Harbingers of Spring!

Anyone who has lived in the Pacific Northwest is familiar with these brilliant purple shooting stars that carpet the forest floor in early spring!

Larkin meticulously hand-crafted these metal blooms from solid sterling silver, each as unique as their wild counterpart. They have been oxidized and polished, and Larkin polished the bottom ring just below the petals by hand to mirror that brighter band of yellow on the flower.

Wild shooting stars hang straight down from their stem, and these metal blossoms mimic that habit from the wearer’s earlobe. The petals are more delicate than most of Larkin's work! These earrings are best worn with short hair, or long hair that has been tied back to avoid tangling and pulling.

No two flowers or pairs will match perfectly— that is part of their charm!

Bowling Pins

Larkin was off at a state bowling tournament this weekend! They did not do as well as they hoped, but (as always) had a fantastic time.

We had been calling this jasper "bowling ball" jasper because it had a certain '70s bowling alley chic. The perfect background for Larkin's bowling pin earrings!

Silver Kelp Hair Clip

Larkin's latest hair clip design is a doozy! A flowing stem of kelp streams across the face of the piece, and the pin features a cluster of barnacles near the loop.

This is a large piece and will work best on very thick hair-- don't get me wrong, it's totally wearable in finer hair, but it will probably slip a bit throughout the day and need to be repositioned or worn in conjunction with a hair tie.

It's a little loose as a ponytail holder in my hair (above), but worked really well as a sort of bun cover for my impromptu updo (below) that really put the "messy" in messy bun! 😅

As with all of this style of hair clips, they are also well-suited to be used as clothing pins-- they beautifully dress up a knit hat, scarf, shawl, or cloak!

Holy Barnacles, Batman!

Larkin sculpts each of these barnacles from sterling silver and painstakingly solders them to a hand-crafted disk and earring post.

Just like their natural counterparts, Larkin lets these barnacles have a say in exactly where they land! No pair will match perfectly or be identical to any other pair, and that is part of their charm.

Each stud is 1.0 cm in diameter on a 20 gauge earring post.

Moss Agate Porthole

🎵🎶 "I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus's garden
With you" 🎶🎵

This round agate cabochon looks like a dreamy underwater scene, and Larkin crafted its silver frame to suit it perfectly! The bezel set porthole is circled by silver rivets, two clusters of tiny hand-fabricated barnacles, and a sweet sculpted sea star with two legs that wrap around to the back of the piece.

Once again, the back of Larkin's work is not to be out-done by the front! On the back, the tips of the sea star tentacles and the backs of the rivets surround a cluster of kelp waving in the current.

When backlit, the kelp blades show through the translucent agate window.

These pieces take a phenomenal amount of time! Every element is hand-made from sterling wire and sheet metal then attached individually-- and every step of the fabrication process and each attachment point is an opportunity for Larkin's torch to get just a little too close to the metal for slightly too long, causing everything to slump into an amorphous blob. These blobs are spectacularly morphous! 🤣

Agate Potion Bottle

This is why Larkin likes cutting their own cabs-- you can't find this shape ready-made!

Larkin shaped this charming potion bottle around a unique agate stone. The red and “sandy” looking areas are sparkling druzy pockets. The top of the stone is left rough to showcase that druzy and make it appear that the contents of the vial are roiling.

Some areas of the stone are quite translucent when backlit.

Larkin hand-shaped a fully three dimensional sterling cork atop the piece, with a hole drilled to attach the bail. The back features swirling spirals rising toward the surface.

A truly magical talisman!

Silver Ribbon Earrings

More production work! I woke up to discover that Larkin had laid out this river of silver ribbon earrings across my desk.

These are so classic and elegant... always a fan favorite at markets!

Vining Roses Galore

We're not sure what is in the air (except snow, which admittedly may be turning thoughts wistfully to blooms of spring) but these chokers/bracelets have been going fast lately!

Larkin stocked up and made a few long chains so it's quick to turn them in to custom lengths at markets.

Speaking of markets, the first Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market Tuesday market of the season is next week! They're back at the Ashland Armory this year, and I'm sure Larkin would love to see you on the inevitably chilly first day!

Silver Tree And Moon Hair Clip

Tired of the silver tree hair clips? How about one... with a moon! <3

And some more good hair clip news! Our cousin Elly came to visit last week and wear-tested one of Larkin's hair clips for a couple of days. She had given up on this style of hair clip years ago because they wouldn't stay put in her silky smooth straight hair. But, as I suspected would be the case, Larkin's stayed securely in place all day! I'm kicking myself for not getting a photo because it was super striking in her dark hair, too.

Cattail On Applegate Jade

Another piece in what we've been calling Larkin's terrarium series! This time they cut the cabochon freeform in the shape of a water droplet forming.

They included some of the rind of the "applegate jade" (bowenite) as well as the gemmy, translucent interior to echo the striations in a summer pond. This stone also includes a chatoyant seam across one corner.

Larkin framed the gleaming cattail with rough branches hand-hewn from sterling silver. The bail is a large, closed circle of silver, textured to match the branches. A beautiful, bucolic pond scene-- We even got a picture in the snow that's been going around!

Silver Tree Hair Clip

Another silver tree hair clip looking for a head to call home! This one is slightly smaller and might not contain all of your hair if it's especially thick (mine puts on a good show, but isn't actually very thick).

Larkin is going to make a collection of these, but they let the wire choose the frame and branch shape as they work so each one is unique.

