Shannon Larratt is Zentastic

A customer asked me to order them some custom stones for a recent order, and along with their request I got some others in stock. Most of these will be in the shop soon, and I always like making custom stuff for people so please let me know if something you see strikes your fancy. Anyway, this first one is a pair of 8mm orange CZ. It’s insane how bright they are. That’s in part because of the stone and the cut, but also because it’s such a tall stone that I had to mount the eyes very high in the socket (otherwise the backs would poke the finger) and they really glitter.

These next ones are 8mm rainbow topaz and are also quite intense — they are iridescent across various blue, green, and turquoise tones that are hard to capture in a still photo.

These blue or deep cyan stones are a pair of 8mm simulated blue zircon.

Next is the actual stone that was ordered, a pair of 8mm black spinels. Totally black and opaque.

Also in black, I ordered a bunch of 8mm high dome black onyx round cabochons, which are basically half spheres. I got these largely as an experiment as I’ve never worked with them before, and wow, do I ever love them. They really look incredible. I made a couple of rings using them as eyes that’ll go into the shop in the next day or two.

In addition, I have started mounting cabochon’s on the backs of these rings whenever possible, inside my “signature” tattoo logo. It’s a very beautiful touch, and I feel like my work is getting better and better with time.

I have some more cabochons on order, so in a week or so I hope to do some more experiments. I have some really neat looking pyrite ones, some blood red almandine garnets, some green malachite, some very psychedelic glittering opal, some turquoise chrysocolla that looks like a planet, some pearly moonstone, and some stunning lab-grown star sapphires. Finally, because I have had so many requests to do a version of this skull ring but in a smaller women’s size, I’m beginning work today on a new skull ring that should fit sizes 6 through 9 (the rings about are size 10 through 13).