Happy Birth/Mother's Day!

I don't usually post at the weekend, especially when it's my birthday!  However I was silly enough to be born around Mother's Day here in the UK so today I have to share the celebration of my arrival on this Earth with celebrating the amazing woman who gave birth to me. I don't have much to offer, so I thought I'd add to the ever expanding collection of jewellery that I have made for her.
As you may or may not be aware, I adore semi-precious gemstones and they are my favourite to work with.  I love the random beauty of natural stones.  I was excited when one of my favourite sites [Beads Direct] to get gemstones were having a sale as it gave me an opportunity to work with a stone I've wanted to buy for a while - Druzy Agate:

Mistakes & Work in Progress

Hi everyone, I haven't forgotten to upload but recent projects have been kicking my ass!

I'm trying a Cellini spiral for my next addition to the I Heart...Collection, however I wasn't pleased with my first attempt.

Woven Diamond Earrings

My first post this week is this gorgeous pair of earrings I made for myself that I haven't been able to stop wearing.

The earrings feature black and bright pink fuchsia Delicas beaded in brick stitch to create this cool diamond within a diamond pattern.

 It's finished with a round gunmetal bead and silver fishhook earwires*.

My mom loved them so much that she she asked me to make her a pair.  Hers feature transparent grey Delicas with an AB finish.

The earrings will be available to buy soon in a range of colours.  I'll also be making ones with other designs which I'll post separately.

=:x

*They'll also be available in clip-on style!

Frozen Necklace & Earrings

Hello, long time no see! *waves*

I've decided I'm going back to what I originally intended my jewellery making to be all about - a distraction from my depression and to increase my self-confidence.  For the past couple of years I've been too focused on sales and it just made me miserable.  Although I like interacting with people to talk about my creations (everyone likes to have their ego stroked!) I'm not a sales person and pretending to be one lowered my self confidence even more and I lost all inspiration/passion to create anything new, as all my focus became fixed on thinking about how I was going to sell it.  Eventually I'll be looking into getting someone else to do the selling for me - because honestly all this business crap is sucking the life out of my creativity.
So I'm just going back to creating jewellery for the heck of it and for my love of being creative.  My Etsy shop will remain open, so if there is anything you want to buy feel free!  I've extended the Sweet September Sale - so you can pick up a bargain gift for Christmas!

Zn (Zinc) - The Metallics Collection (Part VIII)

Part 8 of the Metallics Collection is Zinc...

Zn (Zinc) Set.

 More photos are available on Etsy.

This was one of the first sets I designed for the Metallics Collection.  Actually it was just the cuff/bracelet that I designed...

Zn (zinc) bracelet cuff - original design.

 I'd bought these cool metalised acrylic columns with my £50 voucher, and they were just begging to be turned into a cuff.  In my original design, I figured coloured rondelles (flat donut-shaped beads) would look best on the top and bottom of the columns.  However when I started attaching them they wouldn't sit right, plus they felt really uncomfortable.  
Digging through my beads I found some small glass beads that I had bought ages ago and still hadn't found a use for - I have quite a few of those!  Once added, I found they crowned the top and bottom of the columns beautifully, and being half clear/AB (Aurora Borealis) and half silver they give an amazing glamorous futuristic look that I wasn't expecting when I first designed it.

Zn (zinc) bracelet cuff - finished design.

I was just going to sell the cuff on it's own, however I was persuaded to create a necklace and earrings too.

For the necklace, I attached the glass beads only to the end of the columns, and then threaded the columns onto leather cord, which when worn creates a fan effect.  I'm trying out my new barrel clasps on this necklace, if you would prefer lobster clasps just let me know.

The earrings didn't look right with the beads at either end, so I just left the columns as they were.
The bracelet is made with clear elastic, so it stretches onto your wrist.  I will still need your wrist measurement, so I know how many columns to use.

Necklace: £42.00

Earrings: £25.00

Bracelet Cuff: £42.00

or buy the set: £85.00

Cr (Chromium) Set - The Metallics Collection (Part V)

Sorry I've been away for so long, but a combination of myself being ill and my Mom's hospital appointments have left me little time to update the Metallics Collection.  I'm back now and ready to show you the rest of the collection!

Part 5 of the Metallics Collection is the Chromium Set:

More photos on Etsy.

This used to be the Electro-Shock Set, but I was never entirely happy with it, and it seems to fit in better with the Metallics Collection.

Chromium can be tinted many different colours, which I hoped to reflect in this piece. This set is a mixture of glass and metal bugles, crystal and seed beads.I knew what I wanted the focal to look like almost immediately.  A graduating fan using small twisted silver bugles contrasted with purple bugles and purple/teal toho seeds hanging from the bottom.
The strands took more planning.  I alternated the long iris twisted bugles with the wavy silver tubes, book-ended with black fire-polished crystals. Somehow one strand of this pretty mix didn't seem enough, so adding another made it stand out even more.

For the earrings, I knew that the graduating fan on its own wouldn't look right, so I simulated the shape of the Americana Earrings and with the chain hanging from the bottom it created this cool trapezium shape.

Buy the set on Etsy: £75.00

Li (Lithium) Set - The Metallics Collection (Part I)

This is the first set in my new collection - The Metallics Collection.
As Lithium is one of the lightest metals I didn't want to make this set heavy, so I used seed beads and small glass beads in some of my favourite beadwork patterns to make this stunning set. I use a random selection of delica seed beads, so every set will vary in appearance slightly. The glass beads used are half silver half AB, so they reflect many different colours in the light.

More photos on Etsy.

The choker features a gunmetal glass dagger focal hanging from loops on a right-angle weave "chain". Although the choker will be made to measure, I will add a small extender chain for comfort.