Again, the frame is hammered, work-hardening the silver so the fit will remain snug over time. The pin has been rolled through a mill to achieve the same result.

Calling All Naiads!

Calling all Naiads! Larkin hand-fabricated this gorgeous two-piece hair decoration entirely from solid sterling silver. Don’t let the delicacy of the cat tail and dragonfly fool you— this is a sturdy piece of hardware that will stay put through a busy day!

Both pieces are slightly bent so the clasp lays flat against the head and is comfortable even when leaning back against a head-rest.

They are designed to be placed with the dragonfly facing the hair, then the dragonfly is twisted 180 degrees tightening the clasp and securing the decoration securely in the hair.

The frame is hammered, work-hardening the silver so the fit will remain snug over time. The pin has been rolled through a mill to achieve the same result.

Can you tell I'm excited about Larkin's new line? 😅 These really are *the best* combination of function and exquisite form! Just for funsies we combined it with a lily pad hair pin :)

Silver Lily Pad Hair Pin

Things have been a bit slow as the Idle Talons home studio has been hit by the plague (thankfully not the Big C) this week. Larkin has been working through it like a trooper, but their alpha minion (😅) has not been quite as graceful dealing with this first illness in several years. So a little catch-up this week.

Larkin hand-sculpted this lily pad and flower from 0.925 sterling silver, with a small copper ball at the center of the bloom.

This sweet little adornment is smaller than a bobby pin and meant to be added to a hair tie or style, more for decoration than function. Very versatile, it can also be worn with any knit, crocheted, or loose-woven garment as a clothing pin!

Artist Of The Month

Local folks! Larkin is Artist of the Month at Dancing Beads in Medford this month! The Idle Talons display is up and a great chance to see some of Larkin's new work in person before their regular market season begins in March. Carol of Dancing Beads has lots of new amazing gifts available, and of course an amazing variety of beads!

Hair Clip Prototype

This hair clip! It is hard enough it doesn't bend and slip, the stick twists to hold it firmly in place in all or some of my hair, and there are no finicky open ends that get tangled in my curls! This prototype is MINE, but Larkin will be making more soon. ;)

Rose Quartz Jellyfish

If you saw the post referring to "sproingy silver coiling tendril thingies" yesterday, whoa! They became stinging jellyfish tentacles!

Larkin cut a rose quartz jellybean cabochon that was clearly begging to be dressed up as a flowing sterling silver seascape. The hanging tendrils appear fluid and delicate, but are reinforced with attachment points everywhere they touch. That said, it would be possible for them to snag on a loose-knit garment, so care should be taken when worn.

As usual, Larkin couldn't let the front of the piece steal the show! On the back they featured a cluster of kelp, swaying in the current, then capped the piece with a custom-made bubbly bail. A truly stunning statement piece.

New Leaves!

Larkin has been hard at work creating this new batch of leaves! These have been super hard to keep in stock during market season. Larkin has begun framing some in sterling silver as well as copper. It turns out sterling silver is so much easier to work with that both metals are priced the same and Larkin matched each stone to the one that suits it best.

A - applegate serpentine in copper

B - humboldt jasper in copper

C - local agatized jasper in copper

D - grossular garnet matrix in copper

E - moss agate in silver

F - serpentine in silver

G - jasper in copper

H - applegate serpentine in silver

I - plume agate in silver

K - moss agate in silver

L - veined humboldt chert in silver

Know what's really cool? These were all found by our family except for G and I!

Applegate Jade Witch Marquise

This is the last cab Larkin was able to create from the slabs they originally cut from this stone.

it's my very favorite of our family’s applegate jade/bowenite finds to date and I'm so glad there's plenty more of the stone left to cut!

This stone is not as "gemmy" as the more highly valued varieties, but its impurities and inclusions give it so much character!

Larkin started with a wire wrap, then added some shelf mushrooms (check out the zoomed in picture! They have all the realistic layers and texture!) and ivy.

The back is relatively simple with a crescent moon and mushrooms, but truly completes the magical forest feel of the piece.

Moss Agate Mushroom With Petrified Wood Door

Larkin's portal period and mushroom period have collided!

The cap of this mushroom is a moss agate with deep purple-red strands suspended in the translucent agate.

Larkin cut the doorway from petrified wood found by our family— they left its front rough to show the wood grain, and polished its back which is visible on the back of the piece.

The back features a small vine weaving in and out of the doorway and a tendril of ivy creeping across the agate. Girded with a shiny silver veil and topped with a custom bail, this is a little piece of forest magic!

It's easy to imagine some of Larkin's recent pieces as fairy houses, but I see a family of laughing field mice wearing wildflower hats in this one. ;)

Applegate Jade Mushroom With Sprouting Vine

Remember that sprout Larkin made recently? Check it out paired with this Gemmy McGemerson applegate jade!

Larkin cut this cab from a bowenite stone found by our family near our home in southern Oregon. This stone is known for its deep green translucence and black flecks of magnetite that cause it to attract a magnet! Very deep green, almost black in some light, it really glows when light passes through.

That orange-ish skinned stone in this picture of the back of the piece is the original, raw bowenite cut for this cab.

Larkin paired the silver mushroom form with a sweet little sprout, entirely hand fabricated from sterling silver and modeled after young vines currently appearing on the forest floor around our home. Larkin left the back empty to allow the stone to really shine, and topped the whole thing with a custom made vining leaf bail.