How to repair spiral or hanging styles of horn ear gauges that have warped.

This is the fourth installation of blogs on jewelry care specific to organics hosted by Avaia Artistic Jewelry. One common problem that can occur with horn jewelry items is warpage. Horn warps when either the horn was not properly dried prior to carving and then was shipped to the customer before the moisture content stabilized, or is due to exposing horn jewelry to moisture. You should never shower or get horn jewelry wet. Having said that, not all is lost and you may be able to repair the damage depending on the degree of warpage and the fragility of the horn. This technique may not work for all items, but you may meet with success if you are willing to try it.

The first thing you need to do is soak the jewelry back in water for at least 24 hours. The moisture content needs to be increased again so that the jewelry can be reshapened. Once soaked, towel dry the jewelry and place in the middle of a heavy book. Much like pressing flowers, you now need to stack significant weight onto the book. It is suggested that the items stay pressed in the book for 2 to 4 weeks. The longer, the greater the chance of success. Shine and colour can be brought back into the jewelry once it has dried with a light coating of jojoba oil.

And there you have it. Repaired and reshapen ear gauges or other horn jewelry.
Would you rather just buy something new. Visit Avaia Artistic Jewelry and check out our amazing selection of quality jewelry at rock bottom prices.

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Halloween is coming! Let's look at some gauge styles befitting this holiday.

Whether Halloween comes once a year to you or if it is your style all year long, Avaia Artistic Jewelry will have a style of gauges to match your personality or party.  Check out some of our favourites below.

Our HOWL style is hand carved out of organic water buffalo horn with bone dust inlay.

Appropriately named "Hellbent" these were designed to be scary

The above style was name "Tempest" and could pair wonderfully with Halloween.

This dragon style is called "Scatha"

And another dragon style called "Parthos"

And what about some OWLS?

The above owl is called "labyrinth" after the barn owl in the movie.

The SAGARIS style has a medevil feel to it. We also have this style in bone, red sabo wood and black areng wood.

And DIABLOS named after the devil himself.

Also possibly an urge to Howl at the Moon.

But what ever you plan for Halloween or thereafter, check out the selection of gauges at Avaia Artistic Jewelry and let us make your day or every day awesome.

One of a kind SATIRE organic spiral ear gauges - only at Avaia Artistic Jewelry

At Avaia Artistic Jewelry we pride ourselves on being able to offer some unique, one of a kind designs to our customers. The Satire style is hand carved out of organic buffalo horn with sterling silver inlay. We specifically commissioned this design for Avaia and we don't expect that you will find it anywhere else. We are currently offering a special on this design - click here. Once they are gone, we will not be getting more in stock. Don't pass up your chance to own one of our unique earring styles. Available in 12g through 1/2"

New Product - Amazing hand carved Tigris ear gauges

We put our fair trade artisans in Indonesia hard at work to create these one of a kind ear gauges. Whether you call them spacers, plugs, weights or stretchers, these will get attention! Hand carved out of areng wood with bone inlay teeth and eyes, the amount of detail in these earrings is sure to impress. The tiger is a symbol of strength and we have insured the detail in these will live up to the tiger's reputation. We will not be getting these back in stock. Supply is limited so if you want something different from everyone else, now is the time.View item details at Avaia Artistic Jewelry

Body Jewelry and Ear Gauges for your Generation - we have for sale the selection, material, and quality you are looking for at affordable prices

We have the quality, price and style you want!

One of a Kind, Custom, Original Ear Gauges

Not everyone wants the next fad design in jewelry.  Avaia Artistic Jewelry commissions original work, rare and detailed work, as well as custom designs for our customers.

Occasionally we get requests for custom designs.  Although we at Avaia Artistic Jewelry do not carve ourselves, our artisans in Indonesia are happy to help out with custom orders.   These orders typically take some time to complete, but they can be worth the wait!

We had a request for a tiger design in a hanging ear gauge.  Check out what our artisans could do for our customer!

We have also hosted a design contest for the last two years that lets our facebook fans choose the winner.  The winner receives a nice prize package in exchange for the use of his or her design.  Below you will see the design winners over the last three years.

2013 Design Winner

Calla Lilly in Horn

2012 Design Winner

Hanging Cat in Sabo Wood (not oiled in photograph)

Sometimes we, at Avaia Artistic Jewelry ,have a vision for a design that our carvers exquisitely capture.

Whale Song - an original design at Avaia

We can also commission work other than body jewelry.  These cute, little havanese dog pendants were the work of our artisans as a special commissioned project.

 

Keep Current with the happenings at Avaia Artistic Jewelry by liking our Facebook Page.

Visit us at www.avaiaartisticjewelry.com

How big should you gauge your ears?

