Caitie Sellers / Lorna Hewitt

Have you thanked Guatemala today?

You should, because the tiles and wrought-ironwork of Xela, Guatemala are what inspired these beauties by Montana artist Caitie Sellers.

Bonus link:
For a sleeker, more streamlined and slightly more masculine take on architecturally-inspired rings, see Scotland's Lorna Hewitt.

Even more jewellery:

• Marilyn Puschak (Australia) - Australian architecture


• Sue Amendolara (Pennsylvania) - sculptural silver


• Tebazile (California) - turquoise & coral


• Tamar Kern (Rhode Island) - contemporary metal


• David Miracca (London) - fine jewels

Juana Camila Ortiz / Ines Sobreira

I was going to post this alongside last week's animal-ear rings but then I remembered: nobody puts neon green in a corner.

If you like loud, lively and lustrous, check out Colombian jeweller Juana Camila Ortiz.

Bonus link:
For more synthetic colour, check out Portuguese jeweller Ines Sobreira and her rings stuffed with silicone.

Even more jewellery:

• Alice Kresse (Maryland) - colour & metal


• Mercy to the Masses (New Zealand) - snakes & screws


• Robin Kranitzky & Kim Overstreet (Virginia) - art brooches


• Antje Godglück (Germany) - cement blocks


• Artgems (UK) - gold & silver

Stolen Girlfriends Club / Burberry

[Oops, forgot to post this morning! Sorry for the delay.]

Bows and axes, hearts and barbed wire... considering its split personality, I declare this collection the Mini Wheats cereal of jewellery (only much cooler and slightly less nutritious than frosted whole wheat). If it's breakfast where you are, have yourself a bowl of New Zealand fashion label Stolen Girlfriends Club.

Bonus link: one more barbed wire ring, this time from a rather unexpected fashion label: Burberry — or maybe that should Burrberry. Available on their non-USA sites for £95.

Even more jewellery:

• Rebecca Anderson (Pennsylvania) - brains & lace


• Xi Designs by Xiomara Orriols (UK) - bows on chains


• Sonja Seidl (Denmark) - clustered silver


• Manuganda (Manuela Gandini) (Italy) - modern metal


• Janis Valdivia (Australia) - bone & felt

Cheryl Eve / Flapper's

Bloomin' brilliant: organic rings from the "Hidden in Nature" series by Rhode Island's Cheryl Eve. There's lots of gorgeous stuff from this artist, especially the "Fabric Tension" cuffs, so clickety-click!

Above, one more, from her "Urban Impression/Oceanic Bloom" collection.

Bonus link:
Want an even more organic bloom? Flapper's of Japan preserves real flowers to create lovely accessories for bridal wear or everyday.

Even more jewellery:

• Emma Turpin (UK) - pleated flowers


• Gorjana (California) - modern classics


• Ellements by Ellen Klamon (Missouri) - botanical resin


• Wendy Edsall-Kerwin (Pennsylvania) - mixed metals


• Sharon Chandally (New York) - Yemenite silver

Katharina Schmid / The Great Frog

Animal ears: what would school plays, Hallowe'en and Hugh Hefner be without them? These silver ear outline rings are by Austria's Katharina Schmid, whose website is just as playful as her jewellery (hint: the navigation is hidden in the stars).

Bonus link: The Great Frog of London (yes, "frog," not "fog") has an extensive array of skull rings, including this "Michael Mouse" who sports perhaps the most famous animal ears of all.

Even more jewellery:

• Susanne Wolbers (Germany) - fur & fungus


• Ruth Waterhouse (Australia) - animals galore


• Irene Neuwirth (Los Angeles) - gems & gold


• Ruth Schaffer (Argentina) - contemporary silver


• Vagabond Jewelry (Massachusetts) - forged copper

Lisa M. Johnson / Sweet & Co. / Dominic Jones

Do not be lulled by the pony. Ohio metalsmith Lisa M. Johnson offers up a dangerous dose of anvils, bullets and grenades in her collection of metal and porcelain work — enter portfolio with caution.

Bonus link:
Here's a pony that should lull you. Mirrored acrylic rocking horse ring by Hong Kong's Sweet & Co., purveyors of, well, all things sweet.

Bonus link #2:
For more dangerous design, including claws (pictured), thorns and shark teeth, check out London's Dominic Jones.

