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Moonspinner

Artisan Jewelry by Michaela Batstone

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Revisiting Memento Mori

March 12, 2022 ·

“If I had my life to live over again, I would form the habit of nightly composing myself to thoughts of death. I would practice, as it were, the remembrance of death. There is not another practice which so intensifies life. Death, when it approaches, ought not to take one by surprise. It should be part of the full expectancy of life.” – Muriel Spark

Symbolically, poppies are flowers of remembrance and consolation. Labradorite matches this sentiment, in my mind. They are somewhat somber, somewhat brooding, like a chilled rainy day. The base stone is a murky gray, or sometimes dark but clear like a rain puddle. But then when you tilt the stone in just the right way, there is a flash of brilliant blue or green, like a sudden memory. As such, these feel like perfect memento moris, tokens of remembrance.

Despite their somewhat melancholy origin, watching these poppies grow and bloom across my bench-top over the past few weeks has been like pure, springtime magic. These flowers inspired me dig out an armful of dresses to wear around the house, because I am ready for summer sunshine, dappled forest shadows, and handfuls of wildflowers. And I am pleased as punch to share them with you now!


Memento Mori Rings

There will be 44 rings available.
Price: $126 per ring

Sizes: 4.75, 5, 5, 5.25, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.25, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5,
7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,
8.25, 8.25, 8.5, 8.5, 9, 9, 9, 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 9.75, 10, 10.5, 11

When I decided to revisit the Memento Mori Earrings for those who missed them during the Nocturne Collection, I knew I wanted to add a ring. Something simple and dainty, but unique. I knew that this design was going to be pretty, but I didn’t know how I would fall head over heels for them!

Whenever I make a new design, I always like to wear the prototype for a day to see how she handles. I want everything to feel just right before I make the others.

What I was not expecting was that I would spend the entire afternoon staring at the ring, tilting it in sun and shade, watching it as we drove to the ocean.

I find I love everything about this design, the way the gemstones catch and throw the light, the broody shadows of the poppies, how they rest so lightly on the hand.

I tried to make as many of the requested sizes as possible. They will still be first come first served, so no worries if you didn’t get a chance to call out your ring size. There will be a little over three dozen available.

These rings have been hand-sawn and forged from all sterling silver. Fabricated petal by petal, this design features a poppy with gently curled petals to give the piece dimension and texture.

In the center of each flower is small sterling silver pollen granulation. The flower measures around 8-9mm, but each ring will be slightly unique in size and shape.

Each poppy rests gently against a shimmering, faceted labradorite gemstone. The stones in the rings have a liquidy glimmer across the top, and a warm glow from within. Pure, otherworldly magic in a stone.

Each ring is set atop a 3mm rectangle sterling silver band and fit true to size.

They have been oxidized and brushed to bring out the intricate detailing of the petals, and offset the bright flash of the stone.

These rings truly send my heart a-patter. They are all flaunt and flash and furl!


Memento Mori Earrings

There will be 35 pairs available.
Price: $148 per pair
They measure about 40mm from the top of the earwire to the bottom of the stone
.

“Memento mori” is a Latin phrase which translates as “remember death.” Throughout art history, there has been a wide range of memento mori objects: Rennaissance paintings of decaying fruit, marble sculptures of skulls, morbid prayer beads, and so forth. All to remind the viewer of the transience of life. And so, a poppy for remembrance, and a somber stone with a sudden brilliant flash of memory.

Can you even believe that the earth created such otherworldly, magic, thundery gemstones as these?? This teal is so jaw-dropping, especially in person.

I kept a deep blue pair for myself, and find myself constantly tilting them in sunshine whenever I catch sight of them in a mirror or shop window. I am bewitched by these gemstones.

Labradorite can be somewhat hard to photograph. The flash can be furtive and selective, waiting for just right light before it will streak across the stone.

But there is something about dim afternoon light in winter that positively sets these stones aflame.

Like the rings, this design features beautiful labradorites, some are smooth and some are faceted. They range in color and hue from leafy green to deeply saturated teal to deep dark blue.

