Oak Leaf Hair Pin

I am so excited about these leafy hair decorations! This is the first (hopefully) of many. Larkin plans on making a whole line of leaf hairpins, each unique and modeled after actual individual leaves in our forest and surroundings.

Larkin hand-shaped and textured this oak leaf from sheet metal and wire. The wire base is bent and shaped into waves like a bobby pin for greater staying power.

This pin can be used alone for a small amount of hair (it will hold slightly more than a bobby pin and less than most barrettes) or added as decoration to a hair tie.

This is the leaf Larkin made in the Ringgold workshop and is solid 0.925 sterling silver. After lots of experimentation and frustration at home, it became clear that argentium just doesn't behave as well as sterling for these kinds of sculptural projects-- it gets brittle and tears and cracks very easily. While Larkin will continue to use argentium for some projects, they bit the bullet this week and placed an order for sterling that essentially meant replacing all the metal in their home workshop.

Samaras Pendant

And the samaras got their final polish!

These are currently a one-of-a-kind pendant, but once some new tools arrive Larkin hopes to make repeatable designs for earrings and pendants. Larkin hand sculpted these detailed maple seed pods from 0.925 sterling silver.

In our childhood, these “whirligigs” or “helicopter seeds” had a special place in our hearts! Immortalized in silver, these seed pods are remarkably sturdy while appearing amazingly delicate.

Still Life With Twig

Next up in workshop results is what (I think?) is Larkin's most purely sculptural piece yet!

Larkin entirely hand-sculpted this pendant (I've been calling it Still Life With Twig 😅) from 0.925 sterling silver. It is truly three dimensional and can be appreciated from all angles!

The twig itself is impressively realistic, and made even more so by the cluster of cup lichen at its base. A wee silver inch worm making its way toward the bail is the perfect topping for this sweet little piece of nature-inspired art.

I suspect that the right person will know this unique piece needs to be theirs as soon as they see it!

Red Jasper Mushroom

Larkin is slowly putting final touches and polishes on the results of last week's workshop and we'll be listing them in the next few days! First up is this super sweet mushroom pendant.

Larkin cut this uniquely shaped red jasper cabochon from a stone found by our family in Humboldt County, California. All metalwork is done in 0.925 sterling silver. Larkin is having a small crisis of commitment after working in sterling at the workshop. They vastly prefer the color/quality of argentium, but it's not clear if the ease of working with metal at the workshop was entirely due to using sterling or the quality of the tools. Lots of experimentation ahead!

The sweet little rounded mushroom base frames a cluster of young mushrooms, and the back of the bezel setting features a trio of hand-cut and textured oak leaves.

ACME Delivery

As predicted, Larkin came home from last week's workshop with tools on their mind! The first arrived today like this (no, we didn't unwrap anything before taking a photo)-- can you guess what it is? 🤣 Apparently anvils are so big and heavy that they don't bother with a lot of pesky packaging.

Workshop Wrap-up

The last day of the Nicole Ringgold workshop was a bit eclipsed on the home front by Larkin's brother having his wisdom teeth extracted (he's doing great!) so I'm playing catch up now.

When Larkin sent me this first photo I thought it looked like the worst toothbrush ever 😅.

But it turned out to be a pretty adorable inchworm twig ornament!

Larkin also took a class photo, so to speak, of all the pieces (not all are complete) they worked on this week. That little round shape that looks a bit like a wad of aluminum foil is the beginnings of a hollow form pumpkin.

I also want to include a few pictures of the workshop space, which I'm pretty sure has become Larkin's dream studio! Not pictured are all the frogs that apparently inhabit the many plants Ringgold keeps around as models.

Larkin and Emile are now moseying their way south, stopping at every hopeful-looking rockhounding site on the way home. Bonus photo of a maple with Larkin's samaras in amongst their brethren.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the results of this week as much as I have-- I'm super excited to get my hands on this new work in person and get some glamour shots. :)

Workshop, Day Five

Nicole Ringgold workshop, last day! This morning Larkin made a pretty stinkin' nice little apple blossom, and a first attempt at a hollow form hazelnut. I'm guessing one of them will end up on that little branch!

Workshop Day Four, Part Two

I haven't gotten a final picture so I think that means Larkin didn't quite have a chance to finish this today. When they sent me the first little blobular photo and told me it was the parts for a bee body, I had a hard time seeing it. 😅

But lo and behold, it began to take shape!

