shanmonster | Shiny Shiny

If I'm getting sick, it's taking its time. My back was fine all day until I went to the gym. While I was toiling away on a cardio machine, my back suddenly remembered it was supposed to be sore. So I skipped using the Roman chair, which is a normal part of my workout.

Today was a productive day. I made an earring and a necklace. The earring was me toying around with a request to design a man's earring. I used a thin piece of heavily-reticulated sterling silver, and set a round blue lace agate cabochon on it. Because the stone is so pale in colour, I first blackened the silver with liver of sulpher. The end result is something I call dragon skin. It's bumpy and dark, with a deep gleam at the edges. Perhaps the earring is a bit larger than the average man's earring, but it's lightweight, and I think it looks very masculine. Then again, if I had a pierced ear, I would wear it.

The necklace is made of silver wire, beads, and silver jump rings. The focal bead is a rough crystal of citrine--yellow on the bottom and white on the top. The rest of the necklace is made with silver and deep blue Czechoslovakian crystals. I like the citrine. It's a lickable stone. I'm especially fond of stones which resemble candy. This citrine looks like it might taste of butterscotch.