25 = Silver!

A few days ago we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.  

Much like our wedding, our anniversary was small and simple.   Dinner out with family, chocolate cheesecake, gifts, and flowers!

Because I especially cherish memories of our adventures together, I gave my husband several small gifts focusing on our family travels.

Of course, can you imagine such a day as this slipping by that didn't involve jewelry?  I've never been a diamond girl, but hinted that I would love some silver stacking rings for my "silver anniversary" and showed him my favorites.   And, sure enough, I was given this sweet package with 5 beautiful rings handmade by Gretchen Baneyx  of "Bespoken Jewelry." 

My thanks to my husband for 25 happy years and these lovely rings...

and to Gretchen for making them especially for me!

They are exactly what I had hoped for!

I've always loved mixed metals, 

so I slipped my gold wedding band in between the silver stack

and they are all lovely together!

(You'll just have to ignore the aging hands

and crooked fingers!)  ;-)

Best wishes to you all!

~Sharyl

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The Wedding! Part Two: Gift Jewelry & More

Rehearsal Thank-you Gifts for Wedding Party:

Between making the bridesmaids' jewelry and the bridal set, I worked on gifts for the bride and groom to give to their wedding party.   They ended up with a wonderful collection of gifts  for their bridesmaids, groomsmen, and their close family.    My contribution, of course, was jewelry for the women in the wedding.    This was different from the jewelry they would wear during the wedding; it was a "thank-you" for being a part of the event.  

Handmade Lampwork Beads Rakuli Whirled

from Flame on Glass (Etsy)

Early on, I had found this lovely set of swirled lampwork beads that I purchased, just thinking they might be used for the wedding.  Once we decided on our other designs for the bridesmaids, I offered to put them to use for the thank-you gifts to be given out at the rehearsal dinner.   My niece like the idea, so I set them aside for that purpose.   

Time was starting to crunch a little when I got to these.  I knew I had just enough beads to put use one as a focal bead in each necklace.   Being a one-of-a-kind designer, and these being items the women would wear away from the wedding, I knew each should be unique.   It was so wonderful that the beads had streaks of many colors in addition to the central color of purple. 

 I pulled together some beads with coordinating colors, 

added some accent metal accent beads, 

and went to work designing.   

This was one of the most fun parts of the project for me.  While it would seem that it would take longer designing each necklace OOAK, I made 5 of the necklaces in one day and finished the others the next day.     I made most of the clasps myself by hand and antiqued them to match the chains.

I don't have photos of all the necklaces to show, but have a couple samples below.   The five bridesmaids and mothers-of-the bride and groom received necklaces with the purple swirl beads.  

Some had strung sections of beads attached to chain.

This one used freshwater pearls in two colors.  

Others used faceted Czech glass crystal. 

And others, small spacer handmade lampwork beads.

Others were pendants designed utilizing the focal bead and integrating others,

then hung on chain.  The bride matched each necklace to the recipient.

For the two junior bridesmaids, I selected a different style bead.  These purple pottery flower-stamped beads by Natalie Pappas from NKP Designs seemed to fit the theme and be a good match for the younger participants.

Dark African Violet Porcelain Daisy Imprint Beads*

from NKP Designs (Etsy)

Each of these younger women received a unique design created just for them.   

A Small Gift for the Bride Too:

While the bride was busy giving away gifts, it seemed only fitting she should receive one of her own:  

A little something in purple for the bride too! 

Earrings with lampwork glass beads from Koregon on Etsy.

Finally, What's the Jewelry Maker to Wear?

I'll add this last part here, although chronologically, it belongs at the very end of the story!   In all the scurrying, I nearly ended up with no jewelry for myself!   I was wearing a black skirt and pale blue-grey summer sweater.   I had made these earrings to sell this Spring, but never listed in my store, so I "claimed" them for myself!

The light blue swirled lampwork glass beads are from Koregon.

I patinized silver-plated brass leaves in pale blue to go with this pair of earrings and handmade the ear pieces from sterling silver filled wire.   