Even more jewellery:

• The Docent (New York) - jacks & barbedwire


• Kuukoru (Finland) - guns & knives


• Madz Has Runaway (Australia) - fabric in resin


• Anne-Marie Chagnon (Montreal) - chunky colour


• Sandra McCaw (New Hampshire) - polymer clay

Lano / Melanie LeBlanc / Dear Swallow

For the first of fall: bitten leaf and jeweled twigs by Japan's Lano.

Above, more twig rings by Toronto's Melanie LeBlanc.

Bonus link:
For even more twigs, branches and buds, including a selection of oxidized pieces, check out New York's Dear Swallow (Ria Charisse).

Even more jewellery:

• Grace Chin (Ohio) - branches & leaves


• Ashley Morgan (San Francisco) - modern classics


• Erin Considine (Brooklyn) - metal & braids


• Janine Partington (UK) - enamelled copper


• Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida Gwaii, BC) - Haida art

Cinnamon Lee / Kirsten Muenster

Graphic punch! While these bands seem to lay it all out there with their bold geometric tiling, they actually have a shrouded inner life, as well: the pattern on the inside is comprised of a different shape compared to the exterior. From Australian jeweller Cinnamon Lee's "Secrets" series. More below:

Bonus link:
For a similarly geometric vibe but in a radiating pattern, check out this cast silver ring by San Francisco's Kirsten Muenster.

Even more jewellery:

• Heather Kosch (New York) - geometric wood


• Lisa Lebrocq (UK) - textured bars


• Copper Chameleon (North Carolina) - enamelled circles


• Matt Myers (Illinois) - silver & steel


• Suzanne van Oirschot (Netherlands) - bumpy bands

stepbystep / Marcos Davidson / Bow and Crossbones

For weekends when you want to hit play or just pause time (and for Mondays when you might want to fast-forward): rings reminiscent of clunky cassette-player buttons by Taiwan's stepbystep.

Are cassettes too modern for you? In his ode to an even older era, Australia's Marcos Davidson creates miniature musical contraptions in a material befitting the time: Bakelite. Read more about the artist and these "sonic selectors." Below, his rings in action in present times:

Bonus link:
Need a little something for that turntable? Check out kitschy UK jewellery shop Bow and Crossbones for this vinyl record ring.

Even more jewellery:

• Miss Wax (California) - urban graphics


• Jessica Thomas (North Carolina) - vintage charms


• Assad Mounser (New York) - heavy necklaces


• Gabriela Harsanyi (Chile) - metal & gems


• Peter Page (UK) - contemporary gold

Aliki Stroumpouli / Beth Bloom

As I was saying yesterday about creepy dolls and moving eyelids...

All pieces above by Greek artist Aliki Stroumpouli (love that keyhole ring!). Visit her site for more, including paper rings, toilets and tubs.

Bonus link:
Why stop at just one eyeball, or even a pair? This ring by San Francisco's Beth Bloom features a cluster of plastic googly-eyes.

Even more jewellery:

• Kathleen Kennedy (Seattle) - diseases & brooches


• Richter Studio (Rhode Island) - human rights


• Bence Fördõs (Hungary) - titanium & steel


• Josef Koppmann (London) - metal & gems


• Lisa Slovis (California) - contemporary silver

Melinda Risk / Robert Dancik / Katrina Lapenne

Ceramic dolls, as we all know, come alive at night, creep around the house and like to hover over you, watching you while you sleep. Understandably, Indiana's Melinda Risk has a fear of those dolls and their moving eyelids — except for the Kewpie variety, which she collects and which were the inspiration for her porcelain "Adam" and "Eve" rings, above.

While we're on the topic of body parts, I have to mention this bracelet by UK artist Robert Dancik. While not a finger ring, it is a ring of fingers — manicurist practice fingers, to be exact!

Bonus link:
Watch out, Adam and Eve! Brooklyn metalsmith Katrina Lapenne has a series of double snake rings, like this entwined duo in silver.

Even more jewellery:

• Adam&Eve (Switzerland) - gilded leaves


• Adam No Eve (Australia) - metal for men


• Satomi Kawai (Iowa) - anatomical fibers


• Toujours Toi by Nina Egli (New York) - playful & eclectic


• Reena Ahluwalia (Toronto) - bold & extravagant

Danyka van Buuren / Angel Eclectic

I dreamed I found some glorious teacup rings, posted them on my blog and made a horrible pun, something like, "These rings are just my cup of tea!" And then my dream came true.