The original body cracked at some point so they had to start over. This time with more fuzz!

The fuzz on the body was made by adhering silver dust left over from saw cuts.

One more day to go!

Workshop Day Four

Nicole Ringgold workshop, day four. Apparently today is all about bugs! First up was wings, and Larkin finished those with time to spare so whipped up this twig with lichen.

Workshop Day Three Bonus

Workshop Day 3 bonus! Remember that amazing little whirligig seed pod Larkin made yesterday? Today it got a mate! I can't wait to see these all finished with their final polish.

Workshop Day Three

Nicole Ringgold workshop, day 3. Halfway point! Larkin's morning was shrouded in mystery while they worked on a secret project... no spoilers here!

The afternoon yielded this sweet little bezel set mushroom. Larkin cut some cabochons before the trip with designs in mind and this is one of those. And check out the tiny oak leaves on the back!

Workshop Day Two, Part Two

A starflower! These are common spring wildflowers in the forest around us and Larkin has been thinking about making one for a long time!

And the photo that Larkin used as a reference:

Workshop Day Two

Nicole Ringgold workshop, day 2... barnacle ahoy!

And I learned that the maple seeds that I always call helicopter seeds or whirligigs are actually called samaras.

Workshop Day 1.2

By the end of the first day of the workshop, the oak leaf is finished and has become a hair pin! Tantalizing teasers in the background...

Workshop Day One

First day of the Nicole Ringgold workshop! This is what's currently on Larkin's bench:

Also, a reminder that this workshop means that Larkin will not be at tomorrow's Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market, but will be there next week-- probably with some brand new treasures in tow. ;)

Mushroom Family Portrait

A sweet little mushroom family portrait!

Larkin formed the mushroom caps from copper and they can be kept polished bright or left to develop a natural patina over time.

The mushroom stems and veils/skirts (I learned these are called annuli!), and the frame are all shaped from argentium silver.

These little guys have so much personality! 🍄💕

Nesting Bowls?

Larkin's experimenting again!

I'm *pretty* sure these aren't going to end up being dollhouse mixing bowls...

Nicole Ringgold Workshop

Larkin has a busy month coming up! One very exciting upcoming event is a workshop with Nicole Ringgold Jewelry Designs!

Many of you know that Larkin has been entirely self- (and YouTube 🤣) taught. When they first saw Ringgold's work a couple of years ago, they were immediately struck by her nature-inspired designs (I believe Larkin referred to them as "the big kid version of the work I'm trying to do" 😆). But hoo boy, they are not alone-- Ringgold's workshops fill up fast! Last year, Emile (Larkin's dad) was seriously on top of it and signed Larkin up for a workshop the morning openings were announced and next week the time has finally come!

Larkin is super excited for the format of the workshop-- unlike most classes where everyone works on a version of the same project, after demonstrations Ringgold encourages everyone to play with the equipment and techniques in whatever way best suits their style. Larkin is super excited to get their hands on more professional jeweler's tools and will probably come home with a loooong wish list. ;)

Emile and Larkin are making a whole trip out of it, visiting some rockhounding sites on the way, so hopefully Larkin will return with a head full of new ideas and pockets full of rocks.

I'll leave you with this image of the first (very nature-inspired) piece with which Larkin had a truly hard time parting ways. It went home with a wonderful repeat customer in the first few minutes of its market debut this month.

Octopus's Garden Plume Agate

Larkin's latest portal looks like it leads straight into the Octopus's Garden!

Larkin cut this cabochon from a plume agate stone with striking red and yellow markings and two sparkling druzy pockets. The agate agate material means the cabochon is quite translucent when back-lit.

Tube coral stretches up from the bottom left of the solid silver frame, each tip painstakingly drilled to appear hollow and accented by a column of bubbles rising to the bail. Another coral plant on the right completes the front of the frame.

... Which brings us to the back, and a new element Larkin designed that I hope to be seeing again soon! Larkin sculpted a graceful row of pneumatocysts, the buoyant bubbles that keep kelp floating at the surface of the ocean.

This piece has a very dynamic, flowing feel for something made from cold, hard silver and stone!

It's A Match!

One of Larkin's market customers brought in one of their favorite earrings that had lost its mate wondering if Larkin might be able to make a new match. The job was a bit tricky since the original wire had thinned and changed shape over time as it was worn. Here is the finished pair, with Larkin's replacement on the right!