Sweet Inspirations

With our move half done - we are officially out of our old house thanks to my rockstar husband - I can begin to focus on the TREAT YOURSELF event I have this weekend. Three days to get ready. Ouch. I just hope I can find everything in the stacks of boxes littering my new home. TREAT YOURSELF is a local craft faire that features artisans peddling their wares, paired with a sweet treat. Shopping and sweets, what more could you want?

And since I'm also prepping for the class I'm teaching this trimester about chocolate, I looked no further than my chocolate stash for some sweet inspiration. The colors on the Vosges Black Pearl Bar screamed "Pick me, pick me!" And so, I did.

I'll be displaying pieces in all shades of chocolate with some spicy wasabi in there. Here's a green amethyst briolette handwired with recycled green glass and sterling silver to create a one-of-a-kind necklace.

If you're local, I hope you will stop by the TREAT YOURSELF Craft Faire. Saturday, August 6th. 2-5pm. Casanova Oakknoll Community Center. 735 Ramona Avenue, Monterey.

Bit O'Honey

I've, sadly, never had a Bit O'Honey candy bar. My mom was a sugar Nazi; so there's no mystery why I am the way I am with my boys - the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right? But of all the candies I watched my friends eat, the Bit O'Honey intrigued me the most. I liked the name. I love honey.

When I came across these voluptuous citrine nuggets, they reminded me of bits of honey. So I made a necklace-earring set with them.

This set is comprised of an assymetrical necklace and earrings made with organically-shaped gemstones that remind me of bits of honey.

Citrine nuggets, onyx, recycled clear glass and calcite are handwired with sterling silver to create this one-of-a-kind necklace that closes in the front with a sterling silver lobster clasp; the earrings are made with citrine nuggets and recycled glass and hang from sterling silver French wires.

 

Click here to purchase the piece from my etsy site, or to see more photographs.

Initials in Trees

Though not particularly tree-friendly, carved initials on trees seem to shout to the world: we're in love!

So, for a friend's 11th anniversary present, I made her a necklace with a charm from Bonbon Charms - custom sterling charms by Erica Clements out of Eugene, Oregon.

Handwired with sterling silver branches, recycled green glass, and moss agate, I created this one-of-a-kind necklace for Pia. The piece closes in the front with a vine-wrapped sterling silver toggle. Happy anniversary to the Garneaus - P+B - with much love!

If you're interested in a carved initials necklace for yourself, let me know: camillammann at sbcglobal dot net.

Happy Birthday to Beth

It's not much of a surprise: if you're a girl and you're getting a birthday present from me, it's usually jewelry.

Makes sense, given, well, given everything. But I try to make pieces especially meaningful for the birthday girl.

For Beth, I found a sterling silver button with a horse on it...then handwired it with rough fluorite nuggets, faceted green onyx, rough aquamarines, recycled green glass and pale green aventurine. As soon as she opened it, she put it on.

Perfect! Happy birthday, Beth.

Minty Fresh Bracelet

I love fresh mint. I steep it in hot water for tea. I chop it roughly and toss it in with fresh strawberries. I love the color. And I especially love the smell. When I found this sterling silver mint leaf toggle, I immediately gathered some green beads in all sorts of shades to create this bracelet.

Green labradorite, aqua green chalcedony, moss agate, Russian amazonite, wintergreen fluorite, deep green recycled glass, pale green glass are handwired with sterling silver to form this chunky, one-of-a-kind bracelet.

Click here to see more photos or to purchase this through my etsy site.

Purple Bunny Choker

With Easter only three weeks away, I decided that I needed to use all of my sterling bunny buttons in jewelry this week. 

This Spring-hued choker - in soft and muted purples - features a sterling silver bunny button. Perfect for Spring, for Easter, or anytime!

The sterling silver button is handwired with smooth amethyst nuggets, faceted amethyst nuggets, fluorite rounds, recycled purple glass, and tiny garnet and rose quartz rounds to form this one-of-a-kind choker.

Another faceted amethyst nugget dangles as a focal point below the rabbit. The necklace closes in the rear with a sterling silver lobster clasp.

Click here to purchase this piece on my etsy site.

The Evolution of a Ring

If there are two things I am passionate about - besides my family, food, and jewelry - they are flowers and creative people.

My all time favorite blossom is a parrot tulip; but I have never been able to find piece of parrot tulip jewelry that I liked. So I decided to commission a parrot tulip ring from my very talented friend Paxton Mobley. I picked up my ring yesterday and it has only left my finger while I was cooking and when I went to bed! I love it.

Here's the creative evolution...

I sent him this photograph.

We went back and forth with a few sketches. This is the one we settled on.

Then he worked his magic with wax and silver.  And here is the final product...ta da!

It's exactly what I wanted. And that it was handmade by a fantastic artist makes it all the better.

Check out more of Paxton's work at his website. Click here.

Pretty Peacock Bracelet

Like a peacock, this one-of-a-kind bracelet sports various shades of blues and green.  Matte recycled glass, rough fluorite nuggets, amazonite, Russian amazonite, labradorite, and green jasper are handwired to form this chunky one-of-a-kind bracelet and closes with a matte abstract sterling silver toggle clasp.
Click here to purchase this piece from my etsy site.

Java Queen Earrings

Wearing these earrings makes you feel like a queen...and, the different colors of smoky quartz remind me of all the different shades of coffee - from the strongest black to the palest latte.

Faceted and smooth smoky quartz are handwired with hematite and brushed sterling silver dics to form these one-of-a-kind earrings. The earrings hang from sterling silver French wires.

Click here to purchase these from my etsy site.

March 8, 2011 Update: These have been purchased.  Thanks, Paula.  Enjoy! ~CMM