Not Your Grandma's Bangle!

Just added - a substantial sterling silver bangle featuring little orbs! I have sold one similar to this and someone just asked me why I didn't have any more listed. Well now I do! Just click here to check it out.


Have a great Wednesday!

A little something new......

Introducing my new Orb Bangle. So much fun!

Check it out here.

Happy Hump Day!

Ack! I only had 30 minutes of sleep last night, I guess the acupuncture is no longer working it's magic! So I am just going to take a minute and introduce a couple of fun rings!

This is my Carnelia ring:




And this is my new Bird's Nest Ring:


And here is my newest bracelet! I think this one is really fabulous - The Bubble Bracelet:


Have a wonderful Wednesday!

-Jen

The Torch Has Been Busy!

I will be listing everything in my shop, A Blond And A Torch soon!








































































-Jen

I Am So Square!

After having all those ROUND rings in my shop for so long, I decided I needed to SQUARE it up.

This is my newest pendant necklace, Squared, and I think it is great. But I am biased. I cut this square from a sheet of sterling silver, filed it so it would not hurt anyone, and then hammered it into submission. I put it on 16" in sterling silver chain with a lobster claw clasp and soldered everything on so it is very secure.




Earlier in the week, I also added some earrings. These are my Hip To Be Square earrings. I think they are pretty cool (of course!) and I hope you do too.

They were formed from 16 gauge sterling silver and hammered and oxidized. I painted on a clear coat of sealant to keep the oxidation of forever.
I made these petite ear wires from 22 gauge sterling silver and hardened them so they will keep their shape.


Well, I hope you saw something you liked here, if not, take a look at my shop, A Blond And A Torch, and hopefully you will like something there!

Have a great Saturday!

-Jen

Treasured

A special thanks to SweptFromTheSea for including my Galaxy Ring in such a beautiful treasury. Please take a moment to click on the picture and check it out!

Seriously Spring

I just have to bring this Confetti Bracelet to someone's attention!

I think it is absolutely gorgeous. This bracelet was made from no telling how many dyed freshwater potato pearls from an Etsy supply shop, For Your Pretties.

Inside this bracelet is approximately FIFTEEN FEET of 22 gauge sterling silver wire!!!! That is unbelievable!

Each pearl was wrapped with the sterling wire and then attached to the chain inside.

The resulting piece is just so lovely and unique! I cannot, for the life of me, understand why no one has bought this yet.

There are even matching earrings!!!!
Seriously, maybe you can clear this up for me. I think they are so beautiful and will brighten anyone's spring wardrobe! But maybe it is just me and I should wear them myself!

I don't feel dressed until......

I put on some earrings!

I don't know about you, but I just feel naked without them. Naked and ugly! So I am working furiously to try to come up with some more earrings designs, for you AND for me!

Unfortunately, taking care of a husband, a boy, a house, and pets doesn't leave too much time in the studio and current orders take precedence, of course.

But, Viola! I listed these beauties, Eternity Hoop Earrings, and I just love 'em. They are petite, about a US ring size 5 and I hammered them all over. What I really love about these are the ear wires. I am sorry to toot my own horn, but I just love the way they look and I think I will do some more like them. Unless you tell me they stink!

Now, remember, be brutally honest when you tell me how fabulous they are!

-Jen

A Day Of Recovery

Here in the Nixon household, we are all super tired from the hectic Easter weekend, which you can take a look at in yesterday's post if you like.

We are all crashing from our sugar highs and even the dogs are comatose from all their running and carrying on this weekend.

Lucy is the brown dog and Layla is the white one. They are both loads of fun and completely untrainable! But we love them anyway!





The Easter Bunny made it to our house and I sure hope he made it to yours too.
My son does not eat any type of candy, but has recently become totally enamored with junk food. So the Easter Bunny loaded up Jake's basket with cinnamon rolls, cookies, powdered donuts and sports themed eggs.

The Easter Bunny filled my basket with lots of Reese's peanut butter treats! My personal favorites! He also brought me three potted flowers. I think these are going to look lovely once they are planted in our front yard. It is truly sad that I do not have a green thumb and that they essentially received a death sentence once they were given to me. But hey! My calla lily from last Easter has revived itself, so maybe these will last? I will keep you posted because I am sure you are already on the edge of your seat.

Remember: One sure thing to get you out of an Easter slump is jewelry! No, seriously! So go on and treat yourself here and feel proud that you are supporting handmade.
Be good!
-Jen

Something New

And I love it! After making the Petal Earrings yesterday, I decided to make a matching necklace! I have also, of course, made a set for moi. I just love how simple and elegant it is!

Photographing it was IMPOSSIBLE because of how shiny it is, but I did my best. I always hate it when people say their photographs don't do their product justice, but it is true here. Seriously.

Have a great Thursday!

Jen

Just Like Stars On The Water.....

I made these two pairs of earrings today because I am trying to carry more than just rings in my shop.

The above pair is named "Stars On The Water" and they are made from solid 24 gauge sterling silver. I have hammered them to a beautiful multi-faced finish that photo does not give justice to. I made the ear wires from 22 gauge sterling silver.

The earrings below are my Petal earrings. They are also made from the same 24 gauge sterling silver and I have hammered them to a multi-faceted finish. The ear wires were also formed from 22 gauge sterling.

I really love the simplicity of these earrings and I hope you do too!

