hi everyone!
i’ve been obsessed with finding big cool rings/jewelry…. a rather expensive obsession even though my rule is i cannot purchase anything for more than $900 and obviously i don’t purchase often- maybe once or twice/year…but still it adds up really quickly.
i wear only gold colored- i don’t care if it is silver with electroplated gold (as long as the piece is really cool) i like plenty of rings with a silver shank (ha! shank!) like my turquoise nava zahavi ring (and the stone set in a gold bezel…uses limited amount of gold so it’s not so costly…)
well one morning i was getting some coffee and met a local jewelry designer….kathleen diresta
(check out her site). it turns out she teaches jewelry making! i figured my bday is coming up (feb.7th i’ll be 38 ugh!) and maybe it’d be fun to make myself something.
so today i had a lesson…
omg… it is so HARD to make jewelry (i know alexis…you told me). but it was also really fun. and i suspect the next time it will be even better with more planning ahead so i can start to make something i’d really like to wear.
i (who am i kidding…WE) made a little ring for my daughter…
here are the two pieces of silver- one flat one thick- that we used to make her ring.
we measured the strip of silver and marked it before i attempted to cut.
the silver was too thick to cut this way so out came the saw!
thankfully it worked and then i had to file the jagged edge.
we moved over to kathleen’s jewelry hub…so many tools and stuff!
this is applying the flux- which does something to make the silver ok for heating…
here i am heating the silver so it can be bended into a ring shape- (then it gets quickly dipped into water to cool it then into acid for some reason- although i cant remember why!)
bending…
almost there…
together and ready for soldering the seam!
soldered together and an intersting shape…time to make it round.
used a mallet to push/hammer the ring into round shape on the ring sizer.
it’s round!
now i had to cut the flat/decorative silver (i needed a lot of help with this!)
then round flat silver was soldered onto the ring…(same brushing the flux first etc)
and then i polished it..
finished ring!
do you make anything cool? are you crafty? this is my first foray into something crafty…
xoxo
jennifer
aim:whateverradio
Jennifer, being crafty is fun! I do scrapbooking and card making as well as jewelry making…mostly with glass beads and crystals. I found that doing a crafts is my stress reliever and it is very relaxing.
I took several sewing classes at the local yarn store. I learned to make roman shades and pillows. I’ve made several so far. Some for myself, some for friends and family.
The next class is on duvet covers. Can’t wait!
I also crochet blankets and scarfs.
Great job Jennifer. Did you ever find the Heart ring L. Lohan was wearing?
hi awesome!
i did find the lindsay ring- it’s made by yves saint laurent and is rather cheesy in person..has yves saint laurent etched on the face of the ring!
xoxo
Congratulations, Jen! The ring is lovely. I’m sure your daughter will cherish it her whole life. Good job!
so cute! My BIL is a goldsmith so I haven’t gotten into making jewelry since he can make me what I want. I like designing it though, making the sketches and finding the material (picking stones, metals ect.)
I knit like a crazy person though. I always have yarn coming out of my bags and at least one project going.
Joycelyn
I just love the ring! It’s gorgeous! I like to do needlepoint (only funky stuff, not old lady needlepoint), and I make fimo beads, glass mosaic candle holders, I rhinestone everything, and I’m about to make a piece of jewelry with some silver compound stuff my husband has. He made himself an awesome pirate ring, with stones, all silver. SOOOOO cool!!!!
Jennifer
Nice to see you are crafty but its called soldering and and sautering. Its the same process used in making stained glass pieces. Not being critical, just a small correction. Keep up the crafty stuff.
Very cool ring. But…it took me a while to figure out what you were talking about when you typed “sautered”. I had to read out loud a few times. I think you mean SOLDERED? Too funny.
Anyway, I think it is really cool that you are making stuff. The ring for your daughter is very neat.
What a great looking ring! GREAT JOB!
Hi Jen Love your blog! I too love jewelry and love it when other people pass on a source for a website of a jewelry designer. I checked out the site you posted lovely I will be ordering some pieces. Have you heard of Double Happiness Jewelry? These girls are in California and make beautiful earrings…check them out. Enjoy
Very pretty ring. I took jewelry in high-school had fun but once got my hair stuck in a electronic tool and had a bald patch for months. NOT FUN. I now got into knitting and love it. I like doing small projects.
great blog.. thanks.. i had no idea jewlery making is so hard.
SOLDERING the seam, now you learned something else new today. It is very pretty, nice job and thanks for the inspiration, not to make a ring but to try something new today.
What a beautiful ring – and what a great job for your first time!!! I also design jewelry in may spare time (which is rare). If you get a chance come check it out, I would love to know what you think 🙂
http://www.vintageinspirations.etsy.com
Keep up the good work!!!!!
:::Jennifer:::
Jennifer, this was a fun and interesting blog to read.
I LOVE my Nava Zahavi ring!!!!! Wear it all the time. Would love to buy another one.
Yours is pretty.
