My Aunt wanted some Bling...

I think I may have mentioned that my Aunt was coming to visit for a week?   Well like all things in my life, that ends up involving jewelry in some way!


The first night she came, I had just finished the purple necklace, so I showed her that, then a few others, then I gave her a necklace I had made for her several months ago.  She is very fond of turquoise.  (This is not real turquoise, but she claimed to like it anyway.)

It's very long, so I just wrapped it around a few times to get it in the photo.  I like the colors, but if I were making it over today, I would do it somewhat differently.

That's the way I feel about nearly all the jewelry I made a few months ago--and especially pieces from a year ago.   I suspect I'll feel the same about ones I'm making now.

Anyway, I gave her that necklace, then she started looking over some of my others and decided she'd like something to give a friend of hers--something with some "bling!"   Now I like glass crystals in moderation, but I tend to work more with natural stones, ceramic beads, glass, wood, etc.  Not too much "bling."   But she found a pendant she thought her friend would like.   

The pendant had a prominent red ceramic bead; then artificial pearls in gold, green, and purple (which I no longer would be inclined to buy, but they did have lovely color and have worn well in other pieces; and yellow, green, and purple glass crystals. 

She was interested in having some earrings to match.  I had enough of the faux pearls and glass crystals to make the earrings, but no more red ceramic beads.  Bummer, since that is what had attracted her to the item in the first place.  But they did have sparkle.

After I finished the earrings, I looked at the necklace (which I had made last spring to get ready for the Fall season), and found myself dissatisfied with the wirework.   I took it apart to rewire.  Then I got to looking at the beads again.  

The red bead looked rather out of place now.   I had a green ceramic bead that went very nicely with it though, was slightly larger, and made a better match with the pendant and the earrings.   I took it to my Aunt and she agreed. Switch to the green ceramic bead on the pendant.   Rewire. And we were ready to go!

And so here we are!  This is still not completely glittery and shimmery, but it's about as "blingy" as I get!

So, Friend of My Aunt, I hope you enjoy these!  I included a card so you'll know they have been handcrafted especially for you!

Next up, a young relative of ours was receiving an award at her school assembly.  What to give?   Why earrings, of course!

Then I made a pair more to my liking:

Then came the grand finale....    but I'll save that for next time!    Too long a story, too many photos!   See you then!

(They've done away with serial westerns and soap operas, but you may recall the once-popular "cliff hanger!")   ;-)  

--Sharyl

P.S.  My aunt is a painter.  I got a really cool water color for my home-office-workspace.  Very nice exchange!  (Sure I got the better end of the deal!)