A cinematic influence or two...

 "Wicked Green"

(Necklace)   Price: $ 80.00 

Well, this necklace is the epitome of the 'definitive statement piece'. I was messing around with the beaten gold spirals and digging through my little boxes of odd bling bits, exploring an idea, when the big gold 'viking' knot sort of stuck out. I managed to put those together, but it looked a little hollow, so I started trying different bead combinations to see what worked. The vintage green glass ones made it glow, but I needed a bit of contrast to make the whole thing pop. That's when I added the double lobe of amber dyed Shells and the violet-dyed freshwater pearls, and the four tiny glass pearl ones. By this stage it was starting to get 'bigger than Ben Hur'. Old saying referring to the Charleton Heston movie that was a 1959 Hollywood blockbuster that had a cast of THOUSANDS of people in it, full scale chariot races, the works...quite a bit larger that their standard epics. Anyway, back from that digression, I added the my fave black hexagon Onyx beads and a few small glass ones, and it was really starting to remind me of Oz and the Wicked movie that was all over the place when this was created...and still is. Hence, the name of it. At the moment, I have a small box of collected bling bits in pink and sparkly things towards making a corresponding 'Glinda' or 'Wicked Pink' necklace. That hasn't panned out or come to any kind of creative fruition at this stage, but not for lack of trying. 

 

Meanwhile, thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

Messing around with Malachite...again...

 "Malachite Silver Rose"

(Earrings)  Price:  $ 30.00 

Sorting beads and problem solving engineering of tiny bling bits helps me not only think, but also confers a degree of calm over me at times. These earrings are a result of one of those sessions. I was aiming for something a little different from the usual 'put pin through here and make loop' type of dangle earrings. I like how they turned out and are rather cute, I think. Malachite beads at the top of the clock, er circle; black glass ones form the bottom, with a vintage silver 'rose' bead in the middle. I think these silver rose beads are ones I brought with me from Australia nearly 29 years ago...all that's left of my jewelry making bits from way back then. Meanwhile, these kind of look like a garden, don't they...

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

A little night music...

"Moon and Stars, Blue" 

 (Earrings)   Price: $40.00  SOLD

The puffed 'coin' Venetian glass beads were so gorgeously blue, that I wanted to do something a little cosmic with them. The moon and star silver dangles are contemporary, but the rest of the fittings and the glass pearls came from digging through boxes of vintage 'finds'. I think it works. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

More Fall influences...

"Amber Butterfly"

(Necklace)     Price: $ 60.00 

This came about by fiddling with jewelry bits with a fairly pointed idea that surfaced during our time away in Italy last year. I had just visited my bead dealer that morning and spent a happy hour foraging among her table of 'discards', and used some of those beads here. The central butterfly was broken and came about from a previous visit