Larkin has been swarmed by dragonflies! It was time to re-stock these hair/clothing pins. They're so much fun on cold weather hats and scarves... and we're ready for some cold weather!
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Cascading Ivy Necklace
fun, musings, process, productCommentLarkin has been wanting to offer some more petite charms on silver chain, and this offering took some serious research and time! Last time Larkin placed a silver order, they ordered several lengths of chain in various gauges. They wanted something dainty enough not to overwhelm a small charm, but sturdy enough they would be confident it wouldn't break easily with regular wear.
Then Larkin needed to design a clasp that was not onerously difficult to make, and equally easy to fasten and unfasten without coming undone during wear. Then came the wear testing, for which Larkin recruited family and friends-- any necklace that withstands several days of construction work and overnights on a restless sleeper has been pretty thoroughly vetted!
Sounds good, right? Almost! Larkin wanted these pieces hung on the chain *before* adding the clasps so the charm can't slide off the end of the necklace. So the finished piece needs to be polished chain and all, a recipe for tangled disaster in the tumbling jewelry polisher... especially if you're wanting to polish a batch of 5-10 at a time! Using a spool that had come with wire on it, Larkin rigged up a set-up for loosely spooling finished necklaces that would fit in the tumbling polisher and keep the chain from tangling hopelessly.
Which leads us (finally!) here! The base of these petite gleaming pendants is a rectangle Larkin cut from sheet metal, hammered to appear like a brick or stone base for the vining ivy. Larkin hand cut, veined and shaped each ivy leaf from silver and affixed the vine and leaves to the base. They add the chain and clasp, give the whole thing a final polish, and ta-dah!
Quartz Jellyfish
musings, process, product, funCommentLarkin biggered their jellyfish design into a decorative hanging!
Larkin shaped and polished the quartz hood of this jellyfish from a raw stone found on our family’s hillside in southern Oregon-- the stone can spin on the sculpture to face any direction. Larkin shaped tentacles from sheet metal and round wire, similar to their jewelry pieces, then rolled and twisted some round wire to add texture in this larger format.
This piece shines beautifully displayed in a window and comes with bubbly loops on top to make hanging easy. Banana hangers actually make wonderful displays for this kind of hanging sculpture (candle lanterns and amigurumi octopus pal entirely optional 😁)!
Question: if you purchased this sort of decoration, would you expect it to come with some sort of string and/or hook hanger, or just with the loops that make it easy to hang however you wish? Larkin's parents <ahem> have opposite feelings about expectations here... help a kid out! ;)
To Tarnish Or Not To Tarnish...
fun, musings, process, productCommentLarkin uses sterling silver, which we all know requires some upkeep if it's going to stay polished bright and shiny. But... what if you don't wanna polish it?! I'm honestly undecided about which version of these earrings I like better!
The first picture was taken in full sun, the second in shade. Both pairs of earrings were made and polished
at the same time several months ago; the top have been stored in an airtight container while the bottom
have been out and handled regularly. Silver tarnishes such beautiful colors! The bottom pair is still shiny and gleaming, but in a more... gothy way. 😅 Do you have a favorite?
Jasper Oak In Autumn
fun, musings, process, productCommentHigh temperatures are still in the 90s here, so summer isn't done with us yet, but Larkin's latest piece foretells Autumn's arrival!
The realistically rough and knobbly silver tree trunk contrasts beautifully with each unique, handmade oak leaf and the smooth, polished silver that completes the frame.
But this pendant has a dark side! While the front features the familiar oaks that comprise most of the forest around our southern Oregon home, Larkin added our least favorite lurker in the forest’s understory to the back: poison oak! The two oaks are only related in name, but they are fitting representatives of the beauty and danger in nature.
The striking black and red stone was found by our family in Humboldt County, California. We suspect it is mostly made up of red jasper in an unknown black conglomerate. The stone is slightly porous so the cabochon's surface does not have a perfect, mirror polish— small imperfections can be seen when light reflects off the stone at certain angles.
Larkin's lapidary work often fades into the background (literally!) once they set a stone into a final piece, but check out this picture of the exposed side of this cabochon!
That is a remarkably even girdle (the vertical section at the edges of a cab, before the top starts to dome), and you can just see it starting to taper towards the bottom corner. Larkin's cabs may not be as flashy as purchased stone (it's important to them that their work does not support questionable mining practices, so they use almost entirely stones found by our family and friends), but mass-produced cabs can't compete with the quality of Larkin's stonework!
Time Management
fun, musings, process, productCommentThis time of year Larkin struggles a bit with dividing their time between fun, new designs and stocking up everything that sells out at in-person markets (it's a good kind of problem to have, we know!).
I didn't want to go out into the hazardous smoke for photos, but here's a blurry little shot of a piece Larkin is currently working on between re-stock work. I'm pretty excited to see it done!
And I included a few photos of some of the pretties Larkin has been shipping out recently, just for funsies.
Markets, Smoke, and Samaras
musings, process, product, venuesCommentTonight's Talent Artisans & Growers Market has been cancelled due to such poor air quality. 😔 We are hoping for improvement in time for next month's first Tuesday @Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market in Ashland!
