Thank YOU!

A great big thank you to everyone who came to the studio sale on Sunday! It was a pleasure seeing all of you and thank you for your support! And a big thank you always to Mom (Andrea Peters) and Dinny for sharing this fun event. Going to take a little break and enjoy the holiday season and jump back to it for the new year.

Open Studio Sale with Christine Peters, Andrea Peters, and Diana Kerr

Christine Peters Reticulated Silver Cuff with Rhodolite Garnet

It's that special time of year again! Time when we gather at mom's house to showcase our wares. Andrea's paintings, my jewelry, and Diana's decoupage plates, etc. This is the fourth year we've offered this amazing opportunity! We hope you can join us Sunday, December 7th, from 11:00 to 4:00. At Andrea's house, 20 Hiawatha Trail in East Boothbay.

Andrea Peters "Beyond the Trees" oil 24 x 40 inches

Diana Kerr Decoupage Plate

Next Show: ArtFull Gifts at Point Lookout

Here we are--the middle of November and my next show is here. I'm getting ready to head to Lincolnville to set up for the ArtFull Gifts Show tomorrow. This is my third year exhibiting at this venue. It'll be great to see familiar faces of clients and artists alike. I'll have a bunch of new work for sale including 4 new cuff bracelets. Hope you stop on by!

Reticulated silver cuff bracelet with 5 blue sapphires.

Welcome September!

September is here and again, where did the time go?! You might wonder how I can lose time, but if you know anything about living in Maine, you realize that nearly everything for the year happens in a short three month period. And...so much has been going on in my personal life (which I will share at a later time). Thankfully creating my jewelry has kept me focused and happy.

Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival was last weekend and it was a great show. Thank you to all who came and made it a huge success! Here's a happy lady with a new cuff:

Next up, I'll be at the

44th Annual Peters Valley School of Craft Fine Craft Fair

, September 27 & 28 at the Sussex Country Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey. Hope to see you there.

Upcoming Show--Lincoln Arts Festival Opens

Please join me at the Lincoln Arts Festival "Arts and Yachts" Show where I'll be exhibiting my jewelry! Opening Thursday night 5-7 and regular hours Friday-Sunday, 10:00-6:00. I'll be available and on hand for most of the show. Hope to see you there!

Summer is Flying!

I can't believe how quickly the time is flying. I've been busy with shows and am off to the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine this weekend for the first annual invitational craft show. I hope to see you there.

An Amazing Weekend with Linda Kindler-Priest

In the doldrums of this long and cold winter, I received a mailing from one of my favorite small metal schools--Metalwerx. It was annoucing their upcoming summer series called "Summer with the Masters" and I started perusing and dreaming of summer. I was thrilled to see that a favorite jeweler of mine--Linda Kindler-Priest--was teaching a class on the ancient art of repoussage. Normally I wouldn't consider taking time off in the summer, but this was an amazing opportunity and I jumped at it. It seemed so far away!

The summer weekend came quickly. And I packed up my car and headed south. Wow!!! I loved every minute. Linda taught us the technique--the basics--and now it's up to me to take that knowledge and practice. Hammering metal for 3 days was incredible and exhausting. Here's what I learned:

Structure--we hammered pyramids into the copper as an exercise.

Motion--swirls and curly-cues.

And lastly, our realistic project--I chose a dogwood flower. It was suggested to make our project on the simpler side--not many petals, and/or profile view.

Still needs some refinement, but coming along--tap, tap, tap.

What I've been up to--finishing commissions

I started into the winter with a number of jewelry projects to be designed and then created. Slowly, I've been ticking away at the list and here are photos of some of the finished projects.

This pendant was made with vintage jade buttons that were carved and suggested butterfly wings. the client and I came up with a butterfly inspired pendant set upon reticulated silver and baubles--touches of 18k gold.

Reticulated silver earrings with 4mm diamonds that are tube set in fine silver. The lower disc swings on the Inspired by a pair the client purchased a couple years ago and wears every day.

This cuff was inspired by one in inventory but added several little diamonds that were from the client's own ring--she didn't wear it anymore and thought let's use them in something else. 

This ring is 18k gold and silver with carnelian and lapis lazuli stones. The colors were chosen to correspond to an antique Navajo bracelet.

A lot more work is coming out of the studio. Will write again soon!

May -- Where Has It Gone?!

I can't believe that the month of May is winding down--already! Where did it go? I've been crazily working on inventory and commissions and getting work out to my retail shops to start the 2014 summer season here in Maine.

This year you can find my jewelry in a few new places including Bangor and Damariscotta, Maine. In Bangor, stop by Blue Heron to see some of my classic flower and reticulated silver designs.

Next up, my delivery to CRAFT in Rocklacd. Barbara is open for the season, so be sure to stop in and say hi! We've stocked the shop up with a nice mix of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings.

New this year is a consignment to Off to the Cottage/Seawicks in Damariscotta. This shop features all beach cottage furniture and accessories, including their wonderful hand made candles. I focused on some beach inspired jewelry for them--fish, pearls, and coral.

Casual Interiors in Boothbay Harbor is once again featuring my jewelry. We feature a mix of pearls, silver and gold work for Carol.

I'll be changing things in and out of the shops on a regular schedule through the season. Hope you visit!

Rings--silver, stones, and more!

I've been working on a lot of rings lately--rings with funky and unusual stones and settings. Sometimes the stone does all the talking. Like this fire agate:

Simply brushed sterling silver shelf around the stone accentuates the cloudy edges and then the pop of the orange y-brown fire and the iridescent green--gorgeous stone!

And who can resist a large turquoise with black spider-webbing?! Oxidized to set off the large silver hammered balls. Everything is over sized and makes a statement in this ring. 

I am highly inspired by Native American and Mexican silversmiths from days of yore and can truly appreciate their skill and craftsmanship. I feel I struck a real Modernist look with this next ring.

It's a large round red agate cabochon that's bezeled in fine silver and off set in the larger circle. The outer edge is heavy square wire that frames the design. The inside is oxidized to set apart the areas of the ring.

Because I often don't repeat ideas or thoughts (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not), I thought I'd use some of the same design elements in another ring, but boy does it have a completely different look and feel.

A 6mm faceted blue topaz gemstone is tube set in the center of a silver bauble field. The background is oxidized to give depth and texture, while the outer square wire creates the same frame as above. I think it's pretty cool!

So many other things are on the bench, including some commissions that I'm finishing up. Lot's more to come!