Boutique Bracelets

I have been kind of toying with an idea the past few weeks. One of those ideas that get stuck in your head and wont go away. So in I jumped. I have learned over the past few years to never second guess myself. If I have an idea, I need to do it or I will fret and contemplate and "what if" the rest of my life.

So here was my idea:

I wanted to make a cute, inexpensive bracelet for every month of the year, coordinating with said months birthstone color. So instead of real gemstones and sterling silver and bali silver and really shocking price tag, I used Czech Firepolished faceted rounds in a variety of sizes and used sterling silver and pewter spacers and bead caps. Each bracelet is finished off with a toggle clasp of some sort and are only $12. I have seen similar items at my local boutiques and gift shops for $20 or more.

I love Boutique jewelry. It is really pretty and festive, yet affordable and with no worries that you are losing a fortune should it go missing. If you are active or hard on your jewelry then the boutique style jewelry is the way to go.

I apologize in advance for the pictures. I need to repair my lightbox and have not yet done it.

I will be listing these periodically throughout the month in my shop. Each bracelet is 7 1/2 inches long but can be shortened or lengthened for a 50 cent charge to cover wire and crimp beads.

I am also going to take them to my craft show in October and hopefully they will make excellent stocking stuffers.

Now I just need to make coordinating Moo Cards to go with them. I figured I would have each month with its own moo card and have the month listed and what the birthstone is and what it means etc. So if I can just channel my inner adobe illustrator goddess and design those moo cards!!

Happy Thursday.

Theme and Variation

I decided to bead this weekend. I havent made anything new in awhile and I broke in my new desk and "jewelry station". It was heavenly. I had plenty of room, everything was neat, organized and right within reach. Made my stringing fun again!

OK, Remember this pink bracelet... I made it for my mom and she never wears it, thus perpetuating my feelings of inadequacy??

Well I took the pink bracelet and used it as the original pattern, then made 3 variations on it with different stones, including another pink one. I made several of each design, so I would have one to sell and one to keep.(because lets face it, you can never have too much jewelry! )

Here are the 3 I have strung thusfar:

Baby Blue is a Cats eye, glass pearl and swarovski bicone bracelet with sterling silver and pewter. Finished off with a toggle clasp.

Blue Stone is made from an aqua colored stone bead, glass pearl , white cats eye, sterling silver and pewter. The clasp is a self springing claw clasp, so it is easy on easy off...however I will be changing it to a toggle clasp once I get my delivery.

Ruby Red is red czech fire polish faceted rounds, glass pearl sterling silver and pewter. Currently There is a claw clasp, which will also be changed to toggle clasp.

I will be listing these in my etsy shop sometime this week.

I will be making several more of these in various colors(I also have a green milk glass, a pink cats eye, a purple milk glass and a white firepolish.

Since this is one of my more popular designs I am going to make a good selection of them to sell at the craft show in October. I will be creating them in birthstone colors. (garnet, amethyst, aquamarine, diamond, emerald, pearl, ruby, peridot, sapphire, citrine, opal, and blue topaz) I will mostly use czech firepolished glass beads. For Pearl I will be using swarovski glass pearls and for the opal I will be using round swarovski beads in "white opal".

I will be designing Moo cards to go along with each month and attach the card as a tag to the bracelets.

Since they are a costume jewelry and most of the findings are pewter, they are much more affordable than if it were completely sterling silver. So I am hoping to have much success with these at my craft show.

have a great Tuesday!

My Favorite pieces of Jewelry

I made this bracelet for my mom for Her Birthday 7 months ago. I made it in Pink and White as my mother is a Breast Cancer survivor. I thought it would be appropriate. Plus she wears a lot of pink.

She has NEVER worn it. My feelings are a little bit hurt, to be quite honest.
Should I ask for it back, or Would that be rude?

I mean why keep it locked up or in a jewelry box?

Do you think she is just keeping it to be nice, or will she actually wear it one day? I know that I would wear it, and I know she likes this kind of jewelry. Maybe she is just afraid she will break it. Mom, I make jewelry, I can repair it!

I used Czech Fire Polished faceted rounds, cats eye, swarovski glass pearls, and sterling silver daisy spacers, rounds and bead caps. Had I bought this at Nordstroms it would have been $50! I am thinking about recreating it in aquamarine and in a baby blue.

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I made and sold this necklace quite awhile ago, but really loved it.

I think I may recreate it in a pink or green or even a white/silver. It is 6 strand seed bead and glass bead necklace with swarvski crystal and sterling silver. the seed beads are cobalt, turquoise and aqua and the glass beads are various glass beads.

The clasp is what I love most about it. It is a sterling silver filigree adjustable clasp. I went back to the bead shop where I purchased it and she no longer has it in stock. I am bummed.

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I LOVED this piece(which I sold almost 2 years ago, but am STILL trying to find a way to recreate it. ) I can't find the mother of Pearl buttons with the single hole drilled into the center. This was a 12 strand MOP coin and transparent lime green seed beads. I just loved it and was sad to part with it. Maybe someday I can find the right beads I need to have another one.

It was the greatest necklace, it went with EVERYTHING: pink, blue, green, black, purple. I dont think there was an outfit it COULDN'T match to be quite honest.

So if anyone knows where I can get about 500 of these little MOP coins single center drilled, please leave me a comment!

I made this bracelet from Blue Moon Beads. Any craft store carries them(Michaels and A.C. Moore have a great selection...bring a coupon)

Sterling silver wire, czech fire polish faceted rounds, and the blue moon foil slabs and various E-beads and sterling silver rounds. The clasp is a Blue Moon cast metal posey toggle clasp.

I really liked how it turned out, and it goes to show you dont need expensive beads or findings or fixings to make cool jewelry. This is like a chain link bracelet. Each bead "set" is on it's own sterling silver wire and it links to the next bead set.

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I also really was pleased with how these turned out. To me they had kind of a vintage feel and reminded me of something my grandmother would have in her jewelry box.

Red Jasper and Swarovski glass pearls with sterling silver filigree bead caps and sterling silver rounds. All on Sterling earwires.

I found the jasper rounds in a bargain Bin at a local bead shop and they shouted my name. The pealrs are actually not white, they are more of an ivory. So the creamy ivory and the dark red really go well together.

I totally wish I wore earrings.

Anyone want to go to Claires with me to get my ears pierced??

Maybe it is just me but I LOVE big bold jewelry. I love multi strand and large nugget jewelry.

BTW Shanda, the necklace you had on last night at Book club was totally cute.

Enjoy!