Fun Day with Makae at her house!

I had a fun fun afternoon yesterday at Shawn and Kris's house with Makae and two other lifeline girls, Kennedy and Danae. Cute fun girls. Makae had wanted to do a self esteem class and thought that creating their own necklaces would be a positive for them and I think it was. They both wanted to creat necklaces like the one I was wearing with lotsof charms attached. It seems that chains with lots of dangling charms are the most popular necklace this season - I should have taken my camera and gotten pictures of their necklaces when they were done so that I could show you - They had a ball going through my chains and charms decinding which ones they wanted and Ethan had a ball just playing in the beads and rocks that I had in my boxes. Makae decided to make an illusion necklace with bright green beads and it turned out so beautifully. I could kick myself for not taking pictures - all three girls have to wait to be able to wear them until they earn 3rd phase, but they were proud of their creations. Both Kennedy and Danae did necklaces in silver tones, Danae's in antique silvers and Kennedy's in bright silver tones.



This is the necklace I made and wore on Sunday to work with Makae and her friends. I have since shortened the necklace by about six links on each side as I found the necklace laid better with the shortened chain. The charms were easier to see and they didn't all clump together down at the bottom. The earrings are surprisingly light weight even though there are three charms hanging off of antique gold chain on each earring. They clank just a little as you are wearing them and it is a fun happy sound.

This is a close up of all the charms. I would love to create lots of these but by the time you buy all the chain and all the charms it gets expensive ... I have at least $14 worth of material in this necklace and earring set alone. It will sell for $28.00 (less the 20% off if you order directly from me through either this site or the petalsoftjewelry@willden.org email site.)


This is another style of charm necklace and I love it. I have taken amber rock (real rocks that have been tumbled and drilled to create a bead and created a charming necklace with chains and beadwork and charms. As you can see, the chain is of antique gold tone chain and runs halfway around the neck and the charms dangle off of it at the bottom of the necklace

This is a closeup of the other half of the necklace - this beadwork goes up one side of your neck and is made up of amber rocks, freshwater pearls and an iridescent bead that creates a little bit of sparkle in the necklace. You can see the earrings in the top half of this picture and they are a single dangle made up of the pearls, the gold toned spacer beads and the sparkly iridescent bead all hanging off of an antique gold stud. It pulls the whole necklace set together. It will sell for $25.oo

On a Roll!

I worked on four necklaces yesterday and my elbows are still aching from it. Oh Well - I guess I need to just do one necklace a day. But a couple of them were very simple so I kept pushing to get them finished.


This 30 inch necklace was created with a heavier chain and a large 3 inch in diameter charm that is made up of silver and black with a rhinestone gleaming quietly. I didn't make matching earrings for this one - I have included a purchased set of silver and black stud earrings as seen below. This set will sell for $16.00

This group of necklaces are an interesting conglomeration! The newest style of necklace that everyone is wearing are what I call charm necklaces - gobby combinations a lot of the time. I saw some last week that I tried to reproduce yesterday. Actually I have tried making backpack or purse charms but they don't hold up the the banging around that they get so I haven't sold any of them. I am trying to use heavier duty stuff but the spring rings are simply too weak and they break. However, I took one of them apart and created the Black Moon Charm Necklace - I like it and hope you do too. In the future you will see additional attempts of charm necklaces as I have a lot of different ideas -


The chain is a nice necklace chain that I cut pieces off of one end so I could add the danglies - then I beaded a five inch section with black cloissoine beads and silver spacers to add interest to the left side of the necklace. It has a lobster claw closure above the charms but at 27 inches it is long enough to go over your head. The earrings are a simple dangle of the cloissoine bead and silver spacers. The set will sell for $20.00


In the last blog I had made and posted a necklace called "Nested Pearl". I explained that these pearls were created in the oyster as a spec of sand nestled on the hinge part of the clam shell and so instead of a perfect round oyster you had a bumpy flat'ish' disfigured pearl - much bigger but for years was considered waste. Finally someone realized the beauty of these pearls and I was able to purchase four of them already set in silver toned settings.

I took this nested pearl and simply put it on a snake style silver toned chain - The 19 inch chain was purchased with a lobster claw closure but I removed that and put a magnet closure for easier wearing. I put the earrings that I had made for my first nested pearl with this necklace as it was too busy for the first necklace. This is a much more comfortable set and I called it Simply Pearls because it is just that. The set will set for just $18...and of course I can make any type of earrings for it that you would like

Here is the first necklace and I made simple drop earrings for it as the loops made it too busy.
The freshwater pearls that I beaded have such a small opening I can't put them on the pin that I use to create a coil wrapped piece so I had to use a normal pearl that is the same tones as the nested pearls. And of course the filligreed silver tone spacer beads match. Though this necklace is only 18 inches and nestles right at the base of your throat it can be made two or four inches longer if you desired.

