VOTE

Hi everyone, this is Larkin. I wanted to post here myself because this is something that matters a lot to me, and if you’re in the US it should to you as well. 

This is obviously not a political page, but I don’t want to stay silent when the decisions being made will affect my life for years-- if not decades-- to come. At 15, I am not eligible to vote-- if you are, mask up and use your powers for good.

Over the last four years I’ve watched as my world has literally burned around me and listened to the people in power deny it. I’ve sat here as my rights and those of my friends, family, and loved ones have been taken away. I’ve watched as people of color have been murdered by the people who are supposed to protect them. I’ve seen refugee kids being taken from their parents and locked up in cages, and so so many more atrocities I don’t have the time or the heart to list here. 

So please, I’m begging you: Vote. Vote for the vulnerable people who can not. Vote because science is real. Vote because love is love. Vote because people don’t deserve to die because they can’t afford a life saving medication. Vote because the murder of people of color is wrong. Vote because women have a right to decide what happens to their bodies, because climate change is real, and because kids don’t deserve to be kept in cages. And if you feel that none of that will affect your life, think about the people you know who it will. 

I’m not allowed a voice, please don’t waste yours.

Exclusive Offer For Facebook Fans

If you haven’t followed Idle Talons over on Facebook, now is a great time to start! Larkin caught the pumpkin-spice-and-everything-nice autumn bug and designed these sweet little (almost exactly quarter-sized) charms! These perfectly plump pumpkins feature textured stems with curly vines and will come on an 18" cord for $18 shipped to the U.S. They can also be made into earrings for $33 shipped. Join us on Facebook to get your pumpkin on! It's finally starting to feel like fall, y'all!

Morado Opal With Roses

Larkin cut this round cabochon from a brilliant Mexican morado (purple) opal stone, wrapped it in copper, and accented it with handcrafted argentium silver roses and sterling beads (the beads picked up a coppery hue in the polishing process).

Another photography challenge-- the stone is super reflective and a brilliant purple similar to amethyst, not as blue as the full sun photo makes it look. I also included a picture of the back with a penny for size reference-- sometimes I forget after taking/editing photos just how diminutive many of Larkin's pieces are! Images on a phone screen are often far closer to actual size than the giant images on a computer screen. So much detail in this little gem!

Copper Foxes

Larkin designed these copper foxes* as an addition to a wire-wrapped pendant, but they are so charming we couldn’t resist offering them on their own! Each fox is hand-formed from copper wire and lead-free copper solder, pickled in an acidic solution to rid them of torch scorch (self-directed jewelry learning often results in less-than-official terminology), polished of any remaining residue, dipped in liver of sulphur to oxidize, then polished one last time. They have a ton of personality and eminently boopable snouts!

*Some viewers may see these as coyote pups. Idle Talons hereby acknowledges your right to interpret art however you wish, but insists that in this case you are wrong. 😉🤣🦊

Opal Commision

Another two-cab wrap! This customer wanted a wrap that included their gorgeous dark opal alongside an applegate jade cab from Larkin's collection. All wrapped up in argentium silver, this is another piece that looks very different depending on the lighting!

Companion Pieces

Larkin has been asked several times about potential companion wraps-- for significant others, parent and child, siblings, best friends, etc. These two were not designed with that in mind, but they were cut from the same spectacular red jasper stone (pictured rough) and certainly fit the bill!

Larkin completed the one on the left several months ago, and did not look back on it before wrapping the one on the right last week-- clearly the stone inspires a certain feel!

In other (tangentially related) news, Larkin passed the DMV's driving test for a learner's permit yesterday! If there is a market season next year, chauffeur service may not be required!

Fossilized Shell Earrings

By special customer request, Larkin created this earring version of double-sided cabs. Larkin started with an extra thick slab of fossilized shells, rough cut the shape, drilled a hole sideways through the top of the cab so the face would be unbroken, and domed and polished both sides. Now I want to see some in applegate jade! 

Treble Clef Progression

These silver treble clefs went out to everyone who bought a single ticket in our recent raffle! Larkin makes them in batches and it's fun to see the progression from start to finish. I'm blown away at how consistent they are-- Larkin's a wire-bending machine! 

Red Jasper Wing

Larkin had an appointment to meet someone at the park to discuss a custom wrap, and Finn (Larkin's younger brother) and I thought we'd tag along to play some catch in the beautiful weather. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring anything to throw at each other. Instead, we spent some time finding new photography backgrounds for Larkin's latest piece (which we considered throwing, but didn't want to get in trouble).

