Showing posts with label jade bracelets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jade bracelets. Show all posts

Sunday, April 11, 2010

For Graduation: The Colours of Spring and Summer


More bracelets in the colours of Spring! The jade bracelet above celebrates the colour of the season - turquoise! Faceted rectangles of turquoise jade are complemented by purple and pink jade, including a carved pink jade tulip and also spring green carved flowers in jade. The second strand is a sterling silver chain with dangles of turquoise jade. It's the perfect Spring/Summer bracelet with all those colours that we traditionally associate with the two seasons.
At the end of this post, a second jade bracelet is the more traditional jade green with carved jade beads and special flat freshwater pearls in a creamy white.
Below, a celebration of femininity begins with rose quartz; in one rose quartz bracelet, blue agate and sterling silver flower charms and beads are anchored by a focal bead of pretty faceted rose quartz; in the second bracelet, some of our favorite lampwork beads by Suzette Celestin are added to the mix.
A Spring/Summer staple: the turquoise and coral bracelet gets oomph here from lampwork beads with a touch of coral as well as sea-themed charms. The second coral and turquoise bracelet features large red coral slices, sterling silver charms, and a very special "harmony ball" that discreetly chimes when shaken.
The aquamarine bracelet, above, is mixed with rainbow moonstone for a different look - very fresh, very springy/summery. A "watch chain" goes a little over half way around the bracelet for added texture and interest. The wonderful aquamarine nuggets are delightfully chunky.
Jewelry makes a great and lasting graduation present for your favorite graduate! Don't forget that we ship free of charge (over $50.00 purchase).

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Gemstones and Abalone with a Necklace or Two


March is almost over, and it's cherry blossom time. For me, this means several different things: my darling grand-daughter will be one year old, Washington will be inundated with tourists (and traffic) hoping to find the perfect confluence of blossoms, warm weather and sunlight to view what is truly one of Nature's lovely sights, and I am a month closer to a trip to Africa.
For jewelry, it means that I'll be working on items for Mother's Day, graduation, prom, June weddings, and summer beaches. Meanwhile, I have an odd assortment of jewelry pieces today!
First, above is a chrysoprase bracelet featuring really lovely chunky faceted chrysoprase nuggets that are a bit different from others that I've seen because of the brown that has been deliberately saved and made a part of the green chrysoprase nugget. Dynamite with the right outfit! And the star of the bracelet is a vintage sterling silver clasp with an inset flower cabochon (glass). A pretty lampwork bead with a shot of soft pink and perfect small green nuggets of chrysoprase finish the bracelet.
Below are two abalone bracelets that both get a kick from added gemstones; the first bracelet features faceted turquoise rectangles (some of my best) in a pretty blue; the second bracelet has faceted thick ovals of aqua chalcedony. Both have charms and toggle clasp closures in sterling.
Sometimes I seem to neglect using a certain gemstone and my supply of jewelry pieces gets low; I know it's because I'll often start using a certain gemstone and won't want to put it down, so that I don't rotate my time with different gemstones. I've neglected using jade lately, and will be making up for it, starting with the bracelet that you see above. Jade doesn't just come in green, but in a slew of beautiful colours. Here the bracelet has the traditional jade green along with a pink that picks up the pink in the gorgeous lampwork beads. A carved flower in pink jade repeats the flower theme of one of the lampwork beads. Two strands mean that this bracelet makes a definite statement.
Another two-strand bracelet below features calcite and jasper as well as another of those vintage clasps made of sterling silver. Such a beautiful clasp means that no matter which way the bracelet turns, there is something lovely to see. This bracelet has a generous helping of sterling silver beads from Bali as well.

I am making more necklaces than I did in the past (I am such a bracelet person!). I love the agate necklace above made with white agate, Swaraovski crystals, and a fantastic geode druzy agate pendant (very in style today). A special lily bead with a string of Swarovski bicones adds a touch of the unusual to this necklace.
Prayer box necklaces have been a staple on the Cluny Grey Jewelry site, but the one you see here is different because the prayer box is cylindrical instead of square. Sterling crosses from different regions hang on either side; a crystal clear Swarovski cross represents purity and virtue. Because coral was an ancient Christian symbol for protection, I added a coral charm to one side of the prayer box. The closure is a sterling lobster clasp.
Another staple on the website is Austrian Crystal Earrings, but I'm especially fond of these silver shadow Swarovski earrings made with Graphic beads, pretty Bali flower beads, and some of my favorite sterling earwires that have intricate roses on the front.
The chrysoprase earrings below are a perfect match for the bracelet at the top of this post.For a lot of fun, upload a picture of yourself with your hair pulled back to ivillage.com's makeover (http://www.ivillage.com/makeover) beauty page and try on different hairstyles and makeup.