item of the week

i was just trying to pick an item from my shop for this week's item of the week when i decided to go with the one piece that started it all, the ratio times one necklace. this necklace is the very first collection piece i ever designed back in 2002 when i began my business. how did i come up with it? when i sat down at my bench to design my original collection (called "ratio" then) i was thinking i had to choose a shape that i could easily reproduce with the tools i had and so i choose the circle. i had all kinds of mandrels and hammers for that! and, i was drawn to this shape for reasons i can't quite explain even to myself. i thought a circle about the size of a quarter could work and had lots of wire on hand. i measured a length of wire, filed the ends, soldered them together, and gently hammered the piece into shape around a mandrel. i liked the hammer marks and the handmade look of the finished circle, but it needed something else. i had taken a class with metalsmith lori talcott the summer before and had learned a bunch of filigree techniques, including how to make these tiny balls of silver. i enjoyed making hundreds of them at a time and loved the subtle detail they added. i thought this element would be perfect for the circle so i soldered 5 on randomly around the edge. i was pleased with the result and expanded that one piece into a small collection of earrings and necklaces. over time this design has evolved into a solid collection for me, now part of my "signature line." i only solder one little ball on now, preferring the very minimal effect using only one has.

last week's item of the week also included a sale on the featured item which i have decided to incorporate regularly, just because... please enjoy 10% off the ratio times one necklace in either silver or 14k gold for a week, april 15-21. (originally $60 for silver, $54 on sale and $210 for 14k gold, $189 on sale.)

have a great week!

thanks for reading.