Custom Order - Constellation Signet Ring

My clients come up with great ideas for personalising my designs. This History Class signet ring was a birthday gift for my client's daughter. We chatted over email about how to incorporate the different elements she wanted in to the piece, and together we formed this design. The front of the ring is brush finished and features a hand engraved Scorpio Constellation, set with Diamonds, while the back of the signet ring has been hand engraved with the recipients name. It turned out beautifully and is perfect for everyday wear. 

What a beautiful gift from a Mother to a daughter!

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If you are interested in a custom made design, feel free to email me.

christina-lowry@hotmail.com

Eight Steps to a Heart

1. Working on designs with the customer - their sketche and mine.

2. The finished sketch, gemstones and 3 mm thick silver plate.

3. Cutting the scribed design from the plate.

4. Once the outside was right, it's time to cut out the inner heart by slipping a jewellers saw blade through the hole drilled in the top of the heart.

5. The completed saw piercing.

6. The finished design with holes drilled and filed to accommodate the chain.

7. The pendant after the setter beautifully grain set twenty round brilliant cut Cubic Zirconias.

8. The finished piece, after polishing and hard gold plating.

When ever I hand make a custom piece, I take step by step photos of the process to share with the client. It's exciting seeing a design come to life, for me and for them. This elegant piece is a birthday gift from a loving husband to his lovely wife, and I am quite sure it will be cherished.

From The Bench - Custom Ring

In progress

I made this stylish 'Travelling Poets' ring yesterday for a client. She spotted the design in my shop and wanted one of her own, made from her recycled silver. She posted me with a small collection of old, unwanted pieces of jewellery, from which I removed the gemstones, melted down the metal and rolled it out. From there I handmade this solid hammer finished ring with a beautiful polished comfort curve finish inside. 

And there is still enough silver leftover to make another piece.

A lovely ring, and a great way to save money and put unwanted jewellery to better use!

Finished Custom Made Piece

I love the opportunity of working with a client to produce a beautiful and meaningful piece of jewellery. The collaboration of ideas is always interesting and surprising. I recently completed a a piece which is both a pendant and a brooch, using the client's unusual South Sea Pearl - with an interesting family history all of it's own. 

The scope of the design was quite broad. Something more than a simple bail, that works with the organic shape of the pearl, and includes saw piercing. Inspired by the providence of the Thursday Island pearl, I researched the pearling industry in the area and the history of the island, as I sketched design possibilities. I came across a flower native to the region and incorporated it in to a couple of the design. Below is the sketch of the piece the client chose. She requested the textured finish too, which I think really completes the piece so beautifully and helped create the gentle dome that hugs and protects the pearl.

I'm so pleased with how this piece came together, and how striking it is when worn. It's wonderful to be able to bring such a unique pearl out of storage and into the world as a small wearable artwork.

If you are interested in discussing a custom made piece, or in finding out about a quote, please feel free to email me, christina-lowry@hotmail.com

Custom Make - Etched Memento Pendant

Transferring the image to the copper plate in preparation for etching.

The result - two tiny, detailed foot prints.

Cutting out the disks, then filing, stamping, drilling, emerying and polishing.

The finished pieces for Mum and Dad. His will be hung on a piece of leather, while hers features an opal bead to symbolise bubba's birth month, and will be worn on a silver chain.

Being a sentimental kind of girl, I think one of the things that initially attracted me to silver-smithing was jewelleries ability to hold meaning. Beyond the monetary value of a piece, much jewellery has a secret life of meaning understood by the owner. The family history behind an heirloom engagement ring. The pearls you wore when you were married. The brooch your Grandmother wore on special occasions. The garnet ring you brought on holiday. Jewellery is imbued with the kind of meaning that not many other items are afforded. And time adds more layers to that meaning.

I was honored to play a part in creating a pair of special and meaningful pendants recently - mementos of an angel baby which feature photo etched footprints taken at his birth. I hope these beautiful reminders become keepsakes full of wonderful memories, as they are worn in the years ahead. 

Made By Hand

 

1. The beginning of a pendant or brooch (or maybe both!), this crochet flower will be cast in sterling silver

2. Stamping bags with 'Christina Lowry Designs'

3. Making beads while the children nap

4. A new project in the works

5. A custom order

Day to day creativity, squeezed in around two small children and a cold. This is how I work. A little here, a little there. A load of laundry and a tray of handmade beads during nap time. Stamping and packaging orders next to Lego play. Crochet while lunch cooks. Knitting on the couch at night. Over a week these creative moments add up. Sometimes there are more. Sometimes less. At times it's frustrating. More often it's satisfying. Right now I wouldn't have it any other way. This is how I work, so I can be a stay at home Mama, and still express myself creatively.

What have you been making?
How do you work?

Are you missing 'My Creative Space' too? The inspiration, communication and community?
Join in! Post your own 'Made By Hand' and leave your link in the comments.
I'm tentatively putting it out there. If you are interested in joining in, let me know.
Perhaps next week I can add a link up list if enough people are interested?

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From the bench...

I love working on commissions. They make my heart race with a mixture of excitement and nerves. The lastest completed commisioned piece is this handmade Sterling Silver Pendant featuring the clients 11x9mm oval Amethyst in a four claw setting. Simple and elegant. The gem is the hero of the piece and the royal colour the focus.

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Hope your weekend brings with it great news, great company and great food.

I'm off to package up these custom made Mother's Day orders and partake in the last stretch of hand stitching my picnic rug binding. Hope to share it with you tomorrow.

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A pair of custom made amber and pearl earrings are coming along nicely. I should have the finished product ready to share with you soon.

I will try not to turn this blog into solely a jewellery blog I promise.