Today we are super-thrilled to launch a Holiday Giveaway on the blog! Since this spring Laura of Specimental Design has been focusing on creating a one-of-a-kind piece especially for Poppytalk as a giveaway for the holidays! Together we chose turquoise as the stone of choice for this giveaway, since it is the stone that represents the holiday month of December!
Laura built the ring around a massive nugget of stabilized Sleeping Beauty turquoise. The turquoise has a fantastic, organic shape, with plenty of interesting surface texture. The bezel is built of fine and sterling silver. The texture on the bezel was created by a long process of heating the metals to molten, manipulating them with a soldering pick, and then allowing them to cool before reheating them. The band is a wide 1/2", and is shown here with a hammered texture. Laura has chosen to oxidize the band to a deep black, in order to lend contrast to the bright blue of the turquoise. The value of this giveaway is appox. $200!
This ring is completely customizable. You can have it built to fit any finger, as she has not yet permanently set the turquoise into the bezel. If you prefer a thinner, 3/8" band, that is also a possibility. As well, you can choose any of the band textures you see here. Laura can also leave the band plain, un-oxidized silver if you wish. Click here and here on how to find your ring size online.
TO ENTER:
Leave a comment here (at this post) telling us "why you think you should win this ring?" Nice and simple. Nothing uncool like jumping hoops or having to follow anyone, anywhere! We will choose a winner (2 weeks from today) on December 1st! The deadline to enter the contest is November 30th at 9pm Pacific! Good luck!
Laura is a high school Art teacher, and mother to three little guys, aged three, five, and six. She is also a graduate of the Emily Carr Institute (now University) of Art and Design in Vancouver, with a major in Sculpture and a minor in Painting. Visit her shop here.
Comments
Why I think I should win this ring: I have the misfortune of living with a little known affliction called Man* Hands. There is no known cure. Wearing this ring would beautify the man hand scenery in way I can only imagine. :-)
{*I am woman. Unless you ask my giant manhands.}
I don't think I SHOULD win this ring. But I would LOVE to win this ring.
I feel a kindred connection with Laura! My mom was a high school art teacher for over 30 years, and I love supporting all of her adventures now that she is retired and an entrepreneur. My mom always wears turquoise, and I would love to give her this ring. She'd love it!
loribunk@gmail.com
Why I would like to win? To show off such creativity on my hand would be an honor ... it would make me a happy girl :)
Cheers!
Best regards,
Laura
Specimental Design
thank you for making such beautiful pieces laura, and double thank you for the giveaway. i am now such a fan!
Fairytales don't pay very well though and so there's never a chance to own a piece of jewellery art like this...aside from the tiny hope that I win my own Sleeping Beauty from you!
Thank you so much. Beautiful work and lovely competition!
kellywcox at hotmail dot com
ohdearwatson[at]gmail.com
I would love to win this ring, I have never won anything in my life, and I think this would make for a perfect addiction to my special collection of big rocks.
naomi.
I'm DROOLING over the ring!!!
That is just breathtaking!!!
Please let me win before I turn blue from loss of breath caused by gorgeous ring...
;-D robelyn
p.s. seriously - the girl is mega-talented!!!
annikah25@gmail.com
and that's what pains me.
it's stunning. just stunning.
I am a movement artist (performance/dance/butoh), but I have often thought that if I had chosen another artform it might have been jewelry making. How we choose to adorn our bodies is one of the strongest forms of self expression. I can imagine wearing this ring with simple black clothing to really highlight its striking beauty.....
I cannot say that I am more "deserving" of this ring any more than anyone else.....but I can say that I would truly appreciate it for the work of art that it is.
Thanks for the giveaway contest! :)
Phalen
i love turquoise and always will. growing up, my dad mined, polished, drilled and created his own turquoise jewelry. one of the necklaces he gave me for a birthday is a most prized possession.
beautiful work!
~April
Thank you!
Beautiful work!
KathyB
i actually have a history with turquoise rings. growing up, my family would spend a week every summer at my grandparents' house in far North Wisconsin. And every year, I would buy a beautiful turquoise ring with the money I had saved up. Then, without exception, I would lose the ring in the next couple months. So I always had to keep buying turquoise rings! This went on for about 5 years until I finally realized I was not yet responsible enough for a ring, and I began buying fudge with my money instead.
Well now I'm all grown up and still in love with turquoise rings... yet have no ring upon my finger! This particular ring would be absolutely perfect, and would always bring back fond memories of my childhood and family vacations :)
~kait
faveprettythings.blogspot.com
This may seem crazy, but I don't own a single ring! I think it's the perfect time to start, don't you?
Thanks for the chance to win, and I wish Laura continued success!
riley_tea@hotmail.com
I really hope I could have it!
It's beautiful, original, unexpected and really sexy.
Fingercrossed.
Because wearing it would feel part of nature. The turquoise stone has not been polished or shaped, which make it feel like its growing on the ring.it feels raw nature.
the texture of the silver covering has not been polished to look perfect but has been moulded to give importance to the stone. and the ring metal has been thought and textured evenly too and not kept plain.Keeping it plain would have given it look of any other ring. but instead its thought and made as a part of stone and covering and part of natural look.
Not too long ago, I'd look at this post and think, "I'd never win that, anyway" and carry on. But I just read a fantastic blogpost about how you shouldn't write yourself off without ever even trying to accomplish what you want. So...
I want this ring as it is a rock I can hold on to.
(and the blogpost was at Tea & Cookies...)
My first ring as a little girl was a turquoise shaped heart. After that I replaced my real birth stone with turquoise. Something about it makes me feel me. Makes me feel apart of the earth, I know that sounds weird, but turquoise has always had a special place in my heart. I hope I win!
YAY!!!
Thank you for an awesome giveaway!
1) I am terribly unlucky, and never win anything.
2) I am an art teacher with no chunky or ethnic jewelry! I might get fired if I don't meet this job description. :P
If I was to win this ring, I would give it to my friend who is currently going through the panic of preparing for her PhD candidacy exam, and had to re-book her flight home for the holidays (at her own expense (poor, starving student)) to take that exam, while also trying to finish her thesis in record time since her funding was unexpectedly terminated a good 6+ months early.
Love,
Elisse
j dot marilyn dot evans at gmail dot com
If I won it, though godspeed to the destined winner!
Thanks!
Nerys
paula
sushileftovers@gmail.com
Thanks for the giveaway,
xx
Cheers,
*Heather*
I had a turquoise ring similar in scale to this, that was my grandfathers (strangely enough). It got stolen/lost. :(
It would be nice to have something turquoise again as my strength and protection that is so lovely as this. :)
xo
Melis
But in all honesty, as I read the comments above, there are many other women who really need and DESERVE such a beautiful treasure!
Thank you for such a lovely offer.
and because turquoise given to someone protects them from harm and gives them strength. I could really use that.
A. I love big honkin' jewelry
B. My mantra is "Don't Jazzerize...Accessorize!"
and...
C. It is breathtaking!
Anyone of the feminine persuasion would be thrilled to find that under her tree.
Debbie
I should win it because I just turned 40.
actually, all of Laura's etsy has.