Tamra Gentry Design Studio

FlashbackFriday. Year: 2007

Years ago, when I started making jewelry, I ate, drank, and slept chainmaille weaving (don't tell anybody, but I even showed up at the Bristol Renaissance Faire from time to time). I loved making chainmaille then, and I still love it--in fact, I have a couple of chainmaille projects I want to do in the near future.

Yes, there's a direct line from chainmaille to braiding--but you can probably see that--at a minimum, it's that textile thing that I love so much. I can't even begin to describe the tactile, textile nature of this collar.

Anyway, thought I'd poke my head up momentarily--gotta get back to prepping to send something off. Enjoy!

It’s Flashback Friday, so here are a few snapshots of a custom order I did for a client in 2007. It’s funny because it was my first experience with “braiding” anything besides my own hair.

My client’s husband frequently traveled for his job, and she wanted to surprise him with a memento he could keep with him when they were apart. The gift ended up being a keychain locket that held some of her hair. I actually cut off the lock of her hair in a Panera Bread shop, where we got together to work through the design. Don’t ask. It was just a convenient spot for us to meet and get through all of the details, paperwork, etc.

In hindsight, I have some design mods I’d probably make—e.g., that hinge has NO BUSINESS being that big, but I didn’t want it to be too delicate either. And, I’d probably have pushed for the gift to be something other than a keychain, but we were trying to think through a heavy-use gift for a guy, and between the two of us, that seemed to be the best option.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out—I love the little inlay panels, and those hand-done screw-head rivets are BOMB. . I hate that I didn’t have time to get it professionally photographed and that I didn’t think to take a snapshot of it once it was all cleaned up and had the latches, chain, and split ring in place. I was on a deadline because she wanted it before he went on his next trip, so I was trying really hard not to do anything that would cost me time because I rushed through fabrication and did something stupid.

So, here are the in-progress snapshots. I even put hairspray on the braid to keep all of the strands locked neatly in place. ;-D [Historically, I'm not a fan of custom orders, but this one was fun, and I was honored she chose me to make it for her.]

I've been swamped lately and haven't had too much time to post. BUT, I did want to get this piece up because somebody asked me if I could name my favorite piece I've ever made. Well, I'd have to say it was this one. Her name is "Honey."

It was a play on "Honey got me hooked on you..." from the lyrics of a Mariah Carey song, but it's more about bees and less about whatever Ms. Carey was singing about, so I shortened it to just, "Honey."

I love everything about this piece and that it went to the home of someone who loves it just as much as I do (my customer bought it as a gift for her sister). I like to make pieces that challenge my skills as a small-scale metalsmith. Surprisingly, this wasn't as complicated as it was simply a little tricky once I got the idea out of my head.

I will admit, there were many swear words uttered during the construction of this one because I’m a sailor-girl like that and all. ::blushing::

And the silk braids--I love the connectors I made for it. It was a fun piece, so the connectors had to reflect that as well. That rich yellow silk thread is a blend of a few colors, and there’s even a hint of vintage 24K gold-wrapped silk throughout as well.

I've attached a few process shots behind the main one.

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“Honey.” Sterling silver, 18K gold, yellow sapphire, silk, 24K gold-wrapped silk.

[Photo credits for Image #1 - Cole Rodger Photographics (All the rest are just StudioSnaps so I can remember how I did stuff...)]

I probably won't start showing sneak peeks of my new work until after the first of next year. I don't like jinxing myself or what I'm doing by making my work public before it's time.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post a few favorites I've made, along with some process shots--a lot of folks don't realize how much time and energy goes into my work. Though simple structures, the multiple braids for this necklace alone were TEDIOUS. Oddly, I find that's especially true for the tiny braids vs the larger ones.

In any case, I LOVED this gorgeous silk thread! The photos do it no justice. I wish I'd ordered more because I only have very limited amount left, and that's it.

Of course, the mokume gane sphere began as sheet that I purchased. I no longer make my own. (I've made mokume gane and I love doing it, but I'd have to charge eleventy-billion dollars if I did it myself because the process is incredibly labor-intensive. --I'll post some pics of that, along with a huge, fresh-out-of-the-kiln billet I dropped on the floor once while transferring it when I was working for a local jeweler. 🥹 Better the floor than my foot tho.)

Anyway, here's one of my faves. I made it a longer necklace, but the customer who bought it liked wrapping it around the neck twice, which I ended up LOVING, too.

This thread is EVERYTHING!

"Ball and chain." Mokume gane (sterling silver, copper, shibuichi, shakudo), sterling silver, fine silk hand-dyed thread from Japan.

I'm planning a sample sale soon. This is one of the pieces that will be available. Sign up for email notifications so you can receive the link and password to shop the site!

The braid is handcrafted (by moi) from fine silk thread, and the pendant is sterling silver, 18k gold, and peridot.

Tamra Gentry Design Studio: REDUX, an archive of some of my Fordite work, is finally live! Check it out at www.tamragentrydesignstudio-REDUX.com.

Hello, welcome, and first things first!

Please be aware that there is a cybersquatter impersonating me via an old domain I used to own. The domain is tamragentrydesignstudio [dot] COM. This is NOT me.

The official website and landing page for Tamra Gentry Design Studio is tamragentrydesignstudio [dot] NET => www.tamragentrydesignstudio.net.

That's all I can say about the situation at the moment. 🤐

www.tamragentrydesignstudio.net