Challenge Week 43

This week I made two pieces of jewelry, both earrings.  I was so thrilled about the way the first pair came out that I made the second pair.  I have to give credit to my sisters, Roberta and Jane, and niece Heather, because they helped pick out the crystal colors that I used. 

The settings that I used are 12mm antiqued copper; I was going for a vintage look, and had the Swarovski Rivoli crystals to use in the settings. In the first pair I used a color called Volcano, the best description of the color is rust.  However , when the light hits it there are hints of purple.  It’s a beautiful stone and goes perfectly with the copper setting.

In the second pair of earrings I used a stone called Chrysolite, which doesn’t really describe the color at all.  To me it’s more of a light peridot and it makes the copper stand out. The vintage effect is stunning.  Both earrings have copper ear wires to finish off the vintage look.

The earring length for both pair is one and one half inch.

I usually don’t talk prices here in my blog because I like to feature the jewelry on its own as a piece of art. Today I am going to make an exception and tell you that each pair of earrings cost $25 in my store.  I’ve been told that that is a high price for a pair of earrings.  One day I was at the mall and went into the Swarovski store to check out the competition. They had a pair of earrings with a Rivoli stone in it – they don’t call it a Rivoli, I think that is just what bead sellers call it.  Anyway, the earring that I saw, which was just a plain earring, cost $120 and with an extra extension to make the earring longer it cost $160.  So when you compare my hand made earrings to similar factory made earrings, I think that mine are more than a fair price. Plus, most of mine are unique combinations of stone and metal.

For more of my jewelry you can go to my website at www.jewelrybydm.com

Have a great week and I’ll see you back here next weekend.

Challenge Week 42

This week I am adding to the Shades of Grey collect with this great bracelet.  Before I tell you about the bracelet I want to talk about the use of clasps on bracelets versus elastic.  I prefer the elastic when wearing a bracelet because it is so easy to slip on.  I try to use easy to use clasps because there isn’t always someone around to help you put on the bracelet.  I don’t know about you but I want to be wearing the bracelet when I leave the house because if I have to carry it with me until I can find someone to put it on my wrist then I forget that it is in my bag. Tell me what you think about elastic versus clasps on bracelets.

Back to the new bracelet.  It is made with small shell disks, glass pearls and hematite roundels.  I put a pewter color clasp on this bracelet to blend in with the grey and I think it finishes off the bracelet nicely.  This will fit a 7 and ¾ inch wrist.

You can see more of the Shades of Grey collection on my website at www.JewelrybyDM.com

Challenge Week 41

Want a pair of earrings that will go with most outfits?  The earrings that I made for this week’s challenge are the ones for you.

These earrings are part of the Shades of Grey Collection.  I made them with round shell beads, glass pearls and hematite rondelles.  They hang from silver plated French hooks and are 1 and ¾ inches long. Because they are neutral colors you can wear them with many outfits, including grey, black, white, even red.

More shades of grey to come next week.

Visit my website to see more of the Shades of Grey collection.