Featured Artist: Rasmussen Gems

Tuesday is upon us and as a member of the Handmade Artists Blog Ring it is always a pleasure to feature one the shop owners.

This week is Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry, LLC, Lapidary and Metalsmith, Dr. John Rasmussen.

John Atwell Rasmussen is the lapidary, gemologist and artisan jeweler / metalsmith. All cabochons are hand cut in our lapidary.

Dr. Rasmussen truly creates some interesting and unique pieces in his shop.

Rings?  John’s got ’em!  From beautiful Cabochons left in a natural state to marvelous Fine Jewelry pieces as the rings below. 

Aquamarine and Zircon

Sterling Silver: Size  8

Lapis Lazuli Cabochon

Sterling Silver: Size 8

Other jewelry is also available.

Peridot and Copper Necklace

 Sterling Silver Cuff with Pinstripe Texture

What Dr. Rasmussen says about the shop and  himself: 

John Atwell Rasmussen was educated in Geology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He then taught geology and after ten years switched professional course to prehospital medicine. He retired from emergency medical services and is pursuing his love of rocks, minerals and gems as the lapidary and jeweler at Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry LLC. He has been educated in Gemology and Jewelry Design and Repair at: International Gem Society, Gemological Institute of America and Penn Foster Career School.

Thank you for stopping in and having a read.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant work week.

Five Great Gifts To Give – SPECIAL OFFER For Blog Readers

Although Tuesday is reserved for five great gifts to give, with the new Blogger set up, it wasn’t working, but now that I have figured it out I am pleased to present this weeks List of Gifts.  We have a returning shop a couple of new ones and something from my own shop as well.Check out the Lego Minifigure Flash Drives from Just Jest, they have a SPECIAL OFFER for Blog readers, good through May 31st.  Get your favorite before its gone!

From returning Shop: SuesArts

Large Butterfly Ring

Description: SOLD SEPARATELY – SILVER OR COPPER

Gorgeously large adjustable butterfly ring with acrylic flower.

Next from Julie Ellyn Designs

New – Chloe Earrings, Antiqued Brass Round Embossed Earrings with Sterling Silver 

Description:  NEW – Chloe Earrings

New to my collection, the Chloe Earrings bring soft beauty with embossed floral bouquet. 20 mm round antiqued brass drops hang from sterling silver earwires. Simply gorgeous.

Description: Antique silver plated brass drops 14 mm round, sterling silver earwires. Earrings measure 1 1/2″ from top of earwires.

Mother’s Day is almost here, how about a nice picture of you in a pretty frame.

From  CutenCrafty Designs

Custom Photo Frame – Limited Edition Mom Is Love

Description: This frame is 5×5 Black matted 3×3 made in a soft yellow flower bazzill cardstock embellished with roses, glittered words and a short poem written by me. All writing is copyrighted and not permitted for use.

Mom
You are a vision of Life
You are a vision of Hope
But most of all
You are a vision of Love 

From Just Jest, a personal favorite, you can find them on Facebook too.  Give the page a Like, won’t you?  I admit it, I just love these.  They are so cute and clever and I want one, nay, I must have one!  They come in a variety of themes, Super Heroes, Villains, Harry Potter, Star Wars and more.

SPECIAL OFFER ITEM:

Now through May 31st, enter the code Alchemists7 at check out and receive 7% off your purchase.


From Just Jest

4GB Evil Dwarf USB Lego Minifigure Flash Drive with Key Chain

Description:  4GB Evil Dwarf Lego Minifigure Flash Drive.

Also available in 8GB for an additional cost.

Measurements Approximate:
Height: 1.60″ Width: .85″ for Lego Figure
Height: 4.50″ Width: .85″ with Key Chain

Flash drive and key chain in one.
Also comes with battle axe and shield accessory.
Original USB cap is included.

 (Author’s Note: Aren’t those just the coolest things!)

From The Alchemist Vessel

Phoenix Fire Chainmaille Choker – Silver Plate and Red Czech Class Bead Set

Description: 16″-1/2″ long. This chain is absolutely firey! Silver Plated wire and Red Silver Lined Czech Glass beads are the focus of this stunning Half-Persian 3-in-1 Weave chain! Eye-catching, accentuating the decolletage beautifully. Perfect for January or July Birthdays. This necklace is sensational when worn.  Matching earrings included.

Thank you for stopping and having a look.  The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant end to the work week.

FREE JEWELRY CONTEST – Friday Links and Promotions

Help The Alchemists Vessel fan page on Facebook reach 500 fans / likes!  We have 61, that’s 439 more people needed, and then some would be fabulous!  Below are the Rules and Regulations!  Please read them carefully and I hope you will participate.

