Chocolate Swirl Necklace

This simple necklace really shows off the beauty of a piece of chocolate-colored recycled glass. I handwired the glass with a piece of swirled, deep purple charoite and an oxidized sterling round bead. This pendant hangs from an oxidized sterling chain and closes with a sterling silver toggle.

Click here to see more photos of this piece or to purchase this from my etsy site.

Mint Chocolate Necklace III

I rarely create completely symmetrical pieces. My 7-year-old says, "Mommy, you need to practice your patterns. This is right, right, wrong..."; and when we were at the Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival he made a point of showing me another jeweler's pieces: "See, Mommy. This necklace-maker understands patterns - right, right, right. Do you understand?!?" Yes, I understand.

These nuggets are so visually interesting, I went with a symmetrical design so as not to distract the eye.

A micro-faceted smoky topaz, recycled chocolate glass, and deep garnet hang at the focal point of this necklace. Hammered smoky quart, rough minty fluorite, and smooth smoky quartz are handwired with sterling silver to complete this one-of-a-kind piece. It closes in the rear with a twisted sterling toggle and green aventurine.

Click here to purchase this piece or to see more photos of this necklace on my etsy store.

Mint Chocolate Necklace II

And another one...

A rough minty fluorite nugget, faceted chrysoprase, and smoky quartz round hang at the center of this piece.Green aventurine, smooth smoky quartz nuggets, recycled green glass, and chocolate are hand-wired with both bright and oxidized sterling silver to form this one-of-a-kind necklace. It closes in the rear with a sterling lobster clasp.

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

Mint Chocolate Bracelet II

This chunky bracelet features both colors of a mint-chocolate chip ice cream. Yum!

 

Fluorite, recycled green glass, pale green chalcedony, smooth smoky quartz, hammered smoky quartz, and oxidized sterling silver are all handwired with sterling silver to form this one-of-a-kind piece. It closes with a sterling silver heart toggle.

 

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

Mint Chocolate Bracelet I

This chunky bracelet features both with deep smoky quartz, bright Russian amazonite, sparkling bronzite, and a pale green chalcedony. All are handwired with sterling silver to form this one-of-a-kind piece. it closes with a sterling silver toggle.

Click here to purchase this piece from my etsy site.

Mint Chocolate Necklace I

Though mint-chocolate chip is not my favorite ice cream flavor, I've always like the combination of colors: pale green with deep, rich brown. In preparation for the TREAT YOURSELF Craft Faire, I decided that mint-chocolate would be the theme of my items.  All unique, all one-of-a-kind with similar gems. If you like this color combination, keep your eyes peeled. There will be more coming...

A teardrop prehnite with deep brown inclusions hangs at the center of this piece. Milky chrysoprase, smoky quartz, minty fluorite, and recycled green glass are hand-wired with both bright and oxidized sterling silver to form this one-of-a-kind necklace. It closes in the rear with a twisted sterling silver toggle.

Click here to purchase this piece or view more pictures on my etsy site.

Six gals. Six dresses. Twelve One-of-a-Kind Pieces of Jewelry.

One of the things I love about making jewelry is creating something that is completely unique for that person. One-of-a-kind. I just received the photos of the bridesmaids dresses for the wedding jewelry I've been commissioned to do.

Six gals. Six dresses. All different. One has a cascading ruffle; one has a flower on one shoulder. Three are strapless - or as Dylan calls them 'the dresses with the low boobs'. It's best not to ask where he comes up with these things! - two are halters and one is single-shouldered. I ordered some sterling silver findings to complement each dress. But all will have deep purple peacock pearls, soft ivory pearls, and glimmering golden citrine. What fun!

Introducing Janice of Tudy's Treasures

As we gear up for the TREAT YOURSELF event, I will be introducing you to some of our crafters.

Janice of Tudy's Treasures will be showcasing her homemade jewelry and homemade notecards.

A lifelong resident of the Monterey Peninsula, Janice writes: "I love to bead and watch my daughter play volleyball."

