On the Fly

On The Fly!

I've never really done this with any success. Sunday my friend's family threw a party for her birthday. It was family function but they invited Neil and I as well. I planned to wear one of my favorite dresses (I've had it for 7 years now), normally when I wear this dress I wear the pair of earrings featured in Layers that I've had for [about 10] years and rewired because they had become tarnished. But Sunday I decided to make a pair of earrings to wear to the party ... just an hour or so away.

I opened my box of beads and realized I had several shades of blue, most of which are in my dress. So for about a 30 minutes I played around with settings and chain and findings to get it just right. And with just a few minutes to spare I ended up with these.

I like that the beads are different shapes and sizes, and the lengths are different as well. You may notice I do that a lot in my designs.

Once we arrived at the party Shirley, my friend and neighbor told all of her granddaughters that I make earrings,

"Really?"

"Yes, in fact I just made these!"

I tried this once before, I made a pink and white pair that I never bothered to put up because I really didn't think they were any good. I wore pink and black from head to toe one day and wanted some pink earrings but didn't have any black beads at the time. I wore them on the day and just shoved them aside, I think they're still in tact but I don't even think about wearing them again.

But these are a different story. Grant it you'd have to have a dress like mine to make it work. Or maybe you just like the colors, or have an outfit with the same blue, grey and black combination. Whatever the situation is, if you'd like a pair of these just give me a shout.

Azure

Azure

I hope you enjoyed your 4^th of July (if you celebrate it), we had a pretty good day too. Even though I’m not in the US anymore I have celebrated the holiday every year I’ve been here. The first year one of my friends from University had all the Americans over; she cooked and we just sat around talking all evening.  The next year Neil and I actually had a BBQ; shish kebabs, potato salad, deviled eggs, grilled corn on the cob, sangria and watermelon for dessert. That year was the best! Last year was right after the wedding and my mom was still here so we just had burgers and maybe potato salad. But this year I wanted a BBQ again, only extenuating circumstances prevented us from getting the grill out so I made everything in the kitchen. I made potato and pasta salad the day before along with some minty simple syrup for the mojitos. So yesterday all I had to do was make the deviled eggs and cook the hot dogs and burgers (all veggie). It was great! During the day (between meals) Neil watched the Tour de France and I watched American movies and TV shows on Netflix.

 

This is the last of the designs I made several weeks ago. I love the dark blue glass of these. Again, none of the bead heads were small enough to top these beads. And since these beads are flat they probably wouldn’t look right anyway. The beads hang from a short length of chain, which of course I can make as long or short for you as you’d like (or take it away all together if you’d like); that’s the advantage of handmade jewelry.

 

Each dark blue (somewhere between Navy and Royal) glass bead is half an inch long. As usual all the findings and the chain are silver plated, and the earrings can be fitted with either fish hooks, kidney wires (shown) or clip-ons (at an additional cost). Each earring will hang an inch and a third from the ear.

Well, now I need to get back to work since I no longer have a backlog to publish from. I have a few ideas in my head but they need to be worked out, which is the fun part but it’s just finding the time to play around.

 

£4.00 including UK shipping, $7.95 including US shipping. One pair left

Crystal

Crystal

We are in the middle of a heat wave here in the UK, hopefully today is the last day of it. Today is the longest day of the year which to some is a sacred day – the Summer Solstice. It is a special day for Neil and I too, the first two years we were together we did fabulous things on this day. In 2014 we went to Box Hill for the evening, I took drinks and dessert and we sat on a bench on the hill eating our picnic and watching the night fall. We were even treated to fireworks going off in the distance. That night for both of us was the night we knew we were in love. The following year we went to Stonehenge, actually we went the night of the 20^th to bring in the day of the 21^st. After taking a short nap in the parking lot at Stonehenge, we spent the rest of the day going around to other sacred Druid sites like Avebury and Silbury Hill. Unfortunately last year we were too busy preparing for our wedding to do anything like that.

I have a few designs waiting to meet the public. If you follow me on Instagram you’ve seen the preview of Crystal. I thought I’d bring out the elegant one first and now that I think about it Crystal was probably a fitting design to release this week. After all, people are leaving Stonehenge this morning and heading to Glastonbury for the festival. And Glastonbury is known for its mysticism, if you ever go there are crystal shops throughout town.  

These crystals are mystic though, they’re Swarovski. They are round, almost teardrop shaped and not flat the crystals in my wedding pair from last year. Also these crystals are iridescent and not truly clear. The crystals themselves are a third of an inch but they hang from a length of silver-plated chain, making the total length 1 and a quarter inches. The finding are all silver-plated as well and the earrings can me fitted with either fish hooks (shown), kidney wire or clip-ons.

I think what I love most about this pair is that they are simple enough to wear during the day and yet elegant enough to wear with something fancy. And once again the big perk of buying earrings from me is that if you would like the chain longer or shorter I can adjust it to your liking. I have several crystals left so I can probably make three pairs. Let me know if you’d like one.

£4.50 including UK shipping, $8.38 including US shipping

Michelle

 

Well, I finally got the pieces I was waiting for. These are bead caps, I got them in a pack of about two hundred in various sizes and designs.  I wanted the bead caps to make certain designs, specifically one similar to a pair that I bought years ago. But these are not them.

 

I saw a similar pair to these on TV recently, possibly again on EastEnders. I think Michelle Fowler was wearing them but I could be wrong. This pair consists of a single 6mm pearl with the new bead caps, hanging from a length of chain. Since you can buy these straight from me you have your length of chain as short or as long as you like. The ones featured here hang about two inches from the ear. The chain and all the findings are silver plated.

 

£4.50 including UK shipping, $9.00 including US shipping.

 

 

 

 

Baccarat

 

This pair has a bit of history behind them.