Teacup rings and experiments in melamine by Australian designer Danyka van Buuren.

Bonus link:
Miniature teacup (and saucer) ring on adjustable band by Angel Eclectic of the UK. You can also get a bracelet with coordinating teapot!

Even more jewellery:

• Louise Buchan (Scotland) - teacup charms


• Susan Liebe (Denmark) - pastel porcelain


• Confetti System (New York) - paper fringe


• Noël Leicht (Missouri) - contemporary silver


• Andrea Andujar (Spain) - beaded neckwear

Meghan O'Rourke / Christine Dwane

This is the reason colour was invented. Australian jeweller Meghan O'Rourke does fabulous, fabulous, fabulous stuff with anodized aluminum. Go see for yourself before I say it again: fabulous!

Bonus link:
Montreal's Christine Dwane also uses the technique of anodizing (titanium, in her case) to great effect, as in her "twisted" collection of coil rings.

Even more jewellery:

• Alice Gow (UK) - anodized aluminum


• Meghan Wagg (Edmonton) - silver on plastic


• Libby Day (Scotland) - modern metal


• Lisa Riedl & Sabine Munzig (Germany) - gold & gems


• Ford/Forlano (Philadelphia/SantaFe) - polymer clay

Tom Ferrero / Charity Hall / Karla Poot

While studying in New Zealand, Connecticut metalsmith Tom Ferrero drew inspiration — and materials — from his environment. His "journal rings," showcasing bits of the Kiwi landscape in resin, are engraved with the source coordinates... which I like to think of as having one's birth certificate permanently tattooed.

Above: his cicada ring in silver, gold, copper and resin with New Zealand cicadas and fern leaf.

Here's another ring with a real cicada wing in resin, this time by Arizona's Charity Hall. Also pictured are her green moth ring (with real moth) and a crane fly ring in enamel.

Bonus link: cicadas are nice — what about maggots? Belgian jeweller Karla Poot created this maggot ring complete with tiny holes that simulate the damage caused by wood-boring pests.

Even more jewellery:

• Jennifer Herwitt (Los Angeles) - insects & critters


• RP/Encore (UK) - animal parts


• ION Jewellery (Italy) - lucite neckpieces


• Balas (New Zealand) - paua & silver


• Donald A. Stuart (Ontario) - contemporary metal

Viktoria Münzker Ferus / Hye Ran Lee / World's Smallest Diamond Ring

Vienna-based Slovakian artist Viktoria Münzker Ferus examines the blurry line between natural and artificial materials while herself blurring the line between different types of jewellery.

Pictured are her ring pendants (or pendant rings), available for viewing on her blog.

Above: "Ringring" pendants by Korean designer Hye Ran Lee, who also created the awesome "jewel" stool, designed as though "mounted on a house of rings."

Bonus link: while that stool may be the largest diamond you see today, here's the smallest. Australian scientists have created the world's smallest diamond ring, measuring just five microns in diameter!

Even more jewellery:

• Michele Mercaldo (Boston) - diamonds & platinum


• Vane (New York) - modern & urban


• Ablasor (Italy) - industrial metal


• States of Nature (Australia) - wooden brooches


• DeeDee Jewelry (Ohio) - silver & stone

Maisie Broadhead / Mackey's Mark (Alison Mackey)

Photographic re-enactments of historical paintings are a hallmark of UK artist Maisie Broadhead. In her "Jewellery Depicted" series, she chooses paintings "where jewellery is at the centre of the image's meaning" and then creates the jewellery for real, revealing them to be "a collection of distorted and hidden half-truths." Pictured above are rings based on Portrait of a Jeweller (1516) by Franciabigio (1484-1525).

Bonus link: speaking of photographs, Seattle's Alison Mackey (of Mackey's Mark) makes great use of abstract photos by using them to colour her sterling jewellery!

Even more jewellery:

• Kelly Gerber (New York) - photos on metal


• Suzi Tibbetts (UK) - lockets & applecores


• Frida Aberg (Sweden) - art jewellery


• Nicola Vruwink (Los Angeles) - silver silhouettes


• Emi Savacool (New Jersey) - carved insects

If this page is missing posts from the first few days of this month, it's because I've reached my Blogger page limit! To read all posts, see the full monthly archives at TheCarrotbox.com