Now I know what rich yentas do all day long. Thanks for the info!
Wow Jenny that’s impressive.
good job….
make some for callers to win with your signature inside it?
that would be too cool…
You bake it to get the metal out?
you shape it like whatever you want then it cooks bakes and you end up with a real gold/silver thingy
Very cool! I am obsessed with cards and actually started my own business out of my hobby. I never thought anyone would ever PAY for my stuff but they actually do! Anyway, I’d love to get your thoughts since you are very creative – https://www.threextwo.com. By the way, my website is kinda crappy but it’s the best I could do right now. 🙂
LOOOVE the show!
It is so fun! By the way…check out Lauren K rings. I want one for my 30th bday.
I knit and quilt. It relaxes me. I really enjoy having a project going!
Awful
Good call on this designer. Love her stuff, and my birthday is coming up soon. I am going to share her website with my family with notes of my favorites.
Your ring is pretty too. Will it be for sale? 😉
Enjoy
hi jennifer. i make jewelry (wewlry.etsy.com) and i’m about to work on something for you. no kidding! how strange that you decided to take classes. anyway, i’m making you a big ring (reminiscent of the lindsay lohan ring you were coveting) so once it’s done i’ll send it your way.
prisons rings i have the silver this could take a while sorry no gold coins that would make things to easy but silver i have alot but its not gold and gold is what iam going for a little gold band would due K
hi laura!
wow…thx for thinking of me.
i tried to see your site but it didnt work…
xoxo
hmm, strange – try this, jennifer:
https://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5035998
cool!
tht worked…
cute stuff.
She’s crafty. She gets around. She’s crafty. She’s always down. She’s crafty. She’s got a gripe. She’s crafty, and she’s just my type. Beasties!
Fantastic blog this week Jennifer. Way to go. I have an idea for your next creation. Martha had this woman on years ago that made rings out of sea glass. Maybe you could incorporate a large piece of sea glass into your next creation. I’m sorry I can’t remember the woman’s name so you could get ideas…it’s probably somewhere in the vast Martha archives.
That looked hard to me, but the finished product was perfect! I bet your daughter loved it. : )
I do cross stitch, paper crafts like art trading cards and altered books-anything making something old new again and your own design. Also love photography and digital art and editing.
That turquoise ring is so tacky – you definitely are from Long Island. Not sure what it is with LI girls and all the gaudy jewelry. Can you explain?
Nice cards, Kelly! The website is NOT crappy, and the ‘about us’ is adorable.
ypur hands are nasty and get the hell out of the nasty sweatshirts, so gross
I checked out your site Kelly. I don’t think it’s so bad. I too took my hobby and made it into a self sustaining business. My husband and I are able to work at it full time, plus we have 3 part time employees. I make iced sugar cookies, here’s my site: adozeneggs.com. Jennifer, the ring is really pretty, this was a great blog. Good job!!!
That looks cool! My best friend designs/makes jewelry in NYC. I don’t think she’s made any rings, though. It’s mostly necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Looks like fun!
Jennifer, doing crafts is like baking. it’s an outlet for creativity. You are usually better at some things than others, but the point is to get into it and enjoy. When you lose yourself making something, it’s theraputic. You just get in a zone. Good for you for doing this. it looks like a blast!
Jennifer, I love making things with stained glass. Lots of stress relieved breaking a piece of glass. Takes some practice (and a few cuts….ouch). I wanted to learn it for a long time, and took a class and just loved it. Is expensive but lots of fun.
I can’t believe how hateful some of your are, criticizing Jenny’s like of “killer rings” (big ones), her hands and her sweatshirt. Take a look at yourself people!
I also agree about the sweatshirts, I really do think that you should be wearing a designer ball gown to weld metal. Please, think of the children you may be influencing.
Please don’t mistake my question as being anti-semetic, because it’s really not… I’ve noticed that most jewerly stores are owned/operated by Jewish people. Is the word ‘jewelery’ derived from the word ‘jew’? Also noticed that some Hasidic last names are also precious stones and elments: (Neil) DIAMOND, (Tony) GOLDwyn, (Jonathan) SILVERman, (Jack) RUBY, (Andrew) PEARL, (David) NICKELson, (Dr. Yehuda) COPPERman…you get the picture.
Jennifer (and Alexis), I am all for opinions and free speech, but have you ever considered a monitor to edit ridiculous posts on your blog? The stupid comments (ie, your hands are nasty, …you definately are from Long Island, etc) are insulting and a waste of time. I don’t know what the solution is – I understand that editing a post is borderline sketchy, but some of us that truly enjoy your show and blog are pretty shocked by the strange statements. Can the people that leave those posts really be interested in your show? Hard to believe they would be.
Michael, both girls have really put up with some harsh and unnecessary comments, some from yours truly. I really commend their open-mindness letting people speak their minds. I have been edited (not on the blogs) it only works to me if the person doing the editing is fair about it. What’s good for one should be good for all JMO.
