McFarland Designs - Ethical Jewelry Using Fair Trade Stones and Recycled Metal

New Work

2012-01-31T14:35:00.000-08:00

Fair trade Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Montana sapphire and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade aquamarine, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2012-01-25T15:48:00.001-08:00

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade ruby and recycled 14k yellow gold ring

{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2012-01-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

Moissanite, Chatham alexandrite, Chatham sapphire, and recycled 18k palladium white gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham padparadscha sapphire and recycled 14k white gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled sterling silver wedding bands
(The wider band is for sale in my Etsy shop and I can make more of the narrow ones as well upon request.)

Left: Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold wedding band
Right: Moissanite and recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham ruby, sapphire (orange, yellow, and blue), emerald, and recycled palladium sterling silver bands
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2012-01-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

Limiting myself to working exclusively fair trade stones, no matter how noble my intentions may be, can sometimes make me feel artistically... limited. I see beautiful stones for sale that sing to me with design possibilities, but I won't buy them because I don't know their provenance (or worse yet, I do know and it's not good). So it's especially exciting when I ever-so-occasionally stumble across a new fair trade gemstone vendor, and better still when said new vendor has certain types of stones for sale that I've not had access to in the past. I am happy to say that I recently discovered such a source! Behold... :-)

Fair trade sapphire, 5mm, 0.7 carats

Fair trade sapphire, 5mm, 0.6 carats
You guys, it's purple!!!

Fair trade sapphire, 4.5mm, 0.3 carats

Fair trade ruby, 5mm, 0.7 carats

Fair trade spinel, 5mm, 0.5 carats

At the moment, all are up for grabs for custom orders, but I don't expect that to last for long before I can't resist just doing whatever I want with them. :-)

New Work

2011-12-31T13:01:00.000-08:00

Green moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Green moissanite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created padparadscha sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created padparadscha sapphire and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-12-13T12:25:00.000-08:00

Fair trade Madeira citrine, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled silver ring
{ to be added to my Etsy shop soon }

Petite moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be added to my Etsy shop soon }

Fair trade grape garnet and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ to be added to my Etsy shop soon }

Moissanite (green and clear) and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be added to my Etsy shop soon }

Okay, so the ring pictured above is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, I really like the design; however, it was really hard to do the bezels on the small stones since they are touching the larger bezel, and I'm not pleased with how messy they look along the edges of the middle stone. When you're looking at the ring in real life, I don't think it detracts much (since it's a lot smaller than here on the computer screen, you don't notice it so much, plus it's kind of a rustic finished ring anyways), but I can't decide if it's worthy of being offered for sale... what do you think?

Fair trade amethyst and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Montana sapphire, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Stones

2011-12-11T13:15:00.000-08:00

Some drop-dead gorgeous new cabs (available for custom orders) -

Nevada turquoise (Ajax mine), 20mm x 10mm (6.33 ct.)

Nevada turquoise (Ajax mine), 22mm x 17mm (17.17 ct.)

Nevada turquoise (Ajax mine), 30mm x 15mm (14.23 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Blue Boy mine), 21mm x 9mm (6.77 ct.)

Nevada turquoise (Ajax mine), 16mm x 13mm (6.99 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Blue Boy mine), 21mm x 15mm (11.22 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Blue Boy mine), 26mm x 15mm (15.16 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Blue Boy mine), 26mm x 19mm (17.03 ct.)

Nevada turquoise (Ajax mine), 24mm x 13mm (16.51 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Blue Boy mine), 29mm x 9mm (13.19 ct.)

Hessonite garnet, 9mm (3.66 ct.)

California pink tourmaline, 13mm x 10mm (4.54 ct.)

And other miscellany -

6mm round Chatham lab-created padparadscha sapphire

Peruvian blue opal pendant, 19mm x 19mm (13.27 ct.)

Nevada variscite (Prince mine) pendant, 20mm x 13mm (12.4 ct.)

Pisco blue gem chrysocolla pendant, 30mm x 12mm (17.85 ct.)

New Work

2011-12-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Green moissanite, recycled, 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring

{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, recycled, 14k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Nevada variscite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Aquamarine, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Beaded Earring Tutorial

2011-11-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

I originally wrote this tutorial back in 2008 and have had a couple of people ask about it lately, so I'm posting it here free for anyone who wants to try it. :-) If you give them a whirl, let me know how they turn out, or better yet, send pictures!

New Work

2011-11-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold 'halo' ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

California green tourmaline, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade grape garnet, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Recycled sterling silver and recycled 14k rose gold band
{ custom order; sold }

New Stones

2011-11-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Because of the limited availability of fair trade / ethically sourced gemstones, it is pretty rare for me to come across a new type of stone that is really beautiful and lives up to my ethical standards. But I am happy to say that today I have made just such a discovery - green moissanite!!!

