It's all about orientation

This week I set my sights on creating a pendant with this purple Tiffany stone. Originally, I designed it as a vertical pendant, which is my usual pendant orientation. I had it all finished, tried it on to check that it hangs straight, but I just didn't like it. It didn't feel right to me. Too big. Too long. Now, I love bold pendants, but this was beyond my personal comfort zone of big and bold.

I set it down and walked away for a few hours. When I came back, my first glance at it was horizontal and my aha moment came! It looked so much better horizontally than it did vertically. So I added a hole to hang chain from the sides, tried it on and love it as a horizontal pendant. Of course, if someone perfers it vertically, I can always change it back to a vertical orientation.

Ironically, the theme for this week's Year of Jewelry Project is "Double Duty"; create something that can be used more than one way. I couldn't get inspired to use the theme because I wanted to work with this purple Tiffany stone and I already had a design in mind. But by the end of the week, I'd accidentally created something that had a double duty. I had been feeling guilty for not using the theme this week. No more guilt - I just needed to see things from a different orientation.

It's available in my etsy shop here. Don't forget, Mother's Day is May 8th!

If I Were Queen for the Day

My "Heart Full of Love" necklace is featured in this wonderful treasury titled "If I Were Queen for the Day". Curated by CocoChicLLC, she's put together some amazing gifts that would make any mother feel like a queen! Check out all the items today, post a comment or two about your favorites and show this treasury some etsy love. Don't forget Mother's Day is May 8th!

Robin Eggs

My latest creation is a tribute to the robin that built its' nest just outside my kitchen window. The gorgeous Amazonite stones are robin egg blue. I've set them in fine silver bezels and backed them with textured sterling silver. I gave them a light patina to bring out the texture and hung them from handmade sterling silver ear wires. A little bit of springtime to wear!

They are in my etsy shop here.

Happy 80th Birthday!

This weekend marks my mother-in-laws' 80th birthday! She's spry, still goes bowling twice per week and she's having a birthday bash this weekend. Sadly, I won't be able to go to MN to help her celebrate. Today I made this glowing (like she is) moonstone pendant for her. I'll put it in the mail tomorrow so she'll be able to open it on her birthday. I'm not worried about spoiling her surprise gift by showing it to you early - she doesn't "do" computers.

Eighty is wonderful!

Complements, Compliments!

The theme for this week's Year of Jewelry Project is "Complementary Colors" (colors opposite from each other on the color wheel). I chose to make this pendant in a red-green complementary color combination. The main stone is Cuprite Chrysocolla, more commonly called Sonora Sunset or Sonora Sunrise. It's a beautiful rusty red with green veins running through it. I've added an accent stone of green chrysocolla. I've hand made the setting of sterling silver and fine silver and added a rich patina for accent. Hopefully, this pendant with complementary colors will bring compliments to the wearer!

It's available for purchase and more photos are in my etsy shop.

No Fooling - An April Fool's Day SALE! 25% OFF!

Call me a fool, but I love April Fool's Day and a good a practical joke. Lucky for you, my April Fool's Day SALE isn't a joke. For one day only, April 1, 2011, get 25% OFF your purchase in my etsy shop! Use the discount coupon code: "NOFOOLING2011" during checkout to receive the discount!!!

Have a fun April Fool's Day!

Blossom into Spring!

Spring has finally arrived! Buds are forming on branches, the sun is shining and I'm waiting to see the first blossom of spring. Spring brings with it the promise of renewal and good things to come. This necklace represents that wonderful promise of nature.

I've crafted this unique necklace out of sterling silver wire and a single cultured pearl. The sterling silver twigs have been hand formed, heavily textured, given a patina and then sanded to a soft, satin finish. The lone cultured pearl is securely attached to the twig on a soldered sterling post. Sterling silver long-and-short chain is attached giving the necklace a length of 18" and is easily adjustable to be shorter.

You can find more photos and information in my etsy shop here.

Happy Spring!