New pieces!

A few new pieces are available on Etsy!

See the "December Bracelet," "Blue Empress Earrings," "Winter's Gold Earrings," and "Red Flowers in Snow" Earrings!

Holiday Earrings: Warm Cider and Chestnut Flowers

 Warm Cider Earrings

These fun earrings are perfect for the holiday season (and beyond)!

My "Warm Cider" earrings feature vintage rust moonglow globes, red agate stones with white bands,antique brass discs, and kidney wires.  These lightweight earrings are just under 2" long from the top of the kidney wire to the bottom of the Lucite globes.  The Lucite globes are just under a 1/2" in diameter.

Available on Etsy!

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 Chestnut Flowers Earrings

These rustic earrings are also perfect for the holiday season (and beyond)!

My "Chestnut Flowers" earrings feature carved horn globes and floral antique copper globes hung on antique brass kidney wires.  These lightweight earrings are 2 1/2" long from the top of the kidney wire to the bottom of the antique copper globes.  The horn globes are just over 3/4" in diameter.  

Available on Etsy! 

More earrings crafted with the holiday season in mind coming soon! 

Pawfect Match Rescue Howliday Shop Preview!

I've been busy busy busy this week (and last week, and the week before...)!  Here are a few preview shots of what I"ll have at the Howliday Shop (yes, there's more)!  Learn more about this event here.

Sky Heart Necklace - SOLD

Jade Dreams Earrings -2 Pairs - SOLD

I'll also have items from my Etsy shop.  Check out the inventory here on my blog, as I"ll be putting my shop in vacation mode during the Howliday Shop!

Bohemian Engagement I: OOAK Necklace w/ Guanyin Coin, Picture Jasper, Sesame Jasper, Agate, Olivine Jade, and Palmwood Beads

 This necklace was a spontaneous creation.  I originally planned to design a bracelet, but a necklace soon evolved out of the materials I wanted to use together.  I've been experimenting with white backgrounds and lighting, and I think the combination of the two elements was perfect for this one-of-a-kind piece.  Because I enjoyed making this piece so much, I plan to make a few more that incorporate a bohemian palette. 

This necklace is both minimal and bohemian.  And, despite it's neutral palette, it is full of texture and pattern.  The necklace will make a statement with its various natural materials and eye-catching focal piece.

 

The necklace is reversible as the antique bronze Guanyin (Kwan Yin) centerpiece and replica Chinese dynasty coin are double-sided.  Guanyin is the Bodhisattva of compassion and is believed to observe or hear the cries of the world; on the back of this quarter-sized centerpiece is the yin yang symbol.   The dynasty coin, which is penny-sized, bring luck with a dragon on one side and Chinese characters on the other. 

Three picture jasper stones on one side of the necklace feature rich browns and creamy lattes, and tell a story of their own making them perfect for encouraging creativity and awareness.  (Above on the right.)  On the other side, a picture jasper stone accompanies an olivine jade stone and two white shell beads. (Above on the left.)

Two striking saucer-shaped palmwood and  water buffalo horn inlay beads, handpainted and polished by Filipino craftspeople are on each side of the necklace.  These horn used in these beads is a by-product, which makes these beautiful beads a sustainable result.  One of these beads is grouped with an olivine jade stone  and two carnelian colored agate stones with white bands (olivine is perfect for drawing luck and money).

Near the focal piece are two sesame jasper (also known as kiwi jasper) stones.  One stands alone and another is paired with white shell and a fluted, iris brown iridescent Preciosa Czech pressed glass bead.  Near the spring clasp of the necklace is a grouping of olivine and agate that will draw interest to the back of the wearer's neck.  This necklace looks amazing both coming and going!

This necklace is lightweight and measures 23 ¼" from end-to-end.  The pendant is 2" long and is about an inch wide at its widest point.  The chain is gold-plated iron that is nickel and lead free.  The chain has a beautiful soft, yet luminous, luster.  You can buy "Bohemian Engagement I" here on Etsy!

See this necklace for another design featuring Gwanyin : http://www.etsy.com/listing/75461379/sage-necklace-jasper-pyrite-statement

Love minimalism?  See this necklace: http://www.etsy.com/listing/76702162/desert-pearls-i-ii-necklaces-turquoise

A Gathering of *SOLD* Pieces

All of the pieces featured in this post sold at my line launch back in May, but I thought I'd share pictures and a few details about each one to showcase the kind of designs I love to make.  These are all one-of-a-kind pieces, but similar sister designs may make their way to my Etsy site in the future.  Enjoy!

