Featured Studio piece 4-21-10

I am going to feature a new set that I just listed in the past couple of days. This is a necklace and earring set using gold colored coin beads and deep blue iridescent czech glass beads and gold toned chain. I think it's very gypsy like... and has a sort of Aztec feel as well. Perfect accessory for a gypsy or pirate! $35

More new pieces!

I have been very busy the past week or making new items with a bunch of lampwork beads I had created a few years ago. They have been sitting in my stock for what seems like ages with no inspiration to utilize them anyway. Then I saw some ideas at the art auction walking around on other women and I discovered what to do. Simple chain pices with mismatched lampwork beads.... how bohemian! And fabulous!

I also did a a few pendants from some of the larger and more abstract beads. I think they turned out pretty cool. I am hoping to get them listed today as well... sometime after lunch but before I get upstaris to torch some more beads.

This one looks like a glowing heart. I wrapped it with brass wire and added an AB faceted glass drop for added color.

This one is a littl more fiery looking.

Again I added some faceted glass beads at the top and bottom for color and wrapped it with brass wire.

This is one of favorite beads becauseit uses a stacked dot technique that imitates fish scales or the petals of a flower. I use silver toned artist wire on this one to enhance the color of the blues and also added more faceted glass beads, this time for sparkle.

New pieces!

I have completed a few new pieces! I just got them listed in my Artfire studio but thought I would share pictures of them here anyways.

The first one is a LONG silver toned chain that features handmade lampwork beads made by ME! I made these beads a few years ago but hadn't been able to find the rught jewelry project for them. Finally last night, I felt inspired by a trend. This chain is meant to be worn long and doubled up but it could possibly be tripled up. It's that long. I added some faceted czech glass beads in for color and balance.

The second piece I finished is actually a necklace and earring set that has a very vintage feel. I bought these gorgeous vintage rhinestone spacer beads in Santa Fe NM in November and have been just waiting to find the perfect use for them. I paired them with creme colored swarovski crystallized pearls and POOF! The perfect prom or bridal set for that vintage gal!

Featured Studio piece 3-29-10

Today I would like to feature a cute little bracelet that I strung on silk thread. I love pearls, faux, swarovski or freshwater. I found these lovely dyed blue freshwater coin pearls on a bead hunt one day and just HAD to have them. I paired them with some small white freshwater potatoe pearls and some sterling silver spacers to make this lovely wrista adornment! $25

New piece from Fools and Jewels Studio

I got a creative twitch last night and created something using vintage rhinestone jewelry bits and pieces. In the design world right now its called "upcycling". I love the idea of taking something that is old and unusable and remaking it into something beautiful and wearable.

I have had these gorgeous pale blue rhinestone fans for a while now and just didn't quite know what to do with them. Last night, I found another stash of swarovski crystallized pearls and some rhinestone spacers that I bought in Santa Fe this past Thanksgiving. They are vintage beads as well. Hmmmmm....

And thus this lovely bracelet, earring and necklace set were born. I used silver toned artist wire instead of sterling sine the old rhinestone bits are not sterling silver. I wanted it to all look like it belonged together. I think this would make a magnificent "something blue" set for a bride.

Piece in progress

OK. So, i donated three pieces to our local art gallery to auction off at their annual wine tasting and art auction. All the profits go to the gallery so they can remain open and continue to show local artist's work. I currently have a few pieces in the gallery so I figure this is a wise donation. I got free tickets in return for my donation to the auction. This is great since I attended last year and had a great time.

I bought these great, huge, blingy earrings while I was on vacation and I plan to wear them to this event. But I decided I wanted to "advertise" my own jewelry as well. So, I began working last night on a necklace to wear with my big rhinestone earrings.

For this piece I decided I wanted to go the upcycled vintage route. I have a lot of miscellaneous vintage jewelry bits and pieces that have been waiting to be used. I decided to use three fancy silver toned links form an old necklace. They have blue rhinestones on them. Then I decided against the vintage faux pearls I had in favor or using some remaining swarovski crystallized pearls instead. Then I took apart an old vintge earring to use the AB crystal beads on it. So far, I am liking the design. I am hoping to finish it up either today or tomorrow. The picture above is of the piece thus far. I used silver toned artist wire instead of sterling. Sterling silver was too bright for the rhinestone links.

Sodalite

This is hands down my best friends FAVORITE stone. And its easy to see why! With its deep blue hues and the bright white veining throughout, its a beautiful contrast or colors. I use a lot of sodalite in my custom jewelry work. People tend to be drawn to the sodalite rings I make more than anything else.

Sodalite properties center around being receptive. Its a stone that is used for meditation and healing. Many associate the stone sodalite with wisedom. I have personally used a ring I made myself with sodalite for its calming and stress relieving effect.

I like Sodalite for rings because of these properties. Being able to glance down and see the deep blue colors and white swirling reminds me of water. There's a calming effect that looking into pools of water provides for me and this stone creates that same effect. I also like to use sodalite in rings because it is held right up against the skin that way. It also makes it easy for the wearer to reach down and touch the stone or rub it to help relive stress, the same way one would rub on a worry stone.

Whatever your reasons, sodalite is a wonderful stone to include in your work.

A few finished pieces for Art Auction consideration!

I have put the finising touches on a couple of those focal pieces I was working on for the Art Auction. Now, I am not sure they are both the pieces I will be donating but they are finished so.... here goes.

With the blue piece, I played with the idea of doing a swarovski crystal beaded chain but once I got it together and set it beside the focal, it looked way to gawdy and cluttered. So I settled for simply putting the focal on a streling silver knotted wire chain. It looks stunning!

For the copper woven heart, since it is such a large piece, it absolutely NEEDED a long chain and some additional embellishment. I added some wired pieces with the same swarovski crystal beads dispersed with the bright copper chain to acheive a more balanced look. Its become a real statement piece I believe.