Rings of Jewel Envy: WORN

Sterling silver,vitreous enamel on copper, uvarovite ring made by Alexis Kostuk of Glaciale.  Uvarovite (the druzy-like gem on the right) is a type of garnet - the colour is even more unreal in person!

Studded Spinner made by Amanda Henderson of Jewelust.  Sterling Silver.  The studded component spins within the ring, a great piece if you love kinetic jewellery (is there anyone who doesn't?!)

Gothika ring by Amber Thomas-Penchoff.  Sterling silver.  This ring has an architectural look that calls to mind the Iconic Chrysler building - she has even made earrings in this series of work.

Play ring by Chia Chien Tsai of Ellolite.  Made with a sterling silver formed into a seed pod that has a burst of colour added with resin and sculpey.  She has several colour combinations available! 

Big ring by Gillian Batcher of Pash Jewellery.  Sterling silver and amethyst.  The angle of the gem placement on this ring makes it a fantastic standout piece - there are a few left in her collection each one big and fabulous!

Saucer ring by Iona Alexandra Jewellery.  A bold piece made with sterling silver.

Thick hammered ring by Lauren Hanham.  A sterling silver band with a satin hammer finish - the texture is subtle and lovely in person.

Ring by Sasha Oda.  Sterling silver ring with a unique tribal style.

Bridge ring by Young Ko of Koko Bijoux.  Sterling silver and citrines.  The cut and colour of these gems are spectacular.

 Please drop by for a visit to try any of these and other rings on yourself!  

FORGE AHEAD

Hello everyone!!

I made some wire today, and thought I would share my process with you.  Knowing how to make wire can save your butt in a wire emergency, and it is also a great way to reuse your old metal.

Cut your metal into small pieces, and make sure it is clean and free from solder and other contaminants.  Dig a tunnel in your charcoal block, and heat the metal until it is molten.  Now you have a blob.

Next:  it's hammertime!  You should forge this blob with a heavy hammer, to compress the metal and avoid porousity.  Hold the blob in place with pliers, not your hand!!!  Unless you enjoy hammering your fingers, in which case don't listen to me.  Hammer on all sides, until the blob is slightly rectangular in shape.  And don't forget that safety comes first, so wear your goggles and ear protectors!



                  

Also, keep in mind that this is the face I make when I hammer metal:



Be kind to your metal, and make sure to anneal every few hammer rounds.  You should also be removing any cracks in the metal with a ball bur.  This will prevent them from getting any bigger.

Once you've gone a few rounds with the hammer, you can start rolling the metal through the mill.  I like to use the square wire roller.

Once the diameter of the wire is small enough, you can start using a draw plate.  Don't forget to anneal!!!

And voila!  Wire.



New Life Exhibition

It is hard to believe it has been almost a month already!
The last day of our exhibition, New Life, is May 31. Only one week away.

It was really great to see everyone at the opening, and throughout the month and to discuss the different interpretations of "new life".

Here are three pieces in the exhibition:

Disguise Kit by Amanda Henderson (me!) is about starting a new life incognito, and was inspired by Groucho Glasses, the plastic disguise kit. This kit consists of sterling silver reading glasses, a gold-plated sterling silver and stainless steel mustache septum ring, and a ceramic nose stand. It is a continuation of my Sweet Movember line of mustache-themed jewellery that I sell to raise money for prostate cancer. (www.facebook.com/SweetMovember) Fool your friends!

Rafi Sativus II by Sasha Oda
Rafi is a small snail with big dreams. Little did he know that nature had other plans for him. While he slept underground, a plant pierced his larvae and he was forever changed. This sculpture was inspired by the Japanese word "tôchûkasô" that translates to "winter insect summer grass". This word encompasses the entire concept of a growing plant unexpectedly crossing paths with the larvae of an insect.

Octobaby is Chia-Chien Tsai's vision of a hybrid organism. The octopus tentacles store nutrients and have magnetic abilities. The upper half of Octobaby is human. His brain, body, and arms and legs are used just like ours.

Come in this week, and discuss these and a lot more with us!
Amanda

Just Cant Stop Creating

After fours days of attending full conference at SNAG, I am totally inspired and ready to work. It was informational, educational and inspiring. There were many successful stories from emerging artists. Also, there was a serious talk about craft theory. In a nut shell, people were generous for exchanging and sharing thoughts, techniques and etc.
Now, I am back to studio and working. Those are promise rings in 14K white gold and 18 rose gold craved and cast by me Hopefully, I will finish them today and ready to deliver to San Fransico soon.

 

Ellolite--------------->click me

What's a Mother?

We love our mothers everyday, but tomorrow is a day of national appreciation to those ladies who dealt with us nurtured us into the wildly adjusted individuals we are today. There are plenty of sparkly (and not so sparkly) pieces here in the studio you could pick up as a gift, or you could give the gift of a workshop where she could learn to make her own jewellery. You could pick up some flowers or take her to her favourite restaurant, or do all the house work and leave her to solitude. But, I think the best kind of mothers day gift is just plain old fashioned love. I think Wendy Darling said it best...

~What makes mothers all that they are
Might as well ask, "What makes a star?"~

 

Ok, I'm done being cheesy. We love you mamas!!!
-Lauren

 

New Life Exhibition!

If you missed the opening of the New Life exhibition at Jewel Envy, do not fret! The exhibit will be up for the entire month of May. Join the jewellery crowd at the exhibition crawl during the SNAG conference on Thursday May 16th! Visit SNAG Exhibition Crawl for a complete list of the program that evening.

In the meantime, here are some photos from the opening night!

Exhibition wall

Someone made edible penguins for the opening! Olives, cheese, carrots!

Jewel Envy has a new summer intern!

Hiya everyone!

I am just completing my first week of interning here at Jewel Envy, and about to start my very first blog post ever. I guess it's time I introduce myself as the newest member of the Jewel Envy team! :)

My name is Taylor Norman and I have just finished two years out of three in the Jewellery Arts program at George Brown College. My education so far at George Brown has been incredible and I have learned so much, but the one think I felt was missing towards the end of second year was real-world experience. That is why I jumped at the opportunity to apply to become Jewel Envy's summer intern when the posting went up around our studios!

I have always had an interest in running my own business, but the thought of trying to start up a studio with only a few years of knowledge and literally no experience was totally terrifying for me. Gillian (owner of Jewel Envy and entrepreneur extraordinaire) has so far been an incredible mentor and teacher (and it's only been a week!!!)

Today, I'm learning how to gold plate! I can't wait for what I will learn over the course of this summer!

- Taylor