Bridal Jewelry

The bride did not want to go with the typical glitzy bridal jewelry. Given that her dress has a lovely lace overlay and beautiful beading, she wanted to keep the jewelry simple. She also wanted to add a splash of color, aside from the sash on her dress.


So I can up with this lovely and simple necklace which brings together one the wedding's primary colors (purple) and the accent color (silver) with the butterfly decor.

I used a simple white organza ribbon so the butterfly seems to float above her chest. There is a simple purple glass pearl and tiny white pearl drop at the end of the extension loops.

The drop at the clasp match the elegant drop earrings I made. These are so simple but will be a great accent to the simple, down hairstyle she is thinking about.

So as you can see, the bride will have some simple but very elegant and classy jewelry to accent her dress. I think the simplicity is a perfect match for her outdoor, summer wedding.

Butterfly Brides Maids...

March is National Craft Month and this month I have set some goals for my productivity for this month. I have a lot I want to get accomplished and I am hoping I can meet my goals with the limited time I have each day.


Anyway, I am going to start this month with the long promised pictures of custom order items for an upcoming wedding. I am going to start with the bridesmaids necklaces. The theme of the wedding is all "Two Hearts, One Love" with a healthy dose of butterflies used as accents. 


It took a lot of searching before I found these glass butterfly pendants.

I used satin and organza ribbon to lighten the necklace. That pendant is pretty solid, so I made sure to add a couple drops of super glue to the ends to help insure the ribbon will not come lose from the closures. 

The bride was very happy with how these turned out. So I am happy! Check back tomorrow for another piece from this custom wedding order...

Wedding Jewelry

The last thing I did for the wedding was the bridal party jewelry. The bride herself had jewelry, but wanted something appropriate for her attendants. The bridesmaids wore strapless, royal purple dresses and the bride wanted to keep the jewelry simple and elegant.

I found lovely snowflake pendants accented with Swarovski crystals and paired them with a simple silver chain broken up by white glass pearls. The look was understated and classic. Plus, each of her attendants had a beautiful piece of jewelry that would always remind them of the special role they played in her special day.

Memory-Wire Bracelet

I broke down and bought some memory wire. For a long time I resisted it because I just don’t like making bracelets. I don’t have much luck selling them and they just seem to take up space. It was on a whim that I actually bought the memory wire in bracelet size. I figured it would give me the opportunity to make bracelets in a simple and quick way. And I hate to admit it, but I am hooked!

This blue bracelet is one of my first experiments with the memory wire. It is a simple pattern of glass beads in a lovely shade of blue. The second picture illustrates how I simply twisted the wire in to a basic loop to hold the beads on the wire. There are end beads specifically designed for memory wire, but I have found that twisting the wire works just fine.

Happy Crafting All!

Copper Bracelet

Since I signed up for the Wire-Sculpture.com newsletter, I periodically receive interesting new patterns to try from some of their wonderfully talented designers. The above bracelet is one of those patterns and I must say, for never having made anything like that before, I think it turned out rather well.

The wire I had on hand was a little thicker than what the pattern called for, but I made it work. The main part of the bracelet (top picture) was a little challenging because of the way the wire was twisted back on itself, and because I was using a thicker wire I was not able to get the rows as straight and uniform as I would have liked. The links, on the other hand, (bottom picture) came together beautifully. This is a bracelet I can see myself making many times and in many different colors to match a mood or outfit!

Happy Crafting All!

Wire Jewelry Video Resource

I've been fascinated with making wire jewelry for the last several weeks, and the results of my experimentations have (mostly) been posted here on my blog. But what was the inspiration that got me hooked on this new skill? A quick visit to Wire-Sculpture.com is what started it all.

Not only do they sell all the supplies you'll need, they are a wonderful resource for wire workers of all skill levels. I signed up for their daily tip newsletter and have not been disappointed - especially when I asked a question and had the answer in my inbox 2 days later!

Plus, the added bonus is they have a collection of free patterns and videos to not inspire but help you get started. I have watched nearly all of them and I love them. They make it look so simple! Here is a link to the video collection.

Happy Crafting All!

Wire Wrapped Ring

The time had come for me to attempt a wire wrapped ring that did not include beads. The result is a little weird, a little rough, a little unbalance, but not too bad really. Considering I was just playing around and experimenting, the fact that it even looks like a ring amazed me!

Yes, I still have a lot to learn, but at least I can see that I am making progress. And that makes me happy. If I can't see improvement in my own work, then I get frustrated and it's better for me to stop for a while. (Keep in mind, this is not the first wire wrapped, non-bead ring - trust me, there is a ton of improvement!)

Keep Crafting All!

Silver and Amethyst

As my confidence in wire wrapping grows, I'm deciding to try new things - or rather the same design with different materials. The ring above is the first ring I've made that I do actually wear quite often. It is sterling silver wire (26 gauge, so it is pretty thin) with a natural amethyst stone and two accent Swarovski bicone crystals.

It is very simple ring design - the same exact design as the copper rings I posted over the last couple of weeks. However, the thinner wire gives the ring a daintier look. Overall, I am pleased with the way it turned out, and am very happy with the compliments I've received on it.

Wire wrapping requires a lot of practice, but as you get better there is a definite feeling of gratification, especially when you are complimented on your hard work!

Happy Crafting All!

Copper Bauble II

After I made the simple cocktail ring show cased in last's jewelry post, I knew I could do better. So, after a few deep breaths and some searching through my bead stash, I got back to work.

The result was this more refined and proportionate looking ring. By using smaller beads and the same techniques as last week, I was able to create a ring that I would actually wear - which is a first! Most of my experiments so far have not been all that great, so one I would wear is an improvement!

I am starting to really enjoy creating these rings and have been looking through my beads for the same appropriate size in more dazzling color combinations!

Happy Crafting All!

Copper Bauble

A simple cocktail ring seemed a good place to start on wire wrapping journey. There is not much concern for swooping curves and bends in the wire and only a couple of beads to adorn it.

The ring above took about 20 minutes to create. It was more challenging than I expected simply because getting the beads to stay where I wanted them on the wire and getting the wire stay on the mandrel can be a daunting task. But I managed it. The finished ring is actually very nice even if the beads I chose where a little too big for a ring. That is what experimenting is for though: Making mistakes and learning from them.

Happy Crafting All!

Silver Leaf

I just couldn't resist the lovely glass leaf beads when I saw them. The shade of green is perfect for spring or fall, and amber bicone accent beads are such a lovely touch, giving the piece a very natural and elegant look. The silver plated accent, toggle closure and chain make the necklace deceptively simple looking, even as the chain snakes around the ivy leaves.

I made only two of this asymmetrical design with a front closure. Watch for it to be added to the inventory at AutumnBlossoms.com soon!

Happy Crafting All!

Wire Wrapped Ring

I have always been fascinated with the beauty of wire wrapped jewelry. There is so much skill and artistry that goes into making each piece. One thing I love is the wire tends to have a life of it's own and you can never make the same exact piece twice.

This fascination and my desire to constantly learn new techniques in jewelry making, has inspired me to try my hand at wire wrapped rings. Above is my very first attempt. It's really not very good, but it is simple and wearable. I used half hard 24 gauge sterling silver wire, not the best choice for learning, but that is what I happened to have on hand. The dark green stone (which I think is bloodstone) is accented with simple glass seed beads.

Again, not very fancy, but it looks like a ring which is good. It's always important that your first attempt at something at least somewhat resemble what you were trying to make! I have ordered some less expensive copper wire to practice some new techniques on and can't wait to start experimenting. Hopefully this will inspire some of you to try something new as well!

Happy Crafting All!