OLIO 8

I see new followers have signed on.  Welcome and thanks for your interest!

I am sorry to report that my good intentions to have something to show for you did not materialize.  Too many other's personal things got in the way and took up a lot of time.  I should have, however, something to show next week, so stay tuned for that.

Returning to my last post, I suddenly realized I had committed a faux pas by omitting the author's name after the scientific name for the two cowries, and a misidentification on one.  The specimen on the left was named by the great Swedish naturalist/scientist Karl von Linne who named himself Linnaeus, and named the shell in 1758.  For many years cowries were genus Cypraea.  Since then, they've been divided into many different genera and subspecies.  This cowry (the common name), also has other names, Stolid, Dull, and Fool's.  Don't like any of them.

The specimen on the right, I mistakenly put it into the wrong genera.  It should have been Contradusta pulchella pulchella (Swainson, W.A. 1823) Common name Pretty, Beautiful, (Little).  So, Pretty Little Cowry, etc.  O.K., that's done and enough of that.  Apologies for boring you with scientific nomenclature mumbo jumbo.  If you are still here, a couple of notes to bring this blog back jewelry making.

New book out which may be of interest to you ladies who like flowers (what lady doesn't?), and may want to try your hand at doing some metal work.  It's Mellissa Cable's  "Metal Jewelry in Bloom," published by Klambach Books.  Nice book.

Want to improve your jewelry making skills?  Hah! Who doesn't among us amateurs?  Now, let's not get huffy, I didn't say YOU were an amateur!  O.K., bring up YouTube on your confuser, oops!, sorry, computer and in the search box, type the name Soham Harrison.  Spelling is correct!  Mr. Harrison has over one hundred videos on various aspects of jewelry making.  Included also, are some cooking videos.  There's lots and lots of good, basic information here.  Highly recommended. Excellent teacher. I'm sure you'll like him, very down to earth.

And lastly,  check out John de Rosier's blog, The Jewelers Files.  John is starting a new series on some of the tools he uses to make his beautiful jewelry.  I will bet that you may be surprised by what he has chosen to start with.

As to the so-called molluscan inspiration, I have made the oval copper blanks, drilled the holes for jump rings, cleaned up the rough edges, sanded them, and cleaned, cleaned and cleaned them, so there's no oil, grease, fingerprints on them, and they are ready for torch firing enamel.  Can I do it?  Ah, now there's a mystery!