This is another of the nested pearls, but instead of being white or creamy it has the greyish mother of pearl look - So I added grey freshwater pearls, and iridescent pony beads in purple and green and grey and blue with silver spacer beads. The 20 inch necklace has a magnet closure and triple drop earrings on hypoallergenic fish hook wires and will sell for $20.00
The final necklace here is one I made in Quartzsite one day - and packed it up with my other necklaces and forgot all about it until I was organizing them on Monday. It had never been photographed or listed ... or even named.

I had bought the iridescent crystals at the RV show (of all places) and sat down and created an illusion necklace with them. The groupings of iridescent beads and silver spacers are spread out and look much prettier on than they do in the picture. They sparkle so beautifully. With matching earrings this set sells for only $15.00

Busy day...creating stuff is so fun

Yeah - it is so much fun to let the ideas roll and see what I can create - I bought a LOT of beads down in Arizona because they were so inexpensive ($2 a strand compared to $6 or $8 up here)...I could kind of picture what I wanted to do with stuff as I bought it and now here it is...

I need to try and retake the pictures on the black velvet background - I know this first necklace would show better. The main bead on this triple strand illusion necklace was bought on Maui - it is a small oval mother of pearls. Ever since October when we purchase these beads I have been looking for the something to compliment it and I found some greyish fresh water pearls in Quartzsite and today I laid out the beads and finally decided I needed three strands of illusion wire and I inserted a couple of spacers 2/3 of the way down both sides of the necklace to keep it from getting too tangled. I spend hours making this one - probably a good 2 1/2 hours on the necklace and then another hour on the dangly earrings. But it turned out good.


The first picture above shows the whole necklace and earrings - the 2nd picture gives you a close up of all the beads. Row 1 has the flat oval beads and a grey irridescent round oval bead. Row 2 has the gray mother of pearl interspersed with a seafoam green irridescent 4 mm Swarovski crystal, and the inner row is simply an irridescent pale blue 4mm Swarovski crystal. It lays around your neck so softly. I think I will name it "Out of the Sea Necklace and Earring set. It will sell for $30 due to the high cost of the flat oval mother of pearl beads, but it is well made with 19 strand necklace wire and magnet closure.

This is a necklace I bought!! It is simply a typle of 'thread' that a lady I know in Quartzsite buys and instead of crocheting with it (I have a scarf that I bought last year from her out of the same type of material) she has created a fun, pull over your head necklace! This one will sell for $15
When we went to Mexico I bought some gold necklaces -they are Guadalajara Gold and have 14k stamped in them.
So I found a pretty pendant and created this pretty - with matching earrings.
The crystal pendant has a stem of gold toned leaves crossing it. Within the leaves are rhinestone flowers. The earrings are a single dangle of golden bead with silver crystal bead and then another golden bead - this dangle hangs from a squarish fish hook style earring head with a pounded gold head on it. This set will set for $20.00

This necklace is made up of natural rocks - mainly jasper- I need help with a name for it - any ideas? It nestles at the base of your throat, just perfect to accent a V necked collar. I didn't use the heavy round jasper beads or the bigger oval rocks for the earrings because that would make it tooo heavy in your ears. I just took the accent bead along with some antique gold spacer beads and created a dainty pretty set of earrings to match. The materials in this grouping would cause the necklace set to sell retail for $25.00

Quartzsite Treasures

I finally have started creating more jewelry again - it seems like I was hitting the wall when it came to creativity. But the ideas have started rolling again. Here are some of the items I made while I was down in Arizona, sitting warm and dry inside the trailer while it poured down water outside. This gorgeous ring is my first experience making a ring and no,I didn't create the design. I bought the setting in a 'free for all' bag of beads - but it makes a fantastic cocktail ring. $10.00
I titled this necklace set as Carnelian Heart. It is made with carnelian rock chunks along with a large off centered porcelain heart and circles. Carnelian is a orangeish red natural semiprecious stone. The earrings consists of gold toned studs with dangles of rock . $22 for the set

This is my Malachite Illusion necklace set - gorgeous teal toned malachite chunks with matching teal sparkly beads. Beautiful necklace and earring set. The necklace is made with silver toned wire and findings and has a magnet closure. $18 for the set.
Here I have taken a beautiful natural stone pendant piece and attached it to a fun grouping of plastic beads that highlight the colors in the stone - the whole set is in greens and golds and greys. $20.00 for the set
Here is the full view of the Nested Pearl set - A blister pearl is a natural pearl but the sand attaches to the 'hinge' of the oyster and instead of creating a round ball, it ends up more the shape of the hinge!!! This blister pearl is in a cream toned color of pearl and is nested in a silver toned setting. The silver chain at the necklace holds the fresh water pearls so they can highlight the blister pearl. Magnet closure. $25.oo for the set

An overview of my beadwork

SOLD!

