Bouncing back after a dry spell

I've been in a bit of a slump at my bench this summer. The rings I showed in the last couple of posts came together quite easily and then it seemed that everything I touched was a disaster. So I took a little break, did a little organization and planning, started prepping the walls of my workroom for painting, and then finished these. I worked on them on and off for ages - all through my disaster period - and I think I always expected them to end up as little molten blobs on my soldering block. In the end though everything just clicked and they came together nicely.

Deep red garnets. Lustrous freshwater pearl drops. Sterling.

I also made a single tiny stud earring. I had a terrible time photographing it and the photo below at least shows the scale. A 2mm CZ is tube set in sterling. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out and have several more colours in the works.

Ginko earrings

These are my first post earrings! My first successful ones anyway... I ran into some issues getting the first pair done and kind of seriously over cooked them. These ones turned out okay though!

Tube set pale blue cz and sterling silver. The ginko pattern was printed with a rolling mill. I don't actually have access to a rolling mill - I made this sheet at a class in BC - but I'm starting to think I might need one.

Hmmm... I just looked at this photo at full magnification and it looks like the settings still need work. I shall fix that now! Have a look anyway to compare to the ginko pendant below - these aren't nearly as scratched up. I'm learning...

Tube setting

I finally got to mess around in the garage yesterday for the first time since last summer. This is rather badly scratched (although looking much worse in the photo than to the naked eye) because I was just playing so wasn't as careful as I should have been. I'll probably clean it up a bit more but my mom has already claimed it - she says (correctly) that since she was watching my kids while I did this she should get to have it. Sounds good to me!

Tube set 3mm CZ pendant, on ginko imprinted sterling sheet. My first tube setting as well as my first time playing with a bunch of new toys I have. Life is good!