Earthly Treasures - YOJ Project - Week 3

The theme this week for of the Year of Jewelry Project 2011 is "Mixed Media". My entry for the week is titled "Earthly Treasures" because I used organic materials such as petrified palm wood, copper and silver. Beautiful items from the earth formed into a wearable piece of art.

It's no secret among jewelry artisans that the price of silver and gold have skyrocketed in the past year. We're all searching for materials to use in lieu of silver (or gold) so that we can still be creative and keep our costs reasonable. Copper is one popular alternative, as are brass, stainless steel and bronze. I chose copper for the back plate of this piece because it compliments the colors of the petrified palm wood so nicely. It has been textured lightly by running the copper through a rolling mill while sandwiched between paper towels. A fine silver bezel adds an interesting contrast to the copper. The bail is brushed sterling silver with a ball of shiny fine silver added as an accent. I used waxed cotton cording to hang the pendant. I think the natural fiber of the cord adds to the earthy, rustic feel of the pendant. An added plus to the cording is that it is tied using 2 slip knots and the length can be easily adjusted by pulling the knots simultaneously to suit the wearer. I've given the metals an antiqued patina and then hand polished the patina off all but the lowest points. Different metals, textures, patina and finishes (satin, brushed and shiny) make this a unique, earthy pendant!

You can view the etsy listing for this piece or see the item in the YOJ 2011 blog, as well as other artists submissions using mixed media as inspiration.