April 16, 2023 | Permalink
Just in time for Christmas, I made this angel pin/pendant using a natural white veracite stone from Cerrillos, New Mexico as her skirt. She measures 1-5/8" high and 1-7/8" across. Designed primarily as a lapel pin, I am including a converter that I made from sterling tubing so she can also be worn on a choker or a chain as a pendant. To get the "feathers" on her wings, I rolled the sterling sheet through my rolling mill with lace on both sides, which crushed the lace into the surface of the silver.
November 15, 2019 | Permalink
I have trillium blooming in my garden now in piedmont N.C. and was inspired to make this pin in order to "preserve" one. Trilliums usually grow in the mountains or in Northern states, but I bought these from a local nursery & they have done well. This sterling piece can also be used as a pendant with a converter that I made from a piece of sterling tube.
April 08, 2018 | Permalink
I recently made this masculine looking turquoise ring using a nice piece of turquoise from the mountains of Los Cerrillos, New Mexico. It was mined and cut last year by my young friend, Andy Brown, who lives in that area. The stone measures about 1-1/4" in length and the ring fits a size 12+ finger.
April 17, 2017 | Permalink
April 09, 2016 | Permalink
It is April in NC and dogwood trees are blooming now. This always inspires me to make a dogwood pin. Each one is slightly different in shape and the one that I picked last week to use as my template is different than the flower that is in this photo. I form my silver flowers from fine (.999) silver & the stems & the leaves are made from sterling (.925) silver. Note: in July 2015, this pin was bought by a smart husband & he is giving it to his wife for their 25th anniversary!!
April 13, 2015 | Permalink
I created this sterling silver rose pin for the lady who loves roses and who wants to have one that will not fade or drop it's petals. The petals are formed and forged by hand from .999 fine silver sheet and the leaves & stems are made from sterling silver for a realistic appearance. The pin is about 3" in height and will look stunning on a jacket lapel or pinned to a scarf.
February 04, 2014 | Permalink
April 16, 2013 | Permalink
This is my favorite traditional quilt pattern and will be a treasure for a quilt lover. I make it by sawing out openings in one sheet of sterling to form the interlocking rings of the double wedding ring. Then I solder it onto a solid sheet of silver and hammer it for a cloth effect. I apply an oxidizing agent to darken the background and then polish it. It measures just under 2" on a side and has the name of the pattern engraved on the back.
February 20, 2011 | Permalink
The intricate details of the traditional Carolina Lily quilt pattern make this sterling silver pin stand out. I make it in a two layer process by first sawing out the pattern from a sheet of sterling which is then soldered to a solid silver sheet. I give it a woven fabric-like hammered texture and then apply an oxidizing agent, prior to polishing. It measures 1-1/2" on a side and the name of the pattern is engraved on the back.
February 20, 2011 | Permalink
I make this sterling silver pin by first sawing out openings in the top sheet of silver to form the Grandmother's Tulips quilt pattern. After hammer-texturing it, I then solder it to a solid sheet of sterling. I add oxidation prior to polishing it so the pattern will stand out. This pin measures 1-1/2" on a side. The name of the pattern is engraved on the back.
February 20, 2011 | Permalink
I make this sterling silver pin by hand-sawing the top piece of sheet silver with the Bear's Paw quilt pattern. This pattern is thought to have been developed by American frontier women who found 4-clawed bear tracks around their cabins. I then hammer-texture a cloth effect into the surface and then solder it to a second solid square of silver. I oxidize it for an antique look and then hand polish. This pin measures 1-1/2" on a side. The pattern name is engraved on the back.
February 20, 2011 | Permalink
While this piece has been sold, I can make a similar one upon request. The price may vary with the precious metals market.
I fabricated this little angel from multiple pieces of sterling silver sheet for a 3-dimensional effect. Her wings were roll-printed with lace to simulate feathers. A solid 14k gold halo disk sits at a slight angle above her head. She measures ~1-1/2" x 1-1/2". This cute little angel can be pinned to your lapel or hang from a chain around your neck.
October 02, 2010 | Permalink
I have always taken much of my inspiration from the shapes that I see in Nature. The graceful curves and spirals of seashells is especially appealing to me. I found this grayish white whelk shell on the beach at Emerald Isle, NC this summer and decided to incorporate it in a pin. After I polished the shell, it now looks more like a piece of porcelain. The pin measures about 4' in length.
August 12, 2010 | Permalink
This camellia blooms each year around Christmas and is a beautiful rich red color with an explosion of bright yellow stamen at the center. I picked a nice bloom early in December to use as my example because later flowers grow smaller and smaller.
The petals are made of 20 ga. .999 fine silver and the stems, stamen and leaves are made of sterling wire and sheet. This piece measures ~2-3/4" by 3-1/2" and is totally hand-hammered and fabricated.
This beautiful piece was commissioned by a collector, but I can make a similar one upon request. Price will vary, depending upon the precious metals market.
February 14, 2010 | Permalink
The dogwood is a flowering tree that I look forward to seeing each year in early Spring. As it's snowy white blooms are seen all across my state, it is obvious why it was officially recognized as the North Carolina State Flower in 1941. I am inspired and challenged by it's simple beauty as I try to capture the details of it's form.
I make several of these pins in the Spring, when the dogwood trees are in bloom in my yard, so I can pick a blossom to use as a template. This one has petals made from .999 fine silver and leaves & stems of sterling silver. It measures 3" x 3".
There are photos of the construction of this piece here.
October 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Trillium is a favorite flower of mine that is found growing wild in the NC mountains in the Spring. It ranges from brilliant white, to yellow, to deep red in color. The parts of the plant grow in "threes"; three petals, six stamen, series of 3 leaves on the stem. As with all of my flowers, I hand-fabricate all the parts of the flower. The petals and leaves are sawn out of 20ga. sheet and then textured with "chasing" tools and hammers. Then I solder the parts together with 2 solders that melt at 1325 & 1250 degrees F. Finally, I hand polish with 2 polishing compounds and buffs. This pin can also be worn on a chain or choker as a pendant. It is about 3" on a side.
October 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
This petals and buds of this orchid are made from fine silver (.999) and the stems are made from sterling silver. I bought a potted live flower to use as my pattern so I could better capture the details of the real bloom. I combined the overlapping hammered smooth texture for some of the petals with a mill rolled lacy texture on others. This pin measures 3"x4".
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
During a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, I noticed many beautiful iron gates and fences that had been crafted by local blacksmiths. I gathered a collection of photos of some of my favorites. This pin design was part of a gate to a cozy back garden. I crafted it from square sterling stock, similar to the iron that was used for the gate. It measures 1-1/2"x3".
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 06, 2008 | Permalink
January 06, 2008 | Permalink
January 01, 2008 | Permalink
This pin is seasonal, just like the flower. I prefer to make these in the Spring when I can pick a fresh dogwood blossom from a tree in my yard in North Carolina. I put the stem in a vase of water and use it as a pattern for the petals and leaves. I am better able to capture the details of a real dogwood flower this way. Petals are .999 fine silver while the leaves and stems are Sterling silver. Available as custom order in all-silver for $375
January 01, 2008 | Permalink
January 01, 2008 | Permalink