spiralling.

... but not out of control!  i've been experimenting a little with my wishbone style earrings and came up with these lovelies!  sculptural, linear, almost like a line drawing come to life.  there's a "spiral jetty" (r.i.p. robert smithson) kind of feel to them, but they're still feminine while being deliciously modern.  while i do love working with solder and flame, there is something quite straightforward and simple about cold forging wire.  sigh.

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curvaceous. (not me, the earrings!)

i've been working on some decidedly curvy designs lately, and these are ones that have passed muster.  (my workspace is littered with remnants of copper and silver wire!)  these are lovely, with a little bit of a punky edge to them, but still quite feminine.  almost like a question mark, these are lightweight and seriously fabulous.  and, like all of my other open hoops (yes, i know i am using the term "hoop" quite loosely but i don't care) these are made of reclaimed sterling silver.  eco-friendly and cool!  seriously.

(not being very curvaceous, it might be the case that i'm living vicariously through these earrings.  sigh.)

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the open hoop. again.

 yes.  i am obsessed.  the idea of the open hoop earring is floating through my brain all the time lately (that and that darned katy perry song "california girls" - the mini is crazy over it and we've listened to it about 50 times in the last two days - don't ask) - probably because i have about 10 feet of gorgeous, reclaimed sterling silver sitting on my worktable and i can't stop myself from fooling around with it.  (oops.  that sounds kind of dirty.)  i just pulled these babies out of the tumbler and i think they are my new favorites.  they are a larger version than the ones i made earlier this week and are more along the lines of my "wishbone" earrings.  they are lightweight and just full of silvery shiny goodness - the little rustic balled ends are also a nice design element, i think.

i had asked my friend julie for her feedback on the earlier version and she said that she preferred the "wishbone" design rather than the crossover.  (like L, julie has impeccable taste and is a fantastic model for my jewelry - not the mention the inspiration behind the original mini open hoops)  and i think i have to agree.  i'm loving the more improvised, informal shape of these, as well as the softer lines and rounder forms.  i think that i'm going to make myself a killer iTunes playlist, melt a little metal, and go a little larger with the next set of earrings. 

hmmmm.  stay tuned for more.  i'm psyched.

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open hoops.

lately i've been thinking of other design possibilities for the 'open hoop'.  i have found that for someone accident-prone like i am, that these types of earrings seem to be the best choice.  not only are they lightweight and easy to wear, but they are less likely to fall out or be pulled out of shape (or out of my ear) by a small toddler.  i also love the organic look obtained by melting the end of the wire into a little ball and these on the right encompass all of those qualities.  i like the modern, linear quality of these - kind of a like a little punctuation mark for your ears (or maybe a safety pin?  punk throwback, much?) can't beat that, now can you? 

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the smaller, the better.

you don't hear THAT everyday. (*wink wink*)  but certainly in this case, small is awesomely fabulous.  with some time on my hands this weekend, i've been working on an even smaller version of my tiny bud open hoop earring... and here it is!  at just over 1/4" in diameter (the other ones are about 1/2"), these are perfect for people with multiple piercings or tiny earlobes.

i've been experimenting with texture as well, and there will be a version that is hammered (similar to the original style), one that is more of a "flathead" (see picture) and then one that is perfect just as it is (like in this listing).  they photograph beautifully too.  but the best thing about these earrings?  the reclaimed sterling silver wire i have been working with to make them is pretty flawless.  it makes me feel a little virtuous to be making something that is eco-friendly as well as super stylish - and at $10, a steal as well!  want a pair????

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designs of an insomniac.

for some reason, i can't sleep lately.  too much going on in my head, but nothing creative, which for me is equally as frustrating as not sleeping.

finally, last night i crawled out of bed and sat in the cold basement, thinking about an idea for a hoop earring that my friend julie had suggested.  a couple of sketches and some melted silver blobs later.. and voila!  the most perfect tiny earrings!  nothing like watching firey metal melt into a molten ball to fire up the imagination.  different sizes to come as well!

so, julie, these are for YOU!  (and now i'm off to make some for myself!)

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