I had heard vague whispers about green moissanite a few times, but for some reason I always imagined it as a muddy, murky light green (don't ask me why?!?) - in reality, these stones have the most incredible, lovely blue-green color - similar to Afghan tourmaline - but since they are moissanite, they are harder than tourmaline, have better clarity and sparkle, and less environmental footprint (since they are lab created).

I can't wait to work with these beauties!!!

Dark green moissanite, 5.5mm

Light green moissanite, 6mm

New Stones

2011-10-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some new sapphires I got in recently -

Fair trade sapphires, 5.5mm (~0.85 carat each)

Fair trade sapphires, 6mm (~1 carat each)

Fair trade sapphire, 6mm (~1 carat)

New Work

2011-10-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

I must be behind on my blogging because I have lots to share today!

Moissanite and recycled 14k rose gold wedding/engagement set
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

... and the same set on my hand...

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k rose gold eternity engagement ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

... and the same ring with optional wedding bands ...

Fair trade sapphire and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created alexandrite and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding/engagement set
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Ethically sourced afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k white gold wedding/engagement set
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Ethically sourced afghan tourmaline, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, fair trade peridot, fair trade amethyst, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k white gold wedding bands - one with Chatham lab created ruby and the other with moissanite and Chatham lab-created emerald
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-10-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Nevada variscite and recycled 14k yellow gold necklace
{ this one's mine, all mine!!! }

Fair trade aquamarine and recycled 14k palladium white gold rings
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, emerald, and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-09-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band custom made to fit previously sold Chatham pink sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring

New Work

2011-09-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Montana sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 18k yellow gold ring, size 7
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

(rear view of the same ring)

Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 8
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Afghan tourmaline, moissanite, and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade 'sandia' jade and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
(This one is mine... it took me a year and a half to decide what to do with this special stone, but I finally made a decision.)

Moissanite and 18k palladium white gold engagement ring with matching wedding band

Jewelry For Charity Update

2011-09-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

August was a busy month, and with your outstanding support, I raised $1,150.00 for Animal Place - woo-hoo! That brings my total donations to $31,287.00 since I began this program in May 2007.

I'm doing something a little different for September - letting you all vote for this month's charity - so take a minute and go vote now on my Facebook page! (And if you're not already a fan, be sure to throw a 'like' my way!)

New Work

2011-09-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Customer-supplied agate and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold}

Left: recycled 14k white gold and recycled sterling silver wedding band
Right: recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding band

Recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Montana sapphire and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold - though a similar one is still available in my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2011-08-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I purchased some gorgeous new stones... most are available for custom orders. :-)

Afghan tourmaline, 4.5mm (approximately 0.31 carats each)
Sigh... the color is amazing...

Afghan tourmaline, 4.5mm (approximately 0.35 carats each)

Aquamarine cabochons, 9mm x 7mm

Aquamarine cabochon, 15mm x 13mm
(The weird two tone/bulls-eye effect is a trick of the camera - it doesn't exist in person.)

Nevada Variscite - I guess I will 'fess up and admit this one may be for me. :-)

I've been trying to leave my comfort zone a bit and branch out into setting oval stones (some examples of finished pieces) - so I bought some more to experiment with -

Afghan tourmaline

California green tourmaline

Aquamarine

Champagne quartz

New Work

2011-08-16T14:06:00.001-07:00

Moissanite, fair trade sapphire, and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ available in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Montana sapphire and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

This is the same solitaire ring I posted a couple of days ago (oval moissanite and recycled 14k white gold ring), but I thought you might like to see the wedding band that goes with it as well (Chatham alexandrite, moissanite, and recycled 14k white gold)

New Work

2011-08-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Fair trade madeira citrine and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white and yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade garnet and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire, Chatham ruby, and recycled 14k white gold ring

{ custom order; sold }

New Stones

2011-08-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Madeira citrine, 6mm

Fair trade aquamarine, 5mm

Fair trade aquamarine, 5.5mm

Fair trade sapphire

New Work

2011-08-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Chatham Cornflower Blue Sapphire and Recycled 14k White Gold Ring, size 7
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k Palladium Gold and Recycled Palladium Sterling Silver Wedding Band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Customer-supplied diamonds with recycled 14k yellow gold and recycled 14k palladium white gold
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created alexandrite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-07-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Montana sapphire and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold stacking rings
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Afghan tourmaline, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade California tourmaline and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-07-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Beach glass (customer-supplied) and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Montana sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 22k gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-07-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab created alexandrite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Sapphire, diamond, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ stones supplied by customer; custom order; sold }

Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2011-07-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (0.50 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (0.49 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (0.47 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (0.40 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (0.53 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline, 7mm (1.07 carat)

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline cabochon, 13mm x 17mm (14.31 carats)

New Work

2011-06-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

Moissanite, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy sho p }

Ethically sourced Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 8
{ for sale now in my Etsy sho p }

Recycled 14k yellow gold wedding bands
{ for sale now in my Etsy sho p }

Recycled 14k white gold wedding band
{ for sale now in my Etsy sho p }

Macaroni Salad

2011-06-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a summertime craving for some super traditional macaroni salad. Amazingly, I don't think this is something I've craved in the ~10 years since I've been vegan, and I think this is the first time I've ever made a vegan version. It turned out really good so I thought I'd share.

