Drag Me into the 21st Century

Ah, yes, I'm on vacation this week and my niece is trying to bring me into the social media age by helping me set up a facebook page AND getting me to put together some pinterest boards.  I barely maintain my blog and my etsy store, but she assures me it will be fun to add these two components to my play book...so  here's my pinterest link if you're into pinterest....




When I get back home in September, I'll be putting together a little contest using my new facebook page and pinterest for a giveaway of a new piece of jewelry I'll be designing just for this promotion...so check back if you're interested! 

Yes, and where do you go on vacation when you live at the beach--why to the midwest and 112 degrees summer days, of course!  Visiting family trumps the weather....

Moonstone Melody

 A few weeks ago my daughter and I went to a bead show in Pasadena.  We had a fun afternoon together--we always do!  While there she saw some bezel set moonstone connectors that she loved.  So I picked thru a selection, brought them home and strung them on a gold filled chain for her birthday last week.  I think she loved them as much as I enjoyed putting them together for her.

Simple and the perfect length to wear doubled or single strand. 

My baby turned 30 last week and she is soon to be mother herself for the first time.  She is a constant source of joy in our lives--sweet, thoughtful, loving and good to the core--always off on another adventure--I think being a mother may be her greatest (and most rewarding) adventure yet!

Back in the Day

I started designing jewelry for fun about 12 years ago and was lucky to have found a niche market with artisan lampwork when there weren't many doing handmade artisan jewelry.  Above is one of my earlier pieces.  One of the things I was particular about was using the best quality components--sterling and hilltribe silver, gold filled and gold vermeil, swarovski crystals, designer clasps and beads.  There were two reasons for that---I love nice things and good quality and I also realized that I could not compete with the cheap imports.

After several years at my workbench, I took an extended time off and just recently returned to jewelry design.  I have been really enjoying getting back to working my way thru my stash, but find major sticker shock when needing to replace components.

When I started,  the first Bali sterling silver I purchased was 35 cents a gram and Hilltribe silver was 45 cents a gram.  Vermeil and gold filled findings were just a pinch higher.  That was for clasps, beads, jump rings, everything. Then a few years later when I started buying designer findings, I thought it was sky high to pay 85 cents a gram for special toggles and connectors, that no one else had. I think most of my last purchases for the really great findings was in the neighborhood of $1.10 per gram sterling and maybe $2.10 for gold vermeil and gold filled. You can imagine my surprise when I returned this past spring to jewelry design and I  finally computed how much it would cost me to replinish my supply of precious metal findings as I worked down thru my stash!  At a  recent show production line Bali sterling silver was $2 a gram and the prices went up from there to around $4.00 a gram and more--wholesale.  Other materials have gone up too, but not by the same proportion.   Is it any wonder that copper, bronze and brass have replaced the metals used in jewelry design? 

Last week I wanted a handful of 4mm jump rings, didn't want to wait to order them so I went to my local retail jewelry store.  They wanted 30 cent each for sterling silver 4mm jump rings.  They were 22 guage and by my calculations that would mean sterling jump rings were going for close to $300 an ounce.  Whaaaaaat?!?  If you bought 100 you got a 25% discount--now that's a deal!  That was a retail store, but wow! I think I'm going into the jump ring business!!!

So, going with the trend, because taste has followed right along,--the once snubbed copper and brass, are now the fashion followers new 'must haves', I went in search of some new findings with those metals.  Ack!!!! Findings in pure copper and quality antiqued brass or bronze are more than I last paid for sterling silver, just three or four years ago!  I do understand the pricing for sterling and gold filled/vermeil findings due to the market prices for those metals, but I really do not understand copper.  It is currently trading for around $3.40 a pound...not an ounce, a pound...so how did copper findings get so expensive?  I look at my boxes of sterling silver and realize I have to pay the same or more for copper and that is sticker shock.  Then I look at my sterling silver and fine silver and gold vermeil findings and realized that if I use them and want to replace them, it prices my jewelry designs in the pricy range.  So I try to split the difference--use a little, price things fairly.  I think I may just save my silver for scrap--it's an investment hedge and using it in jewelry I'm looking old school and costing too much, lol.  Of course, the real conundrum comes--replace it with base metals components that require a substantial investment at current prices and they don't really have much actual value compared to precious metals. What to do, what to do!

