New Designs for Winter: Red Shell Bracelet

I recently bought some red shells, because I love shells and the way they shimmer, but also because I thought they'd be nice in darker colours for the winter (although they of course work all year round). The shells are great quality and are available from BeadsNeedsUK, where they stock a great range of different colours at a good price.

The bracelet itself is a very simple design - red shells with Magatama drops in two sizes and three different reds: a translucent shimmery red, an opaque raspberry red, and a frosted lustred red (those are the small Magatamas the others are bigger. I've hung the shells and Magatamas from a blackplated medium chain and I think the look and feel is very organic. The bracelet also makes a lovely tinkling noise when you are wearing it.


Here's the bracelet in some more detail:

This bracelet is for sale, too. Heartbroken though I am, if you really, really want it ... contact me.

Myth and Legend - Titania, Queen of the Fairies

Midsummer Night's Dream must be my all time favourite Shakespeare play. Titania was one of the names suggested by my friend Alison for my Myth and Legends range, and I liked it so much I just had to make a necklace.

Here's a painting by John Simmons, Titania (1866):I imagined a lovely sumptuous necklace in a range of colours. Titania is the Queen of the Fairies with a very hot temper (which is how the hole Midsummer Night's Dream starts) and I felt that there needed to be a lot of red, however, I thought that as a fairy queen there had to be a bit of green for the woods and golden yellow.

Here's the result with even more beads than the other two. I've used as many different beads as I could find in my bead box and pulled it all together with Magatama drops in orange, yellow, reds and jade green. There are Swarovski beads, Indian beads, Venetian beads, Czech beads, Cloisonne beads, Cathedral beads, drops, daggers, and findings all in copper (fairies don't like iron) including stars, roses, and a butterfly in the centre, and, of course, semi-precious chips in malachite, carnelian, and garnet.

Here's more detail:

And here it is with even more detail:

This set is for sale, too. Although I'd like to keep them all, there's only so much jewellery I can wear. :-) I'd look like a Christmas tree if I'd wear them all....

If you are interested, please contact me.

Myth and Legend - Nimue, The Lady of the Lake

The latest design in the Myth and Legend series is inspired by Nimue, Lady of the Lake. I've always loved all the Arthurian legends and myths, and found Nimue to be particularly interesting and mysterious.

Below is a painting by Frank Cadogan Cowper. Here's a link to the Art Renewal Center with some info about the artist.

The red/warm colouring of the image didn't work for me, it just wasn't mysterious enough. When I closed my eyes I pictured Nimue in purples, blues, and blacks with a veil. Being a priestress and sorceress Nimue also (for me) related to the moon and stars and of course to the water of the lake. I've tried to combine all those ideas by the materials and colours I've used in the Nimue set.

I've started with a fine silverplated chain because I wanted the necklace to be elegant and light. I then added more silver chain with twisted silver rings in loops and dangles and hung star charms and a snake pendant from the dangles. The snake symbolises wisdom and knowledge, but also the pain both can cause. If you know the story of Nimue then you will know that the knowledge she shared often hurt even those she cared about and not least herself. I added little glass shell beads, shell beads in soft purple and lots of other beads including vintage beads; amongst them are beautiful Swarovski beads, Czech faceted beads, drops, daggers, porcelain and Cloisonne beads. Finally, I added little semi-precious chips of amethyst, lavender lace agate, moonstone, obsidian, plum coloured stone, rose quartz and quartz, and one large fluorite nugget bead in purple.

Here are a couple of detailed pictures of the necklace:


I decided that I wanted to make a bracelet and also some earrings to go with the necklace. The earrings had to be simple, I didn't want them to distract from the necklace, but I wanted to add a bit of shimmer and a twinkle:And here's the bracelet, combining all the elements from the necklace (except for the snake):

This set is for sale. Although I'd like to keep them all, there's only so much jewellery I can wear. :-)

If you are interested, please contact me.