Fancy - The Gala Necklace

Recently, Pathways, my favorite organization, threw a big party—a gala! I love any excuse to get dressed up, wear heels (now that I can actually walk in them), and have a good time, and the cause was also great: raising money for families of soldiers and special needs children, and for Teen/Family Camp.

While I did some small things to help with the gala (helping set up for the silent auction and processing silent auction winning transactions at the end of the night), the biggest thing I did to help was make a necklace just for the silent auction.

This is a special necklace. Not only is it the only thing I've made in months... I purposely made it using high-end materials, in hopes it would bring a hefty winning auction price (and therefore lots of money donated to Pathways). That... didn't quite work out, but one happy bidder did get to go home with this lovely necklace. 

Did I mention it's valued at over $650?

I made matching earrings, too, but I only remembered to get a crappy cell phone picture of them on that night.

This necklace has all kinds of yummy details. It’s got high-end stones, first of all: ruby, sapphire, and emerald… and the rest of the stones are very high quality: seraphinite, tourmaline, peridot, citrine, smoky quartz, kyanite, turquoise, larimar, amazonite, amethyst, lapis, hematite, pearls, jade, chalcedony, rhodochrosite, moonstone, sunstone, carnelian, malachite, and garnet.

I also used some large Swarovski crystals to draw extra attention.

I used 14k gold wire, and all of the findings were 100% handmade. This necklace can be worn long, or it can be doubled. It looks pretty darn fabulous either way.

I just love the cluster of sapphire, peridot, ruby, and moonstone hanging in the middle of the gold wire circle.

I seriously had a hard time giving this one up… may need to make one of these for myself, too.

Be sure to click the pictures to see the full-sized images. It's worth seeing, if I do say so myself!

The Only Constant in Life? Change...

I have a few things to talk about today, and a few pictures to show you. Ready?


First... my sale is still going strong. I've even posted a few new things... so please do check it out. At 20% off everything in the shop, it's really hard to go wrong. 


Second... I've made a necklace for myself. Yup, another one. It features some of the most gorgeous rainbow moonstone I've ever seen, including a really large teardrop briolette that I've coveted for myself for ages, now. I finally made the necklace that's been sitting in my head for a long time.

What do you think? I like that I can remove the pendant at the bottom easily enough and put something else there, or, depending on the neckline of what I'm wearing, leave the hook empty. I could see some yummy larimar hanging from that hook, though... mmm...

I'm really getting into hammering wire and texturing the heck out of it. I love the look. And it's really fun! 


Now... the next thing is that my friend Sarah has opened a new Etsy shop for her jewelry. I can't say I'm surprised, since she's been making jewelry for a little while now. But have you seen her latest jewelry? It rivals any of the best jewelry I've seen. She's really upped the ante on her work by learning to work with wire. She's really making it work for her... in very cool ways. 


To say I'm a little intimidated would be an understatement. I mean, why would anyone want to buy anything from me anymore... when you can buy Sarah's amazing beads in her own amazing jewelry? C'mon, now, go check it out!


I'm going through some changes right now, and change is hard. My confidence has been knocked around a bit, and I'm trying to find my footing. 


One of the things I'm changing is my jewelry. I'm pushing myself to come up with more and more unique designs... because, let's face it. A few years ago, nobody was making jewelry that was quite like mine. Now, I see jewelry just like mine everywhere I go... except that now I consistently see jewelry that's far more inventive, clever, amazing, and beautiful than mine.


Part of the reason? Those jewelry artists have more time than I do. 


I work full time, so any time I get to devote to creating is at night, when I'm already tired from the day, or during the weekend, when I'm also trying to cram in errands, time with friends, and chores like laundry. There isn't much I can do about it at this point, but it really leaves me feeling a bit lost as an artist. 


I almost feel like there's nothing original anymore... so what's the point in even trying to be different? 


That's not a good place to be in when you're an artist.


I'm working through that, and also working through all the other crap I'm going through (because losing my identity as an artist just isn't enough), so that's one of the reasons why I've been so quiet.


I'll end on a good note, though.


I've managed to lose 31 pounds, and if I keep it going at the pace I've established over the last few months, I'll reach my original goal weight by the end of January 2011. That's very encouraging!


Here's a photo I snapped this morning. 

I can see how my face is thinner... and though I still have a long way to go, I'm very, very motivated. It's one of the best things in my life at the moment, and I'm clinging very tightly to that...

Simply Healing: The Latest Batch

Well, I was a busy bee this past weekend, and I managed to get 13 more Simply Healing necklaces not only photographed, but actually listed on Etsy.

