a brief history

Working on these last two jeweled crosses got me to thinking about my other jeweled crosses so, I thought I'd share some images of past work ... and of course share images of the newest treasures all bright and shiny and ready to find new and loving homes.

Well, these first two aren't crosses, but are my first bejeweled pieces.  The images are not so great - just scans, but I still love the pieces ... 

I call them Vestiges of Byzantium ...the earrings

and the pendant

Then there was this cross I made for a friend in PT.  I cut a cross out of thick mica, wrapped it in pmc, drilled a hole in the center, then more pmc with a wash of 22k pmc in the center.  A total experiment, but a pretty successful one ... at least I thought so.

Then the crosses started getting more fancy.  

I gave this one to my sister to accompany her breast cancer journey.

White topaz in the center, peridot trillions, sapphire and moonstone cabs with a 22k pmc wash in the recesses.

From last year ... peridot and raw diamonds, a sapphire at the crest, hanging from a braid of dark blue silk and tiny faceted gems.

Another one from the same time.  A yellow sapphire in the center surrounded by a lot of raw diamonds, with a tiny ruby at the top, hanging from a braid of plum silk and tiny gems.

And my most recent creations ... the raw ruby cross on multi-strand leather.  I love the ragged edges around the rubies and the color of the stones is just wonderful.

And then there's my pièce de résistance.  Dave says this may be one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever made ... and that's saying something!  He's seen it all - the very bad and 

the truly extraordinary.   I call it Starry Night ...  

 And I don't know what it is, but it really does feel like a very special piece.  Do you ever feel that way about your work?  Something will seem very normal during the creation process and then, upon completion, you realize something has transpired and the work has been transformed, transcended ... it's become more than the sum of it's parts.  

Here's a different angle. 

I'm not sure where this one is going.  I sent off a bunch of work to Artisans on Taylor.  ArtFest is next week and I always try to stock them up with my most interesting pieces.  For some reason, Starry Night, didn't want to go to PT.  Not sure where it wants to go...

But for now, I do know where I want to go!  Dave and I are heading down to St. Augustine, FL for a long weekend.  Warmth, sun and sand!  I am so in need of a salt water fix and they've got lots - hard to say which I love more, the salt marshes or the ocean.  

But I won't have to choose.

Hope you enjoyed the show!   Have a lovely weekend.

blessings - kvk