My own stash

Every once in a while I go through a phase where I decide I want to make jewelry for myself. My wardrobe tends towards the dark side. I'm going back to my victorian roots with my Etsy shop, but at the tail end of the gothic kick I made a few things for myself to wear.

However, I can't wear any of these things on a daily basis. These are more like date night trinkets. Especially the crystal studded hoop earrings. My son thinks they're handles and he's attracted to all things shiny.

La Belle Anne

This is a new photo of an old cuff I made last year. I'm very fond of this cuff, it features a vintage cameo that I've had since I was a kid. It's a gorgeous creamy ivory and vintage rose pink color, and it's slightly marbled. You don't see the marble coloring on the new vintage reproduction cameos very often. I'm not sure how old the cameo is, but it was an antique when it found it's way into my posession.

The brass cuff has the most gorgeous floral detailing on it. I've kept the other brass adornments simple, to let the cameo take the spotlight. Two little pearls on either side compliment the creamy ivory of the flower relief.

Available for purchase at Peacock Tres Chic.

Backtracking

I've been thinking a lot on the direction my jewelry has been going and I've come to realize I'm not entirely content. I've always had an intense love of all things victorian and vintage, and suddenly for some reason I started working in a more gothic direction. Sure, I wear mostly black, and I went through a gothic stage a few years back. I still wear the occasional noir piece. But I'm not being honest with myself.

What I want to make, is back where I started. My jewelry sprang from that love of victoriana, the lavish jewels and splendid array of colors. I miss brass. I've worked in dominantly silver for the past several months and I miss the brass. I'm a grown woman, and I think the gothic look is a little immature. It's great for a certain audience, but that audience isn't mine.

I'm looking forward to starting the fall season with some more victorian inspired designs. I'm letting an injured thumb heal, then it's back to work.

Goodbye, my lovely

I've always been a little on the fence about this piece. I was so excited to get the materials, thinking I had the perfect design in my head, only to get them all home and together and realize it wasn't really what I wanted. I played with them for a day or two, moving them around my bead board waiting for the magic to happen when the layers were in perfect harmony. I think I settled when the magic didn't happen. I was just determined to have it made.

It's gotten good reviews. People seem to like it. And it got a lot of attention at a local festival when I had it at the booth. But I'm tired of having it here. I feel like it's mocking me, being a second thought design.

Seeing as people seem to really like it, I've decided to donate it to the local Art Reach of Mt. Pleasant to be put in the annual silent auction. I hope it is a good contribution to the cause.

Turns out I can make bridal jewelry =) This was a commission, all that was specified was that she wanted white crystal and pearl.