The Heart of the Matter {Earrings-of-the-Month}

I think my aversion to Valentines’ Day must be thawing because I actually found inspiration in those chalky candy conversation hearts. The messages have been updated; ‘text me’ read one. Whaaat?!!? But I was drawn to the colors and decided to make some EcoChic Designs earrings in those same cheerful hues. I hope my subscribers enjoy these playful, one-of-a-kind earrings made especially with each one of them in mind.

This set is made from glass hearts, vintage glass beads, orange aventurine, handblown glass beads, pale amethyst, and prehnite. They'll be in the mail this week.

Smokin' Hot Earrings and Necklace

Last night we helped one of my best friends welcome in her 40s. Her husband had planned, and executed, a surprise dinner with a few close friends. Complimenti! That's pretty hard to do when we all have very big mouths.

I figured I would commemorate the milestone with - what else? - jewelry. 

I decided to make something with her birthstone, smokey topaz. I thought about trying to squeeze forty stones into the design somehow, but that was a lot of weight since I had gotten large, faceted briolettes.

Instead I handwired a trio of briolettes to a sterling silver chain. The earrings hang from hand-hammered sterling earwires from an artisan I know in San Francisco.

The matching necklace mirrors the briolette cluster with heart-shaped topaz and sterling silver chain making up the rest of the piece. 

She said, "Ahhh...you made me jewelry with smokey topaz because I'm smokin' hot?!?" I went with it.

Love you, Pia. Happy 40th!

The Ice Cream Orchid

I am easily swayed to make new jewelry. And it's usually spawned by something I'm reading...or eating. Since I just started reading Tim Ecott's Vanilla: Travels in Search of the Ice Cream Orchid, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I wanted an orchid necklace.

Luckily I located a local artisan who handcasts all of his pieces using the lost wax method. Check out Pete Conder's shop on etsy.

I handwired his sterling silver orchid with clear quartz coins and faceted rondelles of golden citrine to create this one-of-a-kind necklace. Then I made coordinated earrings with faceted pear chalcedony briolettes and clear quartz coins.

I'll have to check out more of Pete's pieces. This orchid is eye-catching and gorgeous without being too heavy. It was exactly what I wanted.

Olive Love

I recently won an olive oil recipe contest - check out my Malfatti di Ricotta e Bietola (dumplings with chard and cheese) - and, as part of my prize, get to attend the Paso Robles Olive Festival this weekend. I get some other fun perks, including access to the We Olive! VIP tent, wine, beer, a gift certificate, and tickets to the growers' dinner! Woohoo. I love olives.

So, naturally, I had to make some jewelry to wear - to the festival, during my interview...and just to get in the olive mood.

I used a sterling silver olive leaf as the focal point, dangling a deep purple, kalamata-shaped recycled glass bead from the finding. Then I handwired rough garnet nuggets - wrinkled like the gaeta olives - with watermelon tourmaline slabs - with colors of green picholine to the purplish liguria.

The matching earrings have garnets and watermelon tourmaline as well. Can't wait till Saturday!

Water Droplet Earrings and Necklace for They Are One

They Are One is a local non-profit raising funds to provide the Cornerstone Children’s Home - an orphanage in southern Sudan - with a supply of fresh, clean water. And since a friend of mine from high school is one of the founders, I am happily donating to their benefit luncheon and auction this week. Read the Off 68 article about the group and their project.

Inspired by their mission of providing water for the orphanage, I used water-colored glass beads and aquamarine chips in the creation of this one-of-a-kind necklace and earring set. A variety of blue milky glass beads are handwired with sterling silver to form water droplets. The earrings hang from hammered artisan-made ear wires and the matching pendant is suspended on a sterling silver chain.

Kazuri Beads

Years ago a friend invited me to a Kazuri bead party. Click here to read the whole story about Kazuri beads. The short version: these are made by women in Kenya, giving them gainful employment through a marketable handicraft. Kazuri, in Swahili, means "small and beautiful."

I picked up several great beads that evening, but I held onto them, waiting for inspiration. I finally used one in a pendant that a customer saw at the TREAT YOURSELF craft faire yesterday. But she didn't want a pendant, she wanted earrings. Luckily, I had a matching bead at home.

So, I handwired the Kazuri beads with hematite to create these beauties. Hope she likes them.

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.

Matching Earrings

You can't have a set without the earrings, right?!?

So, to match the Pretty Peacock bracelet and Pretty Peacock necklace, here are the Pretty Peacock earrings: amazonite nuggets and rounds are handwired with fluorite.

Click here to purchase them through my etsy site.

CHEERing for a Cause

It's fundraising event season around the Monterey Peninsula and, as always, I donate to a few causes that are close to my heart.  My boys' school and my alma mater top the list, but I've donated pieces to other local auctions as well. 

This year, I'm working on a few wine-themed pieces that feature sterling silver grapes and some luscious cabernet-colored recycled glass. 

Here's the choker and earring set that's going to the International School of Monterey's auction gala in March.  Click here for more information about the event.

Cin Cin Choker and Earring Set: a hefty sterling grape cluster hangs at the center of the choker. Recycled cabernet-colored glass, sterling silver, and garnets are all handwired to complete this one-of-a-kind choker.  Recycled cabernet colored glass and garnets are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling French wires to match the choker.