Plata Brillante y Nuevo

Good day to you,
Here are some freshly smithed jewels for the new year.

And now I am getting on my metal crate and am standing up straight, eh hem. Some might call it a soap box.

I had a realization the other day that was profound. After a few years of metalsmithing jewelry of the handmade sort and really trying to flesh out ideas that represent myself and my roots, I have developed a western flared style that suits me just fine. Rather than constantly searching the interwebs for inspiration, I find myself looking to the real world for inspiration and then go to my sketch book to document the ideas. I would like to come clean on a stickler point. This used to bug the shit out of me. Why not just let the flow of ideas develop through your design as it is crafted (my old way of fabrication)? Well, it doesn't work for me anymore. As time has passed and themes within in my designs are built upon, becoming more involved, a sketch book holds my many thought tangents. One other thing I will also divulge. I couldn't understand why certain smithers refused to browse jewelry on ETSY. This too puzzled me. Plume, we conversed about this at length. Rather, you answered my myriad of questions, thanks. As time answers many questions, I realized this worked for me, as well. While ETSY is an amazing marketplace, it is also a huge source of copying and borrowing others ideas to be your own. I am not saying that you shouldn't do this, it just doesn't do it for me. In fact, it gets me heated and I realize, what I had written just a few sentences ago. Focus on your own design elements and build upon those, while drawing inspiration from your everyday experience. As my work flow has changed, so has my way of creating, which has allowed me to take baby steps. Because really for me, it just one big science project.

Great, now I am really sounding like an artist. Crap, I am just more of a fabricator. Artists have dreamy studios with the light gleaming in on fresh cut flowers. My work space is a shop...dirty, dusty, woodstove burning, damn it's cold in the garage, shop.

Okay, I stepped off my box now. Thanks for listening.

Maverick Earrings,

sterling silver

Panache Saddle Ring,

sterling silver and copper Mokume Gane,

in the shop now

This Panache hasn't left my finger since I made it.

Panache Saddle Ring,

sterling silver and copper Mokume Gane,

for me

Double Horseshoe,

sterling and copper,

a custom order of Cousin Morgan,

Thanks!

El Gran Suerte

made of sterling silver,

a second version, also in the shop.

Have a swell evening,

with gratitude,

Kristin