Vibrance and Grace

I took some of my 'stained glass' aluminum jewelry down to Grace Cathedral this week for them to sell in their gift shop.  I was delighted that they wanted to stock it.

The jewelry is all based on the stained glass windows in the cathedral (yes, I have permission to use it).  The colors are so vibrant, which is why I chose to call the series "Vibrance and Grace".

It'll be interesting if I see any of the congregation wearing it when I go down to sing on Sunday.

I heard that they went on sale on Tuesday and two pieces sold straight away!  How encouraging is that.

Now I'm working on some new windows - and it looks like I need to get working!

Rose windows revisited

I've been working a little more with resists and the aluminum dyes and decided to try  a different version of my rose window, using only aluminum and no silver.  Here is it in progress:

It creates quite a different effect to the silver ones - and I'm not sure where I'll go with it, but it's fun experimenting.

What do you think?

Cathedral rose windows

I made another pair of cathedral rose window earrings, as I had a request from a seller in Germany.  This pair I made using different colors of "stained glass": one is predominantly blue and the other red.

I love the combination of silver and colored aluminum and want to do more of this style of things.

I have very few pairs of earrings are that totally matching.  What about you?  I think earrings should look like a pair, but don't have to be a mirror image.

I'm interested in what you look for in earrings - matching or coordinated?

Cathedral Rose Window jewelry

I made some more cathedral rose windows last week - this time making larger earrings than my original pair. These earrings are 3.5 cm diameter (approx 1.5 inches).

The design is the rose window at the East end of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco where I sing every week. I'm really pleased with how the color from the anodized aluminum shines through them, giving the illusion of stained glass.

 

I also made a pendant.  I've strung it here on 5 cables but also am waiting on a chain for it, as I think, with it's size, it will be nice on a longer chain too. 

And here's the set: 

If you are interested in rose window design.....the geometry of the design of this window at Grace is the same as the rose window in the Gothic cathedral of Chartres, France - but the final design is actually different. Here are the two so that you can compare -  and for more geometry, here is a link to a detailed comparison of the two windows. 

Chartres Cathedral Rose Window

Grace Cathedral Rose Window

Maybe I should try the Chartres window next......

Rose Windows

I'm up at my parents house now in Lincoln. (I know, you'd never have guessed they lived in Lincoln after reading my dad's regular Sunday blog posts! I'm sure you know now more about Lincoln than most people in England do!)


Anyhow - we had our belated Christmas present giving last night so I can now show you what I made my mum.


I made her some earrings and necklace designed from the rose window at Grace cathedral, San Francisco. She seems to wear her other arched church window earrings quite a lot so thought she might like these and feel close to me, when I sing at Grace.


The "glass" is hand colored resin. She has very sensitive ears so only likes the really fine wires. I'm not a great fan of this style of ear wire, but they seem to work well for her ..... Having the resin as a large part of the design also means the earrings are very lightweight, which helps too.


The light shines nicely through them as you wear them in your ears.

Woke up this morning - and she was wearing them! Guess that's a good sign!

Cathedral rose window earrings

Finally I've made some earrings! It seems that all my inspiration tends towards bracelets, bangles and necklaces lately..... Not quite sure why......And I can't even say the earrings are a new design as I have previously made a similar necklace.

Anyhow - the design of the earrings is from the rose window at Grace cathedral in San Francisco where I sing every week. As I sing, this is what I see! Just a gorgeous geometric array for stained glass. Here is the window:

In the earrings, the "stained glass" is actually blue, red and yellow resin.


What I like about the earrings is that the light shines through them, like the window. With the necklace, as you wear it is against your skin so you don't get the transparency of the resin, but as earrings you do. The other great thing is that the earrings are really light weight and comfortable as the silver is all cut out and the resin is much lighter than metal.

Hope you like them....