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Garnet Valentines

January 29, 2022 ·

Last year, I made a handful of these rings, but I didnโ€™t make quite enough, and so I promised I would bring them back in a year. And this January, a little bowl of faceted, Hessonite garnets found its way to my bench. These gemstones have such a wonderful glow. They drink the light and hold it in their bellies.

When I was young, I was utterly jealous of January babies for their beautiful birthstone. While Iโ€™ve come to love peridot, I still revel in the good fortune of anyone with born during this month. I mean, my goodnessโ€ฆ garnet swallows up light and breathes out fire. It is warm and bright, moody and dark, all at the same time. Saturated, heart-racing magic. I couldn’t help by make a few big handfuls of these rings!

The subtle hue variations in these garnets is so lovely to see all together. Some are sultry wine red, and others a raucous, fiery red. Some are faceted to catch and throw the light, others are so smooth they look like liquid cherry. Some have inclusions and surface crackles, others are perfectly milky with nothing but pure red inside. What a joy it has been to work with these stones.

Valentine Rings

There will be 52 rings available.
Price: $124 per ring

Sizes: 5, 5.25, 5.25, 5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.25, 6.25, 6.25, 6.25,
6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.75, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,
8.25, 8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 8.75, 9, 9, 9, 9, 95, 9.5, 9.5, 9.75, 10, 10.25, 10.5, 11

These particular garnets have soaked up their whole designated month. And as such, their timing feels perfect. The rich red of the gemstones, the silver inverted heart walls keeping them in place feel positively meant for Valentines Day.

Also, thank you again to everyone who left requested ring sizes. I wrote them all down, and though I donโ€™t think made exactly enough for everyone who commented, I did make a whole bunch (over four dozen!) in the most asked-for sizes. Remember these fit true to size.

They will of course still be first come first served to give everyone a fair crack, but your letting me know ring sizes makes it so much more likely that everyone will find their perfect, cherry red Valentine.


Valentine Ring Collection Release: Sunday, January 30th at 7PM EST in the Etsy shop

   

Filed In: Jewelry / Tagged: art, artisan, artist, artists, creative process, garnet, gemstones, inspiration, Jewelry, metalsmith, metalsmithing, moonspinner, ring, valentine, valentines

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Greens upon greens upon greens in the northern for Greens upon greens upon greens in the northern forests of Maine. ๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒณ
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#livefolk #staywild #quietinthewild #exploretocreate #countryliving  #folkgood #livesimple #optoutside #foundforaged #earthspirit #natureinspired #getoutside #forestlife #forestcore #wearewildness #intothewoods #seeksimplicity #hikenewengland  #appalachiantrail #hikingmaine #maine
Thank you to everyone who raised their hands on my Thank you to everyone who raised their hands on my call for how many of these necklaces to make. It is such a help! 

If you have a preference, do you prefer oval necklaces, or teardrop shaped ones? It's now time for me to choose from my gemstone collection. 

I think I will be able to make juuuust enough necklaces, though as always, everything will be first come first served.

Stay tuned for more previews!
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๐ŸŒฒ North Woods Collection: Date TBA ๐ŸŒฒ

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#agate #mossagate #terrarium #forestcoreย #handmadejewelryย #mainemadeย #madeinmaineย #forestjewelry #gemstonejewelry #maineartist #artisanmade #artisanjewelry #mossagatenecklace #madewithlove
๐ŸŒฒ A call for ring sizes for the first design of ๐ŸŒฒ A call for ring sizes for the first design of my North Woods Collection! ๐ŸŒฒ

Generous slices of moss agate, each unique and holding tiny forest-like worlds. Set atop an undulating bark edge base, textured and sawn to look like a tree slice. 

These also have a secret message inside the band.

I have about a dozen more of these in the making, all with wonderfully different gemstones. 

If this ring calls to you, let me know your ring size! They will still be first come first served, but I will try to make the most requested sizes. 
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#moss #mossterrarium #mossagate #agate #agatejewelry #gemstonejewelry #gemstones #terrarium #terrariumjewelry #mosslove #mainemade #madeinmaine #maineartist #forestcore #forestlovers
๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿ” We have begun hiking (in most cases โ€œre ๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿ” We have begun hiking (in most cases โ€œrehikingโ€) the Maine 4,000-fters with the goal of consciously ticking them off starting now. 

