Shakespeare Collection

Been having fun with my wire and thought it'd be nice to have a new collection. I decided on a Shakespeare theme because he's one of my favourite authors, and here are the first two of my creations, both bracelets. I've started off each of the bracelets with a bar made of wire with feature beads (some are vintage) in a row, decorating the bar at either end with little swirls. Then, I've created a chain from lots of different handmade links, added charm(s) and a clasp made by me to finish them off.


Desdemona

I chose deep dark reds (for the jealousy and the blood of her murder) and sky blue (for her innocence) for the beads. The chain is made from bronze wire and connected with gingerbread brass jumprings. About half the beads are vintage, so is the Japanese little heart charm. The bracelet has been antiqued to give it a more aged look. You can read an overview of the story here.




Kiss Me Kate

For this bracelet I've chosen fiery colours for Kate's fiery temperament. I've complemented the fiery colours with oxidised copper and three little heart charms. I couldn't resist adding a little skull, a bit like on a bottle of poison... Read the story here.


Both bracelets should be available in my Etsy shop soon....

Madeleines

Madeleines

I love Madeleines. They're delicious and easy to make, especially, now I've got my new silicon Madeleine tray. I can't recommend the silicon bake ware enough. It works so much better than the traditional bake ware.

For everyone interested, the recipe is below - I found it somewhere on the net a long time ago...



Recipe

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
1 cup icing sugar (sifted)
3/4 cup flour (sifted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (mixed and sifted with flour)
1/2 cup (115g) of melted butter

1. Beat eggs, vanilla zest and lemon zest until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar.
3. Then, add the flour little by little.
4. Fold in butter.
5. Pour batter into moulds.
6. Bake at 190C until golden brown.

Eat, quickly (or there won't be any left!)

Ben insisted that our Madeleines should be dipped in chocolate. It's okay, but I prefer them without chocolate. You can also use different shaped moulds. I've used the tradition shell moulds and some heart shaped moulds.

Busy-Bees-R-Us

Sorry for the pun, couldn't think of anything else for the title... brain not working very well today.

Made lots and lots of stuff as I've caught the wire bug. Just can't stop making things with wire. The next project is already on the drawing board. However, I thought I better take some time out to show you what I've been making... especially since I am SOOOOO pleased with the latest pieces.

Let's start with some more


Rings

First, here's my Sweet Pea Ring, made with a sterling wire tube, fresh water pearls in green and silvery grey, sterling silver ball pins and lots of tough love bending in all into shape. The ring is a standard size M but can be adjusted.




This is my Mint Sorbet Ring - check out the matching earrings in the earring section below! This ring has been made with bare copper wire, thick gauge for the ring frame and a darker coloured, thinner copper wire to wrap the beads. This is so pretty and the little crystal faceted beads have a lovely green shimmer and a gorgeous sparkle. The ring comes in a size M.



And here's my Fruit Salad Ring. I love this ring, it's full of sunshine and summer. I've used bronze wire - thicker gauge for the frame, thin gauge for the wrapping. The jewels are: orange sunstone, golden citrine, and minty amazonite. The ring comes in a size M, however, I can make all rings in different sizes.


Earrings

Been hammering and bashing away. Here are the results.

Number one are the Leafy earrings - a hammered sterling silver leaf with a labradorite dangle. All the findings (including the jumprings and earwires) are sterling silver and handmade.




Lime and Lemon Sorbet earrings. Again, everything handmade, sterling silver, and lime green and pale new jade cubes with lovely handmade little spirals dangling at the bottom.



Ice Cube earrings. These are so pretty with the black oxidised sterling wire and the pale jade cubes interspersed with vintage (Edwardian) crystal seedbeads.



My favourites - Icy Tulips, made with Sterling wire, Sterling chain and earwires and the most gorgeous pyramid shaped prehnite beads. Not sure I can sell these....




Frosty Morning earrings: these have been made with silver plated findings, frosty white sea glass, green faceted crystals, and vintage dangles that hold the sea glass in place. You can see in the first and third picture how the dangles create lovely swirly reflections on the sea glass.




Mint Tea earrings: similar to the ones above, again with sea glass but this time in green, and aventurine round beads and vintage diamond dangles.



Black Star earrings. These have been made with Swarovski headpins bent into ear wires and Sterling silver paddle pins wrapped around the onyx briolettes. Small, but perfectly formed.


Raspberry Sorbet earrings, made with oxidised Sterling silver wire and beautiful sparkly rose quartz briolettes.






Tangerine Dream earrings: Made with oxidised Sterling silver wire and bright orange Chalcedony.

Mint Sorbet earrings: copper with green faceted crystals. See matching ring above.




Sets

Ophelia Set

Necklace: vintage brass figure of eight chain, gorgeous microfaceted grey/green crystal, labradorite briolettes, brass wire and lots of patience, TLC and hammering....



Earrings: same materials (except for the chain)


Bracelet: same materials as above, even more patience, and a little angel because I was a good girl going to all this trouble. ;-)






The Etruscan Heart Set: TaDA!!!

This one has been made with more patience and TLC in bronze with little Heishi labradorite beads interspersed between the double heart sections. The necklace is long enough not to need a clasp, however, I could add one if required.





The earrings have been made with more bronze wire, labradorite Heishi and briolette beads and a little leaf instead of the hearts.



Most of the items above should find their way into my Etsy shop some time in the next few days...



Works in Progress

Below are pendants, that as of yet haven't been turned into necklaces. Sometime soon they will be the pretties necklaces and lariats. So watch this space and enjoy a sneak preview.


Funky Pink Heart pnedant: hammered, oxidised Sterling silver wire and a gorgeous bright fuchsia pink chalcedony briolette.




Fossil pendant: a real ammonite wrapped delicately in square Sterling silver wire.




Art Nouveau pendant: bronze wire encasing the dark green nugget of sea glass, pale grey/silver freshwater pearls and a gorgeous deep green moss agate briolette dangling from the bottom.



Beaded Ammonite pendant: Sterling silver wire - two different gauges, gorgeous Japanase Raku fired beads in a dark brown with a peacock shimmer, vintage crystal beads and a faceted amethyst coloured glass bead in the centre. All wrapped around and around and around to create this pretty pendant.