Disclaimer: no actual mermaids were harmed in the taking of this picture. That said, this snarl is what 16 Ariels look like waiting for their ends to be woven in and trimmed. Market preparation is getting serious!
process
Attention To Detail
musings, process, productCommentDid you know Larkin makes almost all Idle Talons jump rings by hand? This ensures that the metals match and the rings are high quality. Most of Larkin’s jump rings are oval rather than round which keeps the joint away from the chain or cord— making it less likely for a necklace to fall apart entirely if it snags during daily wear. Larkin has been singing the praises of this new jewelry saw (broke the first blade last night!) that makes it easy to cut many rings at one time with a nice flat joint.
Morado Opal Roses
musings, process, productCommentLarkin had someone requesting a rose piece with a purple stone and found a gorgeous slab of Mexican morado (purple) opal. The day is too sunny for a great picture, but this cab is so lovely— it looks like a galactic view out a spaceship portal!
Neither Plane Nor Simple
musings, processCommentHow much wrap wire should you cut? Why, I’m so glad you asked! 😂 Life as an artist with nerdy parents... where wrap wire of length l and diameter d is wrapped around larger wire of length L and diameter D.
Brazilian Topaz Scroll
process, productCommentA customer brought Larkin this faceted Brazilian topaz to set for his wife. He saw the scroll prototype Larkin was working on and was sold! This topaz is wrapped in argentium silver with sterling beads.
Return of the Peacocks
product, processCommentThese peacocks were a custom order from someone who saw them in the Idle Talons gallery and had to have them! Larkin had discontinued these beauties because they take so much intricate work it was difficult to price them accordingly.
Moonstone Scroll
product, processCommentThis commission was from a customer requesting a moonstone centerpiece with aquamarine accents. Wrapped in argentium silver, this piece positively glows! Another patron who had come to discuss a commission saw the design and liked it so much they ordered something similar with their own faceted topaz centerpiece.
Fabulously Festive Festoon
fun, process, productCommentLarkin made this piece as a prototype for a new commission-- always nice to try a new design in copper before committing to silver! The drop cab is poppy jasper, with coordinating beads in orange and yellow/green jasper. The scrollwork is so graceful, and a little research revealed that this style of necklace, wirework connected to cord or chain at two points, is called a festoon. So you are hereby invited to festoon yourself with this festoon!
Necklace of Power!
fun, musings, process, productCommentLarkin crafted the many-sided dice used while playing Dungeons and Dragons from beads and joined them in this imposing necklace. It was probably too time-consuming to become a regular Idle Talons product, but there will no longer be any question who is DM at our house! Sure to be a critical hit with any D&D fan…
Applegate Jade Leaf
process, product, musingsCommentAnother slightly simpler wrap, this time a leaf cabochon Larkin cut and polished from Applegate jade (serpentine) found near our home in southern Oregon. The veins are shaped from fused argentium silver, with the stem end acting as the bail. A simply beautiful design that one customer described as being “the sort of gift any hobbit would be pleased to receive from Galadriel.” (okay, it was Larkin's uncle 😅)
Silver Rose Rings
product, process, musingsCommentAfter a great deal of wear testing (we put them through a lot, although we stopped just short of wearing them while splitting firewood) and quality control, Larkin is ready to offer these sweet rose rings!
These delicate but sturdy adornments are constructed of pure argentium silver— all joints are fused rather than soldered for a smooth, clean look and feel. (I learned jewelers say “fused,” perhaps because it sounds more delicate and less industrial than “welded,” but the meaning is the same.) Roses and leaves are individually constructed and wrap around the band. Our wear testers agree that they are very comfortable! Bands are 18 gauge silver and can be made to fit virtually any digit.
Obsidian Waves
musings, process, productCommentToday's lesson: my photography skills are not ready for Larkin to start working in obsidian. 😂 Look at the first picture. Closer. Zoom right on in there. See our circuit breaker? Yup, clear as day.
This is a black obsidian cab that Larkin polished to a mirror shine (thanks, Larkin). It is a solid, gleaming back, but displays interesting striations when backlit. The contrast between the bright silver and deep black obsidian give this wrap a bold, elegant feel.
Chert Waves
process, productCommentThis is one of the first cabochons Larkin cut and may be the last cab we can get from the stone. The beautiful blue-green chert with quartz veining was found by our family while visiting grandparents in northern California. Larkin wrapped it in copper which has been oxidized and polished.
Snitches Get... Lovely Cords To Hang From
process, fun, productCommentWe spent some time getting pictures with a live model today so it's easier to envision how different pieces hang. Many thanks to Larkin's very patient friend Allison for providing such photogenic clavicles. Allison even brought the perfect shirt for a shot with a snitch!
Cabs and Dragons
fun, processCommentToday’s cab progress, interrupted by a game of Dungeons and Dragons... because sometimes you just gotta be 15. Not that tools are ever far from hand.
Lavender Quartz Roses
product, processCommentThe folks at the rock shop were calling this stone lavender quartz since it has so much more blue in it than standard rose quartz. Larkin has been wanting to try a mixed-metal wrap for awhile and inspiration struck with this stone! The frame is argentium silver and the roses are copper. So delicate and lovely!
Looking Fabulous
fun, musings, processCommentJust another shot from the Idle Talons office... nobody told us the wonderful world of jewelry making would be so glamorous! Coveralls that fit Larkin’s not-quite-5’2” frame don’t seem to be a thing. We think the shot of hot pink really pulls the whole outfit together.
Silver Leaf Earrings
musings, process, productCommentLarkin is taking a short break from stone and solder work while we wait for a respirator that should actually fit to arrive (hopefully Monday!). Apparently breaks from certain kinds of work can inspire new designs! These stunningly simple, shaped wire leaves are made from a single piece of 20 gauge silver wire. The wire is shaped, hammered and fused at one point. The result is very elegant— a design that we dare say wouldn’t look out of place gracing Galadriel’s elven lobes! (Thanks to Larkin's younger brother Finn for dipping his human lobes into the glamorous world of ear modelling.)
A Day In The Life
process, musingsCommentA brand new stash of argentium silver, jewelry saws (at last!), a warm fire, and a sleeping cat. Just another day at the Idle Talons office. ;) Larkin is excited for more silver stock-up for next market season and ready to turn out some rings!
A Very Magic Lamp, Indeed
process, funCommentLarkin’s wonderfully supportive and generous grandparents sprung for a Genie cab polishing machine over the holidays! It was a process. Apparently they were backordered and wouldn’t arrive in time for the holidays... so what Larkin actually received was a magic lamp and a letter from a sorcerer explaining that if someone worthy rubbed the lamp every day eventually a Genie would appear. And it did! But it arrived broken. Cue the strings. Yesterday the replacement FINALLY arrived and it is in perfect working order. Hooray! Larkin broke it in last night, shed a bit of blood discovering that new wheels are a wee bit more abrasive than those at the rock shop, and turned out two lovely cabs in short order. Woot— leveling up!
