Completed filigree pieces

[afmetalsmith]

Some finished stuff! (By the way, all of these are potentially for sale, as soon as I settle on their prices.)

	Filigree Scent/Aromatherapy Locket with Garnet A locket designed to hold a pad infused with scent or aromatherapy oils. The pad is approx. 1 inch or 25 mm round. The open filigree allows a maximum of scent to perfume the area, while protecting it from one's skin (and vice-versa). 1.25 x 1.5 inches (33 x 38 mm). Sterling silver, garnet.
	Filigree Hairstick: Detail A close-up of the heart filigree, made of 3 weights of handmade filigree wires. Approx. 1.25 in. (30 mm). Sterling silver.
	Filigree Snowflake: Star Handmade filigree star with the six-fold symmetry typical of snowflakes. 1.75 x 2.125 inches (45 x 55 mm). Sterling silver.

Comments

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous! I especially love the locket.

[themaskmaker.livejournal.com]

Me three on the locket. Garnet is my birthstone, and fortunately, I love them.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love garnets and use them a lot. My own birthstone is diamond, and they generally bore me horribly.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was rather a pain to make, but I think it did turn out well.

[dreamingcrow.livejournal.com]

I adore that locket, Amanda.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[porcupinegirl.livejournal.com]

damnit, i was totally toying with the idea of making scent lockets :p we seem to be on the same wavelength or something. yours is gorgeous, though. i LOVE that you incorporated the filigree into the bail. i'm a sucker for details.

y'know, i never really liked filigree until i saw your pieces.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

So make some! I've done several, though this is the first one I did using a standard locket approach to the hinge and catch. The others rotate. I'm working on 4 more of that type now- it's what I hope to make progress on today, if I make it into the studio...

But there's room for lots of scent lockets in the world, and I'd love to see what you came up with!

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Also, thanks for the compliment on the filigree! I'm nmore interested in it as a technique- and framework for plique- than its looks, too- although I do love huge and feather-weight earrings. :)

[puddock.livejournal.com]

The locket is amazing.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It gave me enough grief in the making- though I learned a lot from it, so it's a happy thing all around. :)

[thorngrove.livejournal.com]

They're all so lovely! I'm the same as porcupinegirl, I never really liked filagree until I saw yours.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I'm excited to be heading in my own directions with the filigree now. I was kinda stuck for a while, design-wise...

[whitecrow0.livejournal.com]

Those are beautiful. I particularly like the locket.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[silme.livejournal.com]

I really like that locket!

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) I may end up making more- it was certainly a skill-builder!

[gandryyne.livejournal.com]

You've been turning out some ~exquisite~ work these days, Lady!!! These are lovely and the locket is droolworthy. Does the scent affect the metal at all?

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've been on a finishing-up kick lately. :)

The scent will probably not affect the metal. Generally, metals are more reactive to water-based (chemically "inorganic") things, and the scents are usually oil-based "chemically "organic"). At worst it might tarnish things faster than they would otherwise, I think, but most scents would not affect the structure of the silver.

(Unlike chlorine and gold- I always hated to see people wearing their wedding and engagement rings in the pool at the Y, because chlorine is AWFUL for gold alloys- makes them brittle, and then they crack and any stones fall out. But it didn't seem appropriate to lecture anyone...)

However, I think I would be tempted to make these in argentium sterling if I were going to make a bunch; the germanium oxide layer would give some additional protection with that. (are your eyes glazing over yet? :) )

[thorngrove.livejournal.com]

That's interesting about the germanium. I remember reading it took longer to stain argentium with liver of sulphur but that didn't occur to me. BTW, you might find this blog interesting (or it might be teaching you to suck eggs!): Working with Argentium Silver http://www.touchmetal.com/blog/argentium-blog.html