Vegan Macaroni Salad
1 lb. pasta of your choice
1 cup Vegenaise (reduced fat version if you can find it)
1/4 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 sweet yellow onion, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced small (I used green but I think any color would work fine)
1 large grated carrot
1 small can sliced olives
Cook the pasta, drain, and rinse with cold water until it's no longer hot. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stir, add pasta, and stir again. Chill for at least several hours or if possible, overnight.

I wanted something really traditional so I went with white pasta, but I'd be curious to see how this might work with brown rice pasta...

New Work

2011-06-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 7.5
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold ring rings
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold earrings
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-06-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Montana sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 6
{ for sale in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Montana sapphire and recycled sterling silver ring, size 6.25
{ for sale in my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k yellow gold wedding bands
{ available here and here in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 7.5
{ for sale in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Oregon sunstone, recycled 14k rose gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Oregon sunstone and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-05-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Moissanite, Chatham sapphire, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k yellow gold earrings
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade yellow sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-05-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

Moissanite, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring with recycled 14k white gold wedding band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k yellow gold ring, size 7.5
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, Chatham lab-created alexandrite, recycled 14k palladium white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-05-18T13:18:00.001-07:00

I have been busy! :-)

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold stacking rings
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }
These were fun to make... they remind me of the old stacking cabochon rings I used to make.

Recycled 14k palladium white gold and 14k yellow gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled sterling silver and 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Afghan tourmaline, recycled sterling silver, and 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled palladium sterling silver, aquamarine, and grape garnet wedding bands

Moissanite and recycled 14k palladium white gold engagement ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trace Zultanite ring with recycled 14k yellow, rose, and green gold
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2011-05-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Fair trade AA Malawi sapphire, 5mm

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 5mm

Fair trade AAA Australian sapphire, 5mm

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 5mm

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 5.75mm

Fair trade Montana sapphire, 6mm

Fair trade AAA Nyala yellow sapphire, 6mm (1.13 carats)

Fair trade AA Nyala yellow sapphire, 6mm (1.18 carats)

New Work

2011-05-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Zultanite, recycled 14k palladium white gold, and recycled 14k green/yellow/rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

(The color is truer in this picture.)

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold engagement and wedding rings
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding band (left) and recycled 18k palladium white gold wedding band (right)

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k white gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-05-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hers & Hers wedding and engagement rings :-)
Left: fair trade grape garnet and recycled 14k white gold rings
Right: Zultanite engagement ring with moissanite wedding band, both in recycled 14k white gold
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k rose gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver engagement ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, Chatham padparadscha sapphire, and palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

And an in-progress photo of this batch, because some of you seem to enjoy that kind of thing :-)

New Work

2011-04-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Fair trade sapphire and 14k white gold ring, size 6.75
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Afghan tourmaline, palladium sterling silver, and 14k yellow gold ring, size 6
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and 14k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

California green tourmaline and 14k yellow gold pendant
{ custom order; sold }

14k rose gold bands and hammered, oxidized palladium sterling silver band
{ custom order; sold }

New Stones

2011-04-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

I got some new sunstones yesterday - all are a tad lighter in person than in the pics (on my monitor at least)...

Oregon sunstone, 5.5mm (0.53 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 6mm (0.57 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 6mm (0.81 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 6mm (0.83 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 6mm (0.94 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 7mm (1.14 carat)

Oregon sunstone, 7mm (1.43 carat)
This will hopefully inspire me to buy the $350 tool I need to set square cushion cut gemstones (and practice, practice, practice my technique - other shapes are harder to set than rounds...)

And finally a lone Arizona garnet (5.5mm; 0.73 carat)

New Work

2011-04-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Montana sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring with recycled 14k rose gold wedding band
{ Zultanite ring available for purchase on my Etsy page }

Moissanite, sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-04-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Afghan tourmaline and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ available for purchase in my Etsy shop }

Zultanite and recycled 14k rose gold ring, size 7
{ available for purchase in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

New Designs

2011-04-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Zultanite (8mm; approx. 2.2 carats) and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 8
{ available for purchase at my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k rose gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring
{ available for purchase at my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ available for purchase at my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2011-04-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Some brand-new stones now available for custom orders!

