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I've always loved women that can pull off the wild side of jewelry and outfits with flair and style. I was inspired just the other day by one of them, in fact, that I saw on TV.
I watch a lot of late night tv due to the hours I keep and I came across an episode of "Just Shoot Me" the other day where the character Nina Van Horne (played by Wendie Malick) was wearing an absolutely fabulous dress. At first glance, the dress looked black with a bit of feathered fluff at the cuffs. On closer inspection, though, it turned out to have a dark leopard print within the fabric.
It was an amazing dress and it inspired me to create this wild but elegant leopard print bracelet made with handmade lampwork glass beads combined with a bunch of pearls I've hand-wrapped in gold tone wire then set interspersed with other golden accents.
It's just amazing sometimes where inspiration can come from!
In February, I attended a local historical reenactment gathering and tournament for the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). This group is a world-wide group of people who are dedicated to the research and re-creation of the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. This includes many talents from combat and cooking to story telling, costume making, artwork and more.
At the function that I attended, members dressed in the fashions and jewelry of the Middle Ages and Renaissance attended an all-day event that featured tournaments, a royal court complete with feast, dancing and other various reenactment activities.
Many of the women who attended were dressed in Viking Era fashion, which included an interesting style of jewelry I was enthusiastic to start making.
Above is one of the first of these designs. A Norse cascade necklace which is attached to the shoulders of an outer apron worn by the women of that era by large brooches.
Look forward in future posts for more information on these cascade necklaces and other historical reenactment jewelry that I'm working on. I plan to add an entire line of such pieces to my repertoire of designs!
Spring is a time of flowers and color and for spring, this year, I really wanted to learn how to make crystal flowers. Now, clearly from the picture it seems at first glance like it's not that hard a task, but it turns out that most of the tutorials I found were either rather complicated or far too embellished with fancy extras to do what I wanted.
This flower is my success at designing my own personal method of creating crystal spring flowers. After hours of experimentation and many pricks from the wire (a few deep enough to make me bleed) I finally, successfully, came up with a simple way to bring the beads together into the flower design you see above.
This flower is my first!
It's designed with amethyst glass briolette crystals combined together to create shimmering petals. I then added white pearls and a plum colored pearl center before attaching it to an adjustable ring base that will fit size 7 and up.
Agate is a variegated class of chalcedony that usually exhibits with colored bands or other markings. It is often used and worn in order to help transform and eliminate negativity as well as find a balance between the intellectual, physical and emotional centers of the body.
In the handmade gemstone necklace pictured in today's post, agate is the theme of the piece. The spider web agate used in this piece is both earthy and bold with a smoky shimmer to the body of the beads and dark bands of inky black within the stone.
This spider web agate and bronze necklace has been created by hand from a large chunk of spider web agate designed into a pendant hanging from a hand-crafted chain of more spider web agate beads combined with fresh water pearls and lots of bronze tone accents. An extender chain at the nape makes the necklace able to be worn at a variety of lengths.
In celebration of the upcoming Easter holiday, I designed this lampwork Easter Bunny charm bracelet from a variety of beautiful pink and white beads clustered along the length of a silver plated chain with glass flower beads and lampwork Easter Bunny charms added in.
This handmade charm bracelet is a perfect celebration of spring and a wonderful reminder of the traditions of Easter and the Easter Bunny from our past.
The Easter Bunny is a character depicted as a rabbit bringing Easter eggs, who sometimes is depicted with clothes. In legend, the creature brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children on the night before Easter. The Easter Bunny will either put the baskets in a designated place or hide them somewhere in the house or garden for the children to find when they wake up in the morning.
The Easter Bunny was introduced to the United States by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 18th century. The arrival of the Osterhase (Easter Hare) was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures", similar to the arrival of Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve.
According to the tradition, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The "Osterhase" would, if the children had been good, lay brightly colored eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured, modern Easter basket, and the placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets and eggs for children to find on their Easter Egg hunts.
[Information on Easter and the Easter Bunny provided by Wikipedia.]
