Spoiler alert! You know how I said Larkin is working on a series of magic doorways? They left the front of this one with all the glorious, raw, rough texture of petrified wood (there are even some druzy seams in there!) and added a sweet little bar handle. The frame should be ready for this lovely soon...
process
Petrified Wood Doorway
fun, musings, process, productCommentLarkin has a series of these magical portals on the go, and the first is done!
This petrified wood doorway was cut from a stone found by our family near our home in southern Oregon. Petrified wood is so fun-- you never know what you might find when you cut into a piece! The stone and slab in the photos are part of the same piece of petrified wood as this finished cabochon.
We think the distinctive curly markings in this wood's grain were formed due to compression during mineralization. Here, I've circled a small vein of remarkably clear agate at the base of the cabochon.
Larkin's frame on this piece has a distinctly Tolkien-esque vibe, bringing to mind the wood elves of Mirkwood! Hand shaped leafing vines, a cluster of mushrooms, and the tree on the back are topped off with a matching custom bail. The silver is polished and sooooo shiny!
New Cabs
fun, musings, processCommentLarkin was looking to stone for inspiration this morning and got these cut and polished before the heat of the day. The white background is indoor lighting to get a better look at the patterns in the stones, while the outdoor lighting shot shows their color and shininess a bit better. The two reddish cabs are moss agate-- the arch has some amazing druzy pockets. The hanging water droplet is applegate jade/bowenite with a really interesting seam filled with a shiny chatoyant mineral across one corner. The other two are serpentine with some pretty amazing colors and patterns.
Looks like we have some magic portals to look forward to!
Mushroom Ring Prototype
musings, processCommentMushrooms! In ring form! Larkin has some design changes in mind before this ring is officially offered, but this prototype shows where they're headed. If you happen to wear an 8.25 ring and think this silver one looks like it might be yours, hit us up! I bet Larkin will cut you a deal. ;)
More Ivy Goodness!
fun, musings, process, productCommentLarkin forms the base of these gleaming earrings from a rectangle of hefty 20 gauge sheet metal, hammered to appear like a brick or stone base for the vining ivy. They then painstakingly texture, hand cut, vein and shape each leaf from silver. Each earring is topped with a hand-shaped 20 gauge silver ear wire.
The copper background is untreated and can be kept polished bright or allowed to develop a natural patina. The silver has been oxidized to highlight texture, then hand polished.
Each earring measures about 3.5 cm from the top of the ear wire to the tip of the lowest ivy leaf and and just over 1 cm at its widest point.
Ivy is often thought to symbolize strength (if you've ever tried to discourage ivy, you know why!), fidelity (it gets very attached!), and vitality. Bottom line: you can display your mettle with this gorgeously shaped metal. ;)
A Shiny Ring... And A Guarantee!
musings, fun, process, productCommentThis shiny new moon ring is flying off to Michigan tomorrow to be part of someone’s 40th birthday celebration!
In other news, Larkin has added a sort of handshake-guarantee to their work! This is what they added to the Jewelry Care page:
My goal is to make beautiful, sturdy jewelry that will last a lifetime! Please contact me if you have any issues during normal daily wear.
I am happy to help maintain all Idle Talons work after it has been sold! Please contact me if you would like a something professionally cleaned and polished. Price will depend on the job— ranging from the price of postage for wire-only pieces, to a bit more for stone settings.
Sometimes tragedy strikes! If you accidentally slam your favorite pendant in a car door, or a pair of earrings gets bent out of shape when they were mistakenly put through the laundry cycle, contact me! Again, price will vary depending on the job, but I may be able to repair the damage. Include a picture of the piece in question so I can get a good idea of what might be required.
And if you lose a single earring? I will absolutely make you another single to match the remainder for half the price of a pair!
I truly want every customer to be happy with their purchase, so please don’t hesitate to contact me at idle.talons@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns!