Since my open house on Thursday I have had several people tell me they felt bad they missed it and was there somewhere they could see my "work" - so I am sending them here to get a feel for the wide range of necklace/earring sets that I have created. For those of you who have seen most of my jewelry I will apologize for the repeat. For those of you who want to look over the posts in this blog you will have a chance to read my feelings about the different sets as I give a quick overview of the different pieces. I will also give you prices but remember these are the etsy.com prices for Petal Soft Jewelry and anyone who purchases a piece or two through this blog site (by emailing me at petalsoftjewelry@willden.org) get a 20% discount. For those of you who live close enough I can hand deliver ...or, if necessary I can mail things out at $2 a set for postage, and $1 for each additional set. Tax is included in the cost of the jewelry. Or you can go to my site at etsy.com and order through there (paypal anyone??!!)

Enuff of that stuff - I hope you enjoy these. I have had a lot of fun creating them all! There are all different styles and designs so if you don't like the first few, keep looking!

This is one of my favorite styles - a simple illusion necklace with Swarovski crystals spread out every inch and a half apart. This necklace can be custom created for you in pink, green, turqouise, blue, lavender, purple, yellow, oraqnge, brown - you get the picture. That is what my custom ordering is all about - your color favorite color on a silver or gold or copper toned chain, a magnet or toggle or lobster claw closure. The earrings can be duplicated - on a fish eye earring wire or in silver or gold toned clip. As you look through the pictures you will see triple and double and single dangles, loops, etc. CUSTOM MADE!!

This Mother of Pearl pendant is gorgeous on a copper chain with beadwork of silver and green pearls and crystals. The matching earrings have bits of chain dangling below the beads. Double click on the picture to get a close up. $25 for the set.


This pendant is a dichroic glass in black and copper and orange - the pendant hangs off of the beadwork you can see in front of the flower with black pearls above it. $25 for the set.
This is an ankle bracelet made up of real polished amethyst tear drop beads. 10 1/2 in length it sells for only $12.

This was a fun set to make. The center bead is a glass bead that looks like old fashioned porcelain with a soft pink rose painted on it. The bead work is a combination of pink and silver beads hanging on a double row beneath silver toned chain connected by silver butterflies. The earrings highlight the same silver butterflies with matching beads dangling beneath them . The 30 inch long necklace and earring set sell for $20.00
I called this necklace Red Satin Elegance - with the red satin beads and large clear crystal beads it would look so elegant with just the right necklince. The earrings are made of red satin beads and lead crystals. The set sells for $18.00. The necklace is 22 inches in length
This necklace nestles right at your collarbone - 18 inches in length with three silver wildflowers with gorgeous hot pink Swarovski crystals and pink pearl beading between them, all hanging off silver toned double chain. Earrings combine the beadwork and chains. $22 for the set.
This lacy black pendant is about 1 1/2 inches in length. The pendant hangs off a necklace of glass and plastic beads in various tones of black, grey and silver. The necklace is 21 inches in length and sells for only $15 with the matching earrings

This gorgeous rope is made up of 46 inches of bright silver chain with clusters of pink and magenta beads all hand wired into a large cluster of beads where the two chains connect. More smaller clusters dangle all the way down to the bottom of the chain. Matching earrings on hypoallergenic earring wires. The set has been marked down to $25 (remember- you can take 20% off of that!)

