When I first started soldering, I knew that it would be a breeze. After all you are just sticking two pieces of metal together right? Well guess what! Just heating up the metal with a torch does not necessarily work and I burnt every one of my fingers in the process too! Both my project … Continue reading Revisiting Failure
Better Living Through Your Flex Shaft! My Flexshaft changed my life! Well okay, maybe not my “life”, but definitely my bench life! I reach for it more than any other item on my bench. For those of you not familiar with a Flexshaft, it is a system that consists of a motor ( most often … Continue reading Better Living Through Your Flex Shaft!
At Seattle Findings, we get a great deal of customers who are self-taught. Some techniques are not as easily learned on one's own, and some require more or less instruction. Wax carving is one such skill, that once you have mastered the basics, you can potentially create anything you can dream, if you only you … Continue reading Wax On – Wax Off!
I love books, and every now and then a book comes along that steals your heart. Creative Stonesetting is such a book. The author, John Cogswell is currently a teacher at SUNY NY. He has also taught at many other metals programs and has served as a technical consultant and contributing author for several contemporary … Continue reading Creative Stonesetting is a Gem!
Wedding season is in mid-swing. In honor of this festive season of diamonds, we gathered some key concepts on diamonds & CZs! Diamond grading is based around the 4 C’s, remember these 4 simple characteristics and you will be more informed as a buyer or a seller. Cut: •Cut is a diamond's most important characteristic … Continue reading The 4 C’s & CZs
Richard Paille My jewelry career began in 1970. Following college and a tour in the US Army I opened a retail jewelry studio in Seattle called “Dick Paille Handcrafted Jewelry” and began classes with the G.I.A. (Gemological Institute of America) studying diamonds, colored stones and gem identification. In 1972 I moved to a new location … Continue reading Meet the Guest Bloggers!
In Seattle, summer is in full bloom. Japanese Maples, Rhododendrons and baskets of colorful hanging flowers around the city have replaced bare winter branches and indoors projects. Sitting at my jeweler’s bench I can hardly wait to get outside, work in my vegetable garden, go bike riding, get in the water and fish streams I’ve … Continue reading A Career of Discovery
New Media. Contemporary Media. Mixed Media. What all these and many more terms are trying to describe, is jewelry design that encompasses materials other than metal. As the markets continue to soar, everyone’s pockets seem to get smaller by the day. The state of our economy is making it harder and harder to work in … Continue reading Exploring New Media!
Now your jewelry is done, and it looks great! So you take a quick picture, post it and your jewelry will sell itself…..right? Well maybe. People often find that taking pictures of their art is far more difficult then they first imagined. To really impact your sales you will need to post good, clear pictures … Continue reading Put the WOW in your Jewelry Photos
What is your favorite metal to work in and why? When I can get my hands on it, high karat gold, it is just beautiful. I spend a lot of time testing metal clay. And I work a lot with ingots, hammering and rolling them down. About 10 years ago, when I started working with … Continue reading More than Metal: Interview with Tim McCreight (Part II)
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