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Moonspinner

Artisan Jewelry by Michaela Batstone

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Archives for August 2018

Silence, a Beatitude

August 18, 2018 ·

Doing this work and documenting the process has allowed me to observe the ways in which the landscapes of art and life and inner thought inform one another.

A few weeks ago I wrote about all at once becoming disenchanted with some of the artists I had long admired, artists who I felt had sacrificed their integrity and purpose for easy and manipulative money. With that sharp disappointment, I found I wanted silence. Silence like a cool stream on aching feet.

And that is when the owls began snapping their beaks and softly hooting from the darkness of the printer’s cabinet where I keep gemstones and other small treasures. Originally, I had planned to begin smithing my honeybee collection, but the owls were insistent. With the bee design sketches nearly finished, I pushed my sketchbook away and fetched the owls.

Several years ago I read a book of essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and there is a quote by him I have carried: “Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of the gods.” I believe this was a line from a treatise he wrote on friendship, and contextually speaks to not sullying true connection with friends with frivolous words and noise. But I choose to consider that sentence apart, and take from those thirteen words a different, simple meaning: the divinity of silence.

While gently wrapping the porcelain owl faces with serrated wire and pushing dusky gemstones around on the silver sheet metal, I thought on silence and its restorative power, particularly with regard to inner voice. Those moments when everything falls quiet and you slip outside of time; alone, yet expansive. I have found those moments of supreme silence before: while floating unmoving in a late-summer lake, in the pre-dawn world ready to spill over with color, while looking through dark winter stillness. Silence that enters the body and wells up until the chest is brimming; a moment of beatitude. A state wherein even the tiniest crack or susurrus is enough to bear you back into the regular flow of being.

And that is what I chose to imbue in this night owl collection: the grace and serenity that can be found in a moment of silence in a dark, wintery forest, wherein ancient stars are close enough to touch and owls are your brethren.

Not long after this collection was completed, my fella found a complete hardcover set of Henry David Thoreau’s journals in an antique shop, and serendipitously plucked a passage from its pages: “I could lie out here on this pinnacle rock all night without cold. To lie here on your back with nothing between your eye and the stars, – nothing but space, – they your nearest neighbors on that side, be they strange or be they tame, be they other worlds or merely ornaments to this, who could ever go to sleep under these circumstances?”

A lifetime of Thoreau’s journal entries containing over two million words was opened by my fella at random, and this was the passage he felt compelled to read aloud; a few sentences describing a moment wherein Thoreau slipped out of time found bliss in silence and solitude.

And with these thoughts, I completed this collection: a meditation on silence. There are rings and necklaces studded with these detailed porcelain owls created by Laura Mears. There is also onyx black as night, shimmering moonstone, twigs cast from real branches, silver pebbles, and swaths of leaves. Some of the necklaces are asymmetrical in shape, curving and undulated around the various stones and silver elements, like a cool current of night air tracing its way around a tree. On the backs of all the pendants are the imprints of tiny stars, small pieces of the night sky to press upon the heart. And on the larger pendants, I have inscribed the beginning of Emerson’s words: “Let us be silent…”

This owl collection is an ode to those moments and encouragement to search for those instances of silence and grace. Silence in which the gods, the world, the inner voice whispers. A forest after nightfall to wear about the hand or neck, where you can stay all night without cold. Nothing between your heart and a patch of stars set into sterling silver. Balm for a ragged soul.

And now, a day before the shop update, my parliament of owls is perched upon branches in my house waiting to leap into the evening. They have been anxiously rustling feathers and chirruping to one another ever since taking final form and hopping down from my metalsmithing bench. I can tell by their expectant glances and the way in which they huddle near windows that they are ready to leave me. Impatient to rest upon the hands and breastbones of their intended keepers. And loyal familiars they will be!

Quiet weight against the skin.

See you at the shop update tomorrow night (August 19) at 7:00 p.m. EST!

Filed In: Jewelry / Tagged: art, artisan, artist, artists, creative process, forest, inspiration, Jewelry, metalsmith, metalsmithing, moonspinner, naturalist, owl

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You know when it gets quiet around here, I am usua You know when it gets quiet around here, I am usually swimming through a sea of gemstones and bending silver like a titan. I have so much goodness in the works for you. 

I am also nearly finished with all the commissioned orders, yay! By this afternoon, about 3/4 of all the custom pieces are in the mail. 

All I have left are the Winter Berry Tea Rings (because the garnets took a bit longer to get cut than I was anticipating), and a few of the more intricate designs that involve more steps than the others. But I am hoping to have everything all buttoned up and flying through the mail by this weekend, if all goes well!

Thank you for your patience, sweet friends!
Today is definitely a book and giant dinosaur mug Today is definitely a book and giant dinosaur mug kinda day. 📚🦖☕️
I am plucking dozens of rosebuds out of sterling s I am plucking dozens of rosebuds out of sterling silver for you! 
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✨ Hessonite Garnet Rings, Earrings, and Necklaces: Release Date TBD ✨
When working on a new collection, I often like to When working on a new collection, I often like to pair the work with books or media that embody the imagery, sentiments, and inspirations. 

