Cold!

Last night I went to bed with one of those throats where you feel like you have swallowed sandpaper - today I feel like my nose is on tap and as I tap this it has started drizzling - perfect - just in time for the walk to school!! Its funny how the weather likes to wait for that walk - morning or afternoon the rain always likes to start about 10 mins before I have to leave!! This cold is making me feel like I am chilled to the bone :(

A couple of pieces to show you before I trundle off to my party this evening - although I am full of cold (apologises to anyone who is going to night - I promise not to breath over you!) I'm looking forward to getting my latest pieces out there. It always so nice to see people trying pieces on at parties!! The first necklace is dainty with Tourmaline and a Karen Hill Tribe Silver flower - and the charm bracelet with Isabelle Andersons beautiful shell beads - this piece I nearly called Linen - for obvious reasons - the chain and headpins were handcrafted by me - of course!!

Will post again Sunday - the website will be updated tomorrow morning - lots of new pieces!!

Zig-zag bracelet - chainmail

I had some leftover rings from the Aurelia set, so as they were perfect AR for a japanese pattern, I made this bracelet. I call it zig-zag, as the outer rings around on both sides, lol.
Pretty easy to make actually, just make a strip of 2-2 and then add the outer large rings attached with the small ones. One of the easiest stuff I've done so far, next to the shaggy loops maybe. However it was quite fiddly and time consuming.
All sterling silver.

page at Flickr

I'm setting up a page with my jewelry at Flickr, please feel free to visit me at http://www.flickr.com/photos/marikajewelry/

Chainmail bracelet featured at Yahoo chainmail group

One of my chainmail bracelets was added today as the homepage picture at the Chainmail Ring Yahoo group. I'm a bit overwhelmed as there are real chainmail gurus lurking in there and I'm such a chainmail newbie...But it does feel good,so yes, I'm boasting about it :)

Earthquakes

How scary! Not for me, I live in Cornwall (down the bottom) so we seem to be safe from these happenings - although I have experienced tremors before. Two summers ago on a holiday to the Greek island of Zante we woke in the night with the feeling our bed had been picked up and shook around. Then one morning by the pool we had another - funny thing is the children didn't even notice!! The third was the worst - it actually made me feel quite ill - we were shopping and everything in the shop started swinging and rocking. The owner didn't even bat an eyelid though - so we decided not to be worried! But how I would react in a earthquake is anyones guess - were any of you affected???


I wante dto show you the other pieces I made with Beverley Hicklins beads - (after my last post - see below) I love the colours in these and was influenced by Italy (One of my favourite countries) Now I have to finish the preparations for the party - my first in 2 months - so its getting everything back together - the worst part is the pricing each and every piece up - think of me.....

And another....

Lovely BetteJo passed this on to me - isn't it lovely:) I have a few people I want to pass it onto - the people who always listen to my waffle whether here or through emails or msn. Sometimes when life is getting us down its our friends that add that little bit of sunshine. SO my awards goes to all my friends you know who you are!!

I'm also going to have a little brag - yesterday I had email from Cindy, one of the editors of Art Bead Scene - I was featured yesterday :) Go take a look - How exciting!!


Right I'm off for my swim - hoping to swim 55 lengths today (small pool!! probably more like 27.5!!) Enjoy your day!

Aurelia necklace and bracelet

This is what I've been working the whole weekend. Yesterday I was busy cutting the rings with my jeweler's saw, and today I made the necklace and bracelet in sterling silver and larvikite beads, based on the aura weave.
Once I figured out the weave, it was very easy. It's just like a part of byzantine with the rings flipping back. I used 1mm wire 6 and 3 mm ID.

Amethysts!

It has been so long since I last posted that I've almost forgotten how. Valentine's Day and its aftermath have kept me busy, then the indescribable sickness that comes from having fibromyalgia stole most of this last week away from me, keeping me bedridden and much of the time in a deep sleep ( asleep I don't hurt though!). I haven't managed really to get anything new posted on the site, much less make new jewelry (still working on custom orders, too).
The two bracelets here are composed primarily of amethysts, the February birthstone, and I've done something I don't usually do: I've used the same lampwork beads for both bracelets. These lampwork beads are very different from most borosilicate beads; they have different colours and a strange opal-like quality as well without really being opalescent. The colours led to the mixture that you can see in the bracelet above. Large faceted rondelles of pretty blue aquamarine mix well with the amethysts with the addition of the lampwork. And I do love box clasps with stones set in them.
The next amethyst bracelet uses the lampwork beads and dark and light amethysts in faceted nuggets and rounds for a more homogeneous look. Bali and Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver accent the two. They will both be on the Amethyst Bracelets page of the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.
I'm still rushing to catch up, so if you want some information about the amethyst gemstone, where it gets its name, etc. see last year's February post.
Meanwhile, everyone pray for Spring!


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Thanks Crunchy is friday!

AS promised a look at on eof my new bracelets - I think the colours Isabelle Anderson captured are fantastic and it gave me the oppurtunity to use these beautiful flashy labradorite lentils with them. I named her after that lovely Sunday where we spent the afternoon wandering through Trelissick. Cornwall is full of inspiration for me - there's always something that triggers a design.

Friday sometimes don't come fast enough but this week has flown by - in fact can you believe next weekend is March!! Now I can't wait for spring to fully kick in - but the summer is my favourite time - I've already been buying gemstones in the colours that sing Summer - turquoise, Kyanite, ruby - lovely rich vibrant colours!

Now don't forget either its Mothering Sunday next weekend. My Mum for one is a very special lady (we're actually very similar ;0) ) But I'm not sure she'll want jewellery this year (I could be wrong?!) So I'd love some ideas - of course buying handmade would be great - so ideas would be lovely!!

