Jeweler crafts wooden rings with beaded inlay inspired by his Indigenous culture

Jeweler Isaac Shoulderblade carves wooden jewelry with hand-beaded embellishments. The process includes slicing wood to the correct ring size, carving space into the rings for beads, then securing the designs with epoxy and sanding it all down. Growing up in the foster system, Shoulderblade did not get to spend his entire childhood immersed in the culture of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, which he was born into. In this last year, he has embarked on a journey to learn more about his cultural history, which has included learning how to bead. Although he started making rings as a hobby, he gained a following by posting videos of his process on TikTok, which led him to launch a custom-jewelry business. Here, Shoulderblade makes his Every Child Matters ring, which features 215 beads, representing the 215 children's remains found buried at a former school for Indigenous people in Canada.

Timecodes
00:17 Cut out ring core
00:27 Create inlay for beads
00:43 Sew beads
01:01 Attach beads to ring
01:41 Vacuum sawdust
01:53 Seal beads
02:06 Shave off excess glue
02:27 Round edges of ring
02:38 Apply more glue
02:57 Sand ring until shiny
03:15 Smooth edges
03:25 Apply final touches
03:44 Check ring size ​

For more, check out:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/shoulderbladedesigns
https://www.tiktok.com/@shoulderblade_designs
https://www.instagram.com/shoulderblade_designs/
https://www.instagram.com/twosparkscc/
https://www.instagram.com/grays_beadwork_/