Honestly, y’all who do that on a regular basis… how do you keep up? It takes me so long to get all the photos taken, and then to process them—crop, lighten, resize, etc… not to mention writing the Etsy descriptions and making sure I get the stone meanings correct… and then there’s my least favorite part—naming each piece! 

Maybe now you understand why I update my Etsy site so sporadically?

I wouldn’t complain so much if I didn’t also have a full time job, which lately has been taking up a lot more than just “full” time of a typical 40 hours work-week. I come home exhausted, and my comfy chair and TV are always calling me, begging me to allow them to swallow me up whole until it’s time for bed.

That’s a hard habit to break, once you’ve eased into it.

But, in light of last week's curve ball, I figured listing some things on Etsy and then immediately crossing my fingers might not be such a bad idea.

This newest batch of Simply Healing jewelry is a lot of fun, and even more inspired than the first batch was! I’m having a ball making these little necklaces… partially because they appeal to my gnat-like attention span, and partially because I love working with high quality gemstones, but it’s also really nice to make some pieces that the "average Jane" can afford.

Especially in these economic times.

So, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a couple of pictures of these new pieces… and I’ll leave you with a little link to my Simply Healing line, now on Etsy. 

Have a great day!

Opening My Jewelry Drawer...

I always joke around and say that I keep my best pieces. After you see these, you might think I'm being totally serious, and not joking at all!

You’ve already seen this necklace, or you should have if you’ve been following my blog for more than a minute. But, I finally got the opportunity (or made the opportunity) to take more detailed photos. This is my favorite of the ones I took:

Next, we have a kyanite necklace, with a huge black pearl and hematite, with oxidized sterling silver chain. I wear this necklace often, too!

The newest necklace is with some larimar I got from a seller who actually lives in the Dominican Republic. I’m in love with this necklace and I keep finding outfits I can put together just so I can wear this necklace. Again. I’ve used smoky quartz and Czech glass, along with Swarovski crystals and a hand-hammered sterling silver ring to add a bit of sparkle and depth. What do you think?

Oh! And, I guess I’ll show you this one too, although I’ve also featured this one in the Tip Thursday series a couple of months ago… it’s a necklace featuring a lampwork bead that I made, Peruvian blue opal, peridot, and Swarovski crystals. 

Can you tell I’m in the mood for spring? I’m loving this gorgeous sunny weather we’re having, and it’s actually helping to take my mind off of our recent bad news.

Sherbert Supreme - Add some color to your world!

Hands down, this is my new favorite. Isn’t that focal bead just yummy? I’ve used lots of equally yummy gemstones to accent it, too: citrine, peridot, aquamarine, plus some matching lampwork beads and sparkly Swarovski crystals.

I could really almost eat this one, but I'm not sure it's wise to eat glass. ;-)

This is the perfect necklace to wear when you need a little pick-me-up. Or when you want to draw some attention. Or… when you’re in a playful, fun mood, and you want to give others a smile.

I adore bright colors, and putting them together in a way that’s successful is a challenge I love taking on.

This necklace definitely won’t disappoint… I can’t wait to see who snatches it up!

Now, you may ask: What on earth can I wear this with? I have lots of ideas. It would really pop against a white or ivory-colored shirt... or a black shirt. Or, pick one of the colors in the necklace to wear (a solid shirt) - green, yellow, aqua, pink, orange, or blue. Pair it up with jeans, khakis, or dress-pants... or a skirt! This necklace will definitely beg for attention, especially paired with the lovely citrine and peridot, which are both attention-getting stones.

Enjoy!

What are You Doing for Indepence Day?

Do you have any plans for July 4th? You know, Independence Day? We don't have plans, but I bet we'll end up doing what we usually do, which is drive to the top of the tallest parking garage in our area and catch fireworks shows from several surrounding cities.

We live the high life, let me tell ya.

I took the plunge and created a necklace with the beautiful (if I do say so myself) red, white, and blue focal bead I made last week. I whipped this necklace up last night, and I have to admit that I love it.

If you purchase this necklace or bracelet by end of the day on Tuesday, June 30th... I'll upgrade your shipping to Priority at no charge! Woot! Check out the details, and let me know what you think.

So, I start my new job tomorrow. I overslept today, which is highly annoying, considering all the things I need to get done. But-- laundry is done, and I already know what I'm going to wear. That's the important thing, right?

Ha! I'm such a girl.

I don't mind, though.

Recent Necklaces

First of all, congratulations to the giveaway winner, Natalie! I'll be sending your necklace and earrings to you this week! I really hope you like the set.

Would you like to see some recent pieces? I thought so... I put the chainmail technique to work and made a couple of chokers.

I like the simplicity of these. What do you think?

I especially love this one, though. I love this dichroic bead as the centerpiece. It photographs nicely too, don't you think?

