Sterling Silver Ivy Bracelet

Sorry guys, this bracelet won't be available in my shop. It's a birthday present...

I've been making rather a lot of ivy recently, but all in copper. I thought I am now experienced enough to make one in Sterling silver. In fact, I made three, but only used one for this bracelet. Using three would have made it 'feel' too heavy.




Here's the ivy leaf in detail. You can also see that the clasp is handmade and that I've tried to re-create the little tendrils and shoots you get on ivy in the clasp and the wire the ivy leaf is hanging from.

Here you can see all the different beads I wire wrapped together to make the double bracelet chain: there are lovely frosted deep green Japanese seed beads, bright green coral stick beads, Czech faceted two-tone glass beads and gorgeous Chrysocolla rondelles. Unfortunately, the Chrysocolla looks much darker on the picture than in real life where it is a mix of vibrant greens and dark turquoise and navy blues.

Since the ivy leaf was silver I wanted to show the different greens of the ivy in the chain.


I might lightly oxidise the bracelet to bring out more detail in the leaf and the clasp. If I do, I'll post some more pictures.

Dandelion Necklace

Finally managed to finish this. I started it the weekend before last but never had the time to work on it, because I was so busy with the illustrations.

Unfortunately it was a bit dark by the time it came out of it's bath in Liver of Sulphur so the pictures aren't as good as I'd hoped.

Dandelion Necklace

It so so pretty in real life and the pictures don't do it justice. :-( I've started with a wire shape that I pierced, filed, sanded, brushed, and polished.

I then added all the tiny beads on their stalks: Japanese seed beads in a lovely olive green with coppery mottling, teeny Japanese seed bead in a sunny yellow, moonstone and sapphire rondelles - the sapphires are not blue but a very pale lime and olive colour - using two different gauges of brass wire. There is no solder to attach them, the design holds them in place.



The pendant was so pretty and delicate that I decided a shop bought chain just wouldn't do it justice, so I made my own.


Here is the chain made from tiny little links with three of the green mottled seed beads each, a handmade clasp and a dangle with a lovely lemony-lime prehnite at the end.




The final step was a long soak in Liver of Sulphur which turned the brass from a brassy gold into a deep green with hints of other colours - there are bits of red and purple. The necklace looks so organic it has the feel of something made with vines and berries.

In the very close close-up you can see the mottling on the green beads and the moonstone and sapphires.


Although I really love this necklace, it will be available to buy in my Etsy shop VERY soon, unless you snap it up before I list it. :-)

I am thinking of making some matching earrings, a bracelet and a ring for it. However, not today. Today I am going to play with my new wool - silk covered steel... :-)