Black Onyx Earrings

Some more sterling silver earrings, again hand sawn and pierced. These have black onyx - I love the contrast between the deep black of the cabs and the shiny silver! I was hoping to give the appearance of the stones being 'held' at the bottom - I *think* I've achieved that! :)

Brandywine Bracelet

I seem to have lots of ideas for bracelets at the moment - which makes a change! The focal came first with this - soldered and wrapped wire inside a diamond shaped frame, coiled with fine gauge sterling wire. I've added some tiny brandy-coloured garnet briolettes, hessonite garnet, and gold filled beads. I've framed the focal with clusters of faceted hessonite garnet on hand made fine silver head pins.

For the bracelet itself I've used some lovely hessonite garnet ovals in lots of caramel colours, linked together with some hand made hammered circles.

Click on the image for a close-up ;-)

Cluster Earrings - Hearts Revisited!

Oh, I know - Valentine's Day coming up and all that. Everyone's doing hearts! These are an adaptation of the heart pendant I did previously -these were just as much fun!

I've joined the two heart shapes with woven wire this time instead of silver beads, for a more airy, delicate look. The cluster is made up of faceted iolite and pink tourmaline, with a pink amethyst briolette drop.

Pearl and Labradorite Bracelet

Behind with posting again! So a couple of completed projects here that I just haven't got round to showing.

A bracelet for a change this time, I made the chain and clasp too, which were fun to do. The shapes that make up the focal were soldered together, then wrapped with silver wire, tiny white freshwater pearls, silver beads and faceted labradorite in the centre.

I have oxidised the whole piece, which was then tumbled and polished. I've noticed some people leave their pieces quite dark, which can be a great look - but I chose to keep on polishing this. I love the effect - hard to tell from the photo but it turned to have a lovely soft antiqued finish. Like a piece of old silver from your grandmother's jewellery box ;-)

Scalloped Fan Pendant

I really enjoyed making the pink tourmaline fan, so I thought I'd make another! I shaped the frame from sterling silver wire, including the scalloped edge along the bottom. I then did some soldering to create the framework for decorating.

The top section has been filled in with tiny Hill Tribe 'bamboo' beads. I then added some gorgeous deep teal-coloured apatite beads. The centre of the pendant took me quite a while to figure out, I wasn't sure if it was going to work until I got to the bottom and tightened up the wirework and beads, so there was always the possibility I would have to take it all off and do something different! I'm pleased with the way it turned out though, and because the wire is so fine it almost looks as though the silver beads are floating in mid air. The gemstones underneath are faceted citrine.

For close-up pictures, see my website, or Etsy store! :-)

Narnia Earrings

Almost time to get out the tinsel! I needed some for these photos... that's my excuse anyway ;-)

The sky blue topaz briolettes on these earrings are so sparkly, and the blue is very subtle, as is the aquamarine. As you can imagine - very hard to capture on a photo! I've added some filigree details, and as usual lots of coiling!

Sherbet Lemons

Sometimes I like to just do some swingy, dangly earrings - these are my own soldered rings that I've coiled first, then wrapped with tiny faceted prehnite beads - the colour is quite subtle, very pretty!

The silver beads in the middle are Karen Hill Tribe 'Lotus' beads - I really liked the look of these, quite exotic and unusual.

Finished off with faceted lemon quartz marquise beads, for some sparkle!

Tanzanite Earrings

Some more filigree work here.. this time not soldered, I've just wrapped the wire shapes in between the two pear-shaped frames. Still a little bit fiddly, but much better than the last ones!

I got some new goodies in the post too... so I used these amazing faceted tanzanite beads (the colour is just gorgeous!), and pretty pink amethyst briolettes in the centre.

There are more pictures on my Etsy store, although you'll need to look in the 'sold' section now ;-)

Silver Spider Web

This was fun to make, despite a few creative blocks along the way! I had a sketch of how I wanted the pendant to look, but had to adapt a few of my original ideas to make it work. That seems to be happening a lot just lately... as a result it took me twice as long as it should have done! All part of the learning process ;-)

I made and soldered two frames to form the outer beaded section, which I wrapped with Hill Tribe seed beads. The spines into the centre were added next.. what on earth possessed me to think it would be a good idea to coil 0.3mm wire with 0.2mm wire I'll never know... you can imagine how long that took!!

To finish I added some faceted silver beads, tiny faceted amethysts, and a frosted sterling bead in the centre. I guess it looks quite seasonal in the pic, but it's quite sparkly and pretty in real life, so you could wear it any time really!

Victorian Lace - Spinel Earrings

These took me twice as long as they should have done... oh, the joys of trying out new techniques!! ;-) My original idea wasn't workable (maybe when I've had more practice!), so a lot of adaptations later and these are the final result!

These are actually part-soldered, mostly wrapped! I am at least practising my soldering skills, which are getting better. I just need to set myself some limitations sometimes, and not try to run before I can walk!

The filigree work is made from twisted wire jump rings - I've had some for a while that were very soft and not really strong enough to be useful! I've been contemplating putting them in the tumbler to harden, but then decided to try this idea first. I know what to do with the rest of them now.

The beautiful stones in the centre are faceted spinel - the colours are gorgeous. I was waiting for the right project to come along to use them in, I'm happy with these! :-)

Iolite and Aquamarine Pendant

Another soldered pendant - this one a little more complicated (for me!). I made the three wavy shapes separately first, then soldered them together before coiling the entire frame.

I then wrapped across each section with Hill Tribe silver beads, amazing indigo-blue faceted iolite and pale blue faceted aquamarine.

Lemon and Lime Earrings

No soldering here of course - these kite-shaped earring frames have been wrapped with fine gauge sterling wire, faceted Hill Tribe silver beads, peridot, faceted citrine and pale green amethyst briolettes - lots of sparkle!

Citrine Hoop Earrings

I must have forgotten to put these up... this is a new photo of these earrings too, it much better captures the colour of the citrine and particularly the green amethyst, which is a very subtle shade.

Lots of fine coiling and wrapping with sterling wire as usual, these are very sparkly with all the faceted beads!

Ruby Tuesday

I did actually make this on Tuesday too... I've been waiting for my new light tent and lamps - what a difference to the photos! I hardly have to do any touching up at all other than cropping, and the colours are coming out just perfect. I'm going to have to go back and re-do the rest of my photos now! :)

This pendant was made using two heart-shaped frames, which I've soldered, then wrapped together with tiny Hill Tribe silver beads and faceted rubies, and as usual lots of fine gauge silver wire. I really like the simplicity of this - still lots of detail, but not too much fuss!