when compared to other art fields. Copies will happen. “One offs” are tolerated and occasionally flattering if the artist is *given credit* as being behind the inspiration. This is unfortunately not the case. I have been seeing people not only imitate my very specific signature materials (not that one can ever claim to own such a thing), but my writing descriptions, photography style, work title style and themes, and my overall aesthetic entirely. A continual ‘paraphrasing’, if you will. Most people have the grace to come up with their own designs, for those that don’t they bring down the work of others. I want to reiterate and remind everyone that if there is space to stamp my half inch “STRAY ARROW” logo onto an original piece, and it is not there, it is not made by me. This means that it is not backed by my quality guarantee, nor my 6 years of turquoise study experience. Just because a piece of turquoise is claimed from a mine does not equal good quality. I am an artist with eccentric interests, and my jewelry work is an extension of that. I try to be respectful of everyone’s creative and intellectual property, and truly wish the same in return.
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In other news, I’ve been in the process of taking some jewelry group shots of pieces for things like packaging, cards, and promos (hint hint *soon*). Below are some of those shots, as well as some really great folks wearing my jewels. Click on their photos for their respective work links and check them out!
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^lady Arlie, of Urban Revisions in 14k yellow gold and dark silver faceted sapphire gem ring. Paired with her new white glass jewels!
^the extremely talented Rachel (photographer), in Royston turquoise and dark silver necklace.
^Dominique of Couture Vulture wearing Stray Arrow No-see-’ems, and mini crystal rings by Concrete Polish.
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Cave Ladies, Shooting in The Dark,
still a favourite.
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That’s all folks! I leave you with an illustration from one of my favourites, the Pink Fairy Book~
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xx The Stray Arrow
Well after spending several hours cropping photos and finishing new items last night, I did something I haven’t done since college. I LITERALLY fell asleep on my computer. Sorry all!
This year has had a rocky start to say the least, but I won’t be getting into personal details. I’ve been making a series of required family trips, as well as planned trips (for sanity and all that). We all know how I love to drive! Now that things have settled down again I’m turning my full focus on the shop AND the Brand itself…
Changes. My Process.
Many jewelers, shop owners…business folks in general…never really talk about the inside details. I’m going to do a little sharing, so I’m sorry if this bit is boring! Photography wise, I use a simple SLR that I focus, point, and shoot. It’s all natural daylight. No tripod, no lighting, none of the fancy stuff. Unfortunately in these winter months, the sun yields a blue tinged light here in New England to everything no matter the time of day. I feel completely frustrated when trying to shoot work, even trying to keep it in focus with this old busted camera seems tough. SO. I have officially bought some more legitimate equipment to shoot in…and by legitimate, I mean real little lamps with daylight bulbs. Hopefully I’ll be reshooting *most* of my items with this to better represent the jewelry. The daylight bulbs allow me to shoot anytime, which also adds appeal. In addition I’ll be considering a new camera a few months down the line. Digital is a whole new world to me, and I’m pretty shameless about that. Up until needing a camera to shoot my jewelry I just used a 35mm manual Pentax in a darkroom. In summation, any good SLR camera any of y’all could recommend would be helpful! I’ll also be shooting my pieces in less cluttered set ups. Don’t worry. The leather, leaves, flowers, feathers, and all around Earth Essence will still be present. I couldn’t pull it out of me or the jewelry itself if I tried.
Commissions.
This year, I did something new. I told folks I was filled up on commissions to not overload myself and keep a steady pace. I put some proposed commissions on hold as well. Why did I do this? Without going into complicated details about the metal smithing process in general, there is some wait time in between technical steps. I’m one of those folks that truly just love to physically work, so I always have an extra 5-10 projects going on the side while working on everything else to keep beyond busy. Because of this, dozens of lovely ideas get made up to a point, but I never end up having true time to dedicate to finishing them. By only taking a certain number of commissions the past two months, I’ve been able to finish several projects that have been mer whispers of metal in the studio. All new items posted today have either been in progress, abandoned for the past few months, or stones I’ve been hankering to use for what feels like ages. For everyone wanting to get something specific done and waiting for it, THANK YOU.