Thanks for joining us, Janice, we look forward to seeing your stuff on August 6th!

TREAT YOURSELF
Saturday, August 6th. 2-5pm. Casanova-Oakknoll Park Community Center. 735 Ramona Avenue, Monterey.

Treat Yourself

It's on!

TREAT YOURSELF, an afternoon of locally-crafted artisan products with sweet treats.

What: Grab your gal pals. Shop, socialize, and relax while supporting local crafters.
When: Saturday, August 6th. 2pm - 5pm.
Where: Casanova-Oakknoll Park Community Center. 735 Ramona Avenue, Monterey, CA.

For more information, contact me. ecochicdesigns at sbcglobal dot net.

Bridal Bling

I just received an email from my cousin whose wedding is fast-approaching. As a present from me, I had offered to make her bridesmaid's presents. She said, yes.

So, I'll be working with M over the next few weeks on designs and colors to create six one-of-a-kind EcoChic Designs pieces that match her bridesmaid's dresses and style.

How fun!

Orb Earrings II

These stunning earrings feature heavily textured sterling silver orbs, tangerine recycled glass beads, carnelian, and corrugated sterling silver beads. All are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling French wires.

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

Surf Zone Earrings

Surf Zone Earrings - blue recycled glass and bluberry quartz are handwired onto sterling silver and dangle from sterling earring wires. The blue veins in the blueberry quartz remind me of the way the water churns in the surf zone just off the shoreline.

Click here to purchase these through my etsy site, or to see more photographs.

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.

Orb Earrings I

I love these earrings. The sunny shade of yellow makes me smile; and the movement of these earrings is so much fun.

 

These stunning earrings feature heavily textured sterling silver orbs, yellow recycled glass beads, and textured  sterling silver beads. All are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling French wires.

 

Click here to purchase these from my etsy site, or to see more images.

Calling All Crafty Gals!

I am working on a gals' night out full of locally crafted artisan products called TREAT YOURSELF. Shopping + Dessert! C'mon, you can't refuse.

Jewelry. Paper bling. Knitted lovelies. Handcrafted candles.

Looking for people to display and peddle their wares. If you're interested, contact me for details. Email camillammann at sbcglobal dot net.

Cacao Pod Necklace

In preparation for my history of chocolate class next trimester, I hunted high and low for a sterling silver cacao pod pendant. I finally found one...and it is amazing. Made by Gayle Friedman Designs in the Washington, D.C. area, she let me pick if I wanted a vertical or horizontal orientation and if I wanted it bright silver or oxidized. I opted for horizontal and partially oxidized for the pod but bright for the seeds.

I handwired the pendant with rough smoky quartz nuggets, smooth smoky quartz nuggests, chocolate jade rounds, smoky quartz rounds, and oxidized sterling silver to create this one-of-a-kind choker. Then I made matching earrings with rough and smooth smoky quartz and oxidized silver.

Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival

Tomorrow my husband's art will be on display at the Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival. MannMade Creations. Original oil paintings by Jake.

And since the festival seems fairly laid back, Jake asked if I wanted to put some of my jewelry on a table in his booth. His rationale: my jewelry pieces are, after all, Mann-made creations. Mine are just made out of stones, glass, and silver...and you wear it on your body instead of hanging it on your wall. True enough.

So, tonight, I'll be putting together a selection of EcoChic Designs - MannMade Creations - to have at the Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival. Stop by if you're in town!

11-5, Carmel Valley Village. We'll be in booth #7 on Del Fino Place.

Swirled Glass Hippie Chic Choker

Remember when I went to the Art Glass Center in San Jose with some girlfriends? Well, I finally got around to doing something with the pendant that I had made.

I decided to do something "hippie chic" with knotted hemp and recycled glass beads. But since I haven't done those knots since I was in college in Berkeley, I had to relearn the process. So, after lots of trial and error, I finally figured it out. Phew...

Here it is. The swirled glass pendant was torched and twisted by me. And the hemp was also twisted and knotted by me. I think I'll go back to working with sterling silver wire. It's less time consuming.