Woodland friend - a new piece in sterling silver.

I wanted to try something different, something more challenging, and an obsession with all things ... ungulate, resulted in this project. 

 First I sawed the deer head out of patterned sterling silver sheet, and filed the edges, (cleaned up my mistakes). 

I realized that the sheet would have to be backed with something to make it more durable.

I don't like "delicate" or flimsy jewelry

I sawed out another piece of sterling to frame the first and then riveted the two together. 

I really like it! 

Nights in Italy - or Wyoming

It gets a bit quiet in Wyoming during the long winter months, perfect for reflection and dreaming, and the flow of creativity.  There is no warm sun beckoning nor long dinners on someone's porch.  It makes the natives restless and ignites a desire for foreign lands and other pleasant distractions. Cabin fever is real here.

This leads to all kinds of imaginings 

When I moved back into my little cabin this autumn

-my heart properly broken-

My lovely friend 

-happy for my return to the west-

suggested that I hang my chandeliers from the long log beams of my cabin ceiling and put up mirrors to reflect the lights. "It will be just like Versailles" she said, and that may have been what started our next idea. 

A night of pleasure

art

food

friends

cooking

eating

drinking

Italian style

Easy enough for her, she is an artist, she will paint food and images of Italian life,

but what about me? What kind of jewelry speaks of Italy? I have a limited imagination, partly because I have never been to Italy, so I had to go with chandeliers. In my mind that is the closest I can get to Italy. Besides, it's about distraction and fantasy - we just need some light and romance, (the kind that doesn't break hearts), around here.

So I opened a box of vintage chandelier crystals, (doesn't everyone have one or two boxes of those lying around?), and began to dream a bit of what kind of jewelry would grow from the collection.

Now, where did I put all my tools when I beat my hasty retreat from Chicago?

-of course I have waited until now, when it's snowing heaps, to think of going to my storage shed to unearth my jewelry making supplies-

Butterfly garden

New to the shop is this sweet little object.  I just couldn't help myself, it had to be made.

Right in the sweet spot.

Blue

New to my shop is this long, linked, necklace of vintage glass beads and oxidized sterling silver.  I love the deep turquoise blue combined with the creamy tan faceted beads.  The little, matte finish, accent beads have a sort of animal print feeling to them so the whole thing feels like a country outing or a day on safari.  

I like it worn long with my agate pendant necklace.

this still holds true: 

Want to give your mom a special gift for Mother's day?  Shop with me and use this coupon code

"ilovemymama"

for a %20 discount in my Etsy store.

Cheers!

Earthbound, a necklace.

I am earthbound, but I dream of water. 

This necklace is composed of the earth: malachite, turquoise, quartz and metal. All unearthed, hunted as it were, from below. The rough, cold, facets of the quartz beads gleam in contrast to the opaque stone shapes. Linked on 14/20 gold-filled wire and chain with a vintage brass buckle pendant. 

available HERE, in my shop

Have a good weekend.

Because I am leaving for a vacation at the end of the month, I am feeling generous in spirit so I just created a final sale section in my Etsy shop.  It's a place where I will be putting all those pieces that need a home.  Check it out from time to time - there will be some good deals.  The sale section does not include the pieces pictured below... they are either on the way to the shop or already listed.

#1 Beach necklace.... for obvious reasons.  (sailing)

Beach necklace

 #2 Layering lesson, the perfect combo of long and short with a great earring accent.

Perfect together

 #3 Just a beautiful pair of earrings with divine cultured ocean pearls in the softest grey and micro-faceted quartz beads from my archives of beads that I can not replace.

Old school elegance

OH joy! (I'm going sailing)

It's true!  I am going to sailing school with my Dad.  *thrilled*  


So to celebrate, I am offering free shipping in my Etsy shop for the rest of January.  I will close the shop for the first half of February - I can't ship from a sailboat!  


Use the code FREESHIPPING at checkout.  Yippee!

sterling silver circles

Skyline necklace

Skyline earrings

Back to the beach

I have no firm plans to travel as of yet but if I did..... oh I long to dive beneath the surface of the bright blue waters of the ocean and spend some quality time with my fish friends.

I have been meaning to list this necklace in my Etsy shop for some time, I guess that I didn't really want to part with it.  This is my favorite style of necklace, long and linked and fabulous.  Classic colors in a classic length, I always layer a necklace like this with a pendant necklace and my gold chains.  It gives my hands something to touch while I gaze at the horizon.  Hopefully your horizon will have some palm trees and an umbrella.

Hot Dame, vintage glass necklace on Etsy

Tiger tiger, pretty little things for your neck.

I bought these pretty little tiger eye stones a few years ago.  I wear mine layered, of course, with other necklaces.  I love the bold facets and high shine.  They are on oxidized sterling silver and will be in the Etsy shop soon.

Update: they are there now.  Use the coupon code HOLIDAY2011 for a 20% discount. 

Etsy

peppermint lasso 

These pink beads are from Mangum's Beaders Paradise, in Idaho, they are striped, streaked, stripy, striated and streaky.  They also have a pressed pattern on one edge and they are remarkably interesting - really.  I put them on a long linked necklace, my favorite kind of necklace, with some faceted grey and muted pale pink vintage glass beads.  It wraps around twice if you don't want the long-swinging-necklace feel.  (I like the long-swinging-necklace feel)  Also coming to the shop.  Currently sitting by my desk waiting to be posted...

.

Ready for the Holiday season?  If you like to shop in your nightgown as much as I do they you might appreciate this coupon for my Etsy shop.

20% off in stock items with this coupon, use HOLIDAY2011 at checkout and enjoy!

Presents for under the tree

I always send your purchase in a silver gift bag, it works well for travel and to protect your jewelry and it makes a fantastic "ready to go" gift of your purchase.  Think about that and be ready for a coupon coming soon.....

Silver gift bags 

Long pink and grey necklace on oxidized sterling silver

Peacock blue glass earrings on handmade sterling silver