People begin the process of stretching their ears with many different goals.  But how big is too big for you?  We'v decided to talk about this topic from our experience at Avaia Artistic Jewelry.  We have ear gauges for sale in all sizes, but this little guide may help you decide how quickly to stretch up, and when to decide to stop.
If having your ears return to a normal appearance is an option that you want, we suggest that you stop somewhere between a 4g and 2g.  Most people (there are individual differences of course and this is only a guide), can stretch to this size and return to wearing standard gauge earrings (with a bit of stretchy lobes) and no noticable hole.  Some people may be able to stretch larger, but the "point of no return" varies from individual to individual.  The photo below shows an individual that had stretched to a 00g, or about 9.5mm, after a rest from stretching, and minor plastic surgery to repair the stretch.

The type of jewelry that you plan wear is also a significant factor when deciding how far to go.  Hanging styles typically are sold up to a 1/2" gauge size, and you may find limited styles in larger gauges, but they are far less common.

Plugs can start as small as a 10g, but they are hardly noticable at this size and would lack detail.  Tunnels may begin at 4g, but really begin at 2g with a variety of styles.  If you are looking for detailed carvings in your plugs and tunnels, you may have to stretch as large as 1/2" to get the detail that you are looking for.

The type of material plays a factor as well.  Bone gauges are limited in hanging styles to a size of 0g at best as bone, in general, is not a thick material to carve when working with flat pieces.  Bone tunnels can be larger in size as long bone is used, which is naturally hollow.
Horn can be carved in gauges of all sizes, but hanging styles will still be limited in the larger sizes.

Wood has no limit in carving sizes, but is quite fragile in the smaller gauge sizes.

Stone and glass has no limit in plug size, but becomes quite heavy in larger sizes.

Shell gauges are limited to the thickness of the shell, and are generally available in sizes under 0g, with occasional sizes that are larger.

Whatever you decide, we at Avaia Artistic Jewelry would be happy to help you with your decision.  Visit our website at www.avaiaartisticjewelry.com or drop us a note at orders@avaiaartisticjewelry.com  Please visit our facebook page or our wordpress blog.

A Sizing Guide to Stretching your Ears

VISIT WWW.AVAIAARTISTICJEWELRY.COM FOR THE BEST EAR GAUGE SELECTION AND PRICES

So you want to see what those plugs are going to look like in your ears? We've compiled a photo so you can get a better idea of how big you want to go. We are also going to give you some advice based on what your stretching goals are. There is a lot of advice out there and by all means, what we state is not the golden rule. Do your research before you begin the process.

Firstly, don't rush the stretching process. Those that are patient and allow time to heal will find that the stretching process is not painful and that the earlobe retains more elasticity and the likelyhood of damaging your earlobe lessens. A stretch a month is considered by many to be the right pace. Next, ensure you are using a proper stretching taper to complete the process. Don't force your tissues to stretch beyond their limits. Many consider somewhere between 2g and 0g the point of no return. Most people who stay within this limit and decide to wear standard earrings, will do so without problems. However every person is different and stretching is considered a body modification. Don't stretch larger than you are willing to live with when you are older. Minor plastic surgery is an option for those that extreme stretch and then want their "old" ears back.

When stretching, one thing to consider is limits on the types of jewelry that can easily be purchased and worn. Tunnels typically start around 2g and can go up in size for the largest of stretches. Plugs start at 12g, but do not hit a realistic size for many people until a minimum of 6g or 4g. Double flared plugs are 0.5mm - 1.5mm on the flares larger than the wearing area. So if you are a 4g, the wearable area is 5mm, but the flares may easily be 6mm. Hanging styles can nicely be worn in smaller stretches. For bone and horn, there are limits to the sizes in which gauges can be made in hanging styles. Typically for bone, that limit is 0g. The limit for horn may be up to 1/2". Larger hanging styles can be accomodated in wood. Organics are beautiful, but they are not as durable as stainless steel and other metals and require special care and cleaning.

Tribal Ear Weights - The ancient practice of ear lobe stretching

Buy Tribal Borneo Ear Weights Here

Ear stretching is not a fad.  Throughout history, many cultures have practiced earlobe stretching as a sign of beauty and status.  King Tut himself had stretched ear lobes as visualized in his burial mask.



Ear weights are associated with many African and Asian Tribal cultures.  Borneo tribes, including the Dayak and Iban, adorned their ears with brass and metal weights.
The woman in the photograph below is a Native Iban woman showing the tribal tattooing and ear lobe stretching that is becoming less common today among the native tribes, but has exploded as a trend (to a lesser extreme) among the Western world..

The photo above is of a young Dayak girl from Borneo stretching her ear lobes.   In times past, villages would have ceremonies and give title to the most beautiful woman of the village.  A major requirement to having this prized title bestowed on a woman would be having the most extremely stretched ear lobes.
Many ear weights were artistic and beautiful, often representing creatures of their spiritual beliefs.

Mythical Asos

Fertility God

If you like the look of stretched piercings, whether it be a small 12g, or a large 2 inch stretching, Avaia Artistic Jewelry has hand crafted ear gauges to suit your wants and needs.  If you like the look of Borneo ear weights, we have those too.  Visit us at www.avaiaartisticjewelry.com

Indonesian carvers are deep in the history of ear stretching

A 14th Century, Gold, Ear plug  from Indonesia.  This exquisite ear plug is set with a ruby.  It was designed to be worn by women of the upper class of society.