Now, this one uses some of the sea glass and opalite I got in Oklahoma. I used silver pearls and some special sterling silver beads, and of course I brought this all together with sterling silver wire.
I love the sea glass. I made a sea glass necklace for myself, too. It really pops against black!

All of these necklaces are available in my Etsy shop!

Pearls, Pearls, Pearls

Admittedly, I’m not much of a pearl person.

Oh, I think they’re beautiful and all. They’ve got that luster thing going for them… and pearls can definitely make a statement. It’s just… they’re so dang common.

Everyone has pearls. Everyone loves pearls. It even seems like everyone has a story associated with pearls.

If you hadn’t noticed by now, I typically gravitate towards one-of-a-kind pieces, like lampwork beads created by artists.

Note: I did not say artisans. That’s a whole other topic, and don’t get me started on that word.

I’ve just never been a huge fan of pearls, because they are definitively not one-of-a-kind. Anyone can make a pearl necklace that looks good. If you grab pearls, you’re already halfway there because, you… grabbed… pearls. Know what I mean?

I guess I’ve just never come across any pearls that truly wowed me…

Until now.

I love these! These pearls are special. They’re irregular, so each one is unique. Some of them have blemishes. Some of them have more of a gray tint. Some of them are oval, some are round, and some are completely oddly shaped.

And… you know what? That’s why I love them. Between that and their size… which is difficult to find in reasonably priced pearls… I believe these pearls are truly special.

I mean… just look at them!

To give you an idea of their size, it only takes these 9 pearls to make an 8 inch bracelet. The clasp takes up about an inch of space, and you have to allow for the small 4mm Swarovski crystals, but yeah—9 pearls. They average 12mm long, or half an inch… and some are as long as 16 or 17mm. I even have a few that are longer than that!

These babies are absolutely divine. I can’t wait to see what else I do with them!

Mother's Necklace

This is the mother's bracelet concept taken to a whole new level! 

I had a request for a custom mother's necklace... two kids, so two names and two strands. Except-- the necklace needed to be longer, about 32 inches. 

Woo, a challenge!! This was so fun to do, and yes, it was a bit of a challenge. For someone like me, who is so used to flooding my jewelry with color... I needed to minimalize the color in this necklace so it would be as versatile as the mother's bracelets I make (which are all sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals-- clear ones). 

Well... mission accomplished! The husband, who requested the necklace, was pleased, and so was his wife. I'm thrilled... and I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the necklace as well. I think it's really cool!

I used at least four different types of chain, big BIG gorgeous pearls (3 of those), a few smaller pearls, and some silver pearls, with crystal clear Swarovski crystals and sterling silver beads.

The result? Well, see for yourself...

It can be worn as a single super-long necklace, a double-strand necklace, or even 3 or 4 strands. I added little danglies to make it more fun... and there's a clasp on each end, so it can literally be clipped anywhere. This is probably the most versatile necklace I've ever made, and I certainly hope to make more of them. It was a ton of fun! Really a fun challenge for me.

Now... something else exciting will be happening either later tonight or tomorrow. Stay tuned!!

Also-- I'm going to start sending out update emails, so you'll know when I have a sale, when I'm at a craft show, when my shop is updated, when I update this blog, etc... so sign up! The box is in the upper left hand corner!

My Latest Pieces

Ok. Here's the piece that I'm very proud to show you. The focal gemstone is citrine! I love this necklace and I have already decided to keep it. You can't change my mind. At least, not at this point in time. ;-)

I really pushed myself with the color combinations in this necklace. As soon as I saw this bead, though... I knew that yellow had to be the central color of the necklace, with lots of other fun colors added in.

This is another with a Sarah Hornik bead, named Fantastico! as the centerpiece. Isn't it a lovely one? 
I also used peridot and shiny Swarovski crystals, with sterling silver wire. This necklace makes me feel happy and light. It reminds me of my time in Italy, which is fitting, since Sarah made the focal just after we all got back to our respective spots of the world after Murano Magic.

Now, for my next piece... this one uses gorgeous Peruvian Blue Opal as the main gemstone, with a couple of pieces of citrine, and Swarovski crystals. Another Sarah Hornik bead as the focal. I love this necklace too, and have also decided to keep it. I always end up keeping my best pieces!! Even when I don't mean to!

Check out the matching earrings, too.... this glowing Peruvian Blue Opal is magical, isn't it? It's even better in person, too!

Some recent work, and BEADS!!!

Hey there everyone! I hope your new year has started off right. Mine certainly has!