For the earrings, I used big generous cuts of labradorite, somewhat rough and organic. Many featuring crackles and fissures, bold flashes and sometimes irregularities on the surface. Like stones one would find tucked amongst wildflowers, weathered and natural.

Each stone is suspended below a fluffy hand-forged poppy, and dangle from french ball earwires.

Like the rings, the earrings have been given a patina and hand-polished to give the pieces shadows and texture set against the brilliant flash of the labradorites.


Memento Mori Cuff Bracelets

There will be (14) bracelets available.
Sizes: There will be (10) S/M bracelets, and (4) M/L bracelets available.
Price: $165 per bracelet
* S/M = 6″ around with a 1″ gap
* M/L = 7″ around with a 1″ gap

Is there anything better than having a handful of poppies blooming and thundery gemstones atop your wrist? I think not.

I could tilt and twirl these labradorite gemstones all day. The flash in each stone is so different, as is the clarity.

Some are somewhat rough and organic, with surface crackles and striations running through the stones. Others have the most unreal, uniform, watery shimmer across stones that looks like a bright, blue sky reflected in springtime sky puddles.

I tried to get a family photo of them all in a bowl, but I just couldn’t tame them. They were flashing and blooming in all different directions, but I hope you can get an idea of them!

This design consists of a few beautiful cuts of shimmering, faceted labradorites, and delicately crafted poppies, dotting satiny bracelet bands.

Unfurling poppies (for remembrance), thundery labradorite in various cuts and hues, and shadows in all the corners.

These cuff bracelets are easily adjustable and are hand-forged from sterling silver. The cuff band is made from strong half-round band for comfort.

And that’s everything that will be included in this final Memento Mori offering!

Memento Mori Collection Release: Sunday, March 13th at 7PM EST in the Etsy shop


A few things to keep in mind

Please double check your shipping address on your Etsy account before the release to make sure it is correct before you place an order. 

Remember! Etsy won’t reveal my new listings for you right at the release time, you have to refresh and reload my shop page, sometimes a few times, before they all show up. It even does that for me to see all my new pieces! 

Etsy is often slow with populating my shop after I publish my listings, I believe because I list so many pieces at once. I have been told this is because they work out of the cloud now rather than dedicated servers.

So if you want to try for a piece at release time, start on the home page and move through the pages from there. If you click on the collection section on the left, sometimes it takes 15 minutes or so for listings to show up. A very strange glitch, but it happens. Refresh often!

Also, some have noted that the Etsy App is glitchy, so a web browser on your phone or on a computer is the most reliable way to go.

Make sure you look at all the photos of the pieces you are looking to purchase, because I try to photograph these pieces from every angle, in my hand for size reference, and in natural light, so you can see exactly what you will receive. I want you to be sure you are purchasing the perfect pieces for you!

That being said, an item isn’t “yours” until you complete checkout. Meaning that other people can purchase items you are looking at, or that you even have in your cart. This is an Etsy feature that I cannot change.

My advice is that if you have a piece you have your heart set on, complete checkout with that item first. If you click “Buy It Now” the listing’s page, you can purchase much quicker. And then go back for the other pieces you want. Checking out separately allows you to claim your pieces more quickly, and you have less of a chance of a piece being scooped out of your cart.

 In the days following the release, I will refund any shipping overages for those of you who place more than one order. 
Cheers!

   

Filed In: Jewelry / Tagged: art, artisan, artist, artists, botanical, creative process, flower jewelry, inspiration, Jewelry, labradorite, labradorite ring, memento mori, metalsmith, metalsmithing, moonspinner, poppy jewelry

Comments

  1. Joann says

    March 12, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    Every piece looks gorgeous! I can only hope I’ll be able to get the ones I want💕

    • Moonspinner says

      March 12, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      I hope so too, Joann! I will send you all the lucky vibes I can muster. 🙂

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Unless otherwise noted, all images, designs, and writing is property of Michaela Batstone. All rights reserved.

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Sign up below for exclusive previews of new collections, glimpses behind the scenes, and words on the inspiration behind the work.