Larkin has been re-stocking these wonderfully whimsical whirligigs... er, samaras. 😅 The first step is cutting the... wings? Leaves? Membranes? out of sheet metal, leaving behind some delightfully curled trimmings.
Then Larkin whacks the bejeezus out of them (tink tink tink all through the house for HOURS) to give them their unique texture and wooble.
Larkin then solders them to the seed framework and spines, oxidizes them, partially polishes by hand, and finally finishes the polish in a rotary polisher with stainless steel medium.
Larkin has been making these as clothing pins as well as necklaces, and is hoping to come up with a more double-sided finished product to use as a free-twirling earring design.
Sparkling Vine Rings
fun, musings, process, productCommentThis is a design Larkin prototyped quite awhile ago, then recently made a batch with some final tweaks and more gemstone color options.
Someday, Larkin would love to make their own faceted gems from local stones, but that is an investment and learning project for another time! Until then, Larkin has chosen to work with lab-created gems so as not to support questionable mining and stone cutting practices. This design is available with lab-created garnet or four shades of cubic zirconia.
Larkin has rolled the ring bands to create a comfort band curve against the skin and a square face on the outside. The curling vine does not extend all the way around the ring, leaving the band smooth and untextured between the fingers.
Bonus picture of a row of leafy vines before they were attached to rings!
Restocking Bookshelves
musings, process, productCommentLarkin recently needed to re-stock these gorgeous little tomes and decided to make some with silver covers in addition to the copper ones they had made in the past.
These are hollow forms so they are not nearly as heavy as they look!
So much of Larkin's childhood has revolved around reading and fantasy-- these are an especially sweet tribute to something they love. Larkin still devours books by the bushel, but these days the bushels tend to be virtual as they mostly listen to audio books while they work
Shelf Mushroom Stud Earrings
fun, musings, process, productCommentIntroducing the next in Larkin's earrings series we're lovingly calling "weird things that sprout from your ears!"
I slept in these last night and, as someone who can only rarely be bothered to change my jewelry, I think I finally found the artisan studs that will replace my longstanding boring mall hoops!
Larkin hand-fabricated these sweet little conk mushrooms entirely from sterling silver. Each shroom has rings and a gently frilled edge, just like their wild counterparts.
They come in two sizes and are especially sweet when worn as a cluster in multiple piercings! You can customize your colony to your piercings.
Silver Cat Tail Bangle Bracelet
musings, fun, process, productCommentLarkin formed this assertive (it took awhile to find the right adjective for this one!) solid sterling bracelet from hand-fabricated cat tail leaf blades and flower heads.
It looks like a cuff bracelet, uniquely designed for the gap to be on top of the wrist, but wears like a bangle. The pointy tips and sharp leaves look daunting, but the bracelet is designed to be comfortably smooth against bare skin. That said, care should be taken if it will be paired with loose-knit garments… or physically friendly people.
Larkin always wear-tests new designs. Not gonna lie, this bracelet really dresses up a delightfully drippy chaffle sandwich!
Do not be tempted to put this deceptively lithesome bracelet on as you would a cuff bracelet— the pointy end of the cat tail is designed to be comfortable during wear, but it will scrape you if you don't don it with the proper respect.
Silver Tree Hair Clips
musings, process, productCommentThese are my favorite, practical item Larkin makes! They hand-fabricate these gorgeous two-piece hair decorations entirely from solid sterling silver. I have tried a LOT of this style of clip and always been disappointed-- usually because they loosen over time, are made with cheap silver-coated metals that wear off and leave them looking blotchy, and because they are not as flat as I would like so they stick out and are uncomfortable when leaning against a seat-back. But not Larkin's! ;)
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 concave faces together, then the stick is twisted 180 degrees to tighten the clasp and fasten the decoration securely in the hair. Larkin hammers the frame, work-hardening the silver so the fit will remain snug over time. They roll the pin through a mill to achieve the same result.
These pieces are rugged enough for daily wear and beautiful enough for a night on the town! These are pretty versatile, and are suitable for most hair textures and types (even if you have the kind of straight, silky hair that this style of clip usually slips out of!). That said, if your hair is especially thin you may want to use these with an additional hair tie, and if your hair is super thick they may be used to tie back only part of your hair.
Each hair clip is one of a kind! As always, this style of hair decoration also works beautifully as a cloak/shawl/hat pin!
Spectacular Sparkling Silver Sprout Studs
fun, musings, productCommentLarkin hand-fabricated these sweet little sprouts from sterling silver.
They appear to be reaching for the sun from your earlobes!
Posed on 20 gauge wire, these sprouts are work-hardened but still delicate so care should be taken when worn. Long hair should probably be worn back, and it would be best to avoid loose-knit garments that could snag on these cuties.
Bonus (unfortunately blurry) photo of Larkin's face, with an uncharacteristically natural look in front of the camera AND wearing their own work!
Matching Rings
fun, musings, productCommentLarkin sent these two silver ivy rings off to their new home last week!
