Clouds.

Blue skies are few and far between this time of year.  Get a dose here.

Last summer I experimented with electro-forming and enameling.  Look for the clouds I made to show up in some pieces of jewelry I am designing for this year's offerings!

As always, if you see anything you like, or have something special in mind you would like to have made, please send me an email: coquinette@q.com

Shiny offerings. Good with velvet pants.

We have a fine selection of jewelry for your "anti-Valentine's Day" offerings.  Sterling silver from Taxco, art nouveau, Danish and American modern from the 1940s through 1980s, studio and artisan creations, ethnic silver, and more.  Looking for something special you do not see here?  We have more!

Send questions regarding prices, shipping, gift-wrapping and mailing to coquinette@q.com

The fellows.

A few offerings for the fellows in your life  -- vintage Danish cufflinks in sterling silver, classic 1950s style tie-bars and tie-tacs, button studs, stick pins, heavy duty sterling silver rings, a 1970s Gucci gold-rolled watch with the classic green and red stripes in enamel . . . bar ware, some serious drinking glasses, ceramics and more.

Just takes a short and sweet email to coquinette@q.com

Get ready for anti-Valentine's Day . . . today!

Peace.

Above is a recent addition to the series of pendants with the word for "Peace" in different languages, this time in Hindi, and pronounced "Shaanti," according to many Hindi/English dictionaries I consulted.  This pendant was sawed out of sterling silver, filed, shaped and polished to satisfaction, and then I soldered on a small square layer of gold and flush-set a sparkling pink sapphire, and added a shimmery hammered texture all over.  Next I will be constructing a chain to hang it from.  Once that is done, I will make another posting here!

For the past several months I have been apprenticing full-time with a local bench jeweler, Linda Bretana, at her pretty little store, Studio B, in Portland, Oregon.  Thanks to the wonderful instruction and encouragement I got there, I've been able to reach a level of confidence, with improved skills, where I am now working again - full-time - on my own, in my own studio.

Please contact me, at my email address: coquinette@q.com, if you are interested in any of my work or a custom design by me for you.  For repairs to any pieces of your jewelry not made by me, or watches, contact Linda Bretana at http://bretanajewelry.com.

Au revoir!

Light of clouds.

Sometimes, before starting a new project, I look back through notes and sketches first.  It is nice to see that some of these sketches have been realized as objects of jewelry, made by my hands, from 18 karat and 14 karat yellow golds, sterling silver, beautiful old-stock green turquoise cabochons from Arizona mines, and some of the tiniest prettiest beads of Sleeping Beauty turquoise.  Also from Arizona.  Where blue skies are supreme and clouds are, mostly, serene.

Today we should have blue skies in Portland!

Thank you to aAron for the wonderful music that provides additional fuel for my dreams and inspirations.  

Mountains. Skiing.

Just made this necklace of a mountain shape in sterling silver, with a nice texture, and riveted some 14 karat yellow gold balls through the piece, looking a bit like a ski run path.

Strung on a sterling silver rectangular box chain with 14 karat yellow gold beads at spaced intervals.

The mountain shape is 1.25" long by .60" high and the chain length is 15" - a comfortable fit higher on the neck so it will nestle at the base of your throat.

 $117 makes it yours, or a gift for someone you love!

Just drop me a short email: coquinette@q.com

Blue skies, clouds, tiny spring flowers.

A cute little ring fabricated from sterling silver and 14 karat yellow gold, with a very blue, natural color, faceted sapphire, set into the gold center.

This ring is USA size 5.5, the flower measures 7/16" across and yes, it can be sized.  It could be yours for $135.00!  Sizing adds a few extra dollars.

Or . . . I can make a new one for you with the gemstone of your choice in any size desired.  Perhaps you would prefer one with a ruby, or a citrine, or a diamond?  Send me an email if you're not able to visit me in Portland, Oregon, at Studio B Jewelry, 4225 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland, Oregon - telephone is 503-493-2233 - http://www.bretanajewelry.com.  We are open from Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 am 'til 5:30 pm, and on Saturday from 10 am 'til 2 pm.

Get your spring on and  . . . SHINE!

The Derelict Group, Hobbs Wells and Studio B!

Good fortune sometimes smiles on us, as it has recently on me, with the opportunity to study and learn from a skilled bench jeweler, Linda Bretana, of Studio B, in my home town of Portland, Oregon.

