Not ready to say goodbye to summer...

so many lucky stones

wishing stones

looks like candy 

sorting the haul

beach glass lips?

ancient sea creature fossils

fossilly weirdness

my happy place

my first yellow!

Wishing Stones

"Ren moved to the back of the room as the boys continued to argue, the stone safe in his fingers. He opened his palm and glanced down. The wishing stone was the color of rain. The edges smooth. He felt the indentation where the ring of white began and he thought of all the things he was going to ask for."
-Hannah Tinti, The Good Thief

Seaglass and Beach Stone Sliding Knot Bracelets

Today's project!
Yes, I have mastered the art of the slip knot bracelet. Here's what I came up with today.

Listing them soon in my Etsy shop.

More Silver Tube Riveted Lake Erie Beach Stones

Sterling riveted tube Lake Erie beach stones. 

Always a popular item in my Etsy Store. 

Sometimes I rivet sea glass too, which is a bit trickier. Yes, sometimes I break them and they wind up in the scrap pile.

Here's how I do it.

Tube Riveted Lake Erie Beach Stones

Spent today lining Lake Erie beach stones with sterling tube rivets. My hands always hurt after a round of drilling and hammering, but it's worth it! These simple smooth natural stones are transformed into little jewels with the addition of their heavy silver grommets. I'll be listing them tomorrow in my Etsy store.
They'll go fast. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Just sayin'.

Tube Riveted Beach Stones!

Made more yesterday...it's a little hard to keep up with the demand. And for every five I make, I usually break one. It's just that one last tap of the hammer that does it.

Here are the survivors of my latest riveting session. Listing them soon in my Etsy store.

I love stone!

You already know that I love to work with stones when making SToNZ Jewelry, but I also love to use stones in my landscape. We are planning a new stone stoop on the front of the house and it got me thinking about my favorite stone steps in our backyard. We had these installed several years ago. They are made from old barn stones. They are now moss covered and look like they have been there forever! I think they will be here long after we are gone.

A SToNZ Arm Party

SToNZ bracelets can stand on their own, but they really do love to travel in numbers. I put together a little arm party this morning of all SToNZ bracelets made of sterling silver, leather, copper, Lake Erie beach stones and real sea glass. You are cordially invited.

There really is no such thing as too many bracelets. 
Just sayin.

Lake Erie Beach Stone Earrings

I finally made more Lake Erie beach stone earrings this week. You'd think beach stones would be heavy on your ears, but they are actually surprisingly lightweight and comfortable.

One can never have too many pairs of shoes or earrings.

Doodle

Full Moon

What Goes Around

I think Wilma Flintstone would really go for these.

Spritz Earrings

Also made a pair of freshwater pearl danglies for the pearly girls. See more SToNZ earrings in the SToNZ store here.

Making a Beach Stone Silver Chain Bracelet

I tried to take some process pics this morning as I worked on a new bracelet.
It's tough to work and shoot, and also tough to stop and take photos when you are in the middle of working. Managed to get some of the steps in pics to share here...

Selected a Lake Erie beach stone from my stash.

Cut a base for the bezel from 20 gauge sterling silver sheet with a jewelers saw

Wrapped bezel wire around the stone for size

Marked length for cutting

Used jewelers saw to cut bezel

soldered bezel using hard solder

Cleaned and filed bezel to prepare to solder to base

Soldered bezel to base plate with hard solder

Trimmed excess base, filed and sanded bezel cup until smooth

Um....OK, so I got caught up in my work and forgot to take photos for a bit! I had this great vintage curb chain bracelet and cut it apart, then soldered the bezel cup between the cuts. Cleaned up the whole thing with sanding pads and files. 

Set the stone in the bezel and used burnishers to tighten the bezel around the stone.
Sanded, polished....ready to wear!
Click here to see the bracelet in my Etsy store.