This triple strand necklace is made up of topaz toned beads with gold accents and tigers eye rocks. Gold toned chain strands loop above and below the beaded strand. The strands are 24 inches, 27 inches and 30 inches in length with a gold toned screw type closure. That closure could easily be changed to a toggle type closure. I wouldn't suggest a magnet closure on this one because the stones are a little too heavy. $20.00 for the set.
This is a fun necklace - it would look great with that little black dress OR just as nice with a pair of jeans and blouse! It is beaded onto memory wire - it will always remember its shape!! The beads are a combination of glass beads, magnet beads and plastic beads. The earrings set it off to a T! The set sells for $15.00
The agate pendant on this necklace is what started all of this fun!! In February while Ed and I and my dad were perusing the open air shops in Quartzsite Arizona I saw this piece of beautiful polished rock. I thought - hmm, that would make a pretty necklace, and before I knew it I was knee deep in beads and bead making equipment. I have been truly amazed at the ideas that pop up in my head and after about a month and a half I decided that I needed to try and sell some of my designs in order to sustain my habit!!! It has been so much fun. I always knew I was a crafty type person but never an artsy one. I even wake up in the middle of the night with ideas for necklaces! This set is truly a One of a Kind - the different beads in it are irreplaceable. The strands of the necklace are 18", 20" and 25 " in length. The set sells for $25.00
I call this the mottled ebony butterfly necklace set- it is a type of dichroic glass in silver and black hanging off of one of two strands of beadwork all hung on an antique silver toned chain. It sells for $24.oo

SOLD

This is Kathleens necklace. She brought over a watch bracelet for me to match. What fun - I went to four different craft stores looking for the matching beads. The pale yellow glass pearl maches her bracelet exactly. Kathleen doesn't have pierced ears so I put the dangles on silver clip earrngs. The flower hook closure on the left side was so pretty I decided to place it there instead of at the back of the neck. This one is not for sale - sorry...already sold!

Three new necklaces

20% discount on ALL ITEMS!! Pick what you want and email your order to me at petalsoftjewelry@willden.org

Or -

if there is something you want in a different color - I will custom make something just for you1

Pastel Rainbows - this is one of my illusion necklaces - I have combined pink, blue, lavender, and green Swarovski crystals and also spaced the crytals closer together than normal



The matching earrings are made up in the same soft pastels as the necklace. Because of the number of Swarovski crystals this set would sell for $25.00 for necklace and earrings

sold

Teal and Copper - this one needs a name!!! Any suggestions. The beads are amazing - almost dichroic glass with bits of copper and teal and gold that simply glow. The rectangle beads are accented with copper spacer beads , turquoise toned Swarovski crystals and soft turquoise pearls. This set will sell for $20.00 a set.
This striking necklace has a four inch drape of sequins and beads - the drape hangs off an antique gold arc with a combination of amethyst toned Swarovski crystals and antique gold toned rose beads. The earrings are loops of crystals and rose beads hanging from antique gold posts. This set sells for $25.oo for the necklace and the earrings.

A couple spots of beauty

Its been a really busy week and with half of my beads sitting in my trailer that is parked up at Mtn Home Air Force Base, it is difficult to be able to make necklaces. But here are a couple more that I need to get up on Etsy.
This one is called Peach Beauty. It is actually two separate necklaces and when I put it on with the blouse I was making the set for, I found it was too much for me so I only wore the main necklace without the soft delicate second one. The main necklace is made up of a deep peach Swarovski crystal and soft pink Swarovski pearls (a glass pearl that is richer and warmer in tone - they cost more, like the crystals, but are worth it. I can easily pick out the Swarovski pearls that are mixed in my bead box with the other glass pearls! It surprised me.

The pendant is a rich warm peach colored shell with variations of peach and tans. The whole necklace is acented with gold toned findings. The necklace closes with a large gold toned magnet.

The earrings are triple dangles with the same Swarovski pearls and crystals plus the other beads matching those in the necklaces. Each grouping is hand coiled and hangs off a small gold chain. Hypoallergenic earring wires.

The necklaces and earrings sell for $30 for the set (less my normal 20% discount for items sold from this site)...so at $24 that is a steal.


The second necklace turned into something soft and delicate with the small copper chain draping the sides of the necklace. The beading is a combination of burgandy 4mm Swrovski crystals and larger flat square glass beads. The pendant is an elegant shell with a burgandy and pearl toned mum painted on the shell itself. I used copper findings with this set as it set off the tones in the beads beautifully. The copper toggle closure adds beauty in its own right to the 21 inch long necklace.

The earrings were another fun experiment. When I first made this necklace I had a second copper chain accenting it - I used the elongated circles in that chain to frame a single drop of beads from a hypoallergenic earring wire - again with the copper and burgandy combination. I loved the earrings because they are original but I didn't like the extra chain below the pendant. So I took it off and attached the small copper chain at the sides to droop becomingly. It was a fun necklace to make and I can't wait to get to wear the set.

This is a closeup of the mum on the pendant. So beautifull. And when I bought this pendant there were three of them in the package - all of them were beautiful but this was my favorite design. This set sells for $30.00