Garnet and Citrine Pendant

When I made the garnet and citrine earrings, someone suggested that they would make a nice pendant - so here it is!

As usual, I first shaped and hammered the wire frame, then I wrapped across the top part of the pendant with very fine wire, I included some sterling silver beads to add interest. The little faceted drops are garnet and citrine. The bottom part of the pendant was then coiled with sterling wire and beads to form the lacy 'picot' edge.

Tourmaline Drop Pendant

This pendant has been made by shaping one continuous length of wire, with wrapping in between the circles. I've then decorated the circles using tourmaline (again, sorry!), sterling silver beads, seed beads, and a freshwater coin pearl (a happy coincidence that the top circle was just the right size for the pearl!).

This was one of those occasions where I thought of the frame shape first, then decided how to finish it afterwards! I have a couple of frames ready and waiting for me to decorate them at the moment... sometimes I know exactly what I'm going to do on a piece and other times I have to wait for inspiration!

Diamond-Shaped Crystal Pendant

This pendant consists of a simple wrapped diamond -shaped frame, shaped and hammered, then coiled with tiny sterling silver beads and bicone crystals.

I love this colour - it reminds me of blue cornflowers, it's the light sapphire shade Swarovski crystal. I've used a few on the chain too to add some interest.

Tourmaline Chain Earrings

More tourmaline! I'm waiting for a parcel of goodies at the moment so that I can make some new pieces, but in the meantime I'm still using up my gorgeous little tourmaline beads.

In these earrings I've used 8mm closed jump rings, coiled them with fine sterling wire, and added a couple of polished tourmaline buttons to each one. At the last minute I decided to use the little twisted jump rings in between - I quite like the effect, they go nicely with the coiled ones.

Banded Agate Necklace

I love this red banded agate, I know it's not very summery and is probably more an autumn shade, but here in the UK we're not having much of a summer to speak of!

Gorgeous polished agate rectangle bead with faceted red agate and bali silver (round beads and the little bead caps), with oval-linked sterling silver chain.

Swarovski Drop Earrings

Some quick little wire-wrapped earrings - these are fan-shaped frames coiled with sterling silver wire and tiny slate-grey coloured seed beads. I've attached a faceted Swarovski crystal drop for some added sparkle. I always have problems photographing crystal, especially any with an AB coating - these look different colours! If anyone has any tips I'd be very grateful.... :-)

Cherries Pendant

I sketched out this design first on a piece of paper, then created the frame with one continuous length of sterling silver wire similar to the 'Satin Flower Pendant'. The wire was a little more difficult to handle this time, but once I started coiling (particularly the stems), the piece began to take shape nicely! The cherries and leaves were 'filled in' with seed beads and cherry-red murano glass, the effect is almost like embroidery. The murano glass is gorgeous, the colour is quite vibrant and the cherries really sparkle! I'm so pleased with how this turned out I already have more ideas.... watch this space!

Wire-wrapped Garnet & Citrine Earrings

These earrings are quite delicate -looking and feminine, mostly lots of shiny silver with a little bit of subtle colour! I've wrapped across the teardrop shaped frame with very fine sterling wire and then added tiny faceted garnet and citrine briolettes. Along the bottom of the frame I've coiled some sterling silver beads to create a lacy border.

The wrapping at the top of the frames, like the flower pendant I've made previously, has a 'satiny' sheen when the light catches it that is so hard to capture on a photo!

Oxidised Jewellery

This is the first time I've oxidised any of my silver jewellery, so I've used the 'boiled egg' method as I didn't have any Liver of Sulphur. I put the pieces into a plastic bag with a (hot!) chopped up hard-boiled egg, and waited just over an hour to get the effect I wanted. I'm quite pleased with the result - after giving them a good rinse and then a polish to highlight the detail in the wirework. I'm still not entirely sure which I prefer, but it's interesting to see the difference the oxidisation makes!

Herringbone Wrap Bracelet and Earrings

I'm quite new to the herringbone wrap but I was quite pleased with how these turned out, I still need lots of practice! I've used faceted red agate and oval-shaped hematine beads, sterling silver wire of course! In between the beads a simple 'knot' from three interlocked jump rings, I've also made the S-shaped clasp with coiled wire and a silver Bali bead. I usually prefer my silver bright and shiny - but for some reason I had the urge to oxidise these pieces - so in the next post I'll be showing the results!