Contest Rules and Regs

Starting February 20^th, 2012, The Alchemists Vessel will be holding a contest; first prize is a Genuine Citrine and Sterling Silver Pendant, a $50.00 value.  I am trying to reach 500 likes on my fan page.

First Prize: Genuine Citrine and Sterling Silver Pendant (pictured below)

Second Prize: An item or items of choice from The Alchemists Vessel Shop up to $25.00 in value.

(Second Place winner may choose item)

Third Prize: An item or items of choice from The Alchemists Vessel Shop up to $15.00 in value.

(Third Place winner may choose item)

FIRST PRIZE

 To Enter:

1. You must click “Attending” on the Event Page, this way I can keep track of who is interested.

2.  If you haven’t already you must click the “Like” button on The Alchemists Vessel facebook page. (Yes, I can see if you have done so).

3. You must post on the Wall of The Alchemists Vessel Page and state that you are entered in the contest for the Genuine Citrine and Sterling Silver Pendant.  You may only post once!   

***You may not enter your contest post on the wall until 

February 20^th, 2012, any time will do!  
Start planning that strategy now!

4. To win the Pendant, you must have the most “likes” on your post on The Alchemists Vessel page.

 Here’s how:

Get the word out that you are entered in the contest, post on your wall, tweet your friends, e-mail folks and let them know to click those buttons!

Your friends must click the like button on The Alchemists Vessel page  (remember you can hide the feed from this page at any time, I am after the number / count of 500 Likes).  I will not e-mail, spam or add your friends to a mailing list.

Your friends must click Like on your post and comment with the Phrase “Your Name sent me!”

[i.e.. Alix Browning sent me] or something similar

At the end of the contest, the total count from the participating posts will be tallied and the winners announced on The Alchemists Vessel wall, and messaged privately for shipping information.

On your Marks…

Get set…

Go!

Contest ends: March 5^th, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.  All counts will be taken and the winners announced March 6^th, 2012.

In My Studio – Parures

I have been busy working on several new pieces for the store and reacquainting myself with soldiering and the various processes thereof, and remember now why I do not make those things any more! 

First up from the Work table are two Chain Maille parures.  What’s a parure?  It is a matching set or suite of jewelry, usually including a necklace, earrings, sometimes a ring or  a bracelet is part of the set as well.  I just really like that word!

This is “Pink Parure” for lack of a better name or term.  Silver Grey colored Copper wire is  hand spun and cut (the copper does show through the cuts if scrutinized long enough), jump rings are linked together to form a 16″ length of Chain, additional jump rings are added for the decorative drops that form little points ending in a pretty and very pink glass bead.  Woven in a “Speed Maille” version of European 4 in 1 traditional weave.  This is an open pattern.

Matching earrings are are created from the same coil of Silver Grey Copper wire, and are formed in the traditional European 4 in 1 Weave closed pattern.  They are created on a Horizontal line, the necklace is created on a Vertical line.  The Earrings mimic the drops of the necklace.

This is the same pattern as above, with a very different look.  Created in Gunmetal Wire jump rings, it has a monochromatic appeal as the silver glass beads match the wire nicely.  Not black, a very deep steel blue color with a high sheen.  Finished with a manufactured toggle clasp in the shape of a heart.

The earrings (as above) mimic and match the choker / collar wonderfully.

Last but not least is this “Upcycled” pendant.  Created with Citrine both faceted and natural gemstones, and sterling silver wire, the piece was built up and added to from the manufactured bail that I believe is also Sterling Silver but not stamped (and not all 925  items are stamped).  Pretty, interesting, or pretty interesting, I think it resembles an insect of sorts.  This is the only piece available!  $50.00, soon to be available on alchemistsvessel.net.

In My Studio

As I am always on the look out for new weaves and techniques, I thought it would also be fun to show off a simple weave in different metals.  As size of the jump rings matter during a project so does the color or tone of the metal, even though the pattern is the same.

European 4 in 1 weave in Sterling Silver Plated copper 3 mm jump rings

Here it is done in 3mm Copper

and once again in 8mm “Gunmetal” wire

Currently working on the additions to the silver chain and the gunmetal chain will be a bracelet. 

Not just limited to chain maille at the Vessel, work is also progressing on some cute new items for  Valentine’s Day.  Adorable heart charms and nature charms have arrived and design mode is enabled.  Here is a look at one or two new items soon to be available from The Alchemists Vessel.

Sterling Silver Heart Charms and Garnet beads.

