We know news from the Idle Talons workshop has been sparse lately, but not due to inactivity! Larkin has been super busy working on commissions, playing with new tools, and prepping for markets. There are some fun new things in the works, we promise!
process
Market Day!
venues, product, processCommentLarkin is all stocked up and ready for the first Tuesday Market in Ashland with the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market tomorrow! The Idle Talons board is full of old favorites and some fun new things that you won't see anywhere else. Plus there's new collections of leaves and double-sided cabs-- come say hi if you're local!
Gemstone Whorls
process, productCommentLarkin has been stocking up on these magical gemstone whorls! Argentium silver or copper wire is shaped, hammered, wrapped, and paired with lapis lazuli, amethyst, turquoise or garnet beads. Hand-shaped ear wires top them off. 💕
Rock Shop Day!
fun, musings, processCommentRock shop day! Larkin was pretty thrilled to be back in the machine shop after a fairly long hiatus. Slabbed up some recent finds with pretty amazing results, rough cut some cabs, and cut some amazonite for a special request for knob pulls. Lots of inspiration for new pretties!
Serpentine Waves
musings, process, productCommentLarkin cut this asymmetric teardrop cab from gorgeous grey-green serpentine found by our family near our home in southern Oregon. The stone’s impression of fluid movement is mirrored by the waves and bubbles of the oxidized copper wrap.
Applegate Jade Planet
musings, process, productCommentA new planet! Larkin cut this cab from applegate jade found by our family and included that really interesting transition zone between the crust and the deep translucent green at the center of the stone. The argentium silver rings follow healed fracture lines. It's celestially orb-tacular!
Oxidized Vining Roses
musings, process, productCommentRemember those oxidized silver roses? Larkin has put them on bright silver vines! I struggled to capture their multitudinous range of colors in photos, so trust me when I say they're even more brilliant in person. If your neck is 14.25 inches or smaller, or if that length wraps twice around your wrist, this beauty could be yours! Of course, Larkin can also add or subtract links as needed to adjust the length.
Vining Rose Quartz
musings, process, productCommentEverything's coming up roses around the Idle Talons workshop! Larkin cut the cab for this piece from a piece of rose quartz that the folks at the rock shop affectionately dubbed "lavender quartz" due to its blue tinge-- its purple really pops against the true red of the roses!
Larkin shaped the argentium silver roses and leaves first, and fused them into place on the silver vining rose wire. The base of the frame is copper, with the silver vines wrapped in as it was made. The whole frame was oxidized, then Larkin hand polished every single silver component to bring out the bright silver contrast.
This is a gorgeous piece, with meticulous detail. That said, Larkin is not planning to make another like it because it took so. stinking. long! Better act fast if you love it. ;)
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Oxidized Roses
musings, processCommentLarkin is playing with oxidizing silver roses for vining chokers and bracelets. Oxidizing is a bit like rolling the dice because you're never sure exactly what colors will pop out, but this group sure make a lovely bouquet! Fairly normal-sized human thumb for size reference.
Knobs!
musings, process, productCommentLarkin finished some knobs! The first pair are a deep green, opaque applegate jade with yellow-brown inclusions. The second pair are made from a deep grey-green serpentine. The knob base is a heavy duty brushed metal and comes with the screw necessary for installation. Instant cabinet fancification!
Evil Twin, Anyone?
musings, process, productCommentLarkin is calling this the evil twin of the last moonstone wrap. 😂 That design inspired a few tweaks and Larkin happened to have another moonstone cab on hand to try them out. This is another argentium silver wrap, but this time Larkin did a light oxidation to bring out all kinds of crazy colors in the metal!
It's amazing how similar the design is, but how different the feel of the two wraps are-- I can't decide which I like more!
Clearance Items!
fun, process, product, venuesCommentOne of the opportunities presented by online bazaars is the ability to present some fun pieces that never made it to be final products. There is nothing wrong with these items-- they are practice pieces, discontinued designs, or prototypes of designs Larkin later finalized.
These are Larkin's clearance boards for the upcoming Royaboya Handmade Bazaar. Join the Facebook group any time, sales start this Friday morning!
Knob Blanks
musings, process, productCommentWhat looks like a lifetime supply of knob blanks arrived yesterday! Larkin ordered some wood and some brushed metal and is taking advantage of the warm weather today to get in some stone work.
Copper Shrooms
fun, process, product, venuesCommentLarkin got distracted while making eensy weensy mushrooms and turned out a few of these merely eensy mushrooms. Each is sculpted from solid copper and are heavier than you might expect from their diminutive size!
These sweet fungus dangles will be available starting next Friday at the Royaboya Handmade Bazaar!
Whispy Jasper
musings, process, productCommentLarkin cut this cheerfully asymmetric cab from a grey-blue-green-with-a-bit-of-yellow-at-that-one-edge jasper stone we found near the coast. Swirly on one side and whispy on the other, Larkin mirrored the feel of the stone with the copper wire of its wrap. Measures 6.4 cm long and 2.6 cm at its widest point.
This piece will make its debut at the Royaboya Handmade Bazaar, coming up at the end of the month!
Fungus Among Us?
fun, processCommentI'm just going to leave this right here because apparently Larkin is planning on making something with teeny tiny mushrooms and I'm super down for that.
Mad Scientist!
musings, process, funCommentMore new mad scientist toys... just look at that grin!
Larkin has been saving every little wire trimming scrap for the last few years for this very moment. ;)
Yesterday, the crucibles arrived, and after seasoning/glazing were ready for their inaugural copper melting. Here is the unused crucible (it's being saved for silver) with the amazingly colorful patina left in the one used for copper.
These little blobules (I'm pretty sure that's the technical term...) are the results of pouring melted copper into a bucket of water. Some of them turn out like perfect abstract little sculptures, and Larkin is thinking of adding a jump ring to favorites to make fun charms. The others can be re-melted and shaped into sheet metal and wire for more intentional jewelry work.
And here is Larkin in full protective gear-- welcome to the glamorous world of fine jewelry making!
Applegate Jade Scroll
musings, process, productCommentNow that Larkin has shaken out yesterday's clothes, found the missing cab, and tied it in, I'm happy to present this latest wrap! Larkin cut this cabochon from applegate jade, probably our favorite local rock! The first picture is with the rough stone from which it was cut, the second picture of the back shows the cut side of the stone.
The higher "gemstone quality" applegate jade is a very dark green with black speckles, but our family unanimously prefers these kinds of pieces with more shades of green and different materials making interesting patterns in the stone. It shares two of the most fun and defining features of applegate jade; it's translucent when backlit and will attract a magnet!
The sunlit picture with dandelions shows how the stone's patterning really pops in the sun, even as it blows out the argentium silver scrollwork.
Metal Flappers
musings, processCommentLarkin is playing with a new design! These were inspired by some amazing claywork by Royaboya's handmade jewelry that had Larkin itching to play with the new rolling mill to see if a similar design might work in metal. The one on the right is fresh out from under the torch, scorched and unpolished. The one on the left was pickled (not quite long enough, as it turns out), oxidized and polished. Dragon wings? Bat wings? What do you see?
Applegate Jade Marquise
musings, process, productCommentLarkin created this piece for someone wanting rich, earthy colors in a copper wrap. The gorgeous marquise-cut cabochon is applegate jade, and includes the full range of materials that stone offers, from the sandy-looking rind to the deep green, translucent interior. It still blows us away that we can find rocks like this near our home!