Winged Sunburst
fun, musings, process, productCommentI am still at the coast, avoiding the heat wave currently blasting the Idle Talons home studio, but Larkin has been sending me progress photos so I don't feel quite so out of touch. I thought y'all might enjoy a start-to-finish glimpse into what goes into one of Larkin's pieces as much as I do!
Spoiler: Larkin was going for dragon-worshipping-the-sun vibes.
First step after coming up with a concept: deciding on size! Larkin cut some wing templates out of cardboard to help with the decision.
The middle size seems Just Right. Bonus glimpse of grubby teen jeweler paws.
Another cardboard template, this time a sunburst!
For this kind of detailed work, Larkin cuts the template out of sticker paper so it can be applied to the metal and used as a cutting guide. Here you can also see all the pilot holes they drilled through the metal so their saw has a starting point.
40 minutes of painstaking cutting later, and the sunburst is all cut out!
Hand polishing/grinding gets all the little burrs and sharp spots out of the cut-out so its edges are rounded and smooth.
Last check with templates before committing silver!
Silver wings! Cut out and textured.
Adding spines to the wings. Every little connection point and detail is another opportunity for the torch to cause the metal to slump which would require starting the whole process over.
Details are starting to come together!
This piece got a full rainbow finish after first heat!
The back of a wing after torchwork. The scorching is such a neat effect-- it's too bad it won't stand up to smoothing/polishing.
Veining is all done-- now for more details!
The tip of each "finger" gets a hand-sculpted talon. You can see the top one is the only complete one in this photo.
Talons and tails are cut, shaped, and ready for soldering!
Copper sunburst, talons and tails are all in place. Just need to add some attachment points for a cord on the back.
Pickled (Larkin uses a hot citric acid bath) and cleaned/tumbled to remove the torch scorch. A bit of hand-polishing and it will be done!
Taaaaaadaaaaaaah!
A quarter for scale and cord attached through hidden bails to show how it will hang!
Batchwork
musings, process, productCommentMore prepping for in-person markets is occupying Larkin in the Idle Talons studio this week. There's something very satisfying about photos of batchwork... these not-yet-earrings make me want a tiny hand-blown glass vase in which to arrange them! It's always fun to see them next to their shiny, finished counterparts.
A Perfect Swarm
musings, process, productCommentApparently a still group of dragonflies is called a static swarm, as opposed to a migratory swarm if they're on the move. This swarm will be moving along soon! ;)
It still blows me away that these charred, dull-looking bits of metal turn out so delightfully shiny after pickling and polishing!
Rainbow Throwback
musings, process, productCommentThese beaded rainbow spirals were brought out of retirement at the request of someone who attended last month's pride event. Larkin doesn't do a lot of beadwork these days but enjoys re-visiting it now and then! These colorful bangles were sent off to their new home today.
… And I hear rumors of a morning glory vine ring on Larkin's workbench-- hopefully we'll see it soon!
Cat Tail Earrings
fun, musings, process, productCommentCat tail earrings! Larkin really captured the essence of the plant with these hand-sculpted beauties! Available with either a silver or copper teardrop frame; silver is polished bright, copper is oxidized then Larkin hand-polishes the silver cat tails back to bright. No two are exactly identical, but they are all identically lovely! 😉
Posts may be a little slow because our family is split between two different states this month! Larkin and Emile are home where they can work while Jenny and Finn ran off to the coast to enjoy some cooler weather and time with grandparents. What does this have to do with Idle Talons? Well, I (Jenny) usually photograph and post Larkin's work so we are working out some kinks and delays!
Currant Events
fun, process, musingsCommentCurrantly (sic...wait for it) on Larkin's workbench: A currant leaf and its nervous system! Inspiration is all around us
On Applegate Jade Pond
musings, process, productCommentThis bucolic pond scene takes place over an “applegate jade” (bowenite) cabochon, modeled after the shape a drop of water forms when hanging from a large curved surface.
