Cello sale:)

My daughter Anya wants to play the cello. Beautiful instrument! I want to buy her one.
So, there is a cello sale at my jewelry shop. Use coupon code CELLO to get 15% off!

Boho Style Chandelier Pendant

Do you have some jewelry piece that is broken, has missing parts, or you do not wear it but would love to give it a second life? 

That is what I had before: a pair of broken earrings with missing beads.

The finished result - Boho style pendant!

Extra materials you will need:

Head pins, eye pins*, a jump ring, extra beads of your choice.

1. Take off all the beads you have on your broken jewelry. Clean all the beads and findings if necessary (one of my earrings metal broke while cleaning it, that's why I made a pendant, not a pair of earrings). 

Golden Bohemian Necklace - Reusing and Repairing Jewelry

Do you have some jewelry piece that is broken, has missing parts, or you do not wear it but would love to give it a second life?

My friend Tanya had this pretty golden bracelet with stretched cords. Guess what? We made three different pieces of jewelry from this bracelet!

First jewelry is this eye catching bohemian style necklace.

Work with WigJig - Part 2 - Video

Today, I want to show how to use a wire-wrapping Jig while making this pair of earrings.

In general, I use 20 gauge wire for earrings, 18 ga wire for bracelet components and 18 or 16 ga wire for necklace components. Using dead soft wire may require hardening of the finished piece.

You may use different size of pegs to change  a size of the loop like here.

Use the same element as an embellishment for  a pendant.

Work with WigJig - Part 1

Beaded Tea Ball Infuser

Whether you're brewing cups of your favorite loose-leaf tea or seasoning wine, cider or soup with spices, you'll be happy to have these infusers on hand. Having a nice looking infuser makes your tea taste even better.

You will need an infuser, beading wire 1 ft, crimping beads, beads of your choice, and crimping pliers (buy them here). I have one large bead (diamond shape in my case) as a focal bead.

Shawl / Scarf Pins

I made these pins a while ago. I used thick, 16ga wire, to make this little accessories. I finished up each pin with spiral closure.

This classic and elegant shawl made with a lamp-work bead.

I wire wrapped in herringbone technique and finished up this brooch with spiral closure.

 Click on the photo to buy or get more info about a pin.

Green Summer Beaded Necklace with Tassel

Last time when I was crocheting with beads was long ago. Looking at small boxes with Matsuno Japanese seed beads, I took leftover green beads and a small amount of brown beads - just enough to make a necklace. Checking for some matching beads to make a focal piece, I found 4 leaf-shaped Czech beads.
So, sitting in front of my computer, I watched a movie and crocheted :) 

I used all the beads. I was surprised that I had exactly enough beads to make this neckalce, no more no less, not even a tiny pinch of beads left :)

Tassel is made of a large dragon jasper bead, unakite and Czech faceted and leaf-shaped glass beads. S-hook clasp that attached to the large jump-ring by the tassel.

 You can buy this truly one-of-a-kind necklace here

Druzy Cabochon Pendants

About three years ago, at the Tucson Gem show I bought beautiful druzy cabochons. Druzy cabochon, also known as drusy cabs, are cabochons named for having a druse, or an area filled with small quartz crystals within or on the surface of the stone. Each stone is hand-cut to best display the druse. Each drusy gem is unique and unlike any other. 
Last week I found a good way to frame the cabs into pendants showing the beauty of the natural stone.

This was the first pendant. The color and structure of this stone reminds me caramel sprinkled with sugar. So sweet!  

Total length of the pendant is 3" (7.5 cm), wight 1 1/2" (3.5 cm)

Surface of this large cabochon has also "sweet" color of hot cocoa. 
Total length of this pendant is 2 3/4" (7 cm), wight 1 1/2" (4 cm).

This cab (below) is a little smaller. This pendant was made with sterling silver filled wire; I oxidized and polished it for antiqued look.
Total length of the pendant is 2 3/8" (6 cm), wight 1 7/16" (35mm).

You can buy these pendants and other jewelry here

Birthday Sale

In honor of my daughter's and my Birthdays, I am holding an annual sale this week that will let you save 30% on all jewelry. The sale starts on Friday, May 23rd (Anya's Birthday) and ends on Friday, May 30th (my BD). Prices are already reduced! (click on the banner):

So if you've been thinking about picking up a hand made jewelry, gift for your friend or for yourself, now is the time to celebrate with us and take advantage of savings.

Plus, first three buyers will get a free gift from me (value up to $15).

UPD. After this sale, use coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off. 

Marking your pliers with crystals

Yesterday I was teaching a jewelry class.  Some of my students had the same tools that looked alike (e.g. all crimp pliers look alike). While teaching classes  (or taking a class), you may accidentally grab somebody's pliers. To know which tool is yours,  simply mark it :) 

I have all my pliers marked with Swarovski hotfix crystal rhinestones, 5mm.