The earrings are 26mm in diameter, and as usual you may choose which earring style you would prefer. If you have an allergy to nickel or you're not sure, I recommend choosing the Nickel Free Earwires.

The bracelet will also be made to measure. Please include your wrist size in centimeters when you order and allow 2cm for the clasp.

The ring is made with elastic so it stretches slightly, please still include your ring size when ordering (U.K. or U.S. sizings are fine)

Necklace: £70.00
Earrings: £38.00
Bracelet: £60.00
Ring: £45.00

or buy the set for £170.00!

Sherbet Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

I must warn you, that my mom has already reserved one of these sets!  The necklace is actually one of my own designs and I hope you like it too.

The "sherbets" are acrylic and hanging between them are firepolished crystals.  The colour of the crystals will alternate, the sherbets won't.

Sherbet Set

 Feel free to choose which colour sherbets you would like for your earrings. :)

Earwires are nickel free.

Sherbet Earrings

 The bracelet I would like your input on...

I only had enough crystal beads to put on the necklace - they were a free gift - but it's no problem getting them.  So do you think I should add them to the bracelet in the same manner as the necklace, or leave the bracelet as it is.  It's up to you! :)

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Sherbet Set" in the subject line.

Fairy Satins Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

I'm not actually a fan of Fairy Satins, to me they always looked prettier than they tasted!  So I bought some dyed shell nuggets to imitate them.  The necklace is then tied up in a pink satin ribbon.

Fairy Satins Set

 For the focal, I hung a fairy charm from a connector and then threaded AB (Aurora Borealis/Reflective) acrylic cubes with a few random shell nuggets.

Fairy charm

AB Acrylic Cubes and Shell nuggets

 The earrings are similar to the focal on the necklace, except I just hung shell nuggets from the bottom.  The earwires are nickel free.

Fairy Satins Earrings

 For the bracelet, I alternated shell nuggets and acrylic cubes, then added some chain for length.  I may need your wrist measurements to get it the right length.

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Fairy Satins Set" in the subject line.

Turkish Delight Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

This is a one-of-a-kind set, because I've used a lot of recycled materials and I don't know where I get them again.

Turkish Delight Set

 The pendant on the necklace used to be a clip on earring that was donated to me.

Clip-on earring transformed into Turkish Delight Pendant

  I used glass cubes, coloured sparkling amber - for the chocolate - and transparent yellow - for the lemon Turkish Delight.  On either side of the glass beads are amethyst coloured glass rondelles and copper spacer beads.

Turkish Delight Necklace

The earrings are also no problem.  Please note the the earwires are copper plated and are not suitable for those with nickel allergies. (Tip: If you do have a nickel allergy and still want these earrings, try coating the earwires with clear nail varnish.)

Turkish Delight Earrings

Apart from the clasp, everything on the bracelet is recycled.  The focal is the other clip-on earring and two buttons that I've sewn onto organza ribbons.  I think we can agree that despite it being made from recycled bits and bobs (including the thread I used) it's a stunning bracelet:

Turkish Delight Bracelet

 The ring was a chipped glass stone, which I sanded and polished.  It has an AB (Aurora Borealis) coating, which reflects many different colours when held up to the light.  I think it also might have been a clip-on earring, but I'm not sure.  The ring is adjustable, so should fit most fingers.

Turkish Delight Ring - worn

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Turkish Delight Set" in the subject line.

Dolly Mixture Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

This is the Dolly Mixture Set:

Dolly Mixture Set

This collection is all about interpretation, so forgive me if they don't look EXACTLY like a bag of Dolly Mixtures.

Dolly Mixture Necklace

 There's a good mixture of bead types anyhow.  You've got resin donuts, glass ovals, cubes and cylinders, acrylic cubes and seed beads, all in a variety of Dolly Mixture colours.

Dolly Mixture Necklace

The earrings are glass "gumdrops" hanging from the resin donuts.  Nickel free earwires are used.

Dolly Mixture Earrings

 The bracelet is a mixture of all the beads on two coils of memory wire.  Please note that each set will be different as in a bag of Dolly Mixture!

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Dolly Mixture Set" in the subject line.

Calypso Necklace

I'm designing more summer jewellery and here is the latest installment:

The Tagua Nuts are back, this time in fuchsia pink!  I wanted a bright, colour clashing necklace that really stood out.

I added these pretty flower spacers and used the beaded star bead caps to cover the large holed Tagua nuts.

Next we have these turquoise and black Greek ceramic beads and in between those are lime green acrylic beads with an AB coating (reflects various colours), which were taken off an old bracelet. 

I thought I'd show you a close up of what one of the bark blemishes look like.  As you can see, it only adds to the uniqueness of these beautiful beads.

Finally; the necklace is strung onto leather cord, and connected by a lobster clasp, although it is long enough that it should fit over most heads.

There is a limited supply of this necklace.  Once they've gone they've gone.

SOLD!

Earth Day Set

I made my mom an awesome necklace for her birthday that used her favourite shades of brown and green.  I really liked the concept colours, so I decided to make myself something using those same shades. 

I've been trying to make something out of these topaz/brown beads for a while, as I wasn't that struck on them or the necklace they used to be on.  I'm not sure you can see it on the photos, but they have an AB coating on them, which makes them reflect lots of different colours.  Not bad for some old acrylic beads, eh?

Interesting fact:  Excluding the findings, the Butterfly pendant is the only thing that I bought to make this set.  All the other beads were ones I stripped off old necklaces.

I didn't want big, flashy earrings, with this necklace as I like my jewellery simple.

Materials Used: Silver Greek Metal Butterfly pendant, Acrylic topaz AB faceted drop beads, Acrylic gold round beads, Lime seed beads.