Fair trade Zultanite, 8.5mm (2.95 carats)

Fair trade Zultanite, 7.5mm (2.03 carats)

Fair trade Zultanite, left to right:
6.5mm (1.16 carats)
6.9mm (1.48 carats)
7.0mm (1.29 carats)
7.0mm (1.49 carats)
7.0mm (1.87 carats)

Fair trade Malawi sapphires, 6mm (just over a carat each)

Fair trade Malawi aquamarine (5mm on the left; 6mm in the middle and on the right)

Fair trade blade amethyst cabochons

Fair trade Malawi sapphire cabochon

New Work

2011-03-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, Chatham emerald, and recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding and engagement ring set
{ this one's sold, but here's a similar one for sale in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k rose gold band
{ for sale now in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2011-03-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

Fair trade sapphire, moissanite, and recycled 14k gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

California pink tourmaline and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created padparadscha sapphire, recycled 14k palladium white gold, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-03-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Afghan tourmaline (5.5mm; 0.63 carat) and recycled yellow gold ring, size 6.5

Moissanite and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring, made to order

One of my recent customers asked me to take some progress pics during the fabrication of his ring; I thought I might as well share them here too. :-)

And finally, a quick picture of my own bejeweled stubby fingers - this is one of my two most prized jewelry possessions - a custom made flower ring by Jenny Kim - yesterday I paired it with this kyanite ring that I made a long time ago and I thought it was kind of a fun look (though perhaps overkill on my very short finger).

New Work

2011-03-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring (center) with 14k yellow gold wedding bands
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-03-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

I have been neglecting this blog lately... I've been so busy with my puppies, I'm afraid I've let a lot of things slide. Today I'm catching up on posting some things I've made over the past month or two...

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold}

Fair trade sapphire, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring with matching wedding band
{ custom order; sold}

Recycled sterling silver and 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring

Fair trade peridot, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold}

Recycled 14k yellow gold, moissanite, and 14k palladium white gold stacking rings
{ custom order; sold}

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold}

Fair trade peridot and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold}

Moissanite, ruby, recycled palladium sterling silver, and 14k white gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold}

New Sapphires

2011-03-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 6mm (~1.04 carats each)

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 5mm (~0.64 carats each)

Fair trade Malawi sapphire, 6mm (1.03 carats)
This is a beautiful bi-color stone - medium/light blue with an almost minty green.

Fair trade Malawi sapphires, 5mm (~0.64 carats each)

Fair trade Montana sapphires, 5mm (~0.69 carats each)
These look a little more teal in person than in the photo.

New Work

2011-01-29T10:49:00.000-08:00

Fair Trade Zultanite and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Chatham lab-created ruby, sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement and wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2011-01-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring and recycled 14k rose gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

California green tourmaline and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k white gold, Chatham lab-created emerald, and moissanite wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring
{ custom order; sold }

Give a Dog a Bed (Please!)

2011-01-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not already know, last weekend we welcomed a foster dog into our home for the first time in about eight years. Dixie, a blue-brindle pit bull, was hit by a car about two months ago and taken to a local vet's office, where it was determined that she had a broken pelvis and an out-of-joint hip (the latter problem existed even prior to the accident, and will require surgery eventually). The vet knew who Dixie belonged to, and although they contacted the owners, nobody ever came to take Dixie home. After a month, the vet passed Dixie along to the Humboldt County Animal Shelter.

After arriving at the shelter, Dixie was discovered to be pregnant, and fairly far along already. She failed a temperament test for growling at a shelter employee in her kennel, which put her and her unborn puppies at risk of euthanasia. Through the dedicated work of a shelter employee, and with financial help from American Dog Rescue, Dixie's life was spared, and last weekend, as the new year began, so too did the lives of Dixie's eight puppies, who were delivered in the middle of the night by emergency c-section following a difficult birth in which one puppy was lost. The next day, this little family arrived at our house.

Whether from stress, grief, or pain, Dixie had not eaten well during the two months she spent kenneled, and she is extremely underweight and malnourished. Since delivering her pups, her appetite has perked up and she's now eating high protein/high calorie meals 5-6 times a day; I'm trying my best to get some weight back on her and ensure her ability to produce adequate milk for her puppies.

It's early days here with this little canine family, but I can tell you that all nine members are doing surprisingly well. Dixie is not one to grant trust or affection instantaneously (understandable after all she's been through), but her manners have been impeccable, and she has been a perfect lady with me all week. The last few days have brought more tail wags and an increased enjoyment of receiving affection, which is great to see. I can sense a world-wise and gentle spirit beginning to emerge, and I look forward to getting to know Dixie and her babies as the next couple of months unfold.

