Delia Stone's Studio

Name:
Location: Pensacola, Florida Panhandle

I have been making and designing jewelry since 1991, and it continues to be my passion to this day. Over the years, I have moved well beyond the simple stone wraps that I began with through experimenting with new techniques.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Egyptian Coil Bracelet inspires NEW TUTORIAL

I was recently commissioned by Azalea Arabians, breeders of fine Egyptian Arabian horses, to create a couple of pieces for them to donate to the Art Auction at the upcoming 'Egyptian Event' horse show. I decided to make one of these pieces from an authentic ancient Egyptian technique. I created this lovely Egyptian Coil Bracelet with Turquoise and copper wire. It was lightly oxidized to give it an antiqued character. It's absolutely lovely on! Of course I modernized it a bit with some romantic turquoise. So many horse enthusiast love turquoise, it seemed a natural combination in this case.



I decided that since this was an easy enough project I would go ahead and take the pictures necessary to create a tutorial. I see people asking for a tut for this ancient technique all the time, but I've never seen a through tutorial offered anywhere for it. If you're looking to learn this ancient technique - Look no further my peeps! The tutorial will be underway soon!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Horse Jewelry: Other Ideas for custom work - Mosaic Pendant?

Upon further brainstorming, I am considering using the same type of technique I used to create the seahorse recently (just a couple of posts before this one) to possibly create a pendant of a profile of an arabian horse, set in a mosaic frame for the June 2nd show for Azalea Arabians instead. They are pretty much allowing me full creative freedom to make whatever I want. I am actually thinking of making both if time (and material stock) allow. I can just give them a great deal on it and make a little less than I might otherwise make, but I will be getting my name and my art out to hundreds if not thousands of horse enthusiast which will possibly draw me a few custom orders. I really love the idea of this pendant... now, if only I can create one as beautiful as what I'm visualizing I can dazzel the masses. :)

Horse Jewelry: Azalea Arabians Egyptian Event, Art Auction

I have been commissioned by Azalea Arabians to create a piece of jewelry for them for the upcoming Egyptian Event. The Egyptian event will be held in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky June 3rd through the 9th, 2007. The owners of Azalea Arabians will be donating this piece to the art auction held at the event. Since Azalea Arabians obviously specializes in the Arabian breed, and the event itself is celebrating the Egyptian horse a piece created with a genuine ancient Egyptian technique seems appropriate - and romantic. For those who are unfamiliar with the ancient Egyptian coil design, here is a picture of an embellished egyptian coil bracelet I submitted to the Year of Jewelry Project (Also known as the Four Seasons of Jewelry Project) in 2006. This one has a more modern flare, thanks in large part to being embellished with swarovski crystals and bali silver flower beads.




Upon the discovery of an ancient Egyptian tomb this design was discovered in the form of a necklace upon one of the royal mummies. I have always enjoyed using this technique knowing that it was the design of an Egyptain Artist from so many thousands of years ago. Amazing... to create such an effectual design that even artist thousands of years after your death still continue to utilize it. Now that really *is* a form of immortality in a sense. Too bad we do not know the name of the artist who offered such a timeless technique to us. His ... or her name is lost in the sands of time.

I need to order some serious lengths of copper wire as I would also like to create a jeweled Egyptian coil halter for some of their horses eventually... but that's a project for another day. Keep your eyes peeled. I will surely put a picture up of the finalized bracelet.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Seahorse Inspired by Magda




Inspired by the work of the talented Magdalena I am emulating one of her pieces (Seashore Lullabye)with her permission. She made a seahorse and posted it to a forum we are both members of - It set my mind on fire with multiple ideas that were just screaming to come to fruition. Magdalena, being the generous soul that she is, happlily agreed to allow me to emulate her seahorse design. Though I readily and easily admit that hers is far lovelier than mine, I am still thrilled with my results thus far. This is only stage one. Presently what you see represents a single element of work in progress. I have so many ideas on where to take this that I haven't yet settled on one direction just yet, mind mind is still spinning with the possibilities. Should I make a simple necklace, a cuff bracelet with multiple seahorses, an elaborate ornate mosaic-like neck piece? The possibilities are endless. Thank you for the inspiration, Magdalena! I can't wait to see where this takes me ...

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Year of Jewelry_wk 18: Mini Luna



This week I am following my bliss rather than the theme. This is unfortunate because I think this was my favorite theme of all so far in terms of concept, but I just couldn't make myself conform. I'm too excited about this basket weave bezel technique and working to refine the process. To that end, I created a miniature Basketweave Bezel pendant - knowing that the smaller it was, the more difficult it would be. It was a bit of a personal challenge ... could I pull it off? The answer was a resounding yes.

The dangle is a faceted opalite marquis with a london blue apatite accent. I still feel compelled to remove this dangle and replace it with a minature scaled mosiac like on the Blue Beauty pendant. I am giving it serious thought ...

Overall I am pleased with the result. The main part of the pendant is somewhere between the size of a dime and a quarter. It's smaller without looking bulkier or sloppy. The tutorial for this will be done soon.