Renaissance

Something a bit different from me - and oxidised for a change! This sort of evolved really, from the basic cross shape I originally had in mind I added lots of detail - balled fine wire swirls on the inside, and picot beading on the corners of the cross ends.

In the centre is flashy blue labradorite, with sterling beads and mystic quartz briolettes. Pretty as it looked all shiny, it was crying out to be oxidised, so after much deliberation I took the plunge and dipped it, then polished to a soft antique finish.

Lemon Merengue

That's merengue the dance, not lemon meringue... (a play on words, I'm not really that bad at spelling!).

Phew... not especially difficult these ones, once I'd worked out how I was going to do them, but quite simply a lot of careful coiling and wrapping several times to get the effect I wanted!

Gorgeous sunshine yellow citrine, with lemon quartz and freshwater pearls. How fab would these look with a suntan?!

Mint Choc Chip Hoops

Some more fun little earrings - hammered and textured sterling silver circles, with vesuvianite, smoky quartz, peridot and prehnite.

Oh, and a big bunch of white lilac blossom I pinched from the garden :D

Champagne Truffle Earrings

I'm loving these Swarovski crystal briolettes - the sparkle is amazing. These are golden shadow, which has to be one of my favourite shades as far as versatility goes - I use it a lot in my bridal jewellery as it goes so beautifully with pearls.

I've clustered some lovely faceted rock crystal and lemon quartz beads on some handmade fine silver headpins for a bit of girly luxury. If someone doesn't grab these soon, I may just have to keep them ;)

Dreamcatchers

I thought I'd play with some fine silver on these earrings - balling up the ends of the wire shapes. This was quite a fiddly design as there is no soldering, I really need an extra hand sometimes!

I've used some rich golden hessonite garnet beads in the centre and on the dangles, and some tiny goldfilled beads - I really like the look of mixed metals, it's quite subtle on these though. The beer quartz briolettes are an amazing colour - I've found it a bit of a challenge to know what to put with them, but I think this works!

Japanese Rose Earrings - Week 5 - Amari

A few days ago I spotted this sunshine yellow pompom on the kerria japonica shrub in my garden. A very early bloom - normally this doesn't start flowering until late March/April, so a real taste of spring! Alas it wasn't to last... just as I was thinking maybe it was time to dig out my gardening gloves and grab a trowel to do a spot of weeding... along came the frost and the fog! So out came the woolly gloves instead... :-(

So my lovely spring-inspired earrings are a little premature... but I still like them! I've soldered twisted wire filigree shapes to half-moon frames, added fine trace chains, faceted lemon quartz marquise drops and sunny yellow citrine.

Rose Quartz Earrings

I've been wanting to have a go at this 'Danish Knot' or 'Lover's Knot' for ages - it took me a while to get the hang of it, but it was well worth persevering, I love the look of them! And of course they're always a talking point as everyone tries to figure out how they've been made... :-)

The top frame is coiled and wrapped with pink seed beads and fine gauge sterling wire, and the slender faceted briolettes on the bottom of the earrings are the most gorgeous pale pink rose quartz. Very romantic!

Pearl and Crystal Bracelet

I love pearls in all shapes and sizes! This bracelet has coin-shaped white freshwater pearls, and the large focal pearl is a Swarovski one called 'Tahitian' in this lovely teal colour. I've also put some faceted smoky quartz beads in here, with some more Swarovski crystal - blue 'Montana', and two gorgeous silver Bali beads. Finished off with a sterling toggle clasp!