Dixie's hip problems are causing her pain, but unfortunately she can't have the surgery she needs until after she's done nursing her puppies, nor can she receive any pain medication. During the course of transitioning Dixie to her new temporary home, I learned that while at the shelter, she - as well as many other dogs at our county animal shelter (and at animal shelters across the country) - slept directly on the hard cement floor every day and night. Some of the dogs receive blankets, but those who chew their blankets (and who wouldn't, given the lack of entertainment options in a kennel?) have nothing at all.

I thought a lot yesterday about this sad situation, heartbroken to think of my sweet, long-suffering mama dog, trying to grow her puppies and heal her hip in such an inhospitable environment. I learned that the situation at our shelter is not unusual at all; in fact, thousands of dogs in animal shelters throughout the US sleep on cold, sometimes wet, concrete floors every day of their undeserved incarceration. I discovered that there is one particular type of bed that is preferred by animal shelters for its easy care and maintenance, and that the company that makes these beds - Kuranda Dog Beds - even has a program that allows donors to purchase one (or more) of these beds at a discount and have it shipped directly to the shelter of their choice.

I've set up a page on the Kuranda website for my local county shelter, and as you may have guessed by now, one of the reasons for this post is to ask you to please consider donating one of these beds so that one of the dogs at the shelter can get a comfortable night's sleep and become happier, healthier, and more adoptable. (You can also check with animal shelters in your own town to see if they are in need of beds, and if they are signed up on Kuranda's site.)

You can donate a large bed for $56.00 plus $16.49 shipping, or an x-large bed for $67.00 plus $20.60 shipping. I know they aren't exactly cheap, but they will last for years, and just imagine how many dogs' lives will be improved by their ability to get a good night's sleep as they endure what is surely an unpleasant and frightening time in their lives.

Here's the web address to donate a bed: http://kuranda.com/donate/5834/

Thank you for taking the time to read my note and consider my request. Now please enjoy some gratuitous cuteness from my home to yours...

New Zultanite Stones

2010-12-26T11:53:00.001-08:00

Zultanite, 7mm (1.79 carats)

Zultanite, 7mm (1.75 carats)

Zultanite, 7mm (1.56 carats)

Zultanite, 7mm (1.60 carats)

Zultanite, 7.4mm (1.88 carats)

Zultanite, 7.5mm (1.90 carats)

Zultanite, 7.3mm (1.67 carats)

New Work

2010-12-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

Lab-created Chatham padparadscha sapphire and recycled 14k rose gold band
{ custom order; sold }

Afghan tourmaline, moissanite, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring, size 7.5

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold three stone engagement ring

Greener Boxes

2010-12-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

Here are the new boxes I got to replace the old velvet ones -

The outer box is made from recycled paper so I feel like they are a much eco-friendlier option. Now if only there was some way to get rid of that foam insert...

New Work

2010-12-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring, size 7

Fair trade peridot, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver engagement ring with matching mens band
{ custom order; sold }

Mothers' ring - Chatham lab-created sapphire and Chatham lab-created alexandrite with recycled palladium sterling silver
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2010-12-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Fair trade aquamarine, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled 14k yellow gold engagement ring with 14k recycled white gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

A view from the back showing how the wedding band fits into a notch in the back side of the bezel on the engagement ring - a technique I've been utilizing more often lately.

Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k palladium white gold engagement ring
{ custom order; sold }

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k white gold, and oxidized sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2010-12-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k rose gold and recycled 14k white gold earrings
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, Afghan tourmaline, and recycled 14k yellow gold engagement ring with recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement and wedding rings

November Jewelry for Charity Recap & December Kick-Off

2010-12-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

Once again I am blown away by the support I've received from my amazing customers. November was a busy month and thanks to all of you who placed orders, today I'm able to cut a check to Farm Sanctuary for $1,040.00. This donation is especially meaningful to me because it is in honor of the passing of my sweet turkey, Blossom, and in celebration of the two turkeys we adopted from Farm Sanctuary this month, Constance and Marianne - which reminds me, I haven't shared photos of our new girls here on the blog yet, so without further ado -

Aren't they pretty?

This month's donation brings my total to date to $23,110.00. I hope you all aren't totally sick of me saying this, but I am just so completely overwhelmed with gratitude to be able to have a job that I enjoy so much, and that also allows me to direct a significant portion of my profits to charity.

For December, I'm featuring Doctors Without Borders, so as usual, 5% of anything you spend with me this month goes straight to them. Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe.

More Tourmaline

2010-11-29T14:21:00.000-08:00

New stones available for custom orders...