Sometimes when boredom strikes, you just need a little color to stir up the inspiration.
When I was little, my sitter and I used to play a game. We would pick a color then take turns going through the alphabet naming something that was that color. For example, for purple we would start out with "A" and I'd say "Amethyst is purple" and she'd say "Barry's Beetle is purple". We'd take turns like that, going as fast as we can, until either one of us became stumped or got one wrong at which point the other party won.
I had a lot of fun with it when I was little and now, as an adult, I sometimes find myself remembering fondly that game in particular when I'm working on my jewelry.
The piece pictured above is the latest piece that has brought these memories to the surface. These silver and amethyst colored handmade hoop earrings are designed with lots of amethyst glass accents combined with subtle hints of silver accents. Joined together on a silver wire hoop, they create a mysterious style that makes me think of gypsies and moonlight.
For centuries, ancient societies and individuals have believed that stones and crystals are gifts from the earth imbibed with magical powers to help with an individual's every day life as well as healing properties. Today, as then, they continue to be revered by many for these same properties and reasons.
The handmade bracelet pictured above is designed with honey jade combined with burgundy glass beads and antiqued bronze rose charms. Honey jade is believed to be a stone of happiness and joy and has been used for centuries to foster these emotions as well as to encourage serenity and peace during times of need.
Incorporated in this vintage-inspired bracelet, it adds a charming value to an artisan design that can be worn both casually or for dressier occasions.
Made with lampwork glass beads with a swirl of raspberry and cream colors inside and a pair of cherry quartz gemstone rounds, these handmade earrings were handmade in a fun and eye catching style with just a hint of elegance and warmth with delicate gold-plated accents.
These lampwork glass and gemstone earrings measure at 2.25-inches (5.8 cm) in length with a touch of weight to them from the lampwork glass, but they are designed to be easy to wear and will make a fun accent to any outfit that they're chosen to pair off with!
I love the bronze Tree of Life bottle used in this moonstone and turquoise necklace. When I first saw it, I was immediately inspired and the design took on a life of its own. It almost felt as if it created itself at the tips of my fingers.
The bottle at the end of this handmade artisan necklace is fully functional with a cap that opens but is securely chained to dangle when the bottle is open instead of getting lost. Along the chain, interspersed between lots of bronze accents, are large and medium sized rainbow moonstones combined with magnasite turquoise rounds.
This Tree of Life necklace is then finished with an extension chain at the nape so that it can be worn at a variety of lengths.
Fun and cute... and perfect for someone with a sweet tooth! This handmade charm bracelet was inspired by pink dyed coral beads that look like candy. The coral beads were used as spacers between sparkling clusters of crystals and glass beads.
Completing the piece, a handful of cute little lampwork glass cupcake charms with vanilla frosting and little pink rosettes were added. These cupcakes are handmade from lampwork glass and an adorable addition to the sweet tooth theme.
This handmade cupcake bracelet was then finished off with a toggle clasp in matching silver tones that looks like twists of licorice!
Spring is coming and summer isn't' far behind... at least we all hope that's the case! With thoughts of a warm spring and the beginnings of summer rolling around in my head as inspiration, this handmade sunflower necklace has been created in anticipation of that soon-to-be-arriving season.
The pendant at the end of this artisan necklace is a beautiful porcelain cabochon that has been set within a frame of leafy bronze fronds. The pendant is 70 mm in size and dangles at the end of a length of hand-created chain with bits of bronze beads, yellow pearls and matching porcelain beads with sunflowers on their surface.
Inspired by beads with intricate geometric shapes over their surface, this handmade artisan bracelet is created around those beautiful rectangular beads combined with vibrant turquoise beads and a large elliptical turquoise bead at the front.
All together this turquoise handmade bracelet with golden accents is designed to create a feel of ancient mystery and luxurious style. The bracelet measures 8-inches in length so that it can fit most wrists and has been designed to add a splash of fun and color to any outfit whether casual or something more elegant!
