Idle Talons

Media Attention

process, musings, venuesLarkin HamiltonComment

Spring, isolation and market cancellation has led to distraction, disappointment and frustration for small businesses and Idle Talons is not immune! Larkin is working on some new designs and is busy cleaning and reorganizing the Idle Talons studio/ teenager bedroom. It was a bright spot in our week when a local news outlet included Idle Talons in their coverage of the local Comic Con that was cancelled this year! https://www.roguevalleymessenger.com/fear-not-fantasy-fans-comic-con-vibes-abound-in-virtual-form/

Genie Magic

process, musingsLarkin HamiltonComment

Larkin is excited to have the genie set up in a more permanent location so it doesn't have to be moved when not in use! Today's experiments include trying out some homemade dop sticks for polishing cabs and hopefully getting stones cut for some projects Larkin has in mind. Some of us <ahem> are having a hard time not pestering Larkin constantly about one of these projects in particular because the anticipation is torture, but no spoilers!

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Red Jasper Flame

product, musingsLarkin HamiltonComment

Larkin cut this cabochon from a very striking piece of red jasper found by our family in southern Oregon. The shape and color of the cab, combined with the style of the copper wire wrap, evoke the feeling of a flame. Historically, red jasper has been associated with vibrancy and endurance, worn by warriors and those who wish to champion justice. Today, it is more commonly viewed as a grounding stone, promoting connection to the earth. No matter your view, this piece is a gorgeous talisman!

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Custom Gallifreyan Pendants

musings, productLarkin HamiltonComment

Whovians rejoice! These Gallifreyan pendants can be made for any word up to seven letters in length. Pictured, starting at the bottom and working clockwise (because that’s how you read Gallifreyan), are TARDIS, dalek, angel, and doctor. The possibilities are endless! We like the idea of couples/friends sets where one is “spoiler” and the other “sweetie” or “timey” paired with “wimey!”

Size will vary slightly depending on the length of the word, but they are generally about the size of a quarter. Larkin crafts each piece by shaping and fusing argentium silver wire.

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Beaded Medallions

musings, process, productLarkin HamiltonComment

Beading was Larkin's first creative love. I went into craft stores asking about beads for my 3-year-old and they'd point me towards buckets of giant plastic monstrosities. I quickly learned to ask for seed beads! While Idle Talons has moved more towards stone and wire work, Larkin still loves beading. These medallion pendants are intricately mesmerizing!

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Lapis Planet

fun, process, productLarkin HamiltonComment

Larkin cut and polished this gleaming blue cabochon from a small slab of lapis lazuli gifted from a fellow rockhound at the rock shop. Wrapped in gleaming argentium silver rings that match shining flecks in the stone, this piece is truly stellar! (See what I did there?)

Just for fun, the second picture is a visual pun representing a well-known song title... can you guess it?

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Out Of This World!

process, product, musingsLarkin HamiltonComment

This planetary cab is another that Larkin cut from an Applegate jade stone found by our family. This is a prototype for a design Larkin wants to do in silver, but the gleaming copper rings are pretty spectacular in their own right! Certain sci-fi buffs among us were amused to discover that it measures precisely 42 mm long.

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New Cabs!

process, musingsLarkin HamiltonComment

First things first: in case you were wondering if Larkin's work outfit could get any more glamorous, check it out with the addition of a sun hat! Larkin spent a day outside before this most recent storm hit getting some work done on the genie. All the unlabeled cabs are local Applegate jade/serpentine and destined to become leaf wraps. Finn, Larkin's younger brother, helpfully dubbed the grossular garnet cab "Shrek snot." Thanks, Finn.

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Current Events

musings, venuesLarkin HamiltonComment

We're living through a pandemic unlike anything we (personally) have seen before, and it seems remiss not to mention current events here. Our family lives in southern Oregon. Schools were closed last week (we homeschool, so not much has changed for us) and local governments are urging social distancing. We live in the forest, at the end of a half mile driveway, with no visible neighbors-- again, isolation is easy for us. We have chosen to stay home, except for carefully conducted trips to town for necessities, in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Almost all of Idle Talon's upcoming markets have been canceled. Larkin is lucky-- as a 15-year-old supported by parents, these cancellations don't have a catastrophic effect on family finances. We know SO MANY artists and creators, many met through Larkin's forays into the local market scene, whose crafts are their family's sole support. These folks rely on event income and face serious hardship in the coming months.

Please, if you were planning on attending a Comic Con or other event that has been canceled, check out the vendor list and make a purchase from a small business's web site or etsy page. If you were planning on attending a concert that has been canceled, consider going on-line and purchasing the musician's latest album. Canceled book signing by a local author? Purchase their latest book on-line. Buy directly from the artist whenever possible! Support each other as events unfold.

We will continue to post regular updates on Larkin's work (maybe even *more* regularly since real-world teen distractions are minimized at the moment!) but wanted to acknowledge that current times are not business as usual for any of us. Kind readers: stay healthy, maintain social distance, and, of course, wash your hands.