I was so excited to recently work on a gemstone cut that I don’t get to see that often – tablet cuts! I also have had an increase of working with gemstones people are purchasing on their own and I get to design around them.
Some of my favourite gemstones come from Brooke’s Customs. This family run business is a wife and husband team that source interesting rough gemstones that they meticulously cut into interesting shapes that are outside of what you would typically find, take a look!
The first ever recorded history of wire weaving was in ancient Egypt. It was used to create gold and silver jewellery. Not only did the ancient Egyptians use it but so did the Vikings.
The Vikings used gold and silver to weave ropes worn by their important leaders. This process was called the viking knit.
It was also used for body armour like chainmail.
I bring up weaving because it is still done to this day.
This was created by Edna and also weaved. However, soldering was also used for many many parts. Then she added the pearls as an embellishment. I think it’s gorgeous. What do you think?
It must be September, because there is music (weirdly no polka yet that I’ve heard, but it’s early), and Roncevalles is closed to cars between Howard Park Ave and Queen. That’s right, it’s the Polish Festival! We are still open at the Blue House, so if you’re wandering this way, stop in and say hi! (And see some fun jewellery!). And we have a new windows display on our Roncesvalles side for your viewing pleasure!
Snapped a quick pic of the polka stage! There are so many tents set up on Roncevalles!
New window display of Frekkeldesigns Love Bubble Collection – must see in person to properly appreciate them!
Here’s a bit of a closer picture of some of Jen’s Love Bubbles that you can see in the studio!
Enjoy the lovely September weather we’re having and hope to see you soon!
Jewel Envy started with partnerships and cooperation. The family and collective has grown, so too does our studio space. In our continued tradition of “all hands on deck”, Gillian’s troops are working hard to prepare the space for more equipment, more expertise, and more possibilities. We’re almost there!
Do you you have a favourite opal? Have you seen enough types of opal to choose? There are:
Peruvian opal, white opal, Mexican fire opal, boulder opal, black opal, wood replacement opal, Ethiopian opal, semi-black opal, jelly opal, and the list goes on.
Depending on the stone, they can be polished smooth in a cabachon, or faceted, or even carved.
Opals can come from Australia, Mexico, Ethiopia, or Peru. Their stability can depend on how/where they naturally formed, as some can be susceptible to water. Some opals have been shaved thin and attached to glass or another gemstone to make a more affordable option.
At Jewel Envy, we have the experience and expertise to guide you to an option you will absolutely love. Let us know your opal preferences, and we will go from there!
Well, it seems that summer is well and truly here, with the summer solstice a couple of days ago, the recent strawberry moon (I didn’t know such a thing existed!) and the heat wave we’ve had, we hope you’ve all been keeping your cool! It’s nice and cool in the studio – so if you’re out and about in Roncy, it’s a good time to come see what’s new in the bubbles, or have a chat to us about your repair or custom piece you’ve been thinking about for a while!
Have a piece you’ve been thinking about for a while? A client had this lovely coffin-shaped lapis kicking around their drawer at home, and decided it was time to do something with it, so we made them this lovely statement ring in sterling silver!
Mokume Gane is a Japanese metalworking procedure. What you see is a mixed-metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns like the photo above. (Cufflinks made by Gillian Batcher).
Mokume Gane looks like wood grain and is closely translated from Japanese as “wood grain metal”. It has the appearance of natural wood grain.
With Mokume-gane, you fuse several layers of differently coloured precious metals together to form a sandwich of alloys called a “billet.” Then the billet is manipulated in such a way that a pattern resembling wood grain emerges over its surface. There are many many ways of working mokume gane to create diverse patterns.
I thought i’d share what mokume gane is today as two customers came in and were really admiring the patterns on the different rings using Mokume gane.
Happy Saturday!! With the summer, has come a change in the windows display at Jewel Envy. It’s a bit different from our recent displays: one window is a fibre art collaboration piece, and the other two contain some fibre/silver jewellery pieces.
What’s that? You say? Well, about two years ago, I met a lovely fibre artist, Carolina Reis, when I was doing a studio tour show. I was a guest in her house, and we got to talking about all things fibre. One of Carolina’s interests is in networks (mostly social, community, etc.). Well, I like fibre art, and there are lots of networks in immunology, so I suggested we do a collaboration. This piece entitled (IMM)UNITY was the final result!
This is a bit of a teaser – it’s really better to see it in person! Also, there’s quite a long explanation about the intentions and concepts of the piece that is posted along with it. Made from quilted embroidered panels, and joined with crocheted cotton elements to make a whole, it incorporates (among other things), the feeling of togetherness, connection, and conflicting ideas, as well as representations of different cells, systems and concepts around vaccination and the immune system.
In the other two windows, I’ve placed a complementary series of necklaces and brooches, that I’ve called Portholes on Immunity, and mostly (but not entirely) is an homage to different cell types of the immune system. When I was thinking about making this series, I was reminded of various sci-fi films where you see people shrunk into miniature, along with their little submarine, journeying through the blood. So, these are how I imagine cells would look from the porthole window on a teeny tiny vessel in the blood.
This is a large multi-panel necklace. Again, the pictorial elements are embroidered quilted panels that I made, with some trapunto effects (this is a quilting technique where you add additional batting layers in selected parts to raise the profile). The panels are inset into sterling silver frames, or portholes.
This is the last window – a series of four brooches, and a single pendant necklace, using similar techniques to the above necklace. And bonus – there I am trying to take a picture without too much reflection (clearly that wasn’t entirely successful!).
If you’re passing by the studio this month, I hope you’ll try and take a look – they are all much more interesting in person! The large necklace is not for sale, but if you’re interested in any of the brooches, or the single panel necklace, stop in and ask us about them! Given the fabric nature of the pieces, they won’t be up for long, they will probably come down by the middle of July at the latest to avoid any sun damage.
Enjoy the nice weather, whatever you’re doing, and hope to see you soon!