This is a custom job I designed and made for one of Studio B's customers, under the direction of Linda, and it was a delight to design and make it under her direction at her amazing gem of a store.  If you get to lovely, rainy Portland, please visit us: 4225 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland, Oregon 97213.  Some of Linda's custom work can be seen at  bretanajewelry.com

Perhaps you'd like a custom design made up for you or someone you love?  Call us: 503-492-2233, and we'll arrange to meet with you and design your dream present!

We have a wonderful stock of stones and gems, and Linda's a skilled jeweler and designer!

This ring used some of her old stock turquoise, and incorporated one of her signature elements, 18 karat yellow gold balls, placed within the design to accent and compliment the natural veining in the turquoise.  This ring was fabricated from flat stock and wire, hand engraved, stones set, patinaed, and polished up at Studio B, by me, Hobbs Wells, under the skilled direction of Linda.

Here is the ring in the initial stages of fabrication, with my design drawings, working out the details at the kitchen table after a day at the store.

Here are the fabricated elements, almost ready to be soldered together!

The finished ring for one of our favorite customers!

SALAAM . . . . Three clouds for peace.

Three clouds, two wandering albatross and one ruby for peace.  A sterling silver and 14 karat yellow gold brooch, or pendant, with a small faceted ruby flush set in the Arabic word for peace, "Salaam."  Two appliqued wandering albatross shapes soar over all.  Shown strung on a waterproof and colorfast cord with a cloud shape sliding button.  The cord can be detached to be worn alone or with other pendants and the pendant also functions as a brooch with a 14 karat yellow gold pin on the back.  The length of the cord is easily adjusted by sliding the cloud button up or down.

Saturday, December 18, 2010 at The Art Department - PDX!!!

This Saturday I'll be hanging out at my booth with jewelry and some vintage collectibles, and maybe a few Deface Your Idols tees and things by The Derelict Group at the Presents for Procrastinators holiday market sponsored by The Art Department!  So, get your freak on, come on by, grab a drink, a nibble and peruse the goods of local artisans and sellers of the wonderful things that keep Portland weird!

Saturday, December 18, 2010 - 11 am to 5 pm
The Art Department - 1315 SE 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97212

Clouds!

These earrings came back to me for a repair and I took the opportunity to snap a picture.  I made these at the eleventh hour for my very first official show, this past spring, as a member of my local metal arts guild (Creative Metal Arts Guild, based in Portland, Oregon).

Clouds are just one of my obsessions, which I represent in my jewelry designs.  The earrings below are in sterling silver, with my custom designed ear wires, and delicate chains of carnelian, turquoise, lapis lazuli and fluorite.

These earrings are one of a kind, like the amazing poet and writer who owns them.  If you are cloud obsessed too, contact me and I'll happily work out a design for you.  A pendant, perhaps, or a ring, or a pin, or some earrings!

Peace shines through in all languages!

Here we have one of my new peace pendant designs, this one in French: Paix.  Heavy weight sterling silver with a diamond to accent the "i" that has been flush set in 14 karat yellow gold, all hung on sturdy, color fast and water proof Japanese cord, with a custom sliding button to securely adjust the length as you desire.  Two sterling silver beads and one 14 karat yellow gold bead decorate each of the ends, which you can leave hanging prettily in back, or bring around to the front.  This you could wear while surfing, or diving, or snorkeling, or hiking, or cross-county skiing, or doing whatever you please.  Prices range from about $135 to $300, depending on the mix of metals and stones.  Please email me if you are interested in one!

Crazy spring weather's recent project...

Tiniest diamond mounted in 14kt yellow gold forms center of sterling silver flower on a thin, gently textured band with engraved leaves on each end.  Summer will be here soon.  Need to find last summer's favorite sandals.  Custom orders welcome.  Send an email.

PEACE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Pendant charms in sterling silver, with satin matte and scratched finishes, with the word for peace in English, Arabic, French, Italian and Spanish.

Each one is cut from a solid, thick piece of sterling silver, and then carved, sanded and polished, by me, myself and I.  A half-round link is soldered to the back and the pendant can then be strung from a custom cord with a sliding bead, on a silver chain, or whatever else your heart desires.

Please contact me if you are interested in one of these or a custom pendant in a different language.  They can be made in whatever size you desire.  Prices range from $125 and up.