I currently have some pending commissions that are still being worked on, but I’m completely open for more now! I’ll be contacting folks who’ve been waiting patiently-and yes. You’ll all get little extras for being amazing.
Rock Appreciation Day.
Was missed. I had Royal Imperial Jasper on the menu…and realized I’ve never made a piece with it! It’ll be done for March First in ADDITION to another stone type. Any requests are welcome!
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New Items.
A brief description of the goodies below, which will be hitting the main Etsy shop this Sunday. I’ve been working on more pieces veering towards a “Stray Arrow” mindset. What exactly IS that? The entire concept behind The Stray Arrow, which has always been difficult for me to word, is in essence individuality. The Stray Arrow is alone from, or ahead of the pack. The Stray Arrow can be the one arrow in the quiver that makes the bulls eye shot. It’s me and you.
These pieces have a more rustic, Cave Time feel. Little arrow vane chevrons, individually sawed/sanded/stamped by hand, adorn each piece enthusiastically.
The Stray Arrow Necklace-
Made of pure molten silver with a beautiful weight to it. Little arrow vanes fan out, deciding which direction your path will eventually lead. These huge, low swinging necklaces will be made to order upon purchase. They are true Stray Arrow Wear, reminding you never to get boggled down. You always have options.
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*pairs perfectly with Arrow Vane Stackers & Studs, Feathered Bands, and Crossed Arrows.
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The Archer Earrings.
Made literally on a whim in the studio the other night, these will be “made to order” upon purchase. I had a thick arrow sawed out on the bench for another Robin Hood necklace. While listening to Paganini’s 6th Caprice, somehow the shapes of violins, cellos, and violas entered my mind. All those lovely curves while staring at the arrow immediately brought my mind back to bows. I’ve been craving to make some kind of arrow earring for awhile now. Over the past couple months arrows seem to have BOOMED in the world of popular shapes. Thinly walled base metal castings of basic arrow designs are everywhere. It’s time for something of quality and substance, don’t you think? These earrings are completely hand sawed, and stamped with tiny details reminiscent of obsidian stone arrow heads. When everything used to be made by hand, and it was necessity. All sterling silver, these are totally darkened. Thick arrows rest on bows, with their sterling silver chain “strings” pulled back. This is a simple, unique design. A companion necklace will also be in the shop Sunday.
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Cave Lady Rings.
Close friends always have a handful of nicknames for each other. One of my favourites given to me is “Cave Lady”. My hair is fluffy and curly, made up of separate tendrils/tentacles that jut out in spools of crazy. Over the years (and through much trial and error) I’ve found a couple products that “tame the tentacles”, but I’ve come to terms with this nickname in all it’s appropriateness. Cave Lady for me also ties back to the primitive (note: I am NOT using this term in a derogative fashion as it so often is when applied to tribes or nations). When I was little I was obsessed with cave paintings (Lascaux), and trying to find arrowheads. Just the idea of putting that much time into the making of such a small object was fascinating. Fast forward into the future and I am now the creator of small things. I truly adore sawing and making these little arrow vane shapes, and thought…why not COVER something in it? So, in homage to the nickname, the old ancestry that ties us all together, and of course my obsessive love of rocks, I give you Cave Lady Rings. Two are currently made, one using a beautiful White Buffalo Turquoise stone and one a unique Koroit Opal stone. These rings feature little dangling Arrow Vanes, that also give them a Gypsy feel (another obsession, as a chunk of my family are from the Carpathian Mountains). Each ring has a wide band with “Cave Lady” stamped on the inside. These can be custom made with your stone choice in your size. The two current rings will fit a US size 5.5-5.75 (Buffalo), and US size 8 (Koroit).