The EarthLandSea Necklace

 This necklace features  turquoise jasper coin beads, blue mosaic turquoise rondelles, a one-of-a-kind clay bead, African bone beads, gold-plated spacers, and a gold tone toggle clasp.  The colors are a meeting of earth, land, and sea.  I seriously love this necklace!    I'm glad it has a beautiful friend to wear it!

Moroccan Lantern Earrings

 I intended these earrings to be limited edition, but supplier problems rendered them one-of-a-kind.  These earrings feature purple acrylic beads with a contemporary (yet reminiscent of Moroccan) design.  Antiqued copper floral beads and tiny purple seed beads complete the design.  You may see a similar design soon, but these are the only ones for now!

Napoli Necklace

 

Named for the Italian city of Naples, this choker echoes the colors in Naples' flag.  The necklace features oval red and green jasper beads that are a rich hunter greenish-black and steel gray with spots of green and red throughout.  Each bead is different, making this necklace truly unique.  Carved red cinnabar flowers and a golden flower clasp complete this elegant design. 

This necklace has a matching bracelet that I will post for sale on Etsy soon!

Teagan Bracelet

 

I take the time to name all of my pieces and choose names that reflect a piece's spirit.  I named this bracelet featuring blue-green mosaic turquoise and an antiqued copper focal bead "Teagan" because of its flecks of rich teal.  So, I hoped to capture the color I loved in this bracelet within its name.  I may make copies of this bracelet, but because each hank differs in coloration, each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind.

The Lucky Find

 

 

I love this bracelet!  It gets its name from the antique curio shop in Cristina García's novel Monkey Hunting.  This bracelet features a carved black lucky cinnabar fish of Asian design, frosted yellow fire agate rondelles (that change color in water), lava rounds, silver-plated spacers, and an awesome Tibetan silver lucky fish clasp.  As with Teagan, I may make copies of this bracelet (because I seriously love it).  But, as I said above, each hank of stone differs in coloration, so each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind. 

Twilight Bracelet

 

 

I love lapis lazuli and I love the dynamic energy of this bracelet.  This bracelet features lapis lazuli stick beads of varying sizes accented with silver-plated spacers and completed by a Tibetan silver toggle clasp.  As with Teagan and The Lucky Find, I may make other bracelets in this style, but, to risk sounding like a broken record, each hank of stone differs in shape and coloration, so each bracelet will ultimately be one-of-a-kind. 

Look for more lapis lazuli items on Etsy soon!

Blue Empress Necklace

 

Read the story behind the Blue Empress necklace here.

Check out items for sale at my Etsy shop!

Pink Fire: Gale's Custom Order

   

I loved designing this custom necklace for Gale.  She wanted something that would match her summery pink strapless dress.  When she told what she wanted--something very pink, chunky, funky,  and one of a kind--I immediately thought of agate.  In the finished piece, four faceted, free-form pink agate stones compose the centerpiece of the necklace.  Agate comes in a variety of colors and its striations and inclusions make each piece truly unique.  (See detail on the left below.) 

Metaphysically, agate is powerful stone.  According to BestCrystals.com, agate "balances ying-yang energy, stabilizes the aura, facilitates discernment, imparts strength and courage, opens one to innate creative talents."  Gale also wanted the necklace to highlight the light pink and white of the dress, so I thought column shaped pink striped fire agate stones would add balance and further interest to the finished design.  Like the other agate stones, each piece has its own distinctive inclusions and matrix pattern.  

Detail of rose pink jade and pink fire agate

More detail of free-form pink agate and rose jade

To create a sense of dimension and difference, I chose round faceted rose pink jade, which ultimately enhances the necklace's metaphysical properties.  BestCrystals.com tells us that jade promotes,"Harmony, peace, fidelity, confidence [and is] a wonderful dream stone."

Silver accents finish the necklace and compliment its cool pink tone.  The silver toggle clasp is Tibetan style, and the two white pearl shell beads that terminate the necklace stimulate "intuition, sensitivity, imagination and adaptability" along with providing "insight into decision-making [and]cooperation between the self and others"(CharmsofLight.com).

Detail of white pearl shell and clasp

 

Many thanks to Gale for the opportunity to design this one-of-a-kind piece!

 

For reference, the necklace measures 18 3/4" long.