Believe Bracelet - Upcycled- Reinvented

I loved photographing this bracelet.  The soft colors and texture are captured perfectly!

This bracelet is my first "reinvented" piece. Almost all of its components are from a vintage necklace at least 20 years old. The original necklace was in near perfect condition and had little to no signs of wear. The only problem was that the design was quite outdated.

The focal pieces was the foundation of the design.

This one-of-a-kind bracelet is composed around a vintage, sapphire blue Lucite and brass focal piece. This piece was not original to the necklace and is old new stock in perfect condition. The lovely and realistic faux components, lustrous pearls, tiger's eye, and faceted smokey quartz, create a classic feel to this bracelet, which would be a perfect Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, or Kwanzaa present for a mom, beloved mother-in-law, or cherished grandmother. It also make a great piece for holiday dinners and parties.

I love the soft effect here.

(In fact, the pieces are so realistic, the seller I purchased the original necklace from said she couldn't say for sure if the tiger's eye and smokey quartz were real or faux!)

This bracelet looks nothing like the original necklace, which had red Lucite accents and dated gold links.

The clasp, extender chain, and wire wrap detail are all vintage pieces in amazing condition. The "believe" charm and rhinestone detail near the clasp are new components that capture the spirit of this piece that I envision as believing in the potential to create and reinvent beauty in the world.

The charm adds a touch of newness to old beauty.

 

Buy it here on Etsy!

Treasury Item! September Bracelet: Orange Jade, Textured Silver Rounds, and Antiqued Copper Globe

I had a lot of fun designing this bracelet, and even though it's not September anymore, my "September" bracelet is perfect for October and beyond (especially for folks with a sense of playfulness--read the original blog post to find out why)!

Check out the beautiful treasury in which it was featured!

Buy the bracelet here.

See the original blog post here.

Moving!!!

Dear friends and fans,

Things will be quiet for a week or two (and have been quiet for a week and a half) because I am moving from Carborro to Chapel Hill.  It is a short-distance move, but all of my time is going to packing, cleaning, and being a teacher and graduate student.  I have many ideas and designs to shape into reality, so I'm looking forward to moving to a new, larger space and getting back to creating.

Thanks for your understanding!

Jameela

P.S. In the meantime, check out what's for sale at my Etsy shop!

River's Way Bracelet: Custom Order

A custom order with an inspired, yet spontaneous, design...

River's Way

The owner of this bracelet gave me free reign with a design, and because she is a dear friend, I wanted it to be unique, very wearable, and reflective of her personality.  I thought my Teagan bracelet would be a nice foundation to base this new design on because of it's versatility and color scheme (blue is the owner's favorite color).  

 

This bracelet, of an intentional asymmetrical design, features blue-green mosaic turquoise, turquoise blue chips, a gunmetal wire globe, and a lucky fish charm near the Tibetan silver toggle clasp.  Asymmetrical placements intrigue me because I feel they they add movement and liveliness to designs..  When I completed this bracelet, the first image that came to mind was the movement of a bright blue river flowing through a vibrant. fertile landscape; thus, "River's Way" was born. 

 

Turquoise is a powerful healing stone that can help wearers with meditation, balance, and communication.  It is also a protective stone that enhances love, friendship, and loyalty.  Find out more about Turquoise here.   The blue turquoise chips add color and dimension to the off centered focal point of the bracelet.  I've had these blue chips for a long time, and only a limited amount remain.  They are a rich turquoise blue and may be either natural turquoise or dyed howlite.  The lucky fish charm (the only one I have) is suspended by an iris blue stream of Delica seed beads, which adds uniqueness and a touch of youthfulness to the design.


For more one of a kind bracelet designs, see these listings on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80301573/white-pink-magnesite-turquoise-black
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78619117/green-empress-bracelet-green-cinnabar
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77650266/lillian-bracelet-yellow-jade-amethyst

Illuminated Twilight Bracelet: Custom Order

A very special custom order.... 

Illuminated Twilight

The owner of the original Twilight bracelet was in a serious car accident, and sadly lost the bracelet to what we believe was the force of the airbag's impact.  Thankfully, she survived the accident with no serious injuries and was able to salvage a few pieces from original bracelet from the wreckage of her totaled vehicle.  She wanted me to incorporate pieces from the original bracelet into a new design and "Illuminated Twilight" was born.

Deep blue with flecks of gold pyrite, Lapis is known for its  protective, stress relieving, and peace enhancing qualities.  It also encourages self-awareness, self-expression, and one's sense of confidence (source here).  The green shell stimulates "intuition, sensitivity, imagination and adaptability" along with providing "insight into decision-making [and] cooperation between the self and others, as well as within the self"(source here).  A Tibetan silver toggle clasp and two dangles made with Preciosa pressed Czech glass in an iridescent purple complete the new design.  A lot of love and energy went into this design and we are both happy with the result!

If you're interested in a similar design, check out my 13/20 bracelet.

Teagan in Istanbul: Moasic Turquoise, Antiqued Copper, and Ceramic Globe Bracelet:

Teagan in Istanbul....

This bracelet is the second incarnation of the original Teagan bracelet I sold at my line launch back in May.  As with the first bracelet and all of my other items, I try to choose names that reflect a piece's spirit.  I named this bracelet featuring blue-green mosaic turquoise and a turquoise, green, and brown ceramic focal bead "Teagan in Istanbul" because of its flecks of rich teal and adjustable clasp that includes an Ottoman coin charm on its end.  I hope I've captured the color I love in this bracelet within its name.

The Ottoman coin charm which inspires part of the bracelet's name

Accented with antique copper findings, this bracelet measures 8 1/2" long and  fits wrists from 5 3/4 to 6 5/8 wide.  It suits small to medium-sized wrists best and light to moderate weight.  Just so you know, there will be a small Teagan series, with each piece being slightly different (aka one-of-a-kind).

 

Buy Teagan in Istanbul here on Etsy!

Treasury Item! Sage Jasper & Pyrite Statement Necklace

SAGE

This necklace is one of my earliest designs for 
Bohemian Earth.  

It holds a special place in my heart!

Buy it here.

View the treasury here.

See the original blog post here.

See more pictures here.

Check out the matching earrings here on my blog and here on Etsy!