Larkin cut this cab from a spectacular red jasper stone found by our family while visiting the northern California coast. It evokes feelings of flight and fire, somehow appropriate as Larkin's first uncommissioned piece since the Almeda fire. I admit to being a little verklempt when I first saw the finished product.

Everybody Must Get Stones!

These are all the stone-only pendants Larkin currently has. These thicker, double-sided cabs are really a spectacular way to show off a stone without distraction. Here we have:

A - applegate jade, including the stone's natural rind
B - red jasper/agate
C - applegate jade
D - jasper (with such cool patterning!)
E - rhodochrosite (the top edge shows the raw stone)
F - applegate jade
G - banded calcite
H - fossilized shells

After using the drill press at the rock shop rather than the dremel we have at home, Larkin may be looking to invest in another machine! These are all $33 shipped anywhere in the U.S.— send us a message to claim!

Custom Leaf

Larkin received a customer request for a leaf made from labradorite. So shiny! Larkin and Emile spent yesterday at the rock shop cutting into some new rocks and as I type Larkin is hard at work making cabs squeal on the genie-- should have some new pretties soon!

Cloaked In Mystery

Larkin spent the last few days making this cloak, complete with hand-crafted copper cloak-pin, feline photo shoot assistance, and all the flap-tastic twirls! So... how anachronistic is the Idle Talons fan base-- should Larkin design a line of cloak/shawl pins?

(And, Yes! I *do* constantly think Larkin's going to correct my sloppy use of The Force or break out into Benedictine chants, thanks for asking. 😉)

Applegate Jade Leaves

Larkin made more applegate jade leaves since they have been hard to keep around... then A and D were spoken for before we even had a chance to post! 😅These are two pictures featuring the same leaves in slightly different light. Clearly we need to plan a trip to the machine shop so Larkin can cut more slabs! 🍃

To Oxidize Or Not To Oxidize...

Silver play! The earrings are polished, bright silver, while Larkin oxidized the roses on the charm. What do you think... bright silver or oxidized?

Rose Vines

After making roses in a live video for last weekend's on-line bazaar, Larkin's gears started turning. ;) These are super detailed; they have been sculpted, hammered, soldered, and wrapped into final form. Larkin says neither of these are quite ready for a website debut, but I'm here to tell you they are gleamingly gorgeous! If you'd like to claim one for $25 shipped to the U.S., comment here with your email address (or send it to us at idle.talons@gmail.com) and specify if you'd like the one on the upper right or the lower left. They are almost exactly the size of a quarter.

Celestial Lapis Lazuli

Larkin cut and polished this gleaming dome from lapis lazuli, framed it with copper wire, and accented it with metallic star and copper beads. The whole Idle Talons team agrees that the result calls to mind stars, space, and planets! Lapis lazuli is said to bolster confidence and encourage self-awareness— surely this piece would do so on a galactic scale!

Bezel Learning Curve

A recreation of what must have been Larkin's thought process yesterday:

I'd like to try silver smithing. I don't really have the right materials or tools, but obviously today's the day. I think I'll use one of my smallest cabochons that is all curves and a point. That's very sensible. I *do* have a bit of bezel, but no silver sheeting. I'll hammer some wire out to use as backing. Oh look! An S curves nicely around the coral bursts! Hmmmm... how am I going to crimp and burnish this? Hey, remember that railroad spike I picked up on a hike years ago? I put a few twists in it using Emile's old forge. I bet I can polish one edge and use it as a burnisher. Perfect.

😂 Introducing Larkin's very first bezel-set stone. The burnishing is not quite done, so it will get a bit shinier. Obviously it's a learning process-- the fossilized coral sure is purty!

A Day In The Life

Today is a bead-doodling, design-sketching, cab-drooling, family-card-playing kind of day. Happy Saturday!

Eye Of The Beholder

Larkin is currently working on a wrap for this cab. This is from a piece of Applegate jade our family found. Larkin included some of the stone's rind and I love the effect of the combined translucence and opacity. Looks to me like a perfect sandy underwater scene. Larkin says it depicts an angry, monstrous frog rising from the deep. To each their own!

Avatar Elements

Larkin got an order for this flowing "water" pendant and discovered it's time to re-stock! Whether or not you're a fan of the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender series (or its equally compelling sequel The Legend of Korra), these elements translate beautifully into wire!

As a side note, I'm kind of blown away by Larkin's ability to re-produce designs! The stock image of all four elements was taken when they were first designed (1.5-2 years ago?) and the solo water was made yesterday. We always include a disclaimer about how, like all handmade products, actual items may vary slightly from the photos, but sheesh! Vary VERY slightly! ;)