🌸 Ode to Spring Ring 🌸 ——————— 🌸 Ode to Spring Ring 🌸
——————————————————

Cheers to everyone who called out ring sizes in my last post! 

It is so heartwarming to know there are so many soft, springtime souls out there. We are kindreds, indeed! 

This week I will be finishing up the ring bands for lots more rings like this one. 

If you'd like to make one in your size to be available during the release, hop back over to my last post and leave a comment with your size. 

I am writing them down as I go, and once I respond to your comment, you will know I have jotted your size down!

——————————————————

🌸 Collection Release Date TBA 🌸

(Image description: A sterling silver ring that features a soft pink rose quartz, faceted to pull the light and glow from within, set in an undulating bezel, scalloped like a flower. Below the gemstone is a small cherry blossom with a warm brass center. To either side, brass granules like clumps of pollen gathered by a honeybee. The band has been lightly textured to give the ring an organic feel, and to resemble tree bark. I decided to give the ring a matte texture, soft and bright as a cherry blossom. Simple and sweet, like a singular cherry blossom. A daily reminder of the warmth of spring.)
🌸 Ode to Spring Ring & Call for Ring Sizes 🌸 🌸 Ode to Spring Ring & Call for Ring Sizes 🌸
——————————————————
Here is the ring design, sweet friends! 

It features a soft pink rose quartz, faceted to pull the light and glow from within, set in an undulating bezel, scalloped like a flower. 

Below the gemstone is a small cherry blossom with a warm brass center. To either side, brass granules like clumps of pollen gathered by a honeybee. 

The band has been lightly textured to give the ring an organic feel, and to resemble tree bark. I decided to give the ring a matte texture, soft and bright as a cherry blossom. 

Simple and sweet, like a singular cherry blossom. A daily reminder of the warmth of spring. 

I have not finished the bands for the rest of the rings yet, so if this sweet little ring calls to you, call out your ring size below, and I will try to make as many as I can! (These fit true to size.) 
——————————————————

🌸 Collection Release Date TBA 🌸
🌸Another Sneak Peak 🌸
——————————————————
At the moment, my bench is all pink softness. Sterling flower petals and rose quartz the color of cherry blossoms. 

These are the makings of a handful of cuff bracelets. 

The band will be textured like bark, rippled and smooth. 

A smooth gemstone, some oval, some teardrops, will sit atop of the band. 

And on either side of it will be silver cherry blossoms with brass centers, and two liquidy rose quartz gemstones, faceted to pull the light. 
——————————————————

🌸 Collection Release Date TBA 🌸
Magical pink clouds floating on a sea of blue sky. Magical pink clouds floating on a sea of blue sky. 🌸
"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now is hung with b "Loveliest of trees, the cherry now is hung with bloom along the bough." - A.E. Housman

Soon, sweet friends! My shop shelves will be festooned with cherry blossom branches made of hammered sterling silver and soft rose quartz blooms!

Keep an eye out for a call for ring sizes. I just finished the sweetest little ring sample, and have not finished the bands for the rest yet. 

🌸 Collection Release Date TBA 🌸
At the moment on the bench, everything is springti At the moment on the bench, everything is springtime soft and smells of wild fruit trees. 

Couldn't you just bathe in rose quartz?? Dunk yourself in cherry blossom bubbles and sunshine infused water? 

I have no doubt you'd come out glowing and smelling a treat. 

🌸🌸🌸

Also, while I work on this new collection, I am also finishing up a few secret drops of previous designs!

If you would like first crack at them, keep an eye on my Instastories and sign up for the newsletter, because that's how I will let you know when and where to find them.
🌸 Sawing Blooms & a Note about the Rings 🌸
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I will be seeing little sterling cherry blossoms whenever I close my eyes for weeks!
🌸
I have sawn perhaps 150 of these sweet little blooms, and I can not wait to sprinkle them around the softest pink rose quartz you've ever seen.
🌸
Also, keep an eye out here for a call for ring sizes! I have finished the sample ring, and am hoping to put up a photo in within the week. 
🌸
And if it calls to you, let me know your ring size so I can try to have all the right sizes available during the release. 
🌸
Stay tuned for a collection release date!
🌸 Sneak Peak & Springtime Goals 🌸
——————————————————
🌸 Going forward, I will try my darnedest to document the work and share progress updates with you more often. 