Sterling Silver Turtles with Malachite with Azurite beads

The studio is in full swing.  New patterns to learn, new materials to sort through and listing to post.  It is good to be busy.  Stop by the shop and see what else is on the virtual rack.

Thank you for dropping in and having a look.

In My Studio – Byzantine Bracelet, A Photo Tutorial

Greetings,

Welcome to the Byzantine Bracelet Photo Tutorial.  I won’t go into a lot of detail, as the photos have done that for me.  There are seven in total and I will give a brief description of each picture in the compiled sets.  Photos descriptions will read top to bottom, left to right, counterclockwise.

Sterling Silver Plated Copper wire is spun on a mandrel.  Here a US size 2 knitting needle serves as a mandrel.

The coil is removed from the mandrel.

Individual jump rings are cut from the coil

Pile of jump rings.  This project requires 231 of them.

Jump rings are then opened, here they are shown next to a dime for size.  These things are tiny!

108 of the 231 jump rings are laid out with my trusty pliers!

One by one the open jump rings are added to the chain.

They are also closed one at a time.

54 jump rings makes about 1-1/2″ of chain.

54 more jump rings to go!

108 Jump rings later we have a 3″ length of chain in the Byzantine Chain Maille pattern. 

116 additional jump rings will be added to create a 7.5″ length of chain. 

Now the fun part.  Nine (9) 4mm natural Aquamarine beads are lined up for placement along the chain.

A piece of scrap metal is used to mark the center of the chain.

Bead placement is adjusted for even spacing.

Each bead is placed on a headpin.

A loop is formed using the end of Round Nose pliers as close to the top of the bead as possible.

The excess wire from the headpin is then wrapped around the bead, another element of design.  

All nine beads are wrapped.

Wrapped beads are then added to a single jump ring.

Each bead is then attached to the chain at the appropriate interval along the chain.

All Nine (9) beads are attached.

A clasp and 2 more jump rings are then added to the chain.

The total length of the bracelet is now 8″.

In the next set of photos we see the competed bracelet, formed and closed as one would wear it.  This is my own variation of the “crown” pattern, I have added the beads as one would on a charm bracelet.  A true crown pattern would have 54 additional jump rings attached the chain where the beads are placed, creating a crown or star-like pattern.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this brief peak into the creation of a chain maille bracelet. Please feel free to leave questions or comments or order one for yourself.  Commission and custom work are welcome!

What’s New in the Shop

Greetings and Welcome, 

The Alchemists Vessel’s is pleased to present the new and improved Blog.  Links to our sites and pages may be found to your right, along with links to Material Lists and other posts. Please feel free to peruse them at your leisure.  Instead of a lengthy introduction, let’s jump right into things with a look at what has just been listed at The Alchemists Vessel shop on Etsy.

“Rock Stars”

This limited selection comes in 4 Styles of Sterling Silver Star Charm links and several semi-precious gemstones choices.  Only 15 pairs available!!!! 

Available now:

2 pairs of Polished Sterling Silver Puffed Star

5 pairs of Brushed Silver Puffed Stars (brushed silver has a matte finish).

4 pairs of Man in the 3 Dimensional Stars

4 pairs of Flat 3 Dimensional Stars

 

Geared for the teen Rock Star in your household, they are appropriate for any age.  Ideal for Birthday’s as several pairs have been made with birthstone beads; Amethyst, Aquamarine, Carnelian, Garnet, Pearl and Peridot, just to name a few.  Stones may be changed out for an additional charge of  $2.00.   Please see the post “Materials List” for a complete selection of gemstone beads in stock.  Scroll below or click the link to the right to reach the list directly.

Thank you for stopping by!

Rock Stars on Etsy

Winter Gems

Meant to mimic Holly berries, and the feel of the Winter season  Pearl and Garnet drops float in front of Light Green Glass leaves that hang suspended from a Sterling Silver Chain.

This 20″ Necklace is crafted with Hand-turned Sterling Silver 18 gauge Jump Rings, Fresh Water Pearls from White Lotus Farms, Round and Coin shaped Natural Garnet beads, and  Light Green glass leaves, hung on Sterling Silver Long Curb Chain and a Sterling Silver Lobster-claw Clasp.

$45.00 / Set comes with matching earrings and is boxed for gift-giving.

NOTE:  The earrings shown are the pair I have matched to the set.  The Glass leaves have some weight and I feel that they would be too heavy to wear in the ears from either a Post, French Wire or Fishhook style finding.  I can make a pair to match the drops, if desired.  Please indicate your choice of earrings if interested in the piece.