Clean the surface of your pliers from grease and dirt. 

These crystals are "not recommended for leather, water resistant material or non-porous surfaces", so I put a tiny drop of 'Jewelry&Metal Glue'.

Also, you can use adhesive backed crystals (you find them in scrap-booking department). There is just one snag - those crystals may "wear out" and have not pretty look.
Also, you can use paint to mark your pliers. Just do not paint handles.

Ear Sweeps

Ear sweeps are earrings that are like a bobby-pin type earrings made to fit the lobes and the outside ridge of your ear.

 You will have a multiple-pierced look without the extra holes :-)

Putting on Ear Sweeps:
Thread the back wire of the Ear Sweep through an existing pierced ear hole in a downward position. Pull through as far as it will go. Rotate the Ear Sweep upward. Continue rotating while pulling the outer ear in-between the back and front portions of the Ear Sweep.

Ear Sweeps may be adjusted to fit most ears.
- DO NOT make any adjustments while the Ear Sweep is on the ear.
- To tighten or loosen, do so a little at a time until it is comfortable yet snug.
- The ends of the wire should cross each other or almost touch. 

You can buy Ear Sweeps here

DIY: Bead Crimping: Necklace - Bracelet

Today I want to show you how to make a necklace or a bracelet using beading wire.

 Beading wire is a flexible stainless steel wire that consists of several strands of wire bound in a nylon coating. It combines the strength of steel with the softness of thread. The more strands in the wire, the more flexible your project will be. There are several brands of beading (stringing) wire on the market: Beadalon®,  Accu-Flex®, Soft Flex®, etc. 

To make this necklace you will need: variety of gem chips, beading wire, two crimp beads, 2 crimp covers, clasp (toggle), crimping pliers, chain nose (I used bent nose) pliers, wire cutters. 

Hammered Fringe Copper Necklace and Earrings

Last weekend, I made a lot of noise. Hope, my neighbors (and my husband) are not mad at me :)  
I cut a lot of pieces of 14ga copper wire- this part was quiet, and then hammered all of them. That was fun :)
This necklace catches the light beautifully and reminds me of a cascading waterfall.

 

 Center piece is approximately 3.5" (9cm)long.

Matching chandelier  earrings hang on a copper chain.

You can buy this jewelry here

Rose Bud Earrings Studs

You will love these cuties! These little rose posts made out of one continuous piece wire.

The size of buds is about 7 mm (5/16").

For those who likes copper:

For gold lovers- gold rose buds

More Earrings see at my shop here

Earrings in Argentium Sterling Silver

I love to work with Argentium sterling silver wire! To make some of my jewelry I use a torch to make a ball on the end of the wire. Working with copper or regular sterling silver you got a fire scale and the ball  is moderately pitted (sterling silver) or slightly pitted (copper). With Argentium  sterling silver wire the ball is smooth!

This pair of Orbital earrings is made with argentium sterling silver wire and green faceted malachite (imitation) beads.

Pretty and delicate, these earrings are made with green goldstone beads.

Argentium sterling silver wire replaces some of the copper with the element germanium, and by definition, Argentium never contains less than 93% true silver. The germanium, coupled with the silver and copper, creates a fine piece of anti-tarnish silver wire that you will love to wear! 

You can buy these earrings here

Wire from Wire-Sculpture.com

Amethyst 14k Gold Zigzag Earrings

Usually, I work with copper ( I love copper) and sterling silver (or SS filled) wire. When I've got these hand-cut flat rectangle amethyst beads... I knew,  they wanted to be framed in gold! 

So, I ordered 14Kgold filled wire from Wire-Sculpture and made this pair :)
They look simple and elegant.
They go with just about everything!

 You can order them here

Oxidizing Jewelry with Liver of Sulfur

If you want to add a rustic or antique look to copper, brass, or silver jewelry, add a patina by oxidizing it. 
I will show how I oxidized my copper bracelet with liver of sulfur. 

You can find liver of sulfur in a liquid, gel, or dry (rock) form.

First, clean the piece that you plan to oxidize using a soft, dry cloth. This will ensure that any dirt or  oil does not cause uneven oxidation.

Pink Coral Sterling Silver Pendant

Do you have some single unusual beads and do not know what to do with them?
I had a pink coral beads for 5 years or so. I even do not remember where I got it. Today, finally, it happened! :)
I made a pendant out of it. 

I used sterling silver filled wire, sterling silver beads and this pink free-form coral bead. 

The pendant measures about 2"(5 cm).
Comes with sterling silver filled 18" chain (46cm)

The pendant is very unusual and will make a nice conversation piece! 

You can buy it here (only one available).