Larkin often makes up little stories about what sorts of lives their pieces go on to live after leaving the Idle Talons studio (are these couples jewelry? Different sizes for different fingers? Best friend trinkets?). Artist separation anxiety aside, it's fun to imagine Larkin's work slowly spreading into the world-- leaving a sparkling trail of sweet memories!
Silver Ivy Hair Piece
fun, musings, process, productCommentCalling all fairies, elves, royalty, druids, bog witches, fauns, and other fanciful creatures!
Larkin's first circlet! Only it's not a circlet, it's a... horshoelet? Is there a name for this kind of head/hair decoration? 😅
This hair piece is a hefty chunk of sterling silver that Larkin has shaped into a remarkably delicate-looking ivy vine. There are seven ivy leaves in decreasing sizes on each side of the central loop, each hand-shaped and textured. The band is not closed and can be gently bent to fit virtually any head size.
Larkin softened the points of the ivy leaves for maximal comfort during wear, but this piece does have many points and jags that could catch on hair or garments. If it will be worn with an elaborate hairstyle, we recommend setting it in place with bobby pins and not constantly readjusting it!
This sinuous one-of-a-kind piece would be suitable for a fairytale wedding, renn faires, cosplay, coven gatherings, and more… I dare say it would brighten the day of every shopper at the grocery store. ;)
We were lucky enough to receive a visit from a local elf for a fun photo shoot! Thanks, Mac!
Leaves!
musings, process, productCommentLeaves! Oak and manzanita trees are mainstays of the forest around our southern Oregon home. Larkin created these two clothing pins using leaves from the forest floor around our house as models.
Larkin cut and textured the manzanita leaf, finishing it with a dusting of powdered silver to mimic the surface of their leaves.
The oak leaf took a whole lot of texturing to get that magical crinkly texture around the veins!
Larkin finished each of these with a hand-shaped sharp pin fastener, so they can be worn on any fabric. These could adorn a favorite hat, shoulder bag, jacket lapel, t-shirt, anything!
Stone-Hooded Jellies!
fun, process, productCommentStone-hooded jellies! These earrings appear delicately ethereal and flowy, but they are much sturdier than they appear! Each tentacle is soldered to the central stinging arm and work-hardened for rigidity.
Larkin has painstakingly cut, polished, and drilled the stone cabochons that are the bells of these jellyfish. The dark green is called “applegate jade” by the good folks at our local rock shop, but it is not a true jade and is more closely related to bowenite.
The pink is rose quartz.
Silver is *so* bright that it can be hard to capture in a photo! I like that the shadows in some of these pictures almost makes the tentacle pattern easier to see. 😅
The stone adds a lot of time to their making, and a whole lot of personality to the finished pieces. These are the only two pairs Larkin currently has made up, and they have some pure metal ones still as well!
Applegate Jade Ivy Nightscape
fun, musings, process, product, venues... and we're back! Larkin had a busy month of traveling and visiting with family but has been making time to work in the studio whenever possible. And my laptop has been given a new lease on life with a shiny new (bigger!) hard drive and not-so-swollen battery. 😅
Come see Idle Talons tonight at the Talent Artisans & Growers market-- and see this new piece in person! ;)
This is another piece Larkin cut from out favorite local stone-- applegate jade. It is not a true jade (more closely related to bowenite) and is a deep green stone, nearly black in some lighting, with flecks of magnetite that actually makes it attractive to magnets!
It glows a translucent yellow-green when backlit. I tried to demonstrate just how translucent it can be by balancing the piece on top of a flashlight standing in a jar of lentils and leaning on a pile of towels in the laundry room. Yep, a true glimpse into the glamorous world of jewelry photography!
This stone has a darker green stripe down the middle that gives the impression of a pupil— with the ivy “antlers” this piece reminds me of a forest guardian in the spirit of Studio Ghibli!
Larkin hand-shaped each ivy leaf from sterling sheet, and the vines are textured to mimic their wild counterparts. They polished the back for a smooth feel against the skin and finished it with a full moon peeking through the branches of a tree.
A whole lotta magic going on with this one!
Barnacles!
musings, process, productCommentJust a basket of silver barnacles.😁
These sticky little crustaceans have been showing up on some of Larkin's ocean-themed work, but most of these will be featured on a batch of stud earrings!
Jellies!
fun, musings, process, product, venuesCommentJellies!!! Did you know a group of jellyfish is called a... SMACK?!
These earrings appear delicately ethereal and flowy, but they are much sturdier than they appear! Larkin soldered each tentacle to the central stinging arm and work-hardened each earring for rigidity.
That said, if you have hair likely to tangle in these tentacles you'd probably want to wear it back— the better to show off these ebullient Medusozoa!
Larkin makes the bells of these jellyfish in either silver or copper. The ear hook and the rest of the jelly bits are hand-fabricated from sterling silver. No two will ever be perfectly identical, and that is part of their charm!
These will make their market debut tomorrow at the Spring Talent Craft Crawl, sponsored by the Talent Business Alliance! The Idle Talons booth will be in the lawn in front of Town Hall and Larkin would love to see you there!