Larkin spent a lot of time studying water as it dripped from their fingertip as part of their lapidary shaping process! The stone is a deep green with grey and black inclusions, attracts a magnet, and is partially translucent when back-lit.
As usual, Larkin hand-sculpted all of the elements from silver wire and sheet metal, with a small copper ball at the center of the lily flower. The custom bail features a small lily pad and wandering vine.
This pendant measures 5.6 cm long (including the bail) and 4.0 cm at its widest point.
Grass Stem Cuff Bracelet
musings, process, productCommentLarkin sculpted this solid silver cuff bracelet featuring a grass seed stem, with the stem at one end of the cuff and the grass tip at the other.
Just like on the grass stem it was modeled after, Larkin meticulously individually shaped the seed heads so they start out larger and more widely spaced and get smaller and closer together towards the tip of the stalk.
The band measures 1.5 cm wide and will fits wrists with a circumference of 6-8.5 inches. Larkin oxidized the argentium silver, then polished it back to bright on the surface, leaving areas around the seed heads darker for added dimensionality.
Grass Roots Jewelry
musings, process, funCommentOne of these is not like the others...
Sneak peek! Larkin's latest inspiration came from our property's need for a final summer weed-whacking! 😅 The finished piece should be polished and photographed tomorrow... stay tuned!
Applegate Jade Night Magic
fun, musings, process, productCommentI was telling Larkin that their recent work has very wonderful witchy vibes. Lo and behold, at last weekend's market someone bought FIVE (!!) wraps... for their coven!
This latest applegate jade (bowenite) piece definitely has a similar feel. Larkin wove the base of the frame from copper, while the tree and ivy leaves are hand-sculpted from argentium silver. The whole piece was oxidized, then Larkin hand-polished the silver back to bright.
Larkin always complains about the "messy" finish on tree backs, but all those wires have to end somewhere!
This piece truly feels like a portal into a magical world! Measures 4.5 cm long and 3.8 cm at its widest point.
Humboldt Jasper Oak Leaves
musings, process, productCommentLarkin cut the stone in this pendant from jasper found by our family in Humboldt County, California. The stone has moss-like deep red coloration at the top that slowly transitions to orange-yellow highlights at the bottom.
Between, Larkin swooped a flurry of hand-cut and shaped copper oak leaves, modeled after actual leaves from the white and black oaks in the forest around our home in southern Oregon. The wrap is topped with a custom matching bail, and backed with a windy free-form wire design.
The details on the leaves is pretty extraordinary! Larkin cut them out individually with a jeweler's saw, and they are varied sizes, each with a distinct silhouette. Then they are each veined and shaped into their final form!
Work In Progress Wednesday
musings, processCommentLarkin's at it again, folks, working on a whole bunch of things in parallel and finishing nothing. 😅 This time of year, they want to soak in the beautiful, mild weather outside. So all these frames have their wrapped sections mostly complete (the "hammock" portion 🤣) and are waiting for Larkin to be inspired to do some torch work (the indoor portion). Larkin is highly suggestible... any votes on which of these should get priority when inspiration strikes?
New Sword Option!
musings, process, productCommentLarkin now has these sword rings with either garnet or blue cubic zirconia gemstones! Larkin has chosen to source lab-created gems rather than natural gemstones because laboratory conditions are fairly well controlled, while the gem mining and cutting industry is vastly unregulated with many workers dealing with inhumane conditions. This is also why Larkin is moving towards working almost exclusively with stones found by themself, friends, or family.
Larkin is hoping to save up for a faceting machine so they can shape their own fancy sparkles from self-found stones!
Silver Moon Swirls Ring
process, productCommentA new ring design! This time Larkin cut a crescent moon from sheet metal and embellished it with smokey whisps. The decoration does not extend all the way around the comfort band so the band is smooth and comfortable between the fingers. Larkin oxidized the silver dark and then the hand-polished the moon and silver swirls back to bright. The oxidation will wear off over time in areas that are against the skin, but should stay dark behind the decoration, giving the ring extra dimensionality.
