A return to crafting

I made a pair of earrings over the weekend for my friend Katie.  They really looked great.  I kept complimenting her as she wore them on Friday evening.  She said, “you’re not gonna take ’em back, are ya?”

I liked them so much I went home and made myself another pair just like them.  Small differences in the stone colors, as pietersite has so much natural variety in the swirling and mixing of the minerals.

Tigers eye, Pietersite, with 14K gold filled wire (aka rolled gold), and a silver colored metal diamond.

It’s been a long time since I’ve danced with the gems and metals.

And it’s giving me chance to hone my photo skills using the macro settings and lighting.

I like how the reflection in the diamond of me taking the photo has the same colors as the Pietersite stones.

The second pair I made has different stone colors.  But is basically a replica of the 1st pair.

I like how the lighting changes the look of the subject.

If you click on this photo you can see the amazing color play within the stone.  And I notice how they are based in the primary colors:  red, blue and yellow.  Pietersite is a rare occurence of the tiger eye stone.  It is found primarily in South Africa.  It is mostly quartz and asbestos with iron.

Fun!  And this gives me the opportunity to talk mineral speak as I used to enjoy when I had a small stone, crystal and jewelry business already a decade ago……wow.  Time flies.