If you have been following my Earring Design Challenge, then you are aware that this particular "challenge" had quite a few variations.  I have done bezel sets before, but over the years, that particular skill hasn't always been the primary focus in my designs.  After reviewing an online course with Lucy Walker Jewellry, I was back in business.  

 I do have to confess it means I broke away from the "using what I have" rule of my Earring Challenge to purchase some lovely fine silver bezel wire so that I could begin again.  This time I stuck with sterling silver as my medium.  I liked the gold tones of my previous attempt, but the wire was too heavy, so I opted for a lighter gauge silver and implemented my latest signature semi figure 8 twist and textures.   

I love how these earrings turned out.  They are slightly heavier but are still quite comfortable to wear.  

(Fun fact:  I have a personal pair of earring wires that I switch out when wearing and modeling my jewelry. I always replace with a new pair when I ship pieces for an order).

You may be wondering why did I choose to call this lovely pair "Orsina"?  

When I was having a tough time making this pair initially a couple of weeks ago, I took a break for a camping weekend with my son Niko, best friend, and her children along the North shore of Minnesota.  During a moment alone, I was driving back to our camping site after a supply run, and there was not a car on the road but my own.  I rounded a corner, and this majestic mother bear comes bumbling across the road in front of me.  I had plenty of time to slow down and observe her heading back into the woods from a safe distance.  There was something magical about my lone bear siting.  

According to the website symbolicmeaning.com a bear crossing your path means we should embrace ourselves in a moment of solitude for rebirth and understanding. The Bear is a reminder that we need to pause for a time to relax and allow more creativity and play in our lives.  A timely revelation for me. 

Now on to my arriving at the name "Orsina".  Sometimes when my creative juices are stuck, I resort to some fun and entertaining name generator sites.  The name Orsina popped up, which is Italian for Bear.  That is when I made the connection of the moment I saw this beautiful black bear cross my path during a time I was actively working on this pair of earrings.  

The Orsina~Sterling silver Jasper earrings are a pair that was worth taking some extra time to create. Bold and beautiful the perfect accent for fall. 

Is this one-of-a-kind pair going to be yours?