Afghan blue tourmaline, 5.5mm (.63ct)

Afghan blue tourmaline, 5mm (.47ct)

Afghan blue tourmaline, 5mm (.44ct)

Afghan blue tourmaline, 4.5mm (.31ct)

Afghan tourmaline, 2.5mm

New Work

2010-11-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, fair trade garnet, and recycled 14k white gold band
{ custom order; sold }

And I was finally able to get some better shots of these two rings, which I finished a couple of weeks ago -

Fair trade fancy sapphire and recycled 18k palladium white gold rin g, size 6.5

Moissanite and recycled 18k palladium white gold rin g, size 7 or made to order in your size

Boxes!

2010-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping you guys will chime in with some advice for me here... for a while now, I've been sending out all of my wedding- and engagement- style rings (which these days is about 90% of my work) in these very traditional (and to be honest, slightly boring) velvet flip-top boxes -

I chose them because I wanted something pretty traditional, and I thought that my customers would appreciate the flip-top action that is so ingrained in our culture when it comes to wedding proposals. (Mine are a little more unique because they do have my logo embossed in silver on the inside of the lid.)

However, in my ongoing quest to make my business as ethical and eco-friendly as possible, I've been giving these boxes some serious thought lately, and I think they have to go. Nothing about them is environmentally friendly - plastic innards, foam and velvet, and they are likely a one-use item, destined to either sit forever in someone's jewelry box, or more likely, in the landfill. Plus, they're made in China, which I'm guessing means horrid labor conditions.

The problem is that I have not been able to source a box that meets all of my goals: (1) a fairly traditional/recognizably 'engagement' design (i.e. flip-top), (2) less plastic/foam; more recycled materials, and (3) manufactured as ethically as possible. But I think I can at least do better than what I'm doing now.

Here are the options. I'm hoping you guys will comment and let me know your thoughts on this issue. I want to be sensitive to my customers' needs while still honoring the environment as much as possible...

These are the only paper (non-plastic) boxes I can find that incorporate a flip-top design. However, they are not made from recycled paper, and they are also made in China. Blerg.

These are a little better - made from recycled paper (both the inner box and the black paper outer), and made in the USA. But they lack the traditional flip-top design. And they do still contain a foam pad for holding the ring (I think anything I find is going to have that, unfortunately).

This is the same design in silver foil. The inner box is made from recycled materials but I don't think the outer silver paper is.

And finally, the same design in white.

So what do you think???
Anyone know of a source with better options?

New Work

2010-11-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring, size 6.5

{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 18k palladium white gold ring, size 6.5

{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold rings

{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade green tourmaline and recycled sterling silver ring

{ custom order; sold }

Recycled palladium sterling silver and recycled 14k yellow gold ring

{ custom order; sold }

They're Here!!!

2010-11-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

I have several customers who have patiently been waiting for these little beauties to arrive! All I can say is WOW!!!

Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (.48 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (.49 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (.51 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (.52 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5mm (.53 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (.58 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (.63 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (.67 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (.68 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (.68 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 6.5mm (.91 carat)

New Fair Trade Activism Blog

2010-11-08T07:47:00.000-08:00

I've started another blog dedicated to fair trade activism, and I'm kicking things off with a fair trade chocolate giveaway! Check it out.

New Turkeys!

2010-11-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Look who arrived today at our little farm! (BTW, I think we need a name for this operation - any suggestions?) Two new turkeys - Sunny (the white one) and Wendy (the dark one). Tinkerbell (our existing turkey, also white) is very interested, especially in Sunny. I'm keeping them separated by a fence for a while so they can get used to each other, but when Sunny and Wendy got here, Tinkerbell and Sunny spent a looooong time making some pretty awesome noises at each other through the fence, and doing some interesting things with their feathers and necks. Too cute.

That's Tinkerbell on the upper left, Sunny on the upper right, and Wendy in front.

Gobble gobble!

I like this one because of the ducks in the background.

Isn't she gorgeous?

New Sapphires

2010-11-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the colored rough sapphires I mentioned in my previous post, I set out to find something similar to play with. Here's what I found -

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I like them! I think I'm going to set some of them as-is, and maybe look into getting some of the others cut into faceted stones...

Gems at the LA Natural History Museum

2010-11-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

I thought you might all be interested in seeing some photos I took at the gemstone exhibit at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum last week. The exhibit was huge and totally amazing - I highly recommend it to anyone interested in shiny pretty rocks! I took way more pictures, but not all of them turned out too well since the lighting was kind of weird in there...

I thought it was neat to see the Chatham lab-created stones in crystal form; they also had some Chatham sapphires and rubies there.

I fell so in love with these amazing sapphires that I had to go online today and find some for myself - mine aren't quite as intensely colored as these, but still really gorgeous. I'm hoping to set them as natural stones, like these (ie unfaceted). Looking forward to experimenting!

How cool is this?

We are so lucky in California - just look at this amazing wealth of material right here in our own backyard!

