moon drops earrings

here’s a sample of what i’ve been up to the past two days.  i spent almost the entire time (with a break for a delicious afghani meal last night in rancho cucamonga) in the garage studio, soldering and hammering to my heart’s content.  yesterday, my husband went domestic: he mowed the lawn, washed and vacuumed the car, and washed the dog.  and all i did was work!  how’s that for a (much appreciated) switch?!  okay, i did cut his hair–don’t worry, he likes it.

i’m happy to report the results of all my torchwork, all made entirely from scratch: a soldered and hammered bracelet, a simple triple ring hammered pendant, and these beautiful moonstone earrings with hand forged and hammered hoops.  even the earwires are handmade!

i love the added ability to create my own sterling silver findings that my butane torch affords me.  it’s been an uphill battle teaching myself how to solder these little guys, but i think i’ve finally figured out the proper balance of solder, flux and heat that makes for a successful joint.  and i love hammered sterling, so that was just a natural!

look for these pieces and others like them soon at my etsy store!

now onto the next challenge: getting good photos of hammered sterling.  capturing all those little facets makes for a challenging photo shoot!

fiery sunset earrings

i have a love/hate relationship with red but just a straight-up love relationship with orange.  (not sure where my red-phobia comes from, i can’t blame it on cabbage patch kid like i can with purple.)  when paired together, the orange tones down the ‘red-ness’ of red and makes it warm and toasty.  plus these faceted ruby quartz beads aren’t just red…they’re a deep ruby slipper kind of red.  so i can get into that.

add a bali sterling silver spacer bead (um, another fave of mine) and hang them from gunmetal, and i may just have to reconsider my feelings about red.

they’re available at my etsy store for $22 USD and would warm up any day.  even if there’s tons of snow and your capital isn’t functional.  ahem.

queen of hearts

when i was little, i played the queen of hearts in alice of wonderland.  i hung onto the skirt i wore as part of my costume forever–i still remember it: red check gingham happiness.

when i saw these red beads, they just struck a chord.  they are a gorgeous bright red at the center with delicate swirls spinning out to a clear finish.  you have to see them to believe them.

i added gunmetal, bali sterling silver, and black matte czech glass beads to make them shine.

available at my etsy store for $20 USD.  perfect for your queen of hearts!

i’m still donating $5 for every item sold to the aid organization of your choice to help the victims of the haiti earthquakes.  i know it’s out of the media for the most part, but as someone who went to assist with rebuilding in mississippi a year after katrina, i can tell you the work has just begun.  you cannot believe how much devastation there can be.  let’s keep doing what we can.

amethyst revisited

i’m not a huge fan of purple.  i think it stems from the time when i was a kid and i got stuck with the cabbage patch kid with the purple dress (a friend got the pink one.  blerg!  i think our parents took turns trying to get them at toys-r-us).  but if you darken purple up like a sky at sunset, it’s one of my favorites!  and it’s february’s birthstone.

for these earrings, i’ve used two different metals to bring out the darker, edgy side of purple.  in the ones on the left, i’ve paired amethyst and iolite with gunmetal.  they’re available at my etsy store for $20 USD.  the ones on the right have carved amethyst beads and iolite combined with antiqued sterling silver wire that i burnished to bring out a bit of shine.  they are available at my etsy store for$26 USD.

i will donate $5 for each item purchased through my etsy store to the aid organization of your choice for haiti. participate in ‘hearts for haiti’, too–add my store to your favorites list and i’ll donate $1 to red cross.

pretty scrollwork

when i saw these gorgeous bali sterling silver beads, i just had to have them!  they are hand-carved with a beautiful open scrollwork.  and because they’re hollow, they’re surprisingly lightweight.  i struggled with the perfect accent for them, but they really are the accent, so i just added small swarovski crystals and hung them from sterling silver earwires.

earrings measure just under 1.5 inches in length, including earwires.

they’re available at my etsy store for $42 USD and arrive in my handmade paper box via usps priority mail.

ps – for a limited time, i will donate $5 for each item purchased through my etsy store to the aid organization of your choice for haiti. participate in ‘hearts for haiti’, too–add my store to your favorites list and i’ll donate a $1 to red cross, whether or not you make a purchase.

january’s gemstone in two fun shapes!

garnets are gorgeous!

i decided to use these rich red semi-precious stones in both of these earrings.

the hoops (left) are made of micro-faceted garnets for maximum sparkle.  i added a few bali sterling silver spacers at the bottom of each hoop and wrapped it all up with sterling silver wire.  they dangle from sterling silver earwires for a total length of 1.75 inches.  they’re available at my etsy store for $30 USD and would make a great valentine’s day gift for that special someone.  like yourself!

the cluster earrings (at right) are made of a medley of garnets and freshwater pearls.  each bead is individually wire-wrapped with sterling silver, giving these babies a little movement.  they’re available at my etsy store for $44 USD.

i’m still donating $5 for each item purchased through my etsy store to the aid organization of your choice for haiti. participate in ‘hearts for haiti’, too–add my store to your favorites list and i’ll donate a $1 to red cross.  you’ll need an account, but it’s free!

can i keep it?

this wood pendant just spoke to me at the bead store, so i brought it home, and man, am i glad i did.  i don’t know if it’s algae or coral or a brain cell, but i really like it.  i added some red coral (sustainable source) and hammered balinese sterling silver, then strung it on a hand-sewn black silk cord.  it’s finished off with a sterling silver lobster clasp and i kind of hope no one buys it so i can keep it.

it’s available at my etsy store for $40 USD plus shipping and handling.

desert moon earrings

simple enough for a everyday wear but with enough shine and sparkle for a night out.  faceted moonstone and pale green freshwater pearls dangle from sterling silver earwires. sterling silver beads from bali reflect the light.

earrings measure just under 1.5 inches in length and are available at my etsy store for $24 USD.

turquoise trend

this pair of turquoise necklaces show off december’s birthstone.

i chose turquoise, bright green jade and faceted deep blue sodalite for this one-of-a-kind necklace. the center stone is a beautifully striated turquoise drop. thai silver spacer beads and a sterling silver lobster clasp complete the necklace.

necklace is 19 inches long.

it’s available at  my etsy store for $46 USD plus shipping and handling.

coral and turquoise encircle your neck in this necklace inspired by the sea and all its secrets. tiny glass drops peek out from between the turquoise nuggets. beautifully hammered sterling silver toggle clasp pulls it all together.

necklace is 17.5 inches long.

it’s available at my etsy store for $46 USD plus shipping and handling.

mixed greens bali bracelet

vintage german glass, swarovski crystals, and enamaled beads mixed with sterling silver beads and charms from bali. bracelet is finished with a sterling silver lobster clasp for a length of 8 inches.

this bracelet is featured at my etsy store for $68.00 USD plus shipping and handling.