Have a great Wednesday,

Jen

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day! Back in my wilder days I used to go out and celebrate it, but now I just stay in and pinch my husband. He woke me up this morning and said "Happy Valentine's Day!" I guess he had his saints mixed up.

Well, I would include a piece of jewelry from my A Blond And A Torch Shop, but of course I don't have any green on the metal! That would just be wrong. So above is a piece from my other shop, Jen Nixon Designs.

I hope you all remembered to wear some green today. Maybe you should go ahead and find something for next St. Patrick's Day so you will be prepared. Here is a great St. Patrick's Day charm bracelet from Ben Can Dance.

Have a great Day!

-Jen

The Dark Side Of The Moon

It started with an idea while I was talking to friends. The next thing I knew I was looking at the coolest ring, pictured above perched on the soldering stand. Even as I looked at it all covered in fire scale, I knew I was going to love it.

Everyone who knows me knows I have been really into these stacking rings, but there was a time before that that I wore the occasional over sized ring. I knew I was looking at my newest.

Of course, the one above was already promised to my friend so I had to make another one. That is when I knew I really liked it because I rarely squeeze one in for myself like that.

I just love it and when my husband came home last night he said he loved it! So of course I have listed it in my shop as The Dark Side Of The Moon.





I will also be listing a new necklace today and I am so excited! Stay tuned!

-Jen

Pajamas and a Hammer

Yes, those are my old, ratty sheep pajamas you see there. Yes, it is almost 11 am central time. Don't judge me, I am sick. I have a sinus infection that won't take the day off. And I have orders to fill.

Don't worry, the orders get disinfected before they are sent out!

Right now I am working on the "Hold Me Tight" ring set. It is a little more difficult than it usually is since I don't feel well. That means I am taking it a little slower. I am also tempted to make me a set as well.

It is difficult making all this jewelry I love and not being able to keep it for myself!

This set is going to a lovely return customer of mine, so that makes me feel better!

Have a healthy Tuesday!

-Jen

New Stuff--Come Check It Out!

I am very excited because I have added some new pieces to my my shop, A Blond And A Torch!



I just love this set, Eternal Love. As soon as I have some extra time (yeah, right) I am going to make myself one!

Now, my husband thinks these are really cool. They are my Trifecta Earrings and I think they are really unique.




Now, I am torn between two loves.One is for the Eternal Love ring set, and the other for this set. This is Always & Forever and I just adore it as well.


Maybe you can help me choose?

Have a terrific Tuesday!

-Jen

A Few New Designs For Spring...

Happy Sunday, everyone!

I got up early this morning and snapped a few pictures of three of my latest designs that will soon be added to my shop.

These are my small Beaded Eternity Hoops. I just love their simplicity. They go with EVERYTHING, from the office to a night out. How great is that?



These are my large Beaded Eternity Hoops earrings. Just like the small hoops, but BIGGER!




This is my new favorite ring set! This one already has a home, but when I have some time I am making me a set too! I am calling it my Eternal Love ring set. All three rings were made from solid sterling silver and can be ordered in any size.


Maybe I can take some better photos later. I took these at 7 AM and the light wasn't all that great. But I think you can get the idea from these! I am really excited and I cannot wait to add them to my Etsy shop.

Have a great day!

-Jen

Working hard or hardly working?

I am so excited! I have decided to accept a consignment opportunity in beautiful San Francisco at a fantastically fun store. They would like to see at least 12 pieces soon so I have been hard at work!

I am also trying to create some new designs, which is slowing me down because I stop and play with them.

I have some pictured above that I am working with. They are unpolished and unfinished so don't judge! How do you like the paper towel back drop and terrible lighting? Hey, that is what you get in these parts before 8 AM!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

-Jen

Infinity & Beyond

I have really been trying to add new designs to my Etsy shop, A Blond And A Torch, and I came up with these earrings. I am really pleased with them.

I have decided to call them Infinity. I just love how simple they are!



I also made these earrings below with three circles. So far no name, so I am open to suggestions!


Have a great day!


-Jen

Sweetness And Light

I have finally added something new to my shop-besides rings I mean!

I just love these bangles! They are so delicate and light. And they make the most beautifully melodic tinkling sound!

The last bangles I sold were very heavy duty and I loved those too, but I also love these in a different way. They are not heavy duty, but light and flexible. You forget that you are wearing them!

Please take a look!

Have a great Sunday!

-Jen

Behind The Scenes With "Indecision"

Sounds like we are going behind the scenes of a movie set. Well,
not quite. But better!






What you are looking at here is my Indecision set ready to go to its new home, snugly sitting in its cushioned box.

But where did they come from? How did they get here? Let's find out!




Well, I guess it really all started right here with this torch of mine. It might not look like much, but baby it is! Without this torch how could I have command over the metal? My friend Sandra would never call me the Texas Metal Wrangler if I didn't have it!






This is what the silver looks like after it meets the torch. These don't even look that bad compared to some of the ones I have seen right after firing.

As you can see they are misshapen and lumpy, not something you would necessarily want to put on your finger, unless you are just into that.






Ring, meet hammer.




Here they actually do resemble rings, but wow, they sure are dirty!







Here they are cleaned up and one has even been oxidized. But they aren't ready to meet their new mommy yet!





First they have to go for a swim. For a very, very, very long time.



When they come out of the pool - Voila! They look beautiful! Now it is time to safely pack them for shipping and take them to my friendly neighborhood post office!


Thanks for tuning in, I hope you enjoyed it!


-Jen