New work in jewelry.

Starting on Friday, April 30, 2010 through Sunday, May 2, 2010, I will be showing and selling my new work in jewelry at the Oregon Convention Center, located at 777 NE Martin Luther King Boulevard, Portland, Oregon 97232, in the Jewelry and Metal Arts Show & Sale of the Creative Metal Arts Guild. Admission is free to this event! I hope you will stop by my booth to say hello and see what I've been up to. Here is a sneak peak at some of my new work.

These earrings are in sterling silver, with a satin finish, a "three-days moon" in a special Japanese alloy of shibuichi, with an incredible texture that looks like moon craters, and delicate chains of the tiniest pearls and labradorites.

 
The gull and clouds of this pendant are rendered in textured and shaped sterling silver with the pattern of white clouds in a blue sky echoed in the dumortierite cabochon and the sun represented in a citrine cabochon set in 14 karat yellow gold. All on a lovely Japanese cord in a soft buff color, with my signature sliding closure allowing the length of the necklace to go from choker to long or anywhere in-between. Those in-between lengths can be very handy!

 
Custom-pierced and carved sterling silver pendants, with the word for peace rendered in French,  Arabic, Italian, Spanish and English.  These can be hung from a custom adjustable length cord necklace or a chain of your choosing.

Awaiting your comments and questions! - Hobbs and The Derelict Group

Wanderers.

The wandering albatross' wingspan is over 10 feet, allowing a mastery of flight around the earth few birds can match.  They are aerodynamic wonders in the sky, their true element.

This pendant on this necklace takes inspiration from the great wandering albatross.

The silhouettes of the albatross and clouds were pierced and carved from a solid sheet of thick .925 sterling silver.

The silhouette of the albatross sits on a ring forged and formed out of of 14k yellow gold, to represent the sun as the albatross soars through the sky, and stormy clouds, towards - one imagines - a calm, serene shoreline.

The clouds are patinated to dark gray and their angle can be changed by pivoting them.  All hung from sterling silver chains with fluorite, carnelian, lapis lazuli and Sleeping Beauty turquoise, secured to a colorfast and sturdy Japanese cord, with a sliding tension bead through which the cords pass, allowing the length of the necklace to be easily shortened or lengthened.

The full extended length of the necklace is about 21 inches.  The smallest neck circumference it will fit is about 11 inches, which would be a very slender neck!

This necklace is available for purchase.  Please send an email to: coquinette@q.com for information and pricing.

Au revoir!

Gulls Clouds Ocean

Who among us has not admired a seagull in flight, soaring in the skies above, over ocean, land, and shore? These earrings were inspired by my travels to the Pacific Northwest Coast this past summer and I hope capture some of the amazement I feel when I watch these magnificent birds.

The wires are forged out of 14k yellow gold, in my signature ear wire design for The Derelict Group, and the other elements of the design, the gulls, clouds and chains, are in .925 sterling silver.  The clouds have been patinated to give the illusion of evening clouds over the ocean.

I used a rivet connection to assemble the design, which allows for the gulls and clouds to be swiveled to the right or left and provide an easy way to slip the wires in your ears.

The cube shape stones dangling from the delicate, patinated chains are fluorite, in a pale tint of aqua blue to represent the ocean.

These earrings are one-of-a kind and are available for purchase.  Please contact me for information if you are interested: coquinette@q.com

Au revoir!  Miaou!

Oregon coast.

Out for the past several days spending time with my sister, who was visiting from Phoenix, Arizona. We enjoyed some time on the Oregon coast with perfect, sunny, Pacific Northwest sunshine, shimmering through the forests and reflected off the blue Pacific Ocean and skies.

This is the famous "Octopus Tree", near the lighthouse at Cape Meares, just outside of Tillamook, Oregon. An ancient Sitka Spruce, around 105 feet tall, and between 250 and 300 years old. What a youngster!

The views from Cape Meares are gorgeous in all directions, whether the sun is shining or it is windy and rainy.

Lincoln City is one of the larger towns on the Central Oregon Coast, with plenty of hotels and motels along historic Highway 101. Here is a view from one of the rooms at the Surftides (http://www.surftideslincolncity.com/), a wonderfully restored hotel right on the beach!

Hope all is well in your world! Au revoir! Miaou! {];-) =^,,^=