Adobe Sol Designs ~ the BLOG ~

OMGoshhhhhh I am having so much fun setting some of the most beautiful stones I’ve ever seen. Each and every one of them give me a unique inspiration that I  use to make  one of a kind pieces.

Right now I’m designing a necklace using an Owyhee Jasper cabochon. It is polished on both sides so I’m considering a cutout on the back. It will have flowers… of all sorts! I’ll be blogging it very soon.

Here’s a few pieces I’ve made recently.  Available in my Etsy Shop:

Ocean Jasper, Fine and Sterling Silver

Wild Horse Magnesite, Sterling Silver

Vintage Button, Sterling silver

Carved Bone, Silver

Here is the basic process in the making of my new Pebbles Ring. It features a magnificent Tarvertine cabochon with earthy color and brilliant patterns!

Cutout for the back of the ring

The bezel soldered on to set the stone

Checking the fit of the stone in the bezel. Sanding where needed.

Fine silver pebbles soldered on

Shank soldered on

Finished ~ Front view

Finished ~ Back view

Pebbles Ring ~ On my hand, comfy, big, bold!

NOTES:

………………………………………………………

Hand saws are awesome. I really like Rio-Saw-Blades available at Rio Grande. They are local to me so I’m able to visit their shop!

………………………………………………………

I prefer sheet solder to wire.  I like to cut pallions and it is flat and easy to get it where you want it, or just as easy to ball up on your pick.

When I look at my various cabochons ( I am a caboholic) I visualize the design possibilities. I chose to make something with a  large Cripple Creek Jasper cab. It has the shape of a pot for planting something in, or…the blue could have been a body of water or the sky… This one had many possibilites. In the end of my brainstorming I made it into a flowering cactus pot.  

The inspiration are my mountain bike rides in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. With every ride, in spring and early summer, there are a variety of new blooms on the cactus, changing every day!

After three pages of sketching,  hand sawing, soldering, melting, forming, texturing, setting, oxidizing and polishing… Here is the result:

Cactus Blooms Necklace

Here is a new piece just listed in my etsy shop today.

I wanted to set the lovely blue of the turquoise off with both silver and copper. I bezel set the turquoise cabochon with fine silver on a copper back. I made the toggle clasp with the mix of metals as well. There’s plenty of texture and lightly oxidized to show the detail. Here is the result:

This one turned out really nice and it was a pleasure to make. Everything just went together flawlessly… the bezel fit nice and tight, the balance is just right and the stone looks organic and lovely. The earthy colors of the magnesite stone, also known as Wild Horse stone,  are set off by the oxidized silver.

Available in my etsy shop, it is a  size 6.5, wears extremely comfortable, bold and beautiful!

This is a piece I made for my dear friend Sharon Hodgson. She’s a fabulous mutitalented Canadian artist with  a very big heart! Find out about her new work and the stories behind it in her Blog. If you are in the Halifax area check out her schedule. Sharon is one of the people who make this planet a better place to be, seriously!

Completely handmade with fine and sterling silver, dichroic glass cabochon.

Muse

Muse

Muse

This one just ROCKS! The focal is completely handmade with fine silver beadcaps, made specifically to size, with all openings/rings soldered closed except for one hook opening. Super high quality faceted ametrine stones have a delicious purple and clear color. I made this one long, on a sterling medium weight chain. Total length is 29 inches. Can be put on over head or with the front closing hook.  Currently available in my etsy shop.

Long and Lovely

Long and Lovely

Long and Lovely

Long and Lovely

Continuing my bezel setting, I’ve made a few new rings. One is for me(!) and the other is avalable in my Etsy Shop.

The Bouquet Ring features a vintage style (1950s) milk glass floral cabochon.

The Ice ring features a piece of quartz.

Bouquet Ring

Bouquet Ring

Bouquet Ring

Ice Ring

Ice Ring

Ice Ring

 

Next in my series of bezel set dichroic glass cabochons and the first of the series to get listed in my Etsy Shop…

A Ray of Sunshine Necklace

This is one of many handmade front-closing toggle necklaces I have recently made. The pictures really don’t bring out the color of the Peruvian pink opal. In fact, this was a hard one to photograph (at least for me…). I added some interest to the chain by wire wrapping Swarovski pearls in between different link-styles of chain. The pearls look so soft along with the opal. This is one of my favorites.

Pretty in Pink is available in my Etsy Shop.