These are neither a matched set nor a finished product, but they needed to be hung to photograph-- All the shaky, sparkly little dangling bits don't lay flat well. This is a copper and lapis lazuli design that has been floating around in Larkin's head for some time but wrapping alone didn't leave them rigid enough. The one on the left has solder-only connections and the one on the right has wrapped connections that have been stabilized with solder. Which would you prefer once the joints have been neatened up?
musings
Not The One Ring, The First Ring!
process, musingsCommentThese bursts of creative energy when a new toy or technique presents itself is so fun to watch! Larkin has been wanting to play with rings for quite a while but a lack of solder made it difficult to make really nice designs. This is still a work in progress. The first picture shows the "front" of the ring... every single spot the twist touches the framing wire has a tiny solder spot. The second picture shows the join-- it's solid, but obviously will improve with repetition! There is more to learn about getting the surface of the metal back to smooth and shiny after heat treatment, but this is a pretty nice start within days of beginning to play with jewelry soldering!
Author Appreciation Project
fun, musings, process, productCommentThe author of one of Larkin's very favorite web comics/graphic novel series is doing a signing, and Larkin made this charm necklace as a fan gift. The leaves, hearts and stars are the interstitial doodles the author uses around frames and between chapters, translated into wire.
<replacing my admin hat with my parent hat> Larkin is feeling very hesitant/self-conscious about giving this gift at the signing. I maintain that this is the kind of fan interaction that will make an author's day (if not month!) and Larkin should include an Idle Talons card with the gift. Please leave an encouraging comment telling Larkin how right I am (😂) if you feel so inclined.
The series is Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, and is an almost impossibly sweet coming-of-age/romance/coming out story. Highly recommended if you need more warm fuzzies in your life.
Solder On...
fun, musings, processCommentLarkin has some designs planned that require soldering connections. Soldering with a torch rather than an iron on a teeny tiny jewelry scale is, well, somewhat terrifying to behold. Here's to learning new tricks for the Idle Talons toolbox!
To Patina Or Not To Patina
musings, fun, process, productCommentLarkin is working to make more designs available in silver as well as copper, and we'd love your input! The pair of earrings on the left is bright, polished silver. The pair on the right has been patinaed then polished. Should Idle Talons make both available? Do you think one would me more popular than the other?
Idle Talons works with argentium silver, an alloy that contains a higher percentage of elemental silver than sterling, and replaces some of the copper content with germanium which makes it more tarnish resistant than any other silver alloy.
Amethyst Roses
musings, process, productCommentLarkin cut and polished this amethyst cabochon from a slab shard, then framed it with copper roses and faceted amethyst beads. The result was stunning, came out of the polisher late last night and was sold at today's market before 10am! The Idle Talons photographer didn't even have time for proper glamour shots!
Blue Moon
product, musings, processCommentIt is somehow appropriate that this piece was finished on Halloween Day! The large cabochon is shaped from a blue aventurine stone gifted from a friend. The moon is from an agate/opal stone found by our family, tangled in the gnarled branches of a copper tree. The whole piece is surrounded by a frame incorporating luminescent mother of pearl beads. Truly the kind of piece that comes along only once in a blue moon!
Simple Custom Wrap
process, product, musingsCommentAnother custom commission! A customer brought Larkin this rough stone with sentimental value and wanted a simple wrap with spirals. It's a much more 3-dimensional stone than the cabs Larkin usually works with. We think it's fluorite-- catches the light beautifully!
fun, musingsComment
If you give a jeweler some almonds to milk... chances are they’ll want to rig up a whole efficient system, complete with fancy copper scroll attachment.
Put A Ring On It!
fun, process, musingsCommentLarkin’s first crack at braided copper rings! We plan on wear-testing them for a while to see how the oxidized copper does up against skin.
Striped Mystery Stone
musings, product, processCommentLarkin found this slab at a rock sale and loved it, but no one could tell us what the stone is! Any rockhounds out there who might be able to help us out? Larkin cut and polished the cabochon and wrapped it in copper which has been oxidized and polished.
The Cab In The Slab
process, fun, musingsCommentThis is a cab Larkin cut from a piece of Applegate jade our family found. It's placed in the section of the slab it came from. It's amazing to see how different the dry stone looks from the polished final product! The lighter green areas are quite translucent, the darker areas more opaque. Larkin is envisioning a wrap evoking a stormy sea for this one.
Copper Doodles!
fun, musings, process, productCommentToday's copper doodles! Sometimes these are destined for the product board, sometimes they are further refined to finished products, and sometimes they're never spoken of again.
Lapis Whorls
product, musingsCommentA new earring design! Gleaming wisps of copper and faceted lapis lazuli make for some magical adornments.
Product Board
musings, process, product, venuesCommentThe Idle Talons product board is ever-evolving. This is where Larkin puts new designs, experiments that will probably never be repeated because they were so time-consuming (but fun and educational!), and long-time customer favorites. This is how it shaped up for today's event at Scienceworks. You're missing out if you haven't checked out the booth in person.
More Rocks, Please!
fun, musings, process, productCommentAnother day at the rock shop, another handful of gorgeous cabochons to play with! Also made an exploratory cut into a big piece of Applegate jade that has us pretty excited! The jade is pictured held by Idle Talons' beta minion, Larkin's dad. From left to right, the cabs are banded calcite, strawberry calcite, lapis lazuli, and lace agate.
Charoite In Silver
product, musingsCommentThis is a purchased charoite cabochon that Larkin wrapped in argentium silver. Charoite is a beautiful stone found only near the Chara River in Russia, said to be very soothing and bring physical healing to its wearer. Better yet, it is said to invite magic into one's life-- this wrap definitely has a whimsical, magical feel!
Beads Shall Dance
process, fun, musingsCommentLarkin went a little wild at the big Dancing Beads (our local bead shop) sale this weekend. Let the gleeful plotting and designing begin!
Owl Be Darned (Well, Beaded)
fun, musings, process, productCommentI (Larkin's mum/Idle Talons' minion-in-chief) was sitting watching Larkin make these sweet little owl charms and learned the story of how the pattern was developed. Apparently, when Larkin was 9 or 10, there was a popular Minecraft server that hosted 5 minute speed-build challenges. At some point the challenge was to create an owl, and Larkin won the round. The build translated well into beads and a pattern was born!
Smoked Out
fun, process, musingsCommentLarkin came home the night that smoke from the latest wildfire rolled into our home valley, so we immediately got in the car and headed for the clean air of the coast. Larkin has started work on the very first silver Idle Talons wrap, with a gorgeous studio view courtesy of the grandparents (that’s cool, glorious fog, not wildfire smoke).
