Look What I Made

This is a strung version of my Goes With Everything Necklace with Benefits. I've made these in several lengths and I just love them. I think as a beadaholic I love having so many different beads on one piece. And though they may look random, there is a definite method to my madness and I spend a lot of time working on the balance. This one was made especially for my sister. It is called The Grammy Tell Me a Story Necklace (yes it has Benefits). The purpose of it, besides adornment, it to sit with her grandchild and look at every bead; describe them, make up stories, choose favorites. My partner-in-crime came up with the concept.

Earring of the day April 29th

I'm back. It's been a busy month and I have lots of pictures, but posting, that's another story. May will be busy also but I will try to be more present.

Today's earrings are BRIGHT for spring. The faceted stones at the top are turquoise colored magnesite. What is magnesite, you ask, I am wondering that myself. It used to be that turquoise-like beads were made out of a stone called howlite -some still are - but magnesite has taken over as the less expensive faux version. I will look it up and get back to you. Regardless, I like these affordable, faceted imitation turquoise beads (I bought them at the bead show) quite a bit. Here they are put together with a bit of chain and some beautiful red and chartreuse Czech glass beads on sterling silver. Don't they just brighten up the day?

Earring of the Day April 21st 2013

Today is my Dad's birthday. My partner-in-crime and I are hanging with him and my Mom to celebrate. Lots of eating and drinking, good food, good wine and good company.

Ingredients for today's earrings: silver plated ring, mauve cut-glass crystal, FW pearl and aqua glass bead on sterling wire and hooks.

PYRAMIDS! On Leverbacks! Two-toned!

I am in love with these pyramid gemstone beads. They are so interesting and sparkly in the light. The facets and shape make them very lively. The brown are smoky quartz and are very translucent although they look opaque in the cup picture. The are on 14K hold-filled wire with sterling spacers and sterling leverbacks. The very pretty amethysts are on sterling wire with gold vermeil spacers and sterling leverbacks.

Earring of the day April 11th

I just typed March in the title. I think that tells you I'm still catching up. Got my taxes done last night. Feeling very satisfied having done them all by myself for the first time. I used that online service, yes, that one and it was very easy but I do not want to advertise for them. As it is I think I agreed to allow them to email me for the rest of my life as part of the deal.

Today's earring is vintage Czech glad with blue chalcedony and a freshwater pearl on sterling silver wire, spacer and hooks.

We Are Back, and...

... I've created an Etsy shop.  And, golly, is it a lot of work.  Especially working on an ailing laptop with a small hard drive.

Anyhow, we spent five wonderful days out at the Washington coast.  We had beautiful weather and optimal tides for walking on the beach.  We collected rocks and one afternoon they called to me and I built many cairns.  We created a game where all rocks must become cairns using at least three stones.  Today I became mesmerized by the drain rock fill around the basement of the new house.  I saw cairns. 

These are just the small ones from Tuesday.  Here is a close up.

Aren't they cute?  I stood on a rock and told my partner in crime to put a rock on my head to make me a cairn.

I digress.  This is a jewelry blog, no?  Below see my new display.  And a few of the new creations.

Faceted blue quartz (dyed) and freshwater pearls on sterling silver.

Smoky quartz faceted pyramid with prehnite and champagne crystal on sterling.  Below, Czech glass with canary then petite gray crystal.  
GO SEE MY ETSY PAGE.  I've linked it on all the Etsy references.

Earring of the Day April 3rd, 4th & 5th

We're out of town for a few days, at the ocean, enjoying some serious quiet. No TV, Internet, cell phones. My partner-in-crime is taking a long beach hike. I dropped him off and he will walk toward me so I stopped to take advantage of cell service to post this.

My reorganization allowed me to bring many components with me and I have had some quality bead time.

Also some quality beach time collecting special stones.

The lighting in the house is lacking (understatement) so the pictures are a bit dark, but still visible.

Ingredients 1st pair: faceted quartz crystal (NOT GLASS), FW pearl, cut-glass crystal on sterling silver wire.

Ingredients 2nd pair: Czech glass and crystal on sterling.

Ingredient 3rd pair: smoky quartz facted pyramid (it is such a neat shape/LOVE IT), prehnite and crystal on sterling.