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Three Needles. Bracelet.
This piece is pretty substantial. The Three Needles (as in Pine tree needles), features three different kinds of old stock, natural, rare and collectible kinds of American Southwest Turquoise. I obtained these three stones from a man who deals directly with the mine owners, so these are from old stock collections of the owners themselves! Each mine name is stamped on the back of it’s respective stone. Each stone has a different bezel type, with a different etched in textural design around the bezel. The horse shoe shape that two of the turquoise stones rest on is also filled with dangling hand sawed arrow vanes. These make a fantastic light noise when in motion, and add a little movement to the piece. It will fit a small to medium wrist. This is a serious unique statement piece.
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Zig Zag Steerer. Necklace.
This necklace has been on the work bench half finished for a long, long, time. It ties back to my Romantics Line, featuring quotes of poetry or literature. The quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s, “The Humble Bee“. Featuring three nicely coloured old stock natural Royston Mine turquoise stones, wampum, and chalcedony gems, this is a massive piece. The wampum is an amazingly coloured chunk that my mother actually found on the beach last year. For anyone out there who knows about wampum, you know what an impossible feat that is! I set the wampum in pure silver bezel on a sterling backing just as it was found. The wampum dangles from the massive three turquoise stone pendant. The great quote from Emerson’s poem, “Zig Zag Steerer, Desert Cheerer“, is stamped on the back of the turquoise and wampum. Little oceanic flowers of faceted sea foam chalcedony gemstones join the pendant on the blackened silver chains a ways up. The necklace length is adjustable by using the tiny amethyst gem clasp, or the plainer silver clasp at the end. This piece oozes feelings of royalty, beach colours, bookworm appeal, the Southwest, and even latches on to my “Along The Dark Shore” themed pieces that combine turquoise and wampum. There’s something in it for everyone, and it has an amazing weight and presence to it.
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Sunday.
All of these fresh lovelies, PLUS MORE, will be in the main shop on Sunday. Any new pieces joining those that have been previewed here may make an appearance on my FaceBook Page or Instagram (username: TheStrayArrow). Anything can be reserved ahead of time if you have your heart set.
I have been neglecting the shop for those with stretched ears, and will be pouring my efforts into breathing back some life into it in the coming week. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, it looks like we’re expecting ANOTHER snow storm here in New England this weekend. For those in it’s path, stay warm.
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xx Stray Arrow.
Lately I’ve been biting off a bit more than I can chew. I’m slowing things down a few paces, trying to remember I’m just one person. A few items have been added to the main shop today. A few more are still *nearly finished*, and just need to be photographed and listed. Custom orders are coming along on time, as well as “made to order” items. If I haven’t began conversing with you about a custom order, please wait until mid February to inquire, as I am fully booked now!
The next month shall consist of finishing all orders, tweaking some things in the shops (photographs, listings), and overall just some very preemptive “Spring Cleaning”. I will also be putting both shops on “Vacation” from February 11-18th. If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day goodies, *PLEASE* keep that in mind and order early!
I’ve also been trying to spend a bit more time outside. The past few days have been very dark and fog ridden. The view from the studio has been particularly haunting.
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New pieces coming soon will include those below….The Double Drop Turquoise necklace featuring Kingman and Kings Manassa turquoise stones. Some Robin Hood themed pieces featuring the deep green colour the Manassa Mine is known for, with hand sawed arrows and feathers. The “Three Needles Bracelet”, implying evergreen pine needles. Three Needles is made up of primo turquoise pieces from the Royston Mine, Manassa Mine, and Fox/Cortez Mine. All mine names are stamped on the backs of their respective settings for authenticity. This is in mid-production, and will look nothing like it does at present…
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Alright folks. Back to the studio-cave beneath the mists for me. I hope everyone has been enjoying this lovely weekend!
xx Stray Arrow
The Stray Arrow 