Azure Skies - Sapphires and Kyanite

I have to take a step back occasionally and look at the pieces I'm making to check my range of colours. I think I'm drawn to certain shades when buying beads and gemstones without even thinking about it! I like to look at the latest colour trends for inspiration, but I do my own thing too.

I've had these vivid blue kyanite drops for a while now, so I got some little faceted sapphire beads to go with them for these earrings. I've soldered the frames between the shaped scrolls for a little more stability, and coiled around with fine gauge wire and tiny Hill Tribe faceted seed beads.

Sweet Violets - Tanzanite and Iolite

I have the tiniest little patch of violets that manage to peek their way through my wild front garden every year - in fact I tend to forget that they are even there until they start to flower and catch my eye. On my mental list of things to do this year, re-vamping my little square of garden at the front is high priority. I must remember to move those violets somewhere safe, before they get buried in a layer of gravel!

I've shaped the frames with sterling silver wire, soldering in between the scrolls for added strength. I then added a frilly picot edging of Hill Tribe faceted silver beads along the bottom, with peacock freshwater pearls, faceted tanzanite beads, and finished with little iolite drops.

Verdantis Earrings - Apatite and Green Onyx

I've decided to go back to basics since I have been out of action for a while. I'm sticking to quite simple designs and just enjoying the beads and the wire again!

Green seems to be gaining in popularity all the time - I'm especially liking these rich emerald shades at the moment. Think lush green meadows in the summer.. (I know I am!).

I've wrapped the soldered rings with the teeny white freshwater pearls, and faceted apatite beads in an amazing colour. The silver beads in the centre are Hill Tribe 'lotus' beads, and the briolettes are vivid green onyx.

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!

Desert Rose Pendant

I forgot to post this! I made this pendant a couple of weeks ago - another one that differs quite a lot from my original idea... but I'm very pleased with the result!

I soldered some heart shapes a while ago for this project, when I actually put them together into the flower shape I realised I'd need something else to strengthen the shape. I put a large closed jump ring underneath, but then actually quite liked the way it looked so decided incorporate it into the design!

There are some more twisted wire filigree details, and the beads are faceted andalucite with Hill Tribe seed beads and a pale pink freshwater pearl.

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!

Labradorite Earrings

I really tried to capture a good blue flash on these beads... but they just weren't playing nice!

More filigree work - soldered square frames with shaped twisted wire wrapped in between, quite a lot of coiling went into these, and as I used very fine gauge (0.2mm) it took a while! I prefer to use as fine as possible on this filigree style as it's less visible.

Blue flashy stones (really, they are!) - faceted labradorite rondelles and faceted moonstone briolettes, with the silver they look quite mystical.

I'm quite enjoying designing these filigree pieces... I get to doodle! :)

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!