Love Me Some Lavender {Earrings-of-the-Month}

Lavender is one of my favorite scents and flowers. I wasn't able to attend the Lavender Festival here in town, but my friends did and brought me an armful of stems and other lavender goodies. Thank you!!

I was inspired to create this month's earrings-of-the-month in gems that reminded me of lavender: amethyst. I used both dark and light stones all handwired with sterling silver and hanging from sterling earwires. These are all packaged up and in the mail.

I made one pair asymmetrical. I hope the gal who gets that one enjoys it as much as I do. I know not everyone is good with asymmetry.

This lavender shot [below] was one of my photographs that was displayed during the Flower Power exhibition at the 1650 Gallery in Los Angeles in December 2010. 

Roman Glass Pieces

I have had this strand of Roman glass in my jewelry supplies cabinet for years. I bought it because, well, because of the name. Roman. Glass. I love all things about that city that I called home for 13 months after I graduated from college.

I never did much research as to the authenticity of this strand of glass beads. Honestly, for what I paid for it, I suspect it really wasn't excavated from a Roman outpost in Israelk or anywhere else for that matter. But I love the idea of Roman glass and its aqua-hues and rough edges make it visually appealing.

I combined pieces of Roman glass with neon blue apatite and other gems - all hand-wired with sterling silver wire and handing from sterling silver findings. This month, I also played with making bracelets and necklaces.

Hopeful for Spring {Earrings of the Month}

This week has been a wee bit chilly here on California's central coast. Temperatures dipped back into the 30s and there was a light dusting of ice on grass and vehicles. I even kicked on the heater one morning to get the house back into the 50s!

But on Sundays, we've been heading out for a strenuous family hike and I've been tickled to see buds on trees - that shock of bright Spring green against a backdrop of ghostly branches. So, I was inspired to create pieces that mirrored that hopefulness, that longing for the new season to spring!

I know that we're officially in winter for another month. But a girl can dream for warmer days, right? I hope the gals in my earrings-of-the-month subscription enjoy these and feel a little Spring-y when they wear them. These are green chalcedony, moss agate, and green onyx all handwired with sterling silver wire and chain; they hang from sterling silver ear wires. Enjoy!

Persephone's Passion {Earrings-of-the-Month}

For my January EcoChic Designs Earrings-of-the-Month pieces, I found inspiration in this pomegranate pendant. 

Since the deep red color of the pomegranate arils gave rise to the naming of the garnet - January's birthstone - I handwired garnets galore with sterling silver. Some pieces also have sterling stardust beads and moonstones.

These lovelies are in the mail today to my members. Enjoy!

 

 

Christmas Spiders...Sort of {Earrings of the Month}

Do you know the legend of the Christmas Spider? It's a folktale from Germany and Ukraine; it explains the tradition of decorating the tree with tinsel.

Here's a rough approximation...

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, a mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year: the day on which the Christ child would come to bless the house. There was not a speck of dust to be seen. Even the spiders had been banished to the farthest corner of the attic.

Finally Christmas Eve arrived. The tree was decorated, but the poor spiders couldn't see the tree. Silently they crept out of the attic, down the stairs, and across the floor. They climbed all over the tree - up and down, over every branch and twig - and enjoyed every ornament.

But alas! Everywhere they went, they had left their webs. And when the little Christ child came to bless the house he was dismayed. He loved the little spiders, for they were God's creatures too, but he knew the mother wouldn't feel the same. So he touched the webs and turned them to sparkling, shimmering, silver and gold!

Ever since, we have hung tinsel on our Christmas trees.

I’ll be honest, I love twinkle lights and tinsel. They remind me of glitter for the house, but I don't use tinsel on my trees because I try to minimize the plastic in our lives. So, this month, in celebration of the Christmas season, my earring twinkles and sparkles...and none of it is plastic.

The pieces this month are comprised of sterling silver, diamond-cut sterling chains, sterling stardust beads, and faceted gemstones…all handwired…and all one-of-a-kind.

May they bring my subscribers joy during this holiday season and beyond. These are in the mail to the gals this weekend.

Spicy! {Earrings of the Month}

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! If you follow my culinary adventures at all - here - you'll know that our only tradition is adventure. I can't remember the last time I roasted a turkey...or made stuffing. This year my Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf came up with a Moroccan-inspired menu. 

This month's pieces were inspired by all those colors, aromas, and tastes. I used smoky topaz, tiger's eye, orange striped agate, dark amber, orange carnelian, and Oregon sunstone to create my November pieces for the subscribers. I hope they enjoy these.

Fit For an Empress {Earrings of the Month}

I am halfway through the six-week elective class I'm teaching at my younger son's school. Since my class is Around the World with Rice + Other Global Grains, I've had all kinds of rice in my kitchen and on my brain.

Inspired by black forbidden rice, I decided to make this month's pieces with sterling rice-shaped beads, black druzy, and sterling silver.

Are you familiar with forbidden rice. The story goes that during the days of the Ching and Ming dynasties, forbidden rice - a medium grain heirloom rice - was exclusively reserved for the Chinese Emperors to ensure their longevity and good health. Eventually, commoners were allowed to eat the rice. Since then, it has become a staple that is purported to promote long life and good health.

I hope my subscribers liked these pieces and that, as we move into the winter season, these promote long life and good health, too!