I thought these opals were pretty awesome! And they photographed well, unlike many others...

Here I am with a big old chunk of Wyoming jade. Matt took this picture so we could send it to Don Francisco back in Guatemala. :-)

Jewelry For Charity Update

2010-11-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hi all, just a quick note to let you know I'm back in the studio after a lovely week-long vacation, and to give you an update on my charity program...

With your generous support of my work, I was able to raise $709.00 for Ocean Conservancy during the month of October, bringing my total donations since this program's inception in May 2007 to $22,070.00!!!

For November, I've decided to feature Farm Sanctuary, in honor of my sweet Blossom who passed away recently, and who was adopted from Farm Sanctuary two years ago this month. 5% of any purchases made during the month of November will go directly to Farm Sanctuary's life saving work.

New Sapphires

2010-10-21T13:09:00.001-07:00

Wow, look at these gorgeous fair trade Malawi sapphires I received today - I think I am in love!

Top row: 6mm stones
Bottom: 7mm stone

New Work

2010-10-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Zultanite, moissanite, Chatham lab-created emerald, recycled 14k palladium white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Nevada variscite and recycled sterling silver ring, size 8
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Rare binghamite (American tiger eye) and recycled sterling silver ring, size 6
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Gem chrysocolla, recycled 18k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring, size 6.5
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2010-10-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Afghan tourmaline and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade garnet, recycled sterling silver, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Oregon sunstone and recycled sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Hand-textured 'wave' ring, recycled palladium sterling silver
{ available now in my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ available now in my Etsy shop }

California green tourmaline, recycled palladium sterling silver, and fine silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created alexandrite, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Work

2010-10-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

Left: Recycled palladium sterling silver and 14k yellow gold band, matte/oxidized
Right: Moissanite, recycled palladium sterling silver, and 14k yellow gold ring

New Stones

2010-10-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (0.47 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (0.57 carat)

Afghan tourmaline, 5.5mm (0.62 carat)

New Work

2010-10-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

Lab-created Chatham alexandrite and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k white and yellow gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created yellow sapphire and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Left: recycled palladium sterling silver wedding band
Right: California green tourmaline and recycled 14k palladium white gold wedding and engagement rings
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite, Chatham lab-created emerald, and recycled palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade aquamarine and recycled palladium sterling silver band
{ custom order; sold }

October Jewelry For Charity

2010-10-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have been pretty lax lately about posting updates on my Jewelry for Charity project. For those who care to keep track though, I have been updating the recipients and donation totals in the sidebar here on my blog. And for those who haven't heard about it already, basically it's just me donating 5% of my gross sales each month to a different charity. I'm not sure how much interest there is from my readership in this topic - if you miss it, I can start posting monthly updates again - let me know in the comments if that's the case.

I did want to post a quick note this month because there's a special reason for my charity selection. October is my son's birthday month (he's turning five), and in honor of my little water- and sea-life-loving wild man, this month's donation is going to Sea Shepherd, a conservation group working to protect marine life and habitats all around the world.

Happy early birthday Carlitos!!!

Updated 10/7/10:
There's been quite a bit of controversy in the news these past few days about Sea Shepherd, and it's hard to know what's true and what isn't, but in light of the yuckiness I've been reading, I've decided instead to support Ocean Conservancy this month - same general cause but without the drama.

New Work

2010-09-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Recycled 14k rose gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade peridot and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

(With matching wedding bands.)

Moissanite and recycled 14k yellow gold engagement and wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sandia jade, recycled 22k yellow gold, and recycled 14k yellow gold ring... I think this one might be mine (the stone is very special to me).

Fair trade aquamarine and recycled 14k yellow gold ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Recycled 14k white gold and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

Congrats Marc & Gina!

2010-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on your engagement, Marc and Gina! And thanks for sharing these sweet photos...

Aren't they cute? Marc's got a bit of an Ira Glass thing going on, don't you think? :-)

And here's Gina's wedding band as well -

New Work

2010-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Recycled palladium sterling silver band, hammered and oxidized

Fair trade sapphire, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

...and with a matching mens band.

Happy Engagement!

2010-09-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist sharing these sweet photos taken on a customer's proposal day!

Congrats Kevin & Celeste, and thanks for sharing your special day!

New Work

2010-09-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Zultanite and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 7
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 7
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring, size 6.5
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Moissanite, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver engagement ring with emerald-accented palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade Afghan tourmaline and recycled palladium sterling silver ring, size 6
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

New Stones

2010-09-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

A fresh batch of new stones - all are available for custom orders; email me for details!