Many years ago now (probably about 10) I went to a mall in Atlantic City (NJ) and saw a jewelry store. The jewelry was a bit abstract for me but it was still very nice and it was very expensive. I always kept it in mind for present ideas for my uncles who have very expensive taste. I thought I could save up the money to get cufflinks or something. I had never heard of this designer before then but when I brought home the booklet and my mother said it was a well-known jewelry designer. It was call Baccarat.

Now fast forward to Spring/Summer 2015, Neil and I went for an outing to Cobham when he was recovering from his horrible back episode. We went and had lunch in a park in Cobham and then walked down the High Street browsing the charity shops. Chelsea had just won one of the many cup finals that year and I guess a lot of the players live in the area so Chelsea flags were everywhere (I hate Chelsea!). In one of the charity shops I saw this Baccarat necklace and snatched up especially since I know this could retail for about $200 and it was only £3.00. But I really do like it and I don’t have much if any black jewelry.

 

Now fast forward to three weeks ago. I was having another night insomnia and while lying in bed I thought I’ll make myself a  pair of earring to go with my Baccarat necklace because I don’t wear it as often as I should. I have a nice pair of black chandelier earrings but they are a different style. I decided to try to make a pair that would have the same sort of swirl effect like the Baccarat necklace has. And since I still had some Onyx beads left I decided to give it a try. So a few days later while playing some old political panel shows I started messing around to see if I could make this idea come to life. You may have seen the posts I put on FB and Twitter after they were done.

 They’ve drawn a lot of attention, even before I wrote this post someone purchased a pair. Each earring consists of seven 6mm Onyx beads, threaded with silver plated findings and hooked onto silver plated chain. They hang about an inch and three quarters from the neck. So let me know what you think. I can make more if anyone is interested but I’ll have to order more beads.

 

£8.00 including UK Shipping, $13.00 including US shipping.

Happily Ever After

 

 

I’m a little obsessed with this chain right now. I just keep thinking of new ways to use it. It’s like this year’s wire. I keep having bouts of insomnia which leaves me exhausted during the day but when I’m lying in bed trying to sleep ideas pop into my head. This is one that came to me two weeks ago.

 

Each earrings consists of four chains (one for each flavor of marriage*; sour, bitter, spicy and sweet - see descrption at the end). Each chain has a different bead on the end; two 2mm pearls, one 4mm pearl, one 8mm pearl and one Swarovski teardrop crystal. Each strand of chain is also a different length. The earrings hang about 2 inches from the ear. The chain is sliver-plated, as are the findings; which as always can be fitted with either fish hooks (shown), kidney wire or clip on (additional cost).

 

As always these aren’t exclusively for brides or bridal party members. Anyone can get their hands on these. That’s all for the wedding line this year, but again you can see what’s still available from last year’s line and most of the pairs not in stock can be made.

 

£8.00 including UK shipping, $13.75 including US shipping

 

*Yoruba Tasting Ceremony:

From the age-old traditions of Africa, in which the wisdom of the ages is transmitted by story and ritual more than written word, we receive the Yoruba ceremony, a time for the tasting of four elements - the sour, the bitter, the hot, and the sweet - four tastes symbolic of the elements of marriage.

Taste now the sour, for surely every life of integrity admits to its share of times which
are less than perfect. As (Couple's Name) experience life’s disappointments as well as
successes, will we offer our love and support, without measure and without limit?
If so, let us all taste and say “we will.”

Taste now the bitter, for surely every life of depth will know it moments of denial and
rejection when we feel turned away by life. As (Couple's Name) encounter times when bitterness might take hold of their hearts, will we offer our guidance and wisdom, without measure and without limit? If so, let us all say “we will.”

Taste now the hot, for surely there is spice and passion in every enduring relationship.
As (Couple's Name) find and express their hearts’ deepest longings, will we offer them our respect and encouragement without measure and without limit?
If so, let us all taste and say “we will.”

And finally, taste now the sweet, for the abundance of life which has brought these two lovers here to be joined in marriage will continue to pour itself out for their enjoyment. As (Couple's Name) know the sweetness of married life in all of its ages and stages, will we offer our congratulations and benedictions without measure and without limit? If so, let us all taste and say “we will.”

 

 

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)

Happy New Year!!!

 

 Happy New Year from all of us at the Dangling Journey! We hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a dazzling 2017.

I admit I didn’t give any previews for what’s coming up this year, but honestly I made several pairs of earrings before Christmas. I’m only going to release them one at a time though so I don’t run out of things to present. I also got lots of new supplies to make earrings with, so the journey continues.

I had two thoughts for this month; one was to try something different. Fortunately my birthday is this month (Friday to be precise) and a lot of other people I know have birthdays this month as well so I started thinking about birthstones. I looked at my supplier’s website and found Garnets reasonably priced, I can’t say the same for other birthstones though.

The second idea came to me while I was trying to go to sleep one night. I drew it on my phone. Unfortunately once I made them I deleted the drawing.

 

I think it looks rather pretty, even elegant. It features two 6mm garnet beads and one 6mm Chambala bead all hanging from a silver plated chain. The total length of the earring is 3 inches.

 

Any of the garnet earrings can be made in most birthstones. Here’s the complicated part – there are at least four different classifications of birthstones. I can get most from my supplier but there are a few (Diamond, Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire) that they do not supply or what they supply is actually glass and not rock or mineral. I have provided a chart and crossed out any that I cannot (or will not) supply. Only the best for my customers! No imitation stones here! Also some stones may be more expensive than garnet so if you order another stone I will quote you a price specific for your earrings before purchasing so there is no mix up. Colors: Jasper (leopard skin) Topaz (yellow/orange)

 

 

£8.00 including shipping to the UK. $9.85 including shipping to the US.