There is a long history of stretching in most of Southeast Asia.  The intricate work of artisans was revelled by the upper crust of society.  Materials such as gold and precious stones served as status symbols.

Today, skilled artisans continue to produce amazing items from materials provided by mother nature.  Avaia Artistic Jewelry has a large selection of hand crafted, organic, ear plugs, spacers, tapers, and hanging gauges for those that like the finer things in life.

So why is it so difficult to get the correct size ear spacers?

So you are gauging your ears.  You have found that perfect item and wait patiently for it to arrive in the mail.  You open the package, and excitedly try on your new plugs, only to find they are too small or too big.   You ordered the correct size, so what happened?
There could be many reasons you are having problems getting the correct size.  One of the most common culprits is the failure of body jewelry stores to size their products using a caliper prior to shipping.  We have found some stores selling jewelry 1mm to 2mm larger/smaller than the requested size.    Avaia Artistic Jewelry sizes all of our organic jewelry prior to shipping using a vernier caliper.  Because each organic item is hand made by an artisan, there are natural variations in size.  Standards within the business allow for a +/- 0.5mm deviation from the actual size.  One pair may be 0.5mm smaller, and another pair 0.5mm larger than your requested size, and this is within the norms.
Other reasons for sizing issues include large flares or double flares which typically are 0.5 - 1.5mm larger than the wearable area.   Self stretching, as piercings naturally do, may lead you to think the jewelry is the wrong size, when it actually is what you have requested.
How do you minimize this problem?  Shop with a company that pays attention to detail and puts customer satisfaction first.  Visit Avaia Artistic Jewelry for the best body jewelry shopping experience online.

How to repair chips and cracks in organic ear plugs

Occasionally we get questions on how to care for or repair jewelry that has been damaged. Over the years, we have learned a few tricks. It isn't uncommon for stone and glass ear plugs to chip. Sometimes there are natural stone inclusions that are rougher than the polished stone. And we've heard it mentioned that some bone and horn spiral ear gauges have sharp points from the carving.

There is a simple fix that will take care of most of these problems - basic candle or paraffin wax. Just melt a drop of wax on a rough point and smooth it in. You will be happy again! If the wax is planned to be a long term fix, it should be scraped off and replaced periodically if it is on a wearable area.

Buy Labradorite Plugs at Avaia Artistic Jewelry

Each variety of natural stone has associated properties that follow it. Labradorite is our most popular stone for ear gauges. It is a power stone that can allow your dreams and goals to come into focus and turn to reality. If you are intuitive, labradorite can strengthen your natural predictive talents. Labradorite's uses include helping to develop ideas and develop enthusiasm for projects. If your are artistic, a dreamer, or have plans for a project, it will help your creative side.

Labradorite is native to Canada. First found in 1770 on the Labrador penninsula, other sources have since been found in the former USSR and Norway.

Labradorite is famous for its "flash" of colour when viewed at specific angles. The colour of the flash can vary from intense blues, purples and oranges, to flashes of white, green and every colour of the rainbow in between. High polish rounded plugs will display a cat eye effect. There are various grades of labradorite. Economy grade plugs, which are common in many jewelry stores, may contain little or no flash. We offer A grade plugs, which will have some flash, andSelect AA grade labradorite plugs guaranteed to have excellent flash. Our sizes range from 6g to 1" with prices that cannot be beat!

How to care for organic bone jewelry

Bone is one of the most popular materials in organic jewelry. Most people when they first purchase bone do not realize it is VERY fragile. Even thicker bone needs to be handled with special care. Bone also does not handle humidity well and may warp under these conditions. Keep your bone jewelry out of the bathroom and preferably somewhere with dryer air. Bone that gets wet or is in constant contact with skin, will change colour and develop a translucent appearance from water or body oils. Bone should not be oiled as this will change the colour. The best way to clean bone items is with a dry jewelry polishing cloth. This will remove any grit and bring out the shine. We recommend removing bone ear gauges before showering, bathing or swimming to keep them looking their best the longest. Bone also has a limited thickness. We at Avaia Artistic Jewelry often have requests for bone hanging gauges in sizes bigger than 0g. Because bone is limited to the thickness of the animal from which it comes, most hanging or spiral gauges can only be in sizes up to 2g or 0g.

The holiday season will soon be upon us. Avaia Artistic Jewelry has 3 orders on the go in Indonesia. We have some never seen before carved plugs and some silver inlay hanging designs that you will find no where else. In addition, we have a stone order on the way that includes some more of the high demand single flare faceted plugs and labradorite in larger sizes. Watch for updates on these orders in the upcoming months. In the meantime, join our Facebook page and tell us what you are looking for. Our customers are number one to us so we will try our best to find the items that you desire!