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!
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.
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!
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!
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! 🍃
If you like beautiful, shiny stones without the distraction of wirework, these may be the pendants for you! Larkin starts with an extra-thick slab, rough cuts the pendant shape, drills a hole sideways through one end so the faces of the stone are smooth and unbroken, then puts a domed high shine on each face so the finished product is reversible.
In the top-down picture, from left to right, the stones are: applegate jade, applegate jade (with more of the stone's natural crust included), fossilized shells, red jasper/agate, and one more applegate jade. All found by our family, except the shells which were found by a friend!
A customer sent Larkin this lovely boulder opal cabochon and requested a copper wrap similar in feel to this silver applegate jade wrap. Love the whimsical vine bail!
Larkin is offering the chance to win this gorgeous piece over on Facebook— if you’re not already a follower there, this would be a great time to start!
1) $10 buys you a single entry for a 1 in 15 chance of winning the piece. (Available for U.S. and international entries)
2) $15 buys you a single entry for a 1 in 15 chance of winning the piece AND a small handmade trinket so you're guaranteed happy mail even if you're not the big winner. (Available for U.S. entries only)
There are ONLY 15 TICKETS AVAILABLE-- first come, first served! To enter, and for more details, please see the Facebook post at www.Facebook.com/Idle.Talons
Larkin modified the St. Petersburg beading stitch to result in this sparkling whorl design! These are $18 each shipped to the U.S., and a matching pair could be made into earrings for $33.
Silver play! The earrings are polished, bright silver, while Larkin oxidized the roses on the charm. What do you think... bright silver or oxidized?
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.
Mermaid tails! Larkin hammered and wrapped these fun, fantasy-inspired fins into their fabulous final form. From lightest to darkest, they are made in bright silver, oxidized silver, and copper.
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!
This purchased picture jasper cab provides a gorgeous background scene that Larkin framed in copper and silver. The outer frame is copper, oxidized and polished until gleaming. The tree is formed from raw copper wires which will develop a natural, more dull patina over time. The swing is sculpted from argentium silver, polished bright.
Throwback Thursday... with an update! ;) This is the second wrap Larkin did entirely in silver, around a purchased charoite cabochon. I took a few new pictures because I was never really satisfied with the first set, but I was a bit chagrined to discover that I STILL found it almost impossible to capture the brilliant purple of the stone, the gleaming of the silver, and NOT my own reflection. 😅
Charoite is a stunning, purple stone found only near the Chara River in Russia, said to be very soothing and bring physical healing to its wearer. Better yet, it is said to invite magic into one's life-- this wrap definitely has a whimsical, magical feel-- front and back!
After a few design iterations and some wear testing (after a day of normal wear the copper caused no skin discoloration-- woot!), Larkin is ready to offer these sparkling gemstone cuff bracelets! They are one-size-fits-most and will be slightly loose on a 5 inch circumference wrist, and snug on a 7 inch circumference wrist. These two are silver with smooth turquoise and copper with faceted amethyst, and they're also currently available with faceted garnet and lapis lazuli (but I happen to know that Larkin loves an excuse to buy more gemstone beads if you'd like to commission a different stone 😉).
Larkin made this piece for a customer who wanted an applegate jade cab with no wire work. Larkin drilled a hole sideways through the top so the cord wouldn't interrupt the faces of the stone, and polished both sides with a dome so it is fully reversible. First two pictures are taken with the rough stone the cab was cut from.
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!
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! ;)
Larkin formed this striking pendant from three obsidian disks, polished flat rather than as traditionally domed cabs to showcase the patterning in the stone. In the shade (or against a dark background) the stones have the traditional appearance of glossy black obsidian, but against a pale background you can see the swirling black patterns in the otherwise grey stone. Either way, the argentium silver wrap really gleams against the stone!
Obsidian is tricky to work with— the smallest disk has a very small chip near the edge and the middle disk has a stabilized crack (barely visible against the right edge in some photos). This one is priced lower than most silver-wrapped three-cab pieces would be. ;)
