What a wonderful world this would be if I could create gorgeous jewelry and have it work out the first time.. every time. Sadly the life of a jewelry designer is not so black and white. Over the years I have learned so much from my mishaps. At least this is the way I choose to think of my mistakes. I am the eternal optimist. The pendant shown here has gone through several transformations before it emerged as an Azurite gemstone pendant with a Druzy quartz accent. This pendant started out with a petrified palm root gem. I was so excited to design with my newest find. I had multiple issues getting the bezel to solder in all areas. This should have been the red flag but I was determined to create using this gem.

The Azurite pendant saga continues

I finally got the entire bezel soldered. Success! or so I thought at the time. I proceeded to attach the backing so I could later add the sterling chain. The final step is to place the gem in the bezel (the frame). When I did this I realized that when I had soldered the bezel multiple times, I warped the backing so it was no longer flat. So now the gem would fit but pop out at the slightest urging.

I searched frantically for another gem that would fit the bezel. Anyone who has attempted this fix knows it is an impossible task. What I did find was this beautiful blue/green azurite gem. It was too long for the bezel BUT with a little creative changes I was able to make it fit. It looks great if I do say so myself. Had I not given you this saga you may not have known it was a colossal mistake.

Other ‘learning experiences’ along the way.

In addition to this saga of the pendant, I admit to the following mistakes.

• Soldering the bezel to the base upside down. (cabs don’t fit that way)
• Cracking the stone when fitting it into the bezel
• Using too thin of a backing to allow for multiple gems
• Inserting the gem before I had completely shaped and filed the bezel

• and MANY MORE

Follow me on my design journey by becoming a collector. My collectors receive first look at my newest designs plus Collector-only discounts and specials. It’s Free. And you Get 15% off your first order.

Here’s How

Shop Here for all my Designs.

The post Jewelry Designs are perfect every time… NOT! appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

I am quite obsessed with the rich green color of malachite. Of course it helps that malachite and copper belong together. In fact you will find them both in the same mines. Moreover, Malachite is considered a copper bearing mineral. What I love most are the concentric circle inclusions normally found in this gem. Each stone is different.

[tweet_box design=”box_01″ float=”none”]Malachite Fun fact: Did you know that Ancient Egyptians used malachite as eye makeup? Fascinating isn’t it?[/tweet_box]

I have a LOT of malachite designs on my bench now. These designs combine malachite with emerald, rhodochrosite and ruby.

For now here are the current designs now for sale in my store.

The post Malachite Madness appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

Yes it’s true. I am addicted to jewelry design. Moreover I consider this a good thing!

One of the processes I use a lot is called bezeling. Basically this means putting a rim around my gemstone so it stays in place.

However for me it is much more than this. Of course I like the security it provides for the gemstones. But mostly I adore the options it gives me to add some pizazz to the design. There are some bezel wires that feature scalloped edges and even some with more intricate options. I also create my own bezel wire in order to texture the design.making each piece just that much more unique and truly one of a kind. ‘In this amethyst design I corrugated the silver to create the texture. So many possibilities!

Steps to my final design.

• fit the wire to the gemstone. This must be precise or the whole process is doomed)

• solder the wire and then solder the rim to a backing

• sawing and filing. This step is very time consuming, but vital to the overall finished design. This is where the quality of the work really shows through

Sounds daunting doesn’t it? In some ways it is, but for me it is part of the fun of creating. The final stages of sawing and filing are meditative too. All these experiences in one little process. Cool huh! The finished product is a sight to behold. Here are a few of my finished designs.

View my whole collection HERE

Become an Alene’s Adornments Collector today.

Get First Look at newest designs, tidbits and legends about gemstones, jewelry care tips and of course.. COLLECTOR ONLY specials and discounts.

The post Here we go a Bezeling… appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

Once a year Tucson Arizona is home to the single largest gem show in the world. Exhibitors and buyers descend upon this mid sized town virtually taking over every venue in the city. In all there are 44 different shows running simultaneously.  Each show has it’s own niche. These vary from loose beads, finished jewelry, minerals or geodes and much more. Many are wholesale only shows and a few are open to the general public.

I have the pleasure of attending this event.  Tucson is a short 2 hour drive from my home. With the added advantage of Tucson relatives, I get to avoid the hassle of trying to find hotel space too.  My two favorite shows are the JOGS Show and the GLW Show.  Both are wholesale shows. They cater to the type of product I purchase. (cabochons, silver findings, display materials). FYI, these two shows alone feature over 800 booths!  After so many years I know many of the vendors. This makes it easier to find what I am looking for.

That being said, I always LOVE finding something new. This year  it was Amethyst Geodes from Uruguay.  I cannot WAIT to get these bezeled and into a design!

I was also able to find some new display materials. I am excited to add these to the Shops who carry my designs.  I love the earthy, wood finish.

Last but not least, I took a metals class this year. This new cuff design appeals to me so much.  I am poised to create many variations from this template. Can’t you just envision a cuff[tweet_dis_img][/tweet_dis_img] in sterling with a gemstone?

Time to get to the bench and start designing. 

Hope you enjoyed my thoughts on the Gem Show!

The post Reflections on the Tucson Gem Show appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

I am a jewelry designer and yes I do my own photography.

As in the case of most artists who create limited Edition and one-of-a- kind pieces.. It is not cost effective to hire a professional to photograph each design!

So I decided early on to take my own photos. And I can tell you that this became a whole new learning curve for me. I read lots of comments and tutorials online, purchased proper equipment for photographing small objects (jewelry in my case), purchased editing software  and then experimented a lot!

Each time I played around with the process I got just a tiny bit more competent.

Then earlier this year I took a workshop from a real photographer and had to unlearn  and rethink it all. Doug Baldwin, the instructor and photographer for over 30 years, drummed one rule into our heads.. and it finally sunk in.  “Don’t photograph on artsy backgrounds. Customers want to be able to see the product clearly.. they don’t CARE about the surroundings.”  Of course there were lots more helpful hints and insights in the workshop…I improved the way I photographed the gems and learned how to use diffused lighting.  I even ended up purchasing another photography system that I love. 

I live in Arizona and Love the outdoors. So a dried piece of cholla cactus seemed like a great option for a background. As you can see by the two images above… the background, while so cool looking, does not allow you to see the earring design clearly. The image to the left gives you a focused, clean image… so you can decide if this design is a must-have for your own collection.

Here is another example.. Again using the cholla cactus.

See how much better the image to the right is?

It shows off the texture and beauty (OK so I am a little prejudiced on that) of this pendant!

The Cuff image below is yet another example. Malachite is highlighted and featured prominently in the photo to the left.

Yes, I am still a novice when it comes to photography.. and yes I will continue to learn and improve my photos.

over the next several months, I should have all the images on my site converted over to the newer, cleaner looking images.

My next step is a class on editing. Cannot wait!

Check out my jewelry (and the current photos online) and give me your feedback.

Every bit helps me to improve my craft!

 If you liked this blog you may like The Secret Life of a Metal and Hammer Hoarder.

The post Photographing Jewelry… Harder than it looks! appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.