(Which is how my Mossflower Collection morphed into a love letter to J.R.R. Tolkien's works.)

And so with these romantic Hessonite garnets, inverted heart bezels, and furtive rosebuds, I have begun dipping into Shakespeare's sonnets and "Cyrano de Bergerac." 

And now my mind begins to match my bench! All rose petal testaments and secret garden bowers. 
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✨ Hessonite Garnet Rings, Earrings, and Necklaces: Release Date TBD ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal #valentinesday #valentinesjewelry #valentinering
Favorite break is book break. 📚💚 What have y Favorite break is book break. 📚💚 What have you been reading lately? 

I am positively devouring books lately, recommend me something! I always write down your suggestions and keep an eye out for them at my library. 
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#bookstagram #igreads #reading #booktube #reader #booksandbeans #flashesofdelight #nothingisordinary #thatsdarling #livethelittlethings #thehappynow #ardentfinds #theartofslowliving #pursuepretty #darlingweekend #livesimple #beautifulthings
This was a few weeks ago, an evening stroll by the This was a few weeks ago, an evening stroll by the river. The evening sky really does have the very best color palette. 

And when the sky looks just like the stones on my bench, well, that is even better. 🎨🌙 💎

(If you sent me a message and I haven't responded yet, just know I am on my way!)

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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
Friends, what can I say, but my endless thanks! Ev Friends, what can I say, but my endless thanks! Every tanzanite ring was claimed last night, and I cannot WAIT for you to see them. I might be biased, but I believe they are even more beautiful in person. 

I was so nervous for the collection release, and it was such a relief to know that it wen't relatively well for everyone. 

The most important thing to me was that all the pieces showed up at the same time for everyone, and I believe they did. The rings landed in the shop for me at the same time (7:01) as some of you all the way in Antarctica! (Hi Rebecca!) 

It did seem that a lot of people trying to pay with Paypal got errors, but the odd part is that there were a few people that it worked for, which means it wasn't a totally universal problem. My plan today is to troubleshoot with Paypal and Shopify customer service. Thank you to those who sent me screenshots, those will be so helpful while I try to fix it. My hope is that once this gets ironed out, it wont be a problem again. 

Thank you for all your feedback, it is invaluable. There are a few things I would still like to add/tweak. I am determined to get a search bar so that you can quickly search for particular sizes or design names, which will be sooo useful for the larger collections.

This was something I had tried to add a few days ago, but I fudged up the coding and broke the shop entirely, resulting in my having to restart with a blank theme and a sulk-watch of "The Hobbit." 

Anyways, I am so excited for future releases, I have so much planned for you! But next, some gorgeous, glowy garnets accompanied by some dainty secret rosebuds.

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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
Tonight, tonight, friends! (Link to the shop in my Tonight, tonight, friends! (Link to the shop in my profile.)
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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
✨ A quick tip for if you are trying to catch som ✨ A quick tip for if you are trying to catch something quickly ✨

The “Shop All Available” tab on the home menu takes you to everything that isn’t sold out. 

The “Shop by Collection” option will show you everything from the collection, including what has sold. 

I thought I would leave the sold items on the collection pages for a little bit on each release night, so that if you are looking for a certain piece, you can actually see whether it has been sold on the collection page. 

Whereas if you just want to see what’s currently available in order to catch a piece more quickly, you have that option too.
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✨ TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new Shopify Shop! (Direct link inmy profile) ✨
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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
The full preview is up on the blog, sweet friends! The full preview is up on the blog, sweet friends!
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✨ Tanzanite Rings Release: TOMORROW, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new Shopify Shop! (Direct links soon!) ✨
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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
Not going to lie, looking at these tanzanites as I Not going to lie, looking at these tanzanites as I size them on the mandrel and sort through photos has been such a balm to my tech anxiety. They are soothing and calming and just what my frayed nerves need.

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✨ Tanzanite Rings Release: Sunday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new Shopify Shop! (Direct links soon!) ✨
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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
I have a gemstone cabinet, which is really a very I have a gemstone cabinet, which is really a very old printmakers cabinet that a friend of mine found for me at an antique shop. It has dozens of little shelves and rows that I lined with felt and put dividers in. That is where most of my larger stones and bigger collections live.

But sometimes, I pull stones from the cabinet with plans to make something for you, and then the bowl of selected stones gets a little lost in the shuffle of my overcrowded studio. 

And that is what happened to about ten fancy cut tanzanites. I think I pulled them several years ago for something and never used them. And then a few weeks ago as I was pulling stones and checking stock for a few commissions, I found a little glass salt dip with these stones in it. Just in time for this tanzanite offering! 

They must be meant for very particular people, because the timing was uncanny. 
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✨ Tanzanite Rings Release: Sunday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new Shopify Shop! (Direct links soon!) ✨
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#artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #crystaljewelry #etsyjewelry #femalemade #gemstonejewelry #girlsthatmakestuff #handmadejewelry #heytheremaker #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #justmyart #ladysmith #madewithlove #mainemade #makersvillage #modernmaker #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #prettylittlethings #purplering #supportlocal #uniquejewelry #womenwhocreate #tanzanitering #tanzanitejewelry
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