Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Lost Bead

I don't know the origin or history behind this bead but, I really like it. A friend of ours was walking to our house one day and found it on the side of the road. It is a bit "roughed" up but, I could see potential in it. It almost looks like a tortoise shell the way it is cut. The color varies from a chocolate brown to caramel.  It is made from plastic and is very light. It is pretty large and fits in the palm of my hand. I wrapped it in a copper netted frame and adorned it with copper glass seed beads. It temporarily hangs from a black ribbon.

Stone incense burners

If you've ever held a natural  quartz crystal you can feel the energy from it. I love having them in my room and around my work desk.  Quartz crystals are used in expanding the mind to touch the spirit world. Crystals are used to enhance the beneficial life force. Crystal water (water that a quartz crystal has been placed) has been drunk for its healthy benefits for centuries.

It has been said Atlantis was destroyed by the incorrect use of quartz crystals. Edgar Cayce spoke about an energy stone in Atlantis. Mr. Cayce's description of the energy stone fits quartz crystal. Many stones are mentioned in the bible, as well.  Some people think crystals are new age. How can something that has been used since cave living man be new age?

What better way to enhance and send out natural energies than using one when burning your incense?  I've wrapped them directly onto the burner. I plan to use different stones with different properties. The holder on the left was made with quartz crystal, yellow and green jade and carnelian. This was custom made for a friend.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Incense burners

Coming soon. Custom made incense burners. These holders will be hand made and wired wrapped with stones and metals. "Energy medicine" tools,  have been used for centuries throughout all cultures, religions and empires. They can be custom adorned for anyone's personal needs.A good source for stone properties is Magpie Gemstones. http://www.magpiegemstones.com/properties.html They offer a wide variety of beautiful stones and jewelry products.

Many Blessings,

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cercle rouge de lumière

This bracelet was made to go with the red sun choker. The name means red circle of light in French. I figured since I named the necklace in french the bracelet should be, as well.  This bracelet is made with the same vintage chain and red faceted glass beads. I cut small sections of chain links and alternated them onto stretch cord. I was very happy with the end result.

Le soleil rouge

This piece is warm and bright and sparkles brilliantly in the light. The name means The Red Sun in French. I made this piece with some vintage gold toned chain I found at an estate sale. I made a cascading collar with  wire wrapped beads and chain. The beads are a beautiful faceted red glass that glow a golden yellow in the light. The two colors remind me of the sun as it disappears into the horizon. I used brass wire which matched the chain perfectly.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Custom Rosary

I had to think a little on this order since most of my jewelry is women's jewelry. . A friend came to me and wanted me to make a necklace for their friend's cross.  He wanted gold beads but I thought gold beads looked more feminine. My hunny and I talked it over and came up with a rosary style necklace. My friend didn't want real gold so, I used red brass (nu gold) wire which matched the cross very well. The beads are black matte finished with facets that make it shine a bit. It measures about 24 inches.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Do these earrings make me look fat?


Yes, ladies it’s true! Wearing the right jewelry can compliment your appearance. The movement and the sparkle of gems will draw attention to your face and will either enhance or minimize your features. Even the length of your hair and your coloring have a huge impact on what shape and style of earring is best for you.

It’s important to be familiar with your face shape. There are 8 different face shapes, Oval, round, oblong, heart, square, rectangle and triangle.  The first shapes mentioned are soft and curved. The last four have corners and angles
 Oval ~ Slightly longer than it is wide with soft curved edges.
Round ~ Has equal distance all around with the nose as the center point. It is as wide as it is long with rounded edges.
Oblong ~ Elongated oval face. It is easy to mistake oblong for an oval face.
Heart ~ Wider at the eyes, temple, and cheek with a narrow chin. Soft and curved edges.
Diamond ~ Widest at the cheeks, narrow at the forehead and chin. Sharper features.
Square ~ Straight across at the forehead and along the side of the face. Strong square jawline. The chin may stick out. Distance from the top of the face to the chin matches the width
Rectangle ~ Similar to a square face but is longer than it is wide.
Triangle ~ This face is similar to a heart shape but the lines and edges are sharper and are more angular. 

The shape of your face needs to be taken into consideration when selecting jewelry. The right jewelry will flatter you whereas the wrong jewelry can just end up standing out. It helps to blend the lines of your face with the lines of the jewelry. This will create counterbalance with the necklace and earrings to your face shape and neckline. The perfect earring can light up your face.
Here are some helpful hints when choosing the right pair of earrings.

ROUND: Long earrings can help make a round face look less round. Long drops and chandeliers,  are usually the most flattering earrings for this face shape. Larger angular earrings may also work well. Stud earrings, , tiny earrings and button or ball shaped earrings should be avoided for the most part as they tend to do nothing for a round face. Round hoops may not be the most flattering earrings for a round face shape either, but longer oval or angular open designs may work.
OBLONG: Studs and button earrings tend to suit this long face shape as they bring the eye up and don't appear to be dragging the face downward. Round hoops usually look good and chandeliers can often compliment this face shape as well since they are wider dangling earrings. Multi-layered styles can be the most flattering longer earrings for oblong face shapes.
HEART: Since this face shape is wider in the forehead and narrower in the chin, the most flattering earrings for this type are often wider on the bottom and narrower on top. Inverted triangles and regular teardrops tend to compliment the angles of a heart-shaped or triangular face. Round hoops don't usually flatter this face shape, but oval earrings may work nicely.
Diamond Your goal is to choose narrow shapes that add width to your jawline
Choose the following shapes: Short and wide earrings, small tear drops and pear shapes, triangle shapes, ovals and studs.
SQUARE: This face shape tends to have a strong jaw line and larger round hoops can be the most flattering earrings to compliment the look of a square jaw. Square earrings of any size or style generally aren't the best kind for a square face. Dangling earring styles do usually work with this face shape. 
Rectangle choose earrings that have more width than depth and soft curves rather than angles round buttons, tear drops, hoops and curved edged earrings ovals. If you have long hair, drops no longer than your chin and with some width too
Triangle Choose round shaped earrings, exclamation point-shaped and Crescent-shaped ones. Not to choose earrings with clear angles, like triangle, square, diamond ones.
Inverted Triangle  try some drop or round shaped earrings, not to choose diamond shaped, and heart shaped earrings which would make your jaw narrower.
  
Remember ladies, these are guidelines only, and very few faces are shaped exactly the same.  Have a "one on one" earring party in front of the mirror and Have fun !!