Ring a Day: Erin Austin

RAD 365_02-28-2010
Originally uploaded by toopa
Erin Austin finished Ring a Day which was amazing feat considering she did it alone for the last two months! Erin started Ring a Day in February 2010 and finished on February 28, 2011! Many of us finished the Ring a Day Project on December 31st and Erin amazingly continued on by herself until she made her 365 Rings!

Her rings are wonderful and creative! I especially love her paper rings! Click on the photo above to take you to her flickr photo stream or click here to see all her Ring a Day Rings!

Congratulations Erin!

New Work

Black Onyx, Sterling Silver


Turquoise Teardrop, Sterling Silver

I really loved making both of these rings. The black onyx I have had for a long time and was waiting to be made into a ring. I love the beautiful heart bezel wire I used to set the stone. I think it looks pretty against the black onyx. I set the turquoise teardrop simply to show off the beautiful stone.

I will hopefully add these to my shop tomorrow. Thanks for looking, Kathryn

Inspiration for Ring a Day

On Monday I received a package in the mail from Victoria (Experimetal). Originally, the idea and an inspiration package came from Kathryn Riechert to Victoria.  The rules are: if you open a package, you should create a ring from the piece or be inspired from it within 24 hours. This package could not have come at a better time for me. It is the best gift I could ever ask for.
A gift full of inspiration and magic. I can not wait to see what is inside!
XOXO. Thank you Victoria and KathrynR!


All the little packages put in a bowl ready to be picked!


I let Sophia pick the first one tonight and open it.


And here is what is is :) Ring to be made.


And here is the first ring!

RAD 221/365 08.15.10

RAD 221/365 08.15.10
Originally uploaded by kathryn_cole
Flower Ring.

In case you are new to my blog, I have joined a great group of metalsmiths who have committed to creating a Ring a Day for an entire year. This creative endeavor is quite challenging to say the least. It is supposed to be a personal challenge. The rings can be made from anything and creativity is encouraged.

For me I have created a ring most days. Sometimes, I let a day or two (or more...but not too often) go by without making a ring and then I "catch" up. This is how I am able to do this challenge personally. My life is full being a Mother (to my beautiful 4 year old daughter) and a Silversmith (Photographer, Marketing/Advertising Person, Accountant, ect...all the things you have to do to be an Entrepeneur). The days fly by being all these things which is wonderful. I never sit and watch the clock go by. I am wishing it would slow down sometimes so I can get everything done. So...sometimes it is hard to create a ring also. I love to make Flower RIngs to give myself a break. And I LOVE, Love photographing flowers. I actually wish I had more time to take pictures of flowers. Another time in my life, I used to be a floral designer and I really, really love it. I miss arranging flowers. So here is my Ring for yesterday. It is a flower from a pot of flowers on my porch. I have been eyeing it for weeks...thinking it would make a wonderful stencil to create a silver peice. I love the points of the flower and the wonderful fuchsia color. I hope you might explore all the creative rings in the flickr group and maybe leave a comment or two or three. It really encourages us to keep going. Have a wonderful evening! ~K


Please take a look at the RAD flickr group here and spend some time looking through all the wonderful and creative rings: RAD Flickr Group

June Rings

June Rings....I took some time off in June so there are only 22 rings for June. I have almost caught up since then. I am only two rings behind. My favorites for June are the collaboration ring with Calan Ree and my Sun Ring. AND, oh yes, my labradorite ring. I wear it most everyday.

Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful day! Kathryn

RAD 163/365 06.21.10

RAD 163/365 06.21.10
Originally uploaded by kathryn_cole
I have joined a great group of jewelers on Flickr who are making a ring a day for the whole year. The rings can be made from anything and creativity is encouraged.

This is Ring number 163. It is handmade in sterling silver and then blackened.

Here is the link to the group of everyone's rings. Ring a Day Group
There are over 11,000 rings in the group! AMAZING!

Ring a Day. Flower Ring on sterling silver band. The band is formed in the shape of a petal and then a hole is drilled at the point to fit the flower through it.

Have a great day! Happy Saturday!

Look How Much My Little Kalanchoe has grown! Ring 81

I took a picture of my ring again the other day. My little kalanchoe is making it in my ring. I wasn't sure how long it would, but it is growing and seems to be good. I added more dirt with tweezers and packed in in there better and cleaned up the ring since it had water and dirt stains. The first picture is from March 22 and the second one is from a couple of days ago. The second picture shows how much the plant has grown.

This ring is from March 22, 2010 Ring a Day Project. Ring 81/365. Here is the link to the Ring a Day Project http://www.flickr.com/groups/rad2010/
And the link to all my rings here http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathryncole/sets/72157623970007795/

Happy Memorial Day! Have a great day! Kathryn

RAD 139-146 Flower Puzzle ring

RAD 139-146 Flower Puzzle ring
Originally uploaded by kathryn_cole

8 Rings. Sterling Silver

I made all of these rings today and caught up on the Rings for the Ring a Day challenge on Flickr. I fell behind. I had intentions of making this ring the entire 7 days that I did not make a ring. Each day I would think that I should get started and make one ring each day, but life got in the way and I was busy with orders, ect. So here it is....Finally.

I cut out each petal by hand. I used an Oval template that I got at the Art store here. They are then hand hammered and then curved a little. I then soldered on each petal. It was like a puzzle trying to get each petal to fit against the others.

February Rings

My creation
Originally uploaded by kathryn_cole

Here are all my rings for February. I think they look pretty all together. I arranged them in this mosaic from newest to oldest. The top four were made away from the studio at Sanibel Island. I enjoyed a little time away for my daughters birthday. It was really fun and a relief to make rings from found things and paper. I am really happy with the bougainvillea ring. I have wanted to make a flower ring since the beginning of this challenge. I worked at a florist for years and loved making wedding bouquets and corsages, ect.

Another favorite of mine is the starfish ring. It was my first time making a prong setting. I think it turned out nice.

This challenge has been wonderful for me. I have gained confidence in making rings and bezels and setting stones. I have made more rings now than over my entire career. Before this I had probably only made 20 rings total in all of my creating over the last 15 plus years.

Which ring is your favorite from February????

Ring a Day

I am participating in a Ring A day challenge hosted by Nina Dinoff. It is a wonderful challenge to encourage discipline and creativity. The rings can be made out of anything. The only restriction is that I must make one ring every day for 365 days. To see the group on flickr, here is the link:http://www.flickr.com/groups/rad2010/ There are 182 people in the group at this point.
I am enjoying the creativity it has sparked in me. I am having fun with it and can't wait to see where the challenge leads me. I have so many ideas ready to be created. Above are my rings 10-18.
My creation
Originally uploaded by kathryn_cole