Jennifer, terrific outcome on the ring! And what an awesome find on the ring you’ve shown us . . . very cool! I bet you get lots of compliments when you wear it. I just began a free applique block-of-the-month for 2008 on my website (I’m a new quilt pattern designer). I’m using this very cool fabric produced by Moda called Swell, by Urban Chiks and without knowing anyone, I’m up to over 600 participants from around the world. If you’d like to check it out and/or sign up, please go here: https://www.SuzGuzDesigns.com/
Fabulous job on the ring – your dd will be so thrilled! I have done some silversmithing in years past and it is NOT easy at all. The good news is that once you get the hang of it, it seems to get a tad bit easier. Oh yes, and be warned, you can spend a fortune at the gem shows – aaack – buying tools, gems, gold, etc. Easy to drop $1k so that makes your turquoise ring look like a deal!
Cheers,
Catherine
Marin County, CA (yep, the famous Marin County hot tubbing capital which isn’t really – no thanks to George Sr.)
Michael, I totally agree! Jennifer, can’t we get back to regular blogs! If people need to criticize, they can get their own blog, and we can choose whether we want to read it or not.
hi michael!
we put up most of the comments but we steer clear of posting comments that are COMPLETELY off blog topic or comments that are clearly fake (someone pretending to be someone else)…..the point of the comments is not just to make us feel good but to let people express themselves- even if sometimes that expression makes us feel crappy. obviously if it’s something that’s just inane, inappropriate or outrageous for the sake of being that way we may leave it out…oh and when there are too many repetitive comments we leave those out too…. xoxo
OMG – can people just be nice?!?!?!? I love crafting – make cards and do scrapbooking – totally relaxes me. Jennifer, your hands and sweatshirt are beautiful – be who you are and that’s that. jeez, people, if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
FABULOUS ring! Have you tried it on your middle finger?
Here’s a link to a fun game for the show!
https://www.oldjoeblack.0nyx.com/thinktst.swf
THANKS for a GREAT two hours!
I agree with all of comments regarding the pathetic postings…
Specifically to Mary, should we assume that your name is Mary because you are from Maryland???
yea there is gold clay it is easier to make stuff with
What a lovely ring. I hope your daughter loves it. -Very cool to wear a ring made by Mom!
Love the blogs you and Alexis do. I save all the web sites! Regarding big jewelry– take your family and head to Italy at both the Roma and Firenza flea markets you can find amazing big, cool rings and all kinds of jewelry–much of it dirt cheap! Being an artisan there is easier than here in the sense that it is not as hard (or expensive) to support yourself. Families do not hesitate to live together, all that stuff. You kids would love it, too! I got these wonderful pendants….
Guess what, genius? My name ISN’T Mary, NOR am I from Maryland… I made up the psudenym when I heard Alexis jokingly mispronounce the name of the state once… I also have a genuine interest in the word jewelery, and it’s derivation – that wasn’t a joke. And since the blog topic is in fact JEWELERY, I don’t see how my question can be ‘pathetic’.
very cool!!
Sometimes I like to wear big rings for fun but holy bejesus! That’s a bit scary! Don’t you feel slightly handicapped when you’re wearing it?
Great job, Jen! Isn’t jewelry making addictive? If you’re willing to sacrifice your manicure (metalsmithing can be really rough on your hands), you might also want to check out classes at FIT and the 92nd Street Y: both have great facilities and teachers.
If you’re interested in beginning metalsmithing books, Tim McCreight and Jinks McGrath have authored quite a few with really clear instructions and great pictures.
Looking forward to more of your work, and LOVE THE SHOW!
Mary in Maryland, your no genius either. Next time you try to use a big word, spell it correctly. PSEUDONYM …Jewellery:anglicized from the Old French “jouel” around the 13th century.[1] Further tracing leads back to the Latin word “jocale”, meaning plaything. Hope your happy now. See, it has nothing to do with being Jewish.
Does anyone here watch ‘The L Word’ on Showtime? I love that big mother-of-pearl gold ring that Helena wears all the time. Fans have asked the actress what jeweler makes it, but she’s always reluctant to say… If anyone out there knows, will you post it?
Jennifer real nice. My daughter (who listens to you and calls in) is a florist and jewelry maker. She sells a lot of her stuff on the internet and did sell at her shop in the burbs, The shop is sold so she now has expanded her web site and does jewelry parties. She went to several schools for this including a few museum schools. She gets me or her hubby to go with her to bead shows (I think I am the worst sucker and buy her neat beads for her jewelry at these shows). If you want I can send you her web site. I just got back from a business trip to the Caribbean and Sunday nit to Tuesday I am in NYC. We will hit Sofrito’s and the 2nd ave. deli on this trip. I am going by train again. It is so much better than flying and airports. Hasta
Thanks for the info AND the grammer lesson!
It wasn’t GRAMMAR, it was spelling.
Whateva!
Nice ring! You should check out etsy.com there are some awesome handmade crafts/jewellry items on there! It is so addicting, looking at all the awesome stuff there!