🌸 Collections have a way of utterly consuming me. They are like tremendous, beautiful waves that sweep me off my feet and toss me back on the sand a few miles up the beach. And then I have to run back to where you are, hollering "I have made some beautiful things for you!" 

🌸 I know periods of radio silence is not helpful for your consistently seeing my posts. (Apologies to the handful of people who reached out about totally missing the garnet collection. One thing I do, which has been helpful, is going to the "Following" option on the home page of Instagram every few days, and giving some love to the accounts that I don't want to miss posts from.) 

🌸 So, here's a sneak peak at the next collection!  Soft undulating bezels, springtime rose quartz, hammered branches, and each piece will be festooned with wild cherry blossoms.
——————————————————

🌸 Stay tuned for a collection release date!
Phew! I have printed shipping labels, refunded shi Phew! I have printed shipping labels, refunded shipping overages for those who places multiple orders, and today I will start packaging all your little rosebuds up. 🌹❤️🌹❤️

(If you'd like to see if one of the remaining pieces calls to you, direct link to the shop is always on my profile page, and I have links in my stories to take you right there!)
 
Image description: Deep red hessonite garnets set in sterling silver. Ornate heart bezel and a beaded border.

#darkacademiaaesthetic 
#garnetjewelry
#earringobsession
#femalemade 
#moderncraft 
#artisanjewelry
A quick tip for if you are trying to catch somethi 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.

🌹 Also! If you change the sort option to Alphabetical, it will put all the designs of the same types together (for example, large necklaces or smaller earrings) as well as put the ring sizes in order.
——————————————————
❤️ My Rose Collection: TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new webshop ❤️

(Direct link to the shop is always on my profile page, and I will have links in my stories the day of to take you right there!)
 
Image description: Deep red hessonite garnets set in sterling silver. Ornate heart bezel and a beaded border.

#darkacademiaaesthetic 
#garnetrings 
#earringobsession
#slowcraft
#moderncraft 
#artisanjewelry
Phew! I stayed up much too late last night, but al Phew! I stayed up much too late last night, but all the listings are ready to bloom tonight at 7pm EST in the new Shopify shop. 

And there is a blog preview up! There you can find some additional photos, sizes, reference photos, prices, and more. 
—————————————————— 
 ❤️🌹 My Rose Collection: TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. EST in the new webshop 🌹❤️

(Direct link to the shop is always on my profile page, and I will have links in my stories the day of to take you right there!)
 
Image description: Deep red hessonite garnets set in sterling silver. Ornate heart bezel and a beaded border.

#darkacademia
#necklaceobsession 
#artdecojewelry
#garnetjewelry
#jewelrygram
A handful of lovelies in widely varying sizes and A handful of lovelies in widely varying sizes and shapes! ❤️

• Necklaces made from deep red smooth garnet gemstones set in inverted heart bezels of sterling silver, surrounded by a beaded accents, and little silver rosebuds, hidden in the shadows on the backs of each pendant.

• I will have a listing for each individual necklace, which will include photos of each pendant being held, as well as next to an American quarter for size reference. 

• Each are suspended from a 17-20" adjustable cable chain. 

• I have sorted the necklaces into three categories, as measured from the top of the pendant to the bottom: Small (22mm - 29mm), Medium (30mm - 39mm), and Large (40mm+) for quicker selecting!

• If you sort the page alphabetically, it should group all the sizes together, as well as sort the rings by size. ❤️

——————————————————

 ❤️🌹 My Rose Collection: TOMORROW, Sunday, April 30th at 7:00 p.m. EST in the New Shop 🌹❤️

#darkacademia
#necklaceobsession 
#artdecojewelry
#garnetjewelry
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