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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

And because I don't want this child's medical emergency to get dropped, Geronima needs a liver transplant. This will help her stay with her in Denver while they await a donor: gofund.me/612a52c54.

Donate to Jo's (Geronima) and family's quest for life-changing miracle, organized by Yvonne Lowe

Your Generosity is a Lifeline Your incredible kindness is a … Yvonne Lowe needs your support for Jo's (Geronima) and family's quest for life-changing miracle

gofund.me

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

Second, not local, but it's Jen's brother, S-I-L, niblings and their family dog.

He needs emergency surgery. Four figures already.

Dog peeps, you can help here: spot.fund/cr84cxmsc.

Click here to support Jen Havens' story *HelpGhostGetWell

*spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.

spot.fund

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

And now, tonight's local urgent needs.

First up, Jen. If you want to skip all of the background and just help her get to a competition she and her dog have trained for for over a year, you can do that here [goal is $1,500]:

PayPal via [email protected]

bsky.app/profile/wing...

WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 1d

Okay, I'm doing tonight's local needs early, and I'm doing an unusual one. It's not life or death; not an emergency, although it *is* time-sensitive.

It's for our friend Jen, who runs the local dog rescue Taos Hound Underground.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

And as I said, I have to bring in sales virtually daily now.

That's it; that's got to be my whole focus.

WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

Also? It's a chance to score some absolutely extraordinary one-of-a-kind Indigenous wearable [and other] art, in styles you won't see anywhere else.

And I REALLY need to bring in multiple sales weekly now for us just to break even on the year.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

Our full current inventory begins by hovering over the menu bars at left here (if they don't show, try turning your device sideways, or use desktop mode): wingssilverwork.com. Best navigation: Hover over "Galleries"> hover over "The Silverwork"> CLICK on chosen category.

wingssilverwork.com

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

As always, you can order any of them [they make fantastic gifts!] via the form here: wingssilverwork.com/contact/, or directly via e-mail at NDNSilverByWings [at] gmail [dot] com.

wingssilverwork.com

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

And finally, "Prairie Evening Primrose": wingssilverwork.com/prairie-even....

Sterling silver; pink mussel shell.

From an earlier-still series, floral conchas, but with articulated, slightly layered petals [see reverse]. All freehand work, and those cabs GLOW:

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

Next up, it's "Glistening Peyote": wingssilverwork.com/glistening-p....

Sterling silver; malachite. These are slightly larger than the iolite, more like the others [~1"], but with slightly larger cabs. Also Florentine finish. The description also explains the name:

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

Next are "Blue Flax Blossoms": wingssilverwork.com/blue-flax-bl....

Sterling silver; iolite.

These are roughly the same size [domed, 7/8"], but were created earlier. Gorgeous translucent blue iolite cabs; Florentine finish:

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 2h

First up are "Moonflowers": wingssilverwork.com/moonflowers-....

Sterling silver; hematite. These were created contemporaneously with the opal pair, and are the same size [~1" diameter; 3/16" cabs]. Natural light [L]; flash [R]:

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

Okay, tonight's inventory selections. There are four.

Today's featured work is a smallish, elegant pair of traditional floral concha earrings set with Welo opals [shown below].

We have two more pairs in this size, a slightly larger pair, and a very different style, with unique stones.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

This year has nearly killed us financially. To break even, I very nearly need to bring in a sale a day at this point.

WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

Also? It's a chance to score some absolutely extraordinary one-of-a-kind Indigenous wearable [and other] art, in styles you won't see anywhere else.

And I REALLY need to bring in multiple sales weekly now for us just to break even on the year.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

Our full current inventory begins by hovering over the menu bars at left here (if they don't show, try turning your device sideways, or use desktop mode): wingssilverwork.com. Best navigation: Hover over "Galleries"> hover over "The Silverwork"> CLICK on chosen category.

wingssilverwork.com

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

As always, you can order them [got an October birthday coming up? this is our birthstone!] via the form here: wingssilverwork.com/contact/, or directly via e-mail at NDNSilverByWings [at] gmail [dot] com.

wingssilverwork.com

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

But hold them to a light source at the right angle, and they refract brilliant jade green, golden yellow, and fiery orange [as well as blue and pink]. The top photo shows them in natural light; below, beneath the flash, turns them the flame-orange of their floral namesakes.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

They're spectacularly translucent material, a bit like what would result from crossing a milk opal with a fire opal, were that possible. They appear a prismatic, color-speckled white in natural light.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

These are Welo opals, so named because they are pulled from the earth of the Welo, or Wollo, region of Ethiopia [there are actually more than a half-dozen spelling variations, but "Welo" is the one that has stuck to the opals].

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

He domed them by hand, then added a tiny sterling silver jump ring at the top center reverse to hold the earring wires, and fashioned a tiny round bezel on the front to hold the stones.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

Once the scorework was complete, Wings then scalloped the edges into petals, using a jeweler's saw to form the gentle arcs between those lines.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

It's slow, meticulous, labor-intensive work; it's very easy to strike a line repeatedly, but much harder to keep it in the *same* line without blurring the edges. These are virtually perfect.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

That scorework is accomplished using a single short chisel-end stamp and a technique known as chasing: The stamp is repeatedly struck in the exact same spot to deepen it, and with lines, gradually extended by overlapping the ends of the stamp marks.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

These are the most recent in a very informal, intermittent series by Wings, of earrings wrought in a compact, classic floral concha style. Each is saw-cut entirely freehand of solid by lightweight sterling silver, the petals scored freehand, as well.

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WingsNDNSilver @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social · 3h

Today's featured work is a pair of earrings wrought in an old traditional style, and set with cabochons that possess an extraordinary color shift. This pair is called "Mountain Lilies": wingssilverwork.com/mountain-lil....

Sterling silver; Ethiopian Welo opal.

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