Its a Keeper

It's been a while since I made jewelry specifically for me. I noticed that I don't wear a lot of what I've made because I want to try and sell those pieces (and someone told me that worn jewelry is harder to sell... plus I don't want anything to happen to the piece while I'm wearing it). But, for people to see what kind of stuff I make or to be able to say "Oh thanks! I made it, here's a business card," I have to actually be wearing something I made (and also have business cards, but hey, one problem at a time, ok?).

The earrings are made of copper wire, dark copper chain, Cryztazzi crystals, fire polished glass beads, and glass pearls. The bracelet has seed beads, Czech flower and fire polished beads, purple glass beads, and glass pearls. The copper toggle is a gift from my wonderful friend, Liz. Thanks, Liz! I looooove it! :D

Detail of the bracelet!

Copper and Pearls

I started this necklace earlier this week. I finished the filigree embellished piece (embellished with fire polished glass beads in two pretty purples) on Sunday with hopes to work on it my next day off... Having been laid off yesterday, I suppose yesterday was my next day off. Hahaha. But, I was pre-occupied.

I saw a necklace similar to this in a catalog but instead of the filigree piece embellished with fire polished glass beads, it was a silver flower with (what I assumed were) diamonds. I think the copper gives it an older feel. Also, I'm assuming the pearls in the catalog were real. These are just glass Crystazzi pearls. But they sure are pretty.

I also made some earrings. But the copper is shiny. What's your opinion... does shiny mix with dark? I happen to like it, but will others?

Below is an alternate view of the necklace (without the flower) and a close up of the filigree piece. Hopefully, I will take some time and do some art before I jump back into "reality." I was always complaining how I didn't have enough time to do what I love... sooo... I'm going to try it for a while. Yay!

No Two Pair Are Alike...

On Sunday, I made these two pairs of earrings. The first is a bit more "classic" with the big white porcelain bead and dark glass pearls. The other is a bit more "fun" with the seed bead hoops and copper flowers. One feels a bit cold and the other warm... colorwise anyway.

I'm not sure if I'm developing a "style" like a painter develops their style... but I feel more confident when I'm going into a piece. Perhaps that's what its about... confidence.

Steampunk Princess: Filigree Bracelet

Here is a bracelet to match the Mechanical Butterfly necklace I did a little while ago.

I'm not sure if you could consider the style I'm using here "steampunk." Would people who love and cherish this style be offended that I call this "steampunk?" I think that the combination of the elegant filgrees and sparkly Chinese crystals with chain and dark copper pieces makes it steampunky, but I'm not sure. I see what other designers are creating and get inspired to make things like that but with my own twist. And this bracelet, like the necklace, came to me by looking at the book "Steampunk-Style Jewelry," by Jean Campbell.

Here's a close up of the filigree piece! A little coiled wire makes me think of a machine... just like the butterfly in my necklace design.

I'm hoping someone likes the bracelet. This piece will be up on Etsy sometime this weekend. I'm excited :)

Iced Copper

Such a pretty blue!

There were full strands and half strands of these pretty icy blue glass beads at my bead store. They're bigger than the beads I usually use. And I'm not a big blue lover (reds and purples, sure... blue's pretty... just not on me...) but something about the pale blue just made me add them to my basket.

I'd been wanting to try making post earrings using these filigree pieces I bought, but my bead store didn't have any glue-back posts (is that the proper term?). I found some dark copper hypo-allergenic ball posts with loops and decided that was better than nothing. I think it looks better than ear wires would've.


I think I may be obsessed with copper...