Re-invented Black Sun

I am having one of those strange days when nothing seems to go quite right. Found a cool contest on Etsy yesterday with a theme of Cinco de Mayo and thought, hmm, with a few teeny changes my Black Sun necklace would be perfect. So I made the changes and took the photos, ready to upload... and then I just couldn't find the contest anymore!!! Really should have saved the link!

However, I think the changes made it into an even more exciting necklace than it was. Sorry, it's a lovely necklace and much prettier in real life than my measly photographs are showing.

I've added two different coloured turquoise chips (lovely deep cerulean blue and a slightly lighter shade) and a Kyanite rondelle to a bit of shaped wire and then did a fancy swirly bit for a lovely heart shaped turquoise. The blue really seems to set of the gold of the chalcedony and amber, and the oranges and reds of the Carnelian and Coral.

So, all in all I am glad I made the changes. :-)

See for yourself.

The last of 2007

Here's some jewellery I prepared earlier. ;-)

Blackberry Heaven

The first creation is a bracelet made of memory wire, silver plated curved beads, little round spacer beads and vintage blackberry AB beads. These are absolutely wonderful. They are black with a gorgeous AB coating. The bracelet is very light and there's nothing like this out there.



Circles within Circles

This is one of mine. :-) I love circles and used all the rings I had in my secret stash to make this. There are vintage flat rings, round rings that are either plain, hammered or patterned of different sizes, and a single oval ring, but all are connected with oval jump rings that have been soldered by a little pixie I know. To finish it off I've used my favourite 'Chanel' toggle clasp and I added a little tail to the back of the necklace with another set of rings attached.


Bracelets

Oyster Cult

I got myself some gorgeous pearls and had to make something with them. The colouring of the large pearls used in the bracelet below reminded me of oysters. I have teemed them up with smaller copper coloured pearls, old rose gold and green Givre daggers and beads, little faceted pale green round beads and Magatama drops. The bracelet has a lovely fluid feel and look to it that is organic and sparkly at the same time.

Early Autumn

This bracelet combines all the colours of early Autumn - from pale golds to greens to ambers and reds. I have used small green and chocolate brown freshwater pearls, deep red carnelian drops, golden shimmery amber, and Magatama drops in pale frosted amber and translucent gold.



Roses are Red (or sometimes white)

The following bracelet reminds me of a brother Grimm story called 'Snow-White and Rose-Red', which I read as a child. I've used a vintage chain with modern findings, pearlescent Magatama drops interspersed with ruby red Swarovski bicones. I love the slightly spiky look the bracelet has, although, trust me it doesn't feel like it. :-)


Honey Dew

The colours of the next bracelet are very soft and it looks almost edible. I've used Citrine, mother of pearl (round beads and chips), white jade (round beads and chips), honey coloured jade and topaz chips with glass pearls and deep chocolate brown Magatama drops.



Red Clusters

The next bracelet is a very different design from the others. I've used connectors made with deep ruby red Swarovski beads and copper bead caps to link clusters of beads (Magatama drops, tear drop beads, frosted and crackled round beads in shades of red that have been strung on bits of copper chain). A lovely coppery flower charm finishes off the design.



Starshine

This bracelet is mine. I made it for selling but found when I got ready for a Christmas party that I needed something to go with my gorgeous vintage butterfly necklace. This was the perfect match. I have used icy heart and star charms on bronze chain with pearlescent Magatama drops in creamy and stark white and very, very pale green.




Snow and Ice

Here's another white creation. I have used a mix of silver grey Keishi and small nugget freshwater pearls in grey and larger ones in white, white carved bone beads, and Matagama drops in pearlescent white and very, very pale green. I love the icy look and shimmer of the bracelet on the silver plated chain which is finished with a little snowflake charm.




Chocolate and Blueberries

Another 'yummy' creation. I've used shell beads in blue and dark chocolate brown, mixed them with dark amber and blue crackle beads and chocolate brown freshwater pearls and daggers in metallic brown and peacock blue. Frosted intense blue Magatama drops finish it off and give it an organic feel.

Wire (Crochet) and Sea Glass
And finally, here are some more of my sea glass creations. There are more to come. I've made some more this year which will be in a new blog entry.

By the Sea
I love this necklace, it's so special. Very heavy, too. I've used an oval frosted stone found by the seaside (see the upcoming 'Trips in 2007' blog entry) in Southwold, a piece of sea glass (probably found by Alison somewhere on the beach in Nice, and a gorgeous rock quartz nugget (very large) all encased in antique gold wire crochet. The chain is vintage brass and the 'pendant' was finished off with Magatama drops in cream and white, white jade and carved bone beads, and glass pearls. The clasp is particularly pretty with lovely little swirls.


Sea Bed
Another sea glass creation, this time with a large piece in pale green, wire encased and embellished with (real) amber, chalcedony and sapphire nuggets, with a pale blue glass pearl, Miyuki delicas, and an Art glass bead thrown in for good measure.

More commissions

Been busy this weekend, but especially today. Have been asked to make some earrings in red and gold/yellow and here they are.

I've used lots of red beads: red shells, red jade, coral, wood, Magatama and Miyuki drops, carnelian, cranberry crackle beads, flower beads, Swarovski crystals (Siam and Papadasha), and seed beads in different shades of red on bronze findings. The close-up below shows the beautiful beads in detail.


Here's the second pair in all it's golden shimmer:

For this pair I have used warm golden and cream shells, topaz, citrine, and amber, wood, Miyuki cubes in different shades (copper, gold and yellow), Magatama and Miyuki drops, Swarovski beads in different shades of yellow, from intense to pale lemon, little stripy heart beads and glass and seed beads in different shades of yellow/gold/amber/topaz. The whole lot has been strung on copper with two different types of chain.

Here's the third commission. A necklace with a cluster of beads hanging from a gorgeous deep red suede thong.

There are too many beads to list. The picture below shows more detail.

More Sea Glass Jewellery

I just had to make some more. :-) This wire crochet is definitely addictive - check out Caroline's Blog, she can't stop either!

Below is my kite necklace. The colours reminded me of that moment by the seaside where the sun has almost sunk and there are just a few glimmers of light but everything else seems to be painted in sepia.
The necklace is quite short - deliberately - so the kite hangs flat and looks almost like a stone age spear head. It's a stunning necklace and I am not sure yet that I can part with it. It may be the one I'll be wearing at the party on Thursday....

I've used black enamelled copper wire with small seed beads in black and crystal/black lined with a pale amber bit of sea glass and a lovely faceted drop. The chain and other findings are black plated.

The bracelet below has really captured me. I love it. I am pretty sure I can't bear to part with this. It's just so beautiful.
I've combined little pendants/charms of wire encased amber sea glass with amber lustred Magatama drops, little wire wheels (each one different), and little glass bead drops and shells. The feeling is slightly - maybe more than slightly LOL - Gothic and very filigree, almost like Art Nouveau ironwork. I love the effect and it hangs beautifully.


Below are some earrings to go with the necklaces/bracelets I made. They will be sold separately so people can pick and choose what they want.

The first set has been made with pale green sea glass and silver plated copper wire and silver plated findings. I've added some pale green lustred Magatama drops. I love the watery feel of these earrings.

These ones would go well with the Mermaid necklace. I've used a similar medium green sea glass encased by green wire plus watery green glass tear drops, a few seed beads and some wire beads.

These are really lovely. They would go perfectly with the seahorse necklace. I've used dark green sea glass with a bronze coloured wire, gorgeous lustred beads, bronze filigree beads, and a couple of green seed beads. These earrings are simple but the effect is lovely, very organic.