Tuesday, September 28, 2010

RAD Packs!

Just when we though Ring A Day couldn't get any better along come the RAD packs! Filled with small mysteries wrapped in brown paper the RAD pack is intended to inspire.  Etsy metal member Kathryn Riechert sent out the first RAD pack to the RAD members from  EtsyMetal and I received mine from Sara Westermark. The rules are simple: if you open it you have to use it within 24 hours. The actual object can be used in the ring itself or as inspiration for a ring.

The first treasure I unwrapped was a small tile that I later learned was a piece of pottery by Leslie Willett. Apparently when a piece isn't up to par she breaks it. Sara found out about this process and asked that she hold the pieces for her.  This particular piece was then formed and sanded by Sara before she passed it along in the RAD pack.  A treasure like this deserves a plan:

I was really drawn to the contrasting textures within the tile and I decided to develop that contrast by extending the texture onto the metals of the ring. The tile was so thick that I had to use sheet metal to make a bezel.  When the first attempt failed I decided to go with a partial bezel.

Sterling Silver, Copper, Brass, Ceramic Tile

Check back for how other RAD participants interpreted the tile!