One of my absolute favorites of late! Titled the "Forest Runes" charm bracelet, this piece is designed from beautiful puffy lampwork coin beads interspersed between shimmering clusters of beads and charms.
Each cluster contains the soft glow of pearls combined with the bright shimmer of crystal glass beads in shades of green and tan. Included as well are little leaf charms and a coin shaped rune set in the center of each cluster.
This handmade charm bracelet is then brought together with a beautiful leaf-embellished toggle clasp and the entire piece measures at 8.25-inches (21 cm) in length.
A beautifully made 52mm bronze owl with black rhinestone eyes and the shimmer of rust colored rhinestones at his crest and tail dangles at the end of this handmade gemstone necklace designed from rust red fossil stones, honey jade gemstones and lots of little bronze accents including floral charms and bead caps.
This handmade owl necklace is both earthy and elegant with a touch of shimmer and lots of rich color. It's sure to be a favorite to owl lovers everywhere! The necklace's length is adjustable between 19.5" - 21.5" in length (49.5 cm - 54.6 cm) thanks to an extender chain at the nape and lobster claw clasp.
Delicate and colorful with a vintage style flair! These handmade earrings are created from pretty little glass turquoise beads faceted for a cheerful shimmer combined with bronze accents.
the little delicate dangle earrings have then been set to hang from matching bronze tone earring hooks. The earrings are not just fun and colorful but light weight and easy to wear.
I wish I could find more of these!!
That's what I thought when I found this little pewter and rhinestone elephant charm. I fell in love with him right away but was only able to find two. I then used one for a custom order and this one is all that's left!
Using this beautifully detailed elephant charm, I've designed a handmade elephant bracelet created with shimmering crystal beads and black glass beads. This bracelet is both fun and elegant too and I love the way it sparkles and shines!
Bronze charms depicting delicate dozing ladies swinging within the curve of thin crescent moons dangle at the end of these handmade pearl earrings. Above the celestial moon charms in bronze dangle a cluster of glass pearls in midnight blue with one freshwater pearl in each cluster.
These pearl cluster earrings were designed to match the "Swinging Moon and Midnight Pearl" necklace recently made in matching midnight blue pearls, soft white pearls and bronze accents.
Designed as part of the "Northern Lights in a Midnight Sky" jewelry set, this handmade artisan necklace is created under the inspiration of the Aurora Borealis (aka Northern Lights) and their beautiful display in the arctic sky.
Created with moon and star charms dangling with a freshwater pearl, this abalone and pearl necklace is designed with a combination of antiqued silver accents combined with fresh water pearls and paua abalone shells representing splashes of color in a night sky.
If you like this piece, you may also enjoy taking a peek at the abalone shell charm bracelet and matching abalone and pearl earrings that complete the set!
Adding to the Aurora Borealis inspired "Northern Lights in a Midnight Sky" set I started to share with readers yesterday, this handmade abalone charm bracelet is designed from colorful shimmering abalone shells that have been combined with genuine freshwater pearls and lots of little silver celestial charms.
Yesterday I shared with you the abalone shell and pearl earrings that match this handmade bracelet.
In this handmade artisan pearl and abalone bracelet, moon and star charms combine with other silver accents and the cheerful chime of small silver bells for a mystical night sky effect with the colorful shimmer of paua abalone shells representing the beautiful light display that the Northern Lights cast upon the sky above the arctic.
This is the second piece in a three piece set that I'm featuring this week titled the "Northern Lights in a Midnight Sky" jewelry set.
The Aurora Borealis (aka. the Northern Lights) is a gorgeous natural light display that is observed within the night sky located over the northern polar region of the earth that's caused by the collision of charged particles directed by the Earth's magnetic field.
Inspired by the Northern Lights, this pair of handmade abalone shell earrings are designed with paua abalone shell disks dangling beneath genuine freshwater pearls.
Sterling silver completes the piece and this is part of an entire set entitled the "Northern Lights in a Midnight Sky" jewelry set. I'll be featuring the necklace and bracelet in this set later on as well!