Have a lovely weekend

Sorry

For my rant on Monday - its all sorted my lovely friend Clare lent us a book which Elli and us read last night. A lovely look at how babies are made and my sweet child said "I'm not confused anymore"!!
I have been working hard this week - lots of new pieces made - sadly most of them are commissions but I'll show you at some point. I also have a party booked for next Friday - as you all know all my stock goes to these - so my website may look a little thin on the ground on the first but I'm trying to make lots of new pieces in the meantime to cover all eventualites :)

I'll be back tomorrow with a fabulous bracelet (even if I do say so myself) its one of my latest favourites. So check back tomorrow :)

Cloisonne silver pendant

I bought recently this gorgeous cloissonne heart from Etsy and I was dying to do something with it.So I've wrapped it lightly in sterling silver and added two little Bali style cloissone beads hanging from it.
The colors are really strong and vibrating, I really love this one. Simple but beautiful.
If interested, you can find it in my shop.

Qassia - the future of online advertising?

So I've read on a jewelry forum about this very new site, currently on closed beta testing, and it looks really promissing.

Basically it's a credit given intellingence page combined with a web directory. But what does it mean for you and me?
Well, if you have your own website, you can freely (yes, I mean freely) promote it there. And there are three ways to do it:

1. Write a small 'intel', basically a little information about something, or a person, or a situation that you came across (e.g. I wrote about some jewelry experiences, reviewed a couple of books and wrote about the company I am currently working at).
Now after it being rated by at leat 10 people (usually it happens within a few minutes), the article gets 'published' and you get your Qassia $, your online 'money'.

2. Refer somebody to the site

3. Rate new articles written

Now all these three are very easy to do, and you get this Qassia currency immediately. You can add as many websites as you want to get free advertising, and there's really a lot more to it.

Check it out and sign up. As it's a close beta testing (like Google mail used to be ages ago, remember?), you can't just go to the site and join, you need to be refered to. So go here: http://kislany.qassia.com/, and click on Join, the big button on the left of the site.
That's all there is to it. The rest is explore, rate, and review :)

Back to Normal

School and normal routine I mean - I think I'm way past normal now! The sun was shining today but it was so cold - but I do prefer it to rain. The above necklace was definately influenced by the sun - I love that amazonite focal and of course the ivory pearls just show it off to perfection.

I also made some more of my planets - these are so light and easy to wear - I'm hoping to keep these as part of my basic silver range, inexpensive and fun. I love the pattern on these - now I'm not giving away any trade secrets but you'd find it hilarious if I did tell you how it came about - but I won't because then I would have to kill you!! :)

Now I'm going to have a little rant - please feel free to scroll to the bottom for my final pic ;)
Any one with children will understand the protection we feel for them - my daughter is six and although we joke about her going on sixteen, she is a child who is in love with the idea of princes and princesses, unicorns, fairies and magic. She does say she has a true love but that's not because she understands but because she adores Disney classics (Ie Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty) so imagine my shock (and horror) when she asked her Daddy if it were true - and in childs wording asks him about sex!!! Now I'm no prude, I tell her the truth (But on a need to know basis - its quite easy to change the subject without actually lying) but I do not want her learning about the birds and bees from another child at school (same child that told her there is no such thing as Santa Claus) So any Mum reading this who likes to tell your children everything can you spare a thought for those of us who would like our children to stay as innocent as the day they were born for as long as possible. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
OK after my sounding off :D I'll leave you there until next time ....

My Dawanda vs my Esy shop - jewelry vs supplies and books

I've been playing with the idea for a while now, and I think I will implement it afteral. I've noticed that on my Etsy shop mostly my beading and jewelry supplies are bought, while on Dawanda, the jewelry flies off 'the shelves' so to speak. So I will split my shops into a jewelry supplies on Etsy and handmade finished pieces on Dawanda.

I received a lot of brand new (not only new as in not used, but also new as in brand new on the market) Russian beading books. I will start listing them on Etsy. For all the beaders out there, you know how sought after are the Russian books :) Well, now is your chance to grab some. I am combining shipping on multiple books.
I have created a new section in my Etsy shop, Craft books, keep checking it, as I am adding books quite often until I sold off all the batch I received in February directly from Russia. I might then order more if I see that they are really wanted :)

Two new silver pendants

Here is the pendant matching the set below. Took me quite a while to finish all the set, filing away all the burs and sharp edges, then oxidizing all the pieces, taking off the excess with the very fine steel wool and finally tumble polising them all for over 2 hours. But I'm quite pleased as how it all came together.
Here is also the whole set in one pic. Not so easy to photograph, specially when it's all about sterling silver...










Also another pendant I started last night and finished working on it today. I call it Spring Leaf. All sterling silver and 4mm Swarovski crystals.
I wanted to make something in honour of winter (finally) leaving us behind and to welcome spring. Thus the colour progression on the leaf of the swaros. The shape came nicely together as well.

A few more jewelry things

I've been busy yesterday and today. Love it when my creative 'juices' are flowing. Sadly only during the weekend when I'm rested and I have the whole day ahead of me...
Pendant uses a lampwork bead made by an Etsy artist, and it is wrapped in sterling silver. Really small one, hubby liked it (he prefers the smaller ones usually).


Second is a herringbone weave set I made today in sterling silver. I wanted too much to oxidize it but I was afraid. Nevertheless I said if it won't come out nicely, then I won't sell it and just keep it for myself. But I think the result is quite nice. LOS'ed it, then polished the heck out of it with the steel wool, and then put it (actually them) in the tumbler. I've also made a pendant but I still have to take a picture of it. Will do it tomorrow.