Similar altered and handmade metal jewelry components are for sale

 in my Sharyl's Jewelry store on ArtFire.

I had ordered a batch of beads in pale blue and blue-gray colors  and decided as the wedding neared to make myself a memory-wire bracelet.  This was the same technique used for the bridesmaids' bracelets.

And below is the necklace, which I made in the hotel room the morning of the wedding!   

Large lampwork bead from InspireGlassStudio on Etsy

"Light of India" Connector from LilysOffering on Etsy

"Something blue" for the jewelry designer to wear!

I hope you will join me next time for the final installment of "The Wedding!"   The bride's jewelry will be featured!  

Thank you all for reading along!  

Sharyl

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Image Credits:

Photograph of  Dark African Violet Porcelain Daisy Imprint Beads taken by Natalie Pappas of
NKP Designs (Etsy).  Used by permission.   2013.

All other photos by Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, 2013.

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Sharyl's Jewelry

Get 10% off + Free gift 

through the end of June 2013 

by using this coupon code at checkout:  

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CHALLENGE Wrap-up!

What interesting people we've heard from and what projects they have introduced us to!  In discussing this topic, "Designing Jewelry for Special Audiences," we had such a wonderful response!   I've tried to find a way to summarize, and I knew it would be a challenge unto itself because of the wide variety of topics that were covered, but I did find some ways to categorize.

I saved this until now,
but here's the full photo of
Krista's son on Jewelry-Making Day!

1)  We started with a series of posts having to do with designing jewelry for children.   From projects to design FOR kids (girls and boys),...


 Krista moved us on to designing WITH kids...and the rest of her family!
   

2) Next, we moved to the other end of the age spectrum, to designing for seniors with special needs, in particular designing for ease of use.

"Last Leaf" Necklace
from "Plus Size Bangles"

3) One entry had to do with a different type of special need pertaining to size.  Karyn Lewis of "Plus Size Bangles" described how she filled a need for a friend needing 8" bracelets, and kept on making them for others.  Her Etsy shop now sells necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.


4) Then on to a wide-array of people designing for special causes, including the following guests:

"Diabetes Awareness Bracelet--Crystal"
Lori Anderson Designs

In "Creating Jewelry for Special Causes," Lori Anderson shared how she began designing jewelry to raise money and awareness for people with a variety of disorders.

"Happy Head...Troll Bead"
from "TracyBell"

Tracy Bell spoke about the "Beads for Courage" program which provides beads to encourage young cancer patients.

Children from Africa

And finally, Gayle from the "Kit and Caboodle Shop" told us of making jewelry to help raise money to aid orphans in Africa.


There was a lively discussion throughout (which was just what I had hoped for), with special interest shown on the topics having to do with special causes.  Whether it was a question regarding how to use jewelry to "do good," helpful advice, or praise for those already at work, everyone was supportive.


I want to thank all who contributed, with a feature, a comment, or just reading along.  I know I learned a lot and hope you learned something too.  I certainly feel enriched by hearing your stories, and I feel new personal challenges ahead.


Thank you for sharing.


Sharyl   


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Photo Credits:

• Son beading bracelet, Krista. (used by permission)
• "Last Leaf" Necklace from "Plus Size Bangles."  (used by permission)
• "Diabetes Awareness Bracelet--Crystal"  from  Lori Anderson Designs. (used by permission)
• "Happy Head...Troll Bead" from "TracyBell." (used by permission)
• African children, Gayle. (used by permission)

CHALLENGE Response: Designing Jewelry to fund African Orphans

In our final "Challenge Response," we hear from Gayle, who tells us about how she puts her talents to use for a very special group of people, much in need.  (Gayle writes the blog, "This Artist's Journey," and has the "Kit and Caboodle Shop" on Etsy.  Please stop by both!)

