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.

Challenge Week 40

This week I’ve added a pair of earrings to the Treasure Island Collection and they are called Ocean’s Edge.  I used the blue-sand mix Czech glass beads and sterling silver heshi spacer beads all hanging from French hooks.  To me, these are very cool, soothing earrings.   They remind me of the ocean and the sand mixing together as the waves slip onto the beach.  The more I look at them the more I want my own pair.  I’m going to be strong though and put them in the store.  Then I’ll think about making a pair for myself.

I’m not sure if anyone looks for my blog each week, I guess I did this more as a challenge for myself than anything. But if you are out there reading and waiting each week for a new blog entry I just want to apologize for my being so lax these past few months.  I’ve had so much going on in my life that I can’t keep up with everything  and since I started this job in New York I really haven’t had much free time because commuting takes up so much of my time.  When I started this blog I was unemployed and had more time to create and blog and do craft shows, but I have to pay the bills and until I become a bigger presence on the internet and sell more jewelry I’m going to have to work for someone else.  So please be patient with me as I continue to blog as often as I can

You can find these earrings on my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/listing/93942101/oceans-edge-earrings

Until next time…

Denise

Challenge Week 39

Hello, and welcome back.  This week I have another piece to add to my Treasure Island Collection.

This necklace is made from Czech Beads called Blue mixed with Sand and black faceted glass beads with gold color glass seed beads. It is 18" long and has a great clasp to finish it off that is a TierraCast antique silver bali-style toggle clasp.

This is the third piece in the collection and I will be adding more each week.  I'm very excited about making a collection because there are so many different configurations of these beads swirling around in my head, and it's such a great mix and match way to go. I hope you like this collection as much as I do.

I've placed it in my Etsy store with more pictures for you to see.

See you next week.

Challenge Week 38

This week I have started a new collection called Treasure Island.  This collection started because I had ordered some Czech glass beads called “Blue and Sand mix”. You know how each monitor shows color differently, if you go to a store with TVs you will see that the picture looks a little different on each set. So I didn’t pay much attention to the color of the beads when I ordered them. Then they arrived and I realized that blue and sand mixed together make green.  This is the basics of art class.  So these beads arrived looking like the manufacturer didn’t quite mix the color completely and you can see green, sand, and brown and sometimes hints of light blue.  I like them and think they are very unique, they remind me a little of camouflage but the facets and shine of the bead bring the style of the bead upscale from the casual style of camouflage.  Then I had to decide what other beads to use with them and of course I used black and a little gold seed bead, which brings out the sand in the Czech glass.

The purpose of this new collection is so you will be able to buy different pieces of jewelry that coordinate with each other but aren’t necessarily a matched set. I’m going to make different styles of earrings or bracelets or necklaces using beads from the collection.  This way you can choose a style that you like that goes with other pieces in the collection.  This is my first attempt at a collection and I hope that you like the concept.  Leave comments, tell me what you like or dislike about have a collection.  If you like it I will make other collections too.   I was thinking about a birthday collection for each month.  What do you think of that?

The first two pieces that I made with these beads are for this week’s challenge.  I started with a bracelet and added earrings.  The bracelet will fit a 7 inch wrist and I think will go with a lot of styles and outfits.  I can see it with a black suit and gold blouse for work, or with a pair of khakis and a polo for casual.  The earrings are 1 and ¾ inch long, hanging from silver plated French hooks.  Wear them with a black or tan top and a skirt or jeans and to complete your outfit.

Next week I have a necklace planned to add to the Treasure Island collection.

You can find both of these items in my Etsy store. 

See you next week.

Denise