 So, I've gone thru my stash of beautiful designer findings and decided to sell some at discounted prices in my vintage/destash etsy store--check them out if you're looking for a special  piece.   http://www.allweneedislove.etsy.com/  
An example---this Saki Silver sterling and gold vermeil clasp is 28mm, retails around $85, I'm offering it for $60--about a 30% discount.

 Here's a big, bold Shiana Hilltribe .999 fine silver clasp that is a hammered heart, for sale in my etsy store as well...12 grams and I'm selling below wholesale for $28.00

Some Saki silver sterling connectors that currently retail for $18 apiece I'm destashing for less....

and it goes on.  Some of these things have become almost impossible to find,  As I get them photographed I have lots more to share... and possibly whittle down my stash...or not.  Otherwise my surplus will just end up as an inflation hedge. It's likely on the way, so maybe silver will be the new gold standard!

Sizzling Summer Sale

What's summertime without a sale?!?  Check out my etsy storefront for a coupon code to save 25% on everything in the store.  It's time to make your favorite designs part of your wardrobe before they're gone.  Sale ends Thursday, July 12th so don't delay!!!

Not more Knots!!!

Something different--a knotted necklace that is close to choker length with a pendant centerpiece. I've used a beautiful agate slab with green copper colored druzy edging combined with peacock pearls--it's a yummy combination and looks great on. All knotted on #8 weight silk cord.

Yes, I'm afraid so--seems I'm knot crazy (not crazy?!?) these days. Since we're still wandering around in limbo, knotting supplies take up a minimum of space. I find knotting therapeutic--giving me an outlet for my creativity.
This is my first try at earrings knotted on silk cord. These wonderful mother of pearl nuggets seemed to lend themselves perfectly to the dangle-y style.
Ohhh...a triple length (51") coin pearl necklace that can be worn long, doubled or even tripled for three great looks. The color didn't come thru so well in this picture, but they are a soft minty green with an irridescent/opalescent quality that catches the light beautifully.
Next I tried a triple strand necklace with the lovely natural mother of pearl nuggets that glow and shimmer with the swarovski crystals that cushion each stone. Shortest strand is 16", the longest is 20". I love this look.
Black Onyx ovals cushioned with black diamond swarovski bicones can be worn as a single long 36" strand or doubled for a dramatic statement .
I should have brightened this photo a little more--this little double strand bracelet is such wonderful colors--lime, navy, bronze and peacock opalescent coin and mid-sized fresh water pearls are knotted for a light and breezy bracelet you will barely know is there.

Lots of variety and experimentation keep me a happy gal.

Trying to keep my promises...

Well, I did say I'd post some jewelry today and yes, I have gotten rather busy..first off a simple pair of earrings in sterling silver and onyx for pierced ears. I've had these beautiful woven sterling earwires for quite some time and could never decide how to use them...I think I was trying to make them too busy. They just needed a simple gemstone drop..that's what I decided anyway.

This bracelet is a remake of one I made several years ago with some of Jena Fulcher's lovely beads. It had broken some time ago during a show and I put it away where it lay forgotten and forlorn. So back together again with only a few small adjustments and I'm happy to put it back in my inventory. If no one wants it, I'll have it to wear myself, since I love this color combination....

Here's another old favorite that I redesigned with a set of some of my favorites from Gayle Hood of Graciebeads. I adore these beads and when they didn't sell awhile back I put them away to redo and just finally got around to it. I love the sterling and brass beads I used with these interesting original beads and I might just keep these for myself too...do you get the idea I love bright colors...you got it!

Once upon a time I got a lovely large set of beads from Melanie Moertel that I've rationed out a few at a time. I think I made two other bracelets from this set and this is the third and final edition. They seem perfect for this fall's fashions--so much brown and opulent detail on detail...pattern on pattern fashion, like a Turkish spice market. I've combined them with oxidized sterling silver and a stunning custom clasp from Donna Millard, I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

The pink coral bracelet below is my 'version' of a gemstone charm bracelet. I've used pale sponge coral beads combined with a sterling silver and angelskin coral charm and sterling toggle clasp.

It felt really nice this week to reacquaint myself with my gemstones, and lampwork and silver, oh my! Pandora's box...I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!