What a gift it is living in this area for the summer. Towering granite cliffs and each road a tiny corridor through endless green. 

It seems every moment my fella is dashing out the door to mountain bike or hike part of the AT or fly fish his favorite river or go running on the trails.

And I have been gathering up the entire valley in my arms, the one our cabin is nestled in, to spin it into a bold, rugged collection for you.

We been relishing all the clearwater, bluebird-sky moment of these north woods. (Despite those early summer black-flies.)

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#livefolk #staywild #quietinthewild  #countryliving  #theartofslowliving #folkgood #optoutside  #earthspirit #appalachiantrail #getoutside #forestlife #wearewildness #naturelove #intothewoods #seekthesimplicity  #wildandfree #natureisbeautiful #naturesbeauty #beautyinnature #mainelife
I am gathering up the forests of northern Maine an I am gathering up the forests of northern Maine and translating them into a big, earthy collection for you. I hope you will love it!๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿ’ซ
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#moss #mossterrarium #mossagate #agate #agatejewelry #gemstonejewelry #gemstones #terrarium #terrariumjewelry #mosslove #mainemade #madeinmaine #maineartist
๐ŸŒฒ I have been soaking up so much chlorophyl, I ๐ŸŒฒ I have been soaking up so much chlorophyl, I must be nearly drunk on it by now! 

Being in this cabin near the Bigelow Preserve has been like a tremendous exhale. The first thing we did when we got here was to turn off the alarm clocks on our phones, and now summer stretches out like a yawn. I feel like I am 8 years old again with a summer vacation just beginning.

#moss #mossagate #naturelover #wildflowerseason #getoutsidemore #mosslove #mainelife #naturegram #beadedlily #lilygarden
My endless thanks to those of you who plucked some My endless thanks to those of you who plucked some amethyst earrings! About three dozen pairs were claimed, and are waiting to be packaged up. ๐Ÿ’ซ
๐Ÿ’ซ Everything is in the Etsy shop, sweet friends ๐Ÿ’ซ Everything is in the Etsy shop, sweet friends! ๐Ÿ’ซ

The easiest way to see everything, is to click the * Violet Linings section on the left in the Etsy shop! 

(Direct link to the shop is on my profile.)
Goodness how these earrings glow! For these summer Goodness how these earrings glow! For these summery earrings, I sawed a tiny window from the back of the sterling silver base so that the light comes pouring through while being worn. I hope you love them as much as I do!
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๐Ÿ”ฎ Violet Linings Earrings: TONIGHT at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop ๐Ÿ”ฎ
๐Ÿ’œ ๐Ÿ‘พ Amethyst Vines and Stranger Things ๐Ÿ‘พ๐Ÿ’œ
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Goodness how I love these earrings, I am wearing my pair as I write this. 

Light and long, they twirl with the wind and make the gentlest susurrus. These will all bloom in the shop in two days!

Until then I will be eating vegan peanut butter cookies and rewatching Stranger Things (currently on Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer) before we hop onto Season 4. Have you watched it yet? (No spoilers, please!) 

Also, I rather enjoy giving my posts chapter titles, a la Stranger Things.
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๐Ÿ”ฎ Violet Linings Earrings: Sunday, June 5th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop ๐Ÿ”ฎ
โ€œMorning Gloriesโ€ by Mary Oliver Blue and dar โ€œMorning Gloriesโ€ by Mary Oliver

Blue and dark-blue
rose and deepest rose
white and pink they 

are everywhere in the diligent 
cornfield rising and swaying 
in their reliable

finery in the little
fling of their bodies their 
gear and tackle 

all caught up in the cornstalks. 
The reaper's story is the story 
of endless work of 

work careful and heavy but the 
reaper cannot 
separate them out there they 

are in the story of his life 
bright random useless
year after year 

taken with the serious tons 
weeds without value 
humorous beautiful weeds. 

โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”
๐Ÿ”ฎ Violet Linings Earrings: Sunday, June 5th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop ๐Ÿ”ฎ
We are fully ensconced in a cabin for the summer, We are fully ensconced in a cabin for the summer, tucked against the Bigelow preserve in northwestern Maine. 

Long verdant days tinged with birdsong, and crisp nights, full of stars and mountain wind. 

And coffee has never tasted so good.
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