Burning Heart

 

 

Just finished Eric’s sugar skull with a set of starburst lab-grown rubies.  They’ve got a badass pinkish hue.  Fantastic look against the black.  Very Elvis.

 

 

This is the Big Voodoo at its best.  When you carve up a custom skull ring, it’s always a dialogue.  The Big Voodoo has its own opinion about how it’s gonna look.  I planned for this to look great, but I didn’t expect it to come out THIS crazy once the stones were set.  Another hard one to give away.   But this is Eric’s baby and it is shipping today.

Stay tuned.

Silver skull rings a bell.

 

 

I’ve been moving about a dozen new projects across the bench this weekend and I though there were at least a few pieces that I’d want to showcase.  It’s been a busy Summer, but things have started to slow down this past week and I finally have time for a post or two.

 

 

 

I’ve been hinting at some major changes to the line in the next few months and one of them will be the tragic death and retirement of the Heidi skull.

 

This is one I just wrapped up for a client.  Perhaps the last one I’ll ever make.  Frankly, this model hasn’t really sold like the others and I’m not sure why.  Maybe a little too cute?  Too simple?  Who knows.  At any rate, with the new rings coming online soon, I’m going to be cutting the fat and this ring- although one of my personal favorites- is getting the boot.

Below we have a new sugar’d up Little Voodoo for Eric.  I’m happy to say that the Little Voodoo will be sticking around for a while.  I don’t get too many requests to sugar these little guys up.  Usually it’s the big skull rings that get all the custom work.  But I designed these little F’ers to take stones and sculpting like a champ.

Eric designed that centerpiece on his own and sent it to me as a sketch.  Fit great.  Some of my favorite sugar treatments have been applied to these little guys.  Remember Mike’s Japanese ring?

 I love that thing.  And what about my recent lightning bolt job?

Anyway, I probably sell 5 classic jobs for every 1 custom on this model.  Still, it’s popular, so he’ll be sticking around for at least a few more seasons.

I’ve also completed Brian’s Masonic skull ring.  A King Skull with some dimensional carving.

This one includes some pillars on either side with numbers and some text.  Overall a LOT of information packed onto this ring.  It’s full of meaning.

Aaaand last of al I’ve completed a guru skull bead for a wrist mala for a special friend.

This will be part of a collaboration piece with my pal Jason over at the Custom Mala Shop.  His shop, incidentally, is just about ready to update its website.  I’ve seen the new page and it looks freakin’ beautiful.  Much easier to navigate and offers more bead options than before.  Love it.  So check back with him at the link above in a few days or so and feast your eyes.  Remember that he is the only place that carries my custom-made solid sterling silver guru skull bead.

Okay, enough.  I’m going to smoke a cigar and go to bed.

Death and Waxes

Sometimes I get lucky and I get a batch of really cool projects all at the same time.

I’ve got a number of custom skull rings in the works right now.

 

This one’s for John.  A custom sugar skull with sunburst eyes, cherry blossoms around the shank, some text, and gemstone eyes.  Ways to go yet, but it’s fun to work on.  Usually we’d run with Turquoise eyes on something like this, but we’re going to be working on a purple amethyst instead, I think.

Below, we have a piece for Eric.  I don’t always get to sugar up my Little Voodoo.  Honestly there isn’t a lot of room.  Luckily, Eric had some ideas for a modified fleur de lis that will work perfectly.  Damn I love when my clients can draw.

 

I’ve also been hacking at a King Skull for Ryan. Masonic theme.

 

This one’s getting some very cool shank work later on.  I’ll post more pics as we go along.

VERY soon I should have some shots of a cool finished Tiki ring for James.