1st Stone, Modified Cut

Having cut the girdle of my first stone too narrow (knife-edge), I knew it might chip. Showing it off to someone, I noticed that there was a big divot out of the crown. So now my first stone is also my 5th stone.

This is a modified Portugese cut, from Jeff Graham's design.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

We are going to breakfast on the beach this morning. Happy 75th Birthday, Mom, my friend.

Citrine Standard Round Brilliant

My 4th stone. Started as an oval, poorly cut, which I bought in Korea in 1981. Kept it all these years because I'm a packrat.

Took forever to 'round' the stone, but once I had it, the rest of the pavilion went fast. But the crown...arhggggg! I had to use -5 on the cheater, because the table wasn't on plane, nor were any of the crown facets. So I spent 6hrs doing a 3hr job. But it came our pretty nice, and experience can't be bought, only earned...




Now hang on while I get around to re-cutting the amethyst, to cure the fish-eye.

Center Window Border and More

So, here's the center window with all the background and borders complete. I have lots of Bullseye glass in my collection, and I'm using all of it that I can. Some is the best glass to cut, and some is the Devil's Own.



Hang in there, this window will grow on you!

Most of the scrap glass is saved, for a mosaic in progress in my home...but that's a post for the future...>

Quartz Gems

Here are my first three faceted gems. I learned to cut them through my lapidary club, the Canaveral Mineral & Gem Society. I still have a ways to go before I cut the OMG, KNOCK YOU DOWN, WOW! gem, but these are pretty good for starting material.




Now all I have to do is make more, and learn how to mount them.

In Memorium: Agate the Cat, Fall 1991 - 18 Aug. 2008

In memory of my wonderful old cat, Agate. I found her at an animal shelter in Texas. As a three-legged kitten, I was afraid she would live out the rest of her life in a cage, because no one would want her. She sang to me, and I just had to have her. After the adoption, the nurse said, "Hmph! You've been had! All the three-legged cats and dogs get adopted from here."



Now it's almost 17 years later. I'm sorry to lose her, but glad for all the joy we brought each other. She will rest near her older 'brother', close to where she used to bask in the sun.

Four More Bolo Ties

Finished four more bolo ties. Two are smaller and in non-traditional colors, the other two are larger and more aggressive coloring. They all look wonderful with t-shirts! (Of course, they look great with regular shirts, too, if you have to dress up.)

His 'n' Hers Bolo Ties

So I'm a person who sees some pretty thing(s) and can't resist buying them (cabochons, cutting rough, etc). Then I look at them for a year or two wondering WHAT IN THE WORLD possessed me to spend my money. Lately I've been finding that I get a notion to make something, and have the right thing on hand. Bank account is not happy, but I'm in heaven.

After going shopping in my closet, I decided that with all the collared shirts I have, they should get some use. Mostly, I don't wear them because the neckline covers up all the lovely necklaces I make. Hmm, but a bolo tie - quite in keeping with the jeans & boots I wear when I'm on the motorcycle.

To make a short story longer, after getting on a roll making bolos, I found the two matching plume agate cabochons. Hey, just the thing for a his 'n' hers set. Here are the photos showing the finished ties, and a closeup off the agates.

Bolo tie and sapphire bail

I'm on a roll today! I finished one project that I started yesterday (sapphire bail with silver medallion), and began/finished one today (the turquoise bolo tie). The bolo is especially pleasing - I made the mechanism for the fastener out of silver, rather than using a base-metal commercial finding.