Because Every Girl Should Have A Set...

... of pearls...

I found these fantastic 10mm glass pearls at Michaels. They're described as being black but they're really a midnight blue (the picture doesn't do it justice). Pairing it with Crystazzi crystals (in violet... AND on sale, thank you very much) and these butterfly clasps (which is what I used my 40% off coupon on) makes it dressy and fun. There were enough pearls and crystals to make a princess-length necklace, a bracelet, and a cute pair of earrings (they're dangling on the flower in the background).

Its pretty simple, but I've always wanted a simple pearl necklace. Thanks to glass pearls, I have one now, plus a matching bracelet and earrings!

Yay! I know what I'm wearing to Valentine's Day dinner.

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...

Who is "Ahtee?"- Week 6

I missed last week. I took a picture but just didn't have the will to blog about it.

This is the picture I took. I'd been crying quite a bit and you can just make out the bruise I apparently gave myself on the bridge of my nose from squeezing my face while I cried. It was an interesting week and has continued on into this past week. A lot of unwanted drama and hurtful words exchanged. I will end with this. My life is my life. No matter how much I want to do for others, if I do not and am not able to take care of myself, I cannot help anyone. I wish other people could see that.

Leaves and Flowers

This is my third post of the day. Family drama has drawn me away from blogging, but hasn't stopped me from creating (creating was one of the things that kept me sane...). Two more earrings to share.

I bought these hammered copper links a while ago from JoAnn's. It was in their clearance section and I just had to have them. I've been loving copper lately and I just itched to make something with them. But that was in December when I bought those links! Finally, I saw these copper leaves at my bead store and thought of these Czech glass flowers I had at home and how wonderfully they would go together! Hopefully I was right...

Following the nature theme, I saw these golden flower bead caps today at my bead store. I don't usually make gold jewelry. I'm not sure why. But these flowers were so delicate and sweet, I had to buy them and make something out of them. I found some blush pink, frosted glass beads and thought the color went well with the gold. Hanging them off of 18K gold plated earring hooks and voila!

Note: I've been trying a new photographing... technique? Is that the word? Sometimes the color looks great, sometimes not so great (like in the second image of the second pair of earrings). Photoshop doesn't help much. Hopefully I can get it to work better soon... it's driving me nuts!

Valentine's Day Earrings

I don't usually make holiday-specific jewelry. I own some, but I'm afraid what I make would be garish and draw laughter instead of smiles. BUT, I saw these glass hearts and thought I should try making some earrings out of them.



I chose gunmetal as the metal finish of the findings to contrast against the white hearts. Also, Czech glass beads add just a little sparkle and the filigree beads give it a bit more elegance. I wanted to add two bows to the earrings and thought of leather, but didn't think the knot would hold so I went with a cord. But the fibers frayed. Hmm... maybe I should try and re-work them...

Not-So-Traditional Pearls

Browsing the sale rack at Michaels, I came across these HUGE glass pearls and instantly remembered Lisa Crone's post over on her A Bead A Day blog about her find of huge glass pearls at JoAnns. I've never done anything with a bead this big at all before, and thought I should be daring and try something out! Afterall, how can we create something new and exciting without pushing ourselves into the uncomfortable?

Driving over to my bead store as soon as I made this purchase, I found big silver hammered rings and I could clearly see the design in my head.

I think I would wear these with my hair up, just to make sure everyone could see them. I love the delicate filigree beads against the boldness of the pearls. And the colors just make me giggle.

Maybe I should have tried another design with the other pair of earrings... oh well. I still have four pearls left to play with! Yay!!!