Variscite cabochon (Candelaria mine, Nevada), 10mm

Variscite cabochon (Candelaria mine, Nevada), 18mm x 25mm

Turquoise cabochon (Nevada), 13mm x 20mm

Turquoise cabochon (Ajax mine, Nevada), 11mm x 24mm

Turquoise cabochon (Ajax mine, Nevada), 16mm x 23mm

Sunstone cabochon (Oregon), 11mm x 15mm

Sunstone cabochon (Oregon), 10mm x 12mm

Pink tourmaline cabochon (California), 7mm

Pink tourmaline cabochon (California), 5mm x 7mm

Enormous pink tourmaline cabochon (California), 17mm x 26mm

Afghan tourmaline cabochon, 16mm x 17mm

Green tourmaline cabochon (California), 9mm

Green tourmaline cabochons (California), 6mm

Green tourmaline cabochons (California), 6.5mm

Aquamarine cabochons, 6mm

Aquamarine cabochons, 5mm x 7mm

Aquamarine cabochons
Left: 9mm x 11mm
Top right: 8mm x 12mm
Bottom right: 7mm x 10mm

Faceted Afghan tourmaline, 6mm

Faceted sunstone (Oregon), 6mm

Faceted sunstone (Oregon), 5mm

New Work

2010-09-07T16:21:00.001-07:00

Moissanite, recycled 14k rose gold, and recycled 14k palladium white gold ring

Fair trade Afghan tourmaline, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade aquamarine, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Alexandrite and recycled palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2010-09-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fair trade Zultanite, recycled 14k palladium white gold, and recycled 14k green gold stacking rings, size 6-6.5

I cannot tell you how much I looooove working with Zultanite. It is awesome! And I love combining it with green gold - I think it brings out the greens in the stone so nicely.

Oregon sunstone and recycled 14k rose gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k palladium white gold band, matte/hammered finish
{ custom order; sold }

10mm wide recycled palladium sterling silver wedding bands
{ custom order; sold }

A new family member

2010-09-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

I must have the best husband in the world, because look who he let me bring home yesterday!

Meet Lupe, the newest member of the pack!

Isn't she gorgeous?

Old man Otis is not too impressed.

But he'll try to distract himself with this tasty pine cone.

Old lady Hazel could care less... she's so easy.

It's nice (but strange) to have a young dog around again. We've become so used to Hazel and Otis and their laziness and general old-dogginess, it is kind of a shock to have a dog who actually wants to play! And having to be on the lookout for all the behavior stuff is weird - I guess we've been spoiled for too long. Overall Lupe is a super good girl, she's just still learning not to get on the furniture, and that Carlos' stuffed toys are not hers to play with. :-)

Freaky Tofu

2010-09-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

It's freaky because it requires so few ingredients, and because it sounds kind of gross until you eat it and realize IT IS NOT GROSS. AT ALL.

Freaky Tofu

~ 1 pound tofu, cut into 1" cubes
~ 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup barbeque sauce

To serve:
fresh ground pepper
cooked brown rice
greens are good on the side*

In a cast iron pan, heat the oil, add tofu cubes, and cook until browned. In a medium saucepan (large enough to hold both the sauce and eventually the tofu cubes as well), combine peanut butter and barbeque sauce. When the tofu is almost done browning, put the pot with the sauce ingredients over medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until smooth and evenly heated (this will only take a couple of minutes). Add the browned tofu to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat.

* If you're going to cook brown rice and greens to serve with the tofu, like I did, a quick tip for minimizing your dishes is to just add the chopped greens on top of your cooking rice for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. The steam will cook them and then you can either serve them separately or toss them in with the rice before serving. If you serve them on the side, they are good with a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

New Work

2010-08-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

The light was weird this morning - all of these stones look dull - they are much more sparkly and beautiful in real life (sigh).

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled 14k white gold engagement and wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2010-08-21T19:43:00.001-07:00

Fair trade sapphire and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite and recycled palladium sterling silver rings
{ custom order; sold }

Chatham lab-created emerald and recycled palladium sterling silver rings
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade sapphire, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 950 palladium wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k palladium white gold and recycled 14k yellow gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

New Work

2010-08-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Oregon sunstone, recycled 14k yellow gold, and recycled 14k white gold ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled 14k rose gold wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Fair trade garnet, recycled 14k white gold, and recycled palladium sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Recycled palladium sterling silver wedding band
{ custom order; sold }

Custom stamping on the inside of the bands.

Moissanite, recycled palladium sterling silver, and recycled 14k white gold engagement ring
{ custom order; sold }

Hand-textured wedding bands (palladium sterling silver on the left and 14k palladium white gold on the right)
{ custom order; sold }

Chicken Pics!

2010-08-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

We got two new roosters yesterday and they are the cutest!!!

Aaaaah! The cuteness almost hurts.

Chicken butts are the best!

These two were convinced that my jeans were edible.

Action shot! Look at that dust fly.