Spring, isolation and market cancellation has led to distraction, disappointment and frustration for small businesses and Idle Talons is not immune! Larkin is working on some new designs and is busy cleaning and reorganizing the Idle Talons studio/ teenager bedroom. It was a bright spot in our week when a local news outlet included Idle Talons in their coverage of the local Comic Con that was cancelled this year! https://www.roguevalleymessenger.com/fear-not-fantasy-fans-comic-con-vibes-abound-in-virtual-form/
process
Genie Magic
process, musingsCommentLarkin is excited to have the genie set up in a more permanent location so it doesn't have to be moved when not in use! Today's experiments include trying out some homemade dop sticks for polishing cabs and hopefully getting stones cut for some projects Larkin has in mind. Some of us <ahem> are having a hard time not pestering Larkin constantly about one of these projects in particular because the anticipation is torture, but no spoilers!
Dragon Eyes!
product, processCommentNew dragon eyes going up tomorrow! So much variety and character.
Experimental
process, musingsCommentLarkin was playing with some new techniques and including negative space in a design. This is a gorgeous Humboldt chert cab and Larkin likes it much more than the wrap so is considering pulling it out of this piece.
Beaded Medallions
musings, process, productCommentBeading was Larkin's first creative love. I went into craft stores asking about beads for my 3-year-old and they'd point me towards buckets of giant plastic monstrosities. I quickly learned to ask for seed beads! While Idle Talons has moved more towards stone and wire work, Larkin still loves beading. These medallion pendants are intricately mesmerizing!
Lapis Planet
fun, process, productCommentLarkin cut and polished this gleaming blue cabochon from a small slab of lapis lazuli gifted from a fellow rockhound at the rock shop. Wrapped in gleaming argentium silver rings that match shining flecks in the stone, this piece is truly stellar! (See what I did there?)
Just for fun, the second picture is a visual pun representing a well-known song title... can you guess it?
Out Of This World!
process, product, musingsCommentThis planetary cab is another that Larkin cut from an Applegate jade stone found by our family. This is a prototype for a design Larkin wants to do in silver, but the gleaming copper rings are pretty spectacular in their own right! Certain sci-fi buffs among us were amused to discover that it measures precisely 42 mm long.
Dynamic Design Duo
process, product, musingsCommentVoluntary isolation means lots of time for sketching and plotting... with a little help from Pippin. ;) Today's design features clean lines and sparkling beads which combine to form quite a striking piece!
Moonstone Scroll With Aquamarine
product, processCommentThis is the first moonstone and aquamarine scroll Larkin has made that was not commissioned... that means it's first come, first served! ;) The wider drop on this piece has a luminous blue/rainbow flash and is complemented beautifully by gleaming argentium silver.
New Cabs!
process, musingsCommentFirst things first: in case you were wondering if Larkin's work outfit could get any more glamorous, check it out with the addition of a sun hat! Larkin spent a day outside before this most recent storm hit getting some work done on the genie. All the unlabeled cabs are local Applegate jade/serpentine and destined to become leaf wraps. Finn, Larkin's younger brother, helpfully dubbed the grossular garnet cab "Shrek snot." Thanks, Finn.
Aventurine Leaf
musings, process, productCommentThis may be my favorite of all Larkin’s designs to date. Deceptively simple with a distinctive organic elegance, it showcases the quality of the cabochon and lets the unique properties of the stone really shine through.
Serpentine Moonscape
musings, process, productCommentLarkin's latest tree is done! The large background cab is cut from a swirly, deep green Applegate jade/serpentine stone found locally by our family. Larkin cut the moon from another stone we found comprised of agate and common opal. The swing is hand-formed and fused, made of argentium silver. There is something very evocative about the scene this piece presents!
A Tree Grows Slowly
product, processCommentLarkin has a billion (okay, maybe slightly fewer) projects going at once and my pleas for JUST ONE to be completed seem to be falling on deaf ears. So here’s a view of Larkin’s office for today, complete with majestic guardian and parasol, and a photo of the tree-in-progress. I am still awed when Larkin gives that snarl of wires its final fancy form!
Tree Seeds
process, productCommentAnother tree in the making…
Custom Moonstone Scroll
process, productCommentThe second silver moonstone and aquamarine scroll commission is done! Larkin is planning on making one more of these soon since it would be nice to have one actually make it to market. ;) The combination of argentium silver and moonstone is positively luminous!
A Day In The Life
musings, processCommentEarly spring weather, a grape arbor, a cat, and the latest commission piece... sometimes the life of a teen entrepreneur looks pretty sweet.
Market Booth Facelift
product, process, venuesCommentMore work on new displays and signs! Have we mentioned our great fondness for public domain images? The sea star dish for the mermaids was a fortuitous thrift store find.
Display Progress
product, process, venuesCommentWe've been playing with dressing up displays for the upcoming market season and have been really pleased with some of the public domain images we've found for making new signage! Big shout out to fellow vendor Ruby of Valhalla Organics for letting us borrow her laminator to make them extra sturdy!
Frogs, Skunks, and Lizards... Oh My!
product, processCommentWe’re also updating displays for the first market of the season next week... more on that in the coming days!
See You Later, Alligator
fun, process, productCommentMonkeys, alligators, and a fancy new haircut (finally) happening today!