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Purpose.  I think we all have a need to feel like we have a purpose in life.  A reason we were born.  A reason we take up space on this big planet we call earth.  For me, I feel my purpose for being here is to create.  Whether it is painting, drawing, or making jewelry, my purpose is to create something beautiful.  

I create jewelry as part of this purpose.  But I also have a strong desire to help those who are alone, abandoned, malnourished, diseased or unloved.  It is the same purpose really: to create something beautiful.  Give an orphan a family, give a child a home, feed those who are dying of starvation, heal the wounds of the sick, or comfort those who grieve, these are beautiful things.

I create jewelry for the purpose of making something beautiful.  In one sense a bracelet or necklace becomes a smile or hug, a bandage or home.  I sell my jewelry to help fund ministries that help the less fortunate: the orphans, the widows, the homeless.  I may not be directly designing jewelry for this group of people, yet in a sense I am, because I can see a a plate of food in a pair of earrings or a warm sweater in a necklace.  

My husband and I work for a ministry, Tractors for Our Daily Bread, that provides resources and help to the most desperate of people.  Right now we are planning to send food aid to the famine area in the horn of Africa.  We've sent 260,000 meals already through World Help and we are planning to send another 260,000 meals next week. The refugees in Kenya are the most desperate of people today.  I just hope it is not too late to create a little beauty in that part of the world.

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Photo Credits:

Photographs provided by Gayle, 2011.

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This entry will be the last formal posting in this round of our "CHALLENGE:  Designing Jewelry for Special Audiences."   Please continue contributing to the discussion with your comments and questions.   

I will give this a couple of days for contemplation, then write a wrap-up piece.  There have been so many wonderful, varied projects discussed, I will have my own "challenge" ahead of me!    Thank you, Gayle, and all!  

--Sharyl

Copper Wire--Perfect for Fall!

I love silver jewelry, but after years of working with silver based wire only, I recently tried some colored wire--first a soft pink color over copper wire to go with a smooth pink-colored stone I had found.   I liked it so much, I bought some aqua wire.   Played with that just a bit, but not much yet.  Maybe next Spring.






Then came the copper--


And it seemed to go perfectly with the fall colored stones and beads I was working with (amber, orange, jade, amethyst, black carved wood and lava rock, deep greens).   Of course the nice thing about copper wire (rather than the colored wire) is that you can hammer it to harden without fear of the copper color coming through because it's copper all the way through! 

 

I'm usually nervous about the earring piece content, but found some nice Rose Gold over copper ear wires in a brand I like and the color matched the copper wire very well.   Problem solved.

Even copper by itself makes a nice piece of jewelry, as with this very simple wrapped-wire ring.

 

I'm finding copper a rich color without the rich cost--and perfect for Fall!


Be sure to check out more Fall jewelry on the 2011 Fall-Preview Sale page above.   There are stones the many colors of nature in Autumn complemented with copper and silver wire. Enjoy the season!   --Sharyl




Sharyl's Jewelry

New fun with rings...and wire of many colors!

After many years of wishing, and work-arounds, I finally purchased a solid steel ring-mandrel... 

 

and went to work wire-wrapping rings.   What joy!


I started with silver wire, as I typically use, then ventured out a bit...

 

 

I decided to try color wire.  These two rings  represent my first attempts working with color-over-copper wire.  The rose-color added a bit of fun and flair to the pieces, so I began experimenting with more with colors!   (It was sort of like I had been coloring with just one crayon for years and suddenly had a new box full of colors!  

Once I got started,  I had to try several new colors.   I was having too much fun!

So next I tried mixing silver with an aqua-colored wire.   Then came copper...  (some without beads, some with)...

and then... back to silver again, which will always be my true favorite!

 

Now I'll have to find a place for rings on my website.   (What a nice problem to have!)

Whether it's a new tool, a new color, a new technique, or whatever new thing you want to try, happy experimenting!  Please let us know how it goes!

--Sharyl

Sharyl's Jewelry

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P.S.  We have a new follower--Krista!  

So very glad to have you join us!   

--Sharyl