I've been working a lot, but I haven't really minded (I've been remarkably calm!), because I've been very centered lately. Volunteering with Pathways is the reason... I never feel more centered and spiritually whole than when I'm in that training room, doing whatever I can to help people shed the weight of pain they've been walking with-- some people, for a lifetime... it's an amazing process, and one that I am proud to be a part of.

On the jewelry front, I haven't been making any jewelry lately. There just hasn't been time. I am hoping to make some tonight, actually... but I do have some pictures to share of some recent pieces. That counts, right?

Without furture ado... 

First, a goddess necklace. I love this goddess. She's so beautiful and earthy! Love the way this turned out. I am tempted to keep it, but it isn't really my style. It's a little too chunky for me.

Next, we have a pretty little Carribbean number. Really great mix of types of beads here, in my opinion (and I need to get this posted to my shop asap!!)...

Ok... that's it for sale. Now on to stuff I'm keeping. I love the beads in the following necklace... I've tried several times to make a necklace that would do them justice, and I ended up ripping it apart every time. Finally, I am happy with the results. Unfortunately you can't see how the necklace hangs in this photo... but there is a clasp on each end, so I can fasten it however I like. I wear it as a super long necklace with a little doubled-over part so it looks like 2 strands. I LOVE it and get compliments on it every time I wear it! I think it's a winner...

Next... this is a remake. It's exactly the same as it was before, only this time... it's... better. Haha!! When I first started wire wrapping, I admit that I wasn't that great at it. I *thought* I was, but wow... was I ever wrong! This is one of the first necklaces I made after I started selling the pieces I was making using wire wrapping. I sold another necklace similar to this one, and I wish I could get it back and remake it for the person! 

I wear this necklace often... and I always get compliments on it. It's almost impossible to get good photos of it (well, impossible for ME, anyway)... because it's kyanite, which is ridiculously hard to photograph accurately. Kyanite, smoky quartz, and czech glass beads. I love love love this set and I'm so glad I finally took the time to redo it!! Now with perfect wire wraps! 

Next up is a necklace that I was SO excited to make! It's an interesting color combination, I think... carnelian with black onyx and Swarovski crystals. I love the focal... how I *got* this focal is a rather interesting story-- I wanted it but someone "sniped" it from me on Ebay. So, a few months ago I was looking at a Flickr contact's photos, and I noticed that she had this focal and a few others. She came upon some hard times and offered to sell some of the beads to me. I got this one and several others that I was bummed to miss out on the first time. Yay!

Last of the jewelry... a GORGEOUS pendant. The stone is charoite, and it's only found along a riverbed in Russia. It's extremely difficult to find good quality charoite that doesn't have any cloudiness or black inclusions, and unfortunately there is an abundance of fake charoite that comes out of China. I had my eye on this pendant (as well as a few others the lapidary artist had) at a craft show I did last fall... and my husband got it for me for Christmas! Sneaky man. I love him. ;-) Isn't it gorgeous? The photo doesn't do it justice, either. I decided to wear it on a simple chain...

Last but not least... I haven't been making jewelry for over a month now... but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things soon. I think I needed a break from it. In that break I've done a lot of thinking about where I want to go next with my designs. I have finally succumbed to the charm and beauty of briolettes. I've found a supplier in Thailand and can get awesome deals from her. Here are a few of my recent purchases (well, recent, as in over the past few months)... 

From front to back, we have: natural pink ruby briolettes, yellow tourmaline pear briolettes, natural pink rubies, natural emerald, citrine (love these!), lapis, prehnite (a lovely pale sage green), and peridot. I am anxious to play with these!

Mens Jewlery?

I have been thinking about making some mens jewelry. I've made a few necklaces in the past, and I've had good reception. I'd like to use more gemstones though-- and incorporate the earthy tones.


The 'hump' I had to get over was making a necklace for my husband. He picked out some beads ages ago-- at least a year ago, but probably longer than that-- and ever since, I've been pondering what to do with them, to get a great necklace. The inspiration finally came to me over the weekend, and I came up with this:

It's been difficult to get a good photo of it, but it actually looks great on him, and he LOVES it so much! So that's really what matters, right? :)

In other news, I'm getting ready for my first show-- a home show, September 13th. I look forward to it. I'm also doing at least one other show this fall-- the Heart of Texas show in Plano. It's a 3 day show, and I'm really looking forward to that one!! I am actually going to print up some of my photos and get them into pre-sized mattes and see if anyone is interested. BIG step for me.

I am also applying for another show in November, but the application isn't due until October 1st. I have most stuff ready for it, except for a few photos. Hopefully I'll get into that one! And I may do one more in December, or not... haven't decided yet.

I think that's about all the news... I have been making a few new things lately, and I need to concentrate on making TONS of earrings because people always love earrings. ;-)