Fiona

 

When you think of people do you think of a color? If you have a friend who always wears blue, when you think of them does blue come to mind? Well I have a lovely friend here named Fiona and when I think of her I think Purple. She’s a very colorful person, she doesn’t always wear purple but she does wear it often. She redecorated her home last year and what’s the feature color? Purple. I wanted to make a pair for her last year but I had no purple beads. She picked another pair I’d already made and she loves them. Since then I have gotten purple beads but I had no idea what to do with them.

I’ve been having another creative streak over the past two days. Sunday my husband turned on the soccer so I went into a different room to watch political shows from back home. I made a few pairs while I watched. Then Monday I was updating some old designs and while putting my supplies away a style came to me, and these happened.

 

One of many patches of crocuses in our yard

Monday was a lovely day so I went outside to take pictures of the new earrings. I was going to publish a different pair this week but when these came about I knew I’d have to do them first. It looks like spring in our front yard and these earrings match the Crocuses. And since February’s birthstone is Amethyst (which is also purple) I wanted to get these out before the month was over.

 

 




The purple beads feature a marble type effects, traces of white swirling around them. In the center there is a iridescent glass bead with a swirl effect on it. Those three beads are separated by small purple iridescent beads. The findings are silver plated, and can be replaced by kidney wires or clip on if you’d prefer. They hang about an inch and a half from the ear.

This seems like a good time to make an announcement. The journey is making another stop. Once again at the village hall in Wraysbury on Saturday March 18^th from 10am to noon. I’ll have the newest designs on hand as well as some old ones and some remixed designs. So put the date on your calendar and I hope to see you there. Remember, you save shipping costs when you buy in person. And there may even be a few surprises.

£4.00 including UK Shipping, $7.70 including US shipping

 

Clusters

I hope you all enjoyed your Valentine’s Day!

These are the last of the garnet earrings I made at the end of last year. I love these as well. I had a similar pair at home that were all pearls. But I think the contrast of garnet and pearl is cute.

 

Again these are smaller than the first few I posted at the beginning of January. They are just over an inch long so they would even be cute for a little girl. Each Cluster features 3 - 6mm garnet beads and 3 - 6mm pearls. All the metals and findings are silver plated.

 

While this may be the last pair in this line I may produce more garnet earrings in the future. I wanted to start off the year showing you all some really nice styles. Now I have to get working on my March idea, fingers crossed I can actually do it.

 

£7.00 including UK shipping or $9.75 including US shipping
Don't forget you can get any of the earrings in kidney wires or clips (clips are an additional cost)

Breaking News!!!

We interrupt your scheduled broadcast for this special report.

Clip on earrings are now available!

Last year with the two fairs we attended I came across a reoccurring theme. “They’re nice, but my ears aren’t pierced.” Well, now there is no excuse.

 Just after Christmas I ordered more silver plated findings because I was running low. I didn’t notice it when I received them but when I put them on the first pair  this year I realized the new fishhooks are larger than the ones I’ve been using since I started. I must say that I like the smaller version better myself. But I looked on the site and there is no size specified so I guess it’s just what they have when you order. So I decided to try something different. I acquired Kidney Ear pieces. I have a pair of earring with these and I love them! I haven’t seen earrings with them since but my supplier has them so I got some.

 

 

 

I guess I should explain why I use the type of findings I do. When I was an infant my mother had my ears pierced, properly at a doctor's office. After a year or two she noticed that I took them out of my ears in my sleep. After several mornings getting down on her hands and knees to look for the lost earrings under my bed she gave up and stopped putting them on me. She only used 24 karat gold so it wasn’t the metal I was allergic to. After awhile the holes closed.Years later (and I remember this) I wanted to wear earrings. I was about seven or eight. After months of begging and pleading my mom re-pierced my ears (herself, at home). It didn’t hurt or not that I can remember. Once again she only used 24 karat gold post earrings, and sure enough after a while they bothered my ears.

 

 

I rarely wore earrings after that, but the holes never closed again. Sometimes I would see some cute ones that I liked and try them but most of the time they still bothered me. One Easter as a teenager I bought myself a cute (cheap) pair at a clothing store. Funny enough they didn’t bother me. So I tried going back to earrings I already had (posts) but they still bothered me. So I went through my earrings and took note of the ones I could wear with no problem and the ones that bothered me. Sure enough the ones that I had a problem wearing didn’t depend on the quality of the metal but the type of earring. Earrings like the fishhooks and kidneys don't bother me. But post earring still do, so I only wear those types (thus dangling – because they are both dangle earrings).

 

I transferred two pairs that were already made to clips and one pair to kidney just so that you can see how they look. If you are interested in any pair already made over the past year and a half in the clip on or kidney form just let me know. The clips are more expensive, so the clip on earrings will be as well. But at least now every one has an opportunity to wear a pair of fun, unique, handmade earrings.

Garnet Queens

Sorry this post is so late, I've had a busy few days. On Monday Neil and I were busy in London; I had errands to run ad Neil had an appointment. Yesterday I was cooking two lasagnas; one for us and one for a church function today. Then last night we went to the movies. We saw Trainspotting 2, which was very good although I admit I didn't always understand what they were saying. So I didn't get around to writing the blog until this morning and I didn't feel like getting out of bed.

I couldn't think of a name for these gorgeous girls but the Chambala beads looks a bit like a disco ball so I thought Disco Queen - Dancing Queen - Garnet Queen. I love this pair! While I do like all of the earrings I've made these are my favorites so far for this year. I wore them out the on Monday and while running an errand I realized I’d lost one. I was so upset! I wore them to show them off and get a nice picture in them.  To make things worse I didn't think I had enough of the expensive Chambala beads left to make another pair. Later in the day the missing earring fell out of my sweater. What luck!

 

This design is similar to the earrings I made for the wedding line last year; instead of using pearls I used garnets – and there’s no Swarovski crystal on the end. All of the beads are smaller than the wedding earrings so the earrings themselves are smaller, hanging just over an 1.25 inches from the ear. But they are just as classy.

 

It’s February now so if you’re an Aquarian or Pisces and you’d like these in Amethyst just let me know. I can make these with any birthstone however the price will change because the birthstones vary in cost.

 

And there’s still one pair left of the Love Heart earrings so if you’re interested send me an email, tweet or fb message to be sure you can have them in time for the day.

 

Garnet Queens £7.00 including shipping to the UK, $8.85 including shipping to the US.

Love Hearts £5.00 including UK shipping or $7.50 including US shipping