A Myriad of Earrings!

I tended to make sets of earrings and necklaces until one colleague of mine told me she only really wore earrings- she didnt like the feel and fuss of having something at the neckline. I have since found this to be the case for a lot of women. There is something extra-gratifying about making a gorgeous pair of earrings: exploring bead shapes that would be more difficult to work with in a necklace, being able to tailor-make something exactly to the needs of the customer, because you only need a couple of each type of bead (how many times I've been frustrated not to be able to lengthen a necklace easily because I've run out of the beads that I'd used).

More importantly, big or small, a pair of earrings can really brighten the face! When I'm having a day when the mirror is not my friend, I put on a sparkly or colourful (or both!) pair of earrings and look and feel so much more awake. I love the way earrings look peeping through glamorous long locks when hair is worn down, and also the contrasting drama of seeing the whole earring and its beautiful silhouette against the neck when hair is shorter or worn up.

Left to Right: Black Onyx and Cracked Quartz. Garnet and Cracked Quartz (SOLD). Pearl and Cracked Quartz (SOLD). These cracked quartz drops are so full of depth and texture, and glimmer beautifully. They work with all kinds of colours, shapes and sizes of other gems.

Garnet and Cracked Quartz close-up.

Lapis Lazuli (1 pair sold, 1 pair still available) Lapis is so popular. The richness of the blue is like nothing you get with any other gem.

Aquamarine: small chips are used effectively for a dimensional earring with lots of movement.

Red Agate: these cascade beautifully when worn, the effect isn't seen so well when flat.

 White Pearl and Black Onyx: a Chanel-inspired combination.

 Red and Blue Tiger's Eye with black Jet. I am a huge fan of Tiger's Eye, and these photos sadly dont do justice to the depth and texture of the gems.

 Garnet, Black Onyx and Quartz. The faceted Bicone cut of these gems is one of my favourite cuts. They just seem to bounce light beautifully in all directions and bring instant glamour to any piece.

Castaways

For me, a holiday just isn't a holiday without sand and sea. Jewellery that captures ocean blues and natural driftwood or sandy colours and shapes are perenially popular. When I wear it, it never fails to lift my mood.

Blue Crackle Agate, Bronzite, Tiger's Eye.
The chunky Bronzite barrels give a casual look to these pieces, and are a popular look for men's jewellery too. The tiny Tiger's Eye beads add an element of delicacy to the pieces to balance them, particularly the earrings, and the lovely frosted crackle Agate just reminds me of frothy white waves on a blue ocean.

SOLD: Blue Crackle Agate, Blue Fire Agate, Picture Jasper.
Rather than the highly polished shine that is usually found in Agate, this Crackle agate has a frosted surface, giving a different texture to the jewellery. The smaller fire agate beads are polished and faceted, to catch the light. The long nugget shapes of Picture Jasper have myriad patterns and colours, giving a natural look  reminiscent of driftwood.

Mini Sets

I personally don't always like to have complete matching sets of jewellery. Often I make a whole necklace, bracelet, earrings combo, but sometimes a cute earrings and bracelet set is preferable. Some people like big statement necklaces, but I know lots of people who actually don't wear things round their neck. Also, because the necklaces use such a large number of beads, these smaller sets can be a cost-effective option for buyers.

 

 SOLD: Fuschia Tiger's Eye and Rutilated Quartz. 

The "texture" of some gemstones amazes me: while the surface is smoothed and polished, the way light is refracted internally gives Tiger's Eye its beautiful characteristics. Rutilated quartz is a white quartz with needle-like inclusions of another mineral, in this case tourmaline. They give a striking dimensional look to the gem.

 

SOLD: Purple Agate & Labradorite.
This agate is a gorgeous colour, and the different densities within the stone give a lovely two-tone effect of a deep dark purple and a lighter translucent purple. Labradorite is a lovely stone, which has a subtle blue internal shimmer which sadly isn't picked up in this photo. The faceted cut of both these stones really makes them sparkle.

SOLD: Dalmatian Jasper, Red Coral & Red Jade.
Jasper is an opaque stone with a fascinating array of different patternings. Dalmatian is one of my favourites, giving a chic animal print look in a natural gemstone. The red coral really complements the jasper. For the record, the coral that I buy is ethically sourced, mined from dead or fossilised rather than living reefs. The small red jades finish off the earrings and charm beautifully.