Cheery Pink, Green and Aqua for Spring

Rhodochrosite Bracelet

    At 18 degrees here outside, I know that there are other people dreaming of Spring (not I; I love this!)  Just a couple of pieces today that I've finished this weekend.  Above and below, a gemstone bracelet in rhodochrosite, a pink gemstone that is relatively rare on the jewelry scene. This bracelet has 4 strands: one of gemstones, two of Thai Karen Hill Tribes tiny sterling silver beads accented with a few rhodochrosites, and a sterling silver oval-linked chain with sterling silver charms, a fleur de lis and 2 puffy hearts.  The clasp is a sterling toggle.  This will shortly be on the Gemstone Bracelets page on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.

 Below are two stackable bracelets made of green rutilated quartz.  I love this gemstone and it is a beautiful fresh green with just a touch of lime perhaps, but I have more difficulty photographing it for some reason than almost any other gemstone.  I love the little hammered hearts on the second bracelet! These will go on the Gemstone Bracelets page shortly, and you will be able to buy them together or separately.

 Below, aqua freshwater pearls and tiny little Thai Karen Hill Tribes beads lead to a large modern pendant of faceted faux aqua quartz in this pendant necklace.  This is in the JewelrybyChloemarie Etsy store that I have.

Aqua Freshwater Pearl Pendant Necklace

Don't forget that all purchases from the Cluny Grey site over $50.00 ship FREE!

Thinking of Spring, Weddings, Bridesmaids, and Pretty Things!

 It's never too early to begin thinking of wedding season.  While I don't do a lot of bridal jewelry, one thing that I've done since I began jewelry-making was making jewelry for bridesmaids. After being my friends' and son's weddings, I was familiar with the frenzy of wedding planning, and especially the difficulties of finding gifts for the bride to give her bridesmaids.  I thought bridesmaids' bracelets were the perfect answer to the problem.  Not only does the bride have a long-lasting gift to present those who are in her wedding, but the bridesmaids can actually wear the bracelets as part of their bridesmaid attire. Also, it's easy to personalize each bracelet just a bit, so that each bracelet is a slightly different from the other while keeping with the wedding theme.  For one wedding, a very caring bride sent me an email with a description of her bridesmaids' personalities so that I could make a bracelet that would fit with their styles.  All of the bracelets were made of amethysts, but each was unique!

The bracelets and earrings here feature two staples for bridesmaid jewelry: Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. The first bracelet, above, with creamy white freshwater pearls, a large cosmic Swarovski crystals, and a single blue heart is my favorite. With the blue heart (something blue) it also makes a great bridal bracelet. The bracelets are made either with sterling silver or 14 karat gold-fill.

Above, genuine coral mixed with Swarovski crystals is great for a beach wedding.

Earrings are also great for bridesmaids.  Again, Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls with sterling silver or 14 karat gold-fill is not only on trend, but a classic look!

Unique Bracelets

I've been doing a lot of catch-up work since returning from Paris, but have made 4 rather different bracelets in the last week.  Each unique bracelet has something about it that I love.  

  In the top bracelet, I love the combination of the warm sparkly sunstone with the cool aquamarine and sterling silver.  The little Thai Karen Hill Tribe beads in the second strand are an accent I am especially fond of because of their sparkle.

  Below, the drusy bracelet that you see here has one large sparkling focal drusy with a bluish tint to it.  The agate beads (which are smooth in contrast to the rough drusy) are a wonderful mixture of black, bluish grey and grey with some translucence.  The sterling silver charm here is a faceted blue topaz bezel-set in sterling silver. I love this bracelet because of its versatility; with jeans, it has an organic, semi-hippy look; with a little black dress or a suit, it's very sophisticated.

The third bracelet, above, is one of my favorite mixtures: turquoise, lapis, and carnelian.  The turquoise here is especially beautiful, a deep blue, and the large lapis nugget has sparkling gold pyrite in just the right amount! The accents are all 14 karat gold-filled with the exception of the clasp which is vermeil.

The fourth bracelet is made of cherry quartz (this is glass, not a real gemstone) with cloisonne and vermeil accents. Cherry quartz is such a cheerful material to work with that I don't mind that it isn't really a gemstone; when it works (as it does here with the cloisonne), it just works!
  Going back to school?  Don't forget your jewelry! FREE SHIPPING with any jewelry purchase over $50.00! (USA only)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I only have 3 bracelets to show today; I am busy trying to get all my special orders done. But a shipment with these rubies, above, made me decide that I needed a break from the things I was working on. I put together this ruby bracelet with these gorgeous faceted ruby oval nuggets. They are a lovely dark red color - no brown. The artist's lampwork beads are the same colour, but with lashings of real sterling silver winding around each one.

I always like aquamarine.  It's a favorite because it looks good on everybody.  I haven't yet met a person who cannot wear aquamarine. This aquamarine bracelet features three of my best large faceted nuggets in a lovely blue colour complemented by artist's lampwork beads and Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver.   It is a substantial bracelet, but one that is easy to wear since it is only one strand and has just the one charm. The colours here are gorgeous!

Finally, a labradorite bracelet with Swarovski crystals in tanzanite.  Don't know what it is, but tanzanite looks wonderful with labradorite, a seemingly unlikely pairing. 

  You have a bit less than two weeks to order before I take off for Africa - Mozambique and Swaziland!  I can't wait to see the jewelry and what gemstones and beads I can find there.  Meanwhile, don't forget that shipping is FREE when you purchase anything over 50 and only 1.95 when the purchase is under 50.

A Batch of Bracelets

I love bracelets as you can probably tell by looking at this post today. New gemstones and sterling silver are a great temptation and make it hard to leave the office to go home. Sometimes I have so many pretty gemstones that it is overwhelming - I want to use them all at once, think of 10 different projects and can't get started on any of them. But I have gotten a bit done this week.
The unusual bracelet above is definitely a "happy" bracelet full of colour and fun. I pulled some of my James Derrick Reeves special lampwork beads from my secret stash and used turquoise chalcedony, carnelian, amethyst, and jade to pick up the colours in these very colourful beads.
Below, Suzette Celestin's very feminine beads are complemented by large nuggets of pink Peruvian opal and green quartz in this unique bracelet that appears to be a harbinger of Spring (ah, but at least 2 months of chill before the warm comes to Arkansas!).

In contrast to all the colour above is this jasper bracelet handmade (of course) with ocean jasper in soothing shades of green and off-white and wonderfully subtle lampwork beads to match.
Below the jasper is a new combination for me: porcelain jasper ovals with faceted and smooth muscovite, gold-laced lampwork bead with the same quiet tones as the jasper and intricate sterling silver. You will be able to find this one on the Unusual Jewelry page of the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.

Finally, for those who love what I call "strong pastels" a chalcedony bracelet with pink, tuquoise, and blue chalcedony - beautiful gemstone beads - with matching lampwork and a second strand made up of Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver chain and charms.
Remember: Wherever you go, wear your jewelry!

jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker takı juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories cats Swarovski crystal jasper bracelet
unique jewelry
unusual jewelry
beaded jewelry
bead jewelry
chalcedony jewelry