pearls & gems

Coming back to my beloved pears and gemstones, all on knotted silk cord, 16"-18" long.

Three separate strands, from right to left.

1. white freshwater "potato" pearls with polished and faceted green garnet rondelles
2. freshwater pearls dyed gold, with rough cut green garnet chunks
3. light taupe freshwater peals with faceted prehinte drops

inspirational necklaces

clockwise, starting at top 

• left: dove grey pearl solitaire
• faceted fluorite with freshwater pearl
• chocolate freshwater pearl solitaire
• irregular silver freshwater pearl with aquamarine rondelle.

And here's the packaging: little envelopes, all different, made from recycled paper (thanks Pratt catalog!)

Happy New Year!

My freind Jenny asked me to repair a couple pieces of her jewelry.
The necklace was a commission from her husband to celebrate the birth of their fourth (!) child.  It features blue iolite, sapphire, and aquamarine.  Her little bruiser yanked on it while she was holding him.

The bracelet was a Christmas gift her husband purchased from the Sundance Catalog.  It was way too small to fit on Jenny's wrist, so she asked me to make it a little longer.  No problem ( I left a little leather dangling so I can size it to her wrist). 

After repairing her bracelet, I was inspired to make more, using materials I had on hand.  All are strung on leather with sterling wire.

Clockwise from top left: green rutulated quartz with FWP, aquamarine with FWP, amethyst with FWP, FWP, FWP with ruby, spinel with FWP.  The combinations are unlimited!

Sundance sells their "Ruby Riata Bracelet" (above) for $68 + $12.95 shipping.  

I'm thinking of selling my creations for $48.  What do you think?

Fiera de Ladra

I went to the Feira de Ladra ("thieve's market") the Lisbon, Portugal flea market in July 2010.  
  
After a long, hot morning of searching through piles of old cassettes, sunglasses, hardware and other odds-and-ends,  I found several adornments. 

I've been hoarding the special treasures I bought that day, waiting for the right inspiration.  

Here's the first of the new pieces:

I don't know the vintage of this mother-of-pearl charm, but it is old.  It's hung on moonstone & 14GF chain, with a bronze freshwater pearl & peridot accent.

 One side has a picture of a pagoda.

The other side features geometric carvings.

It looks pretty on either side!

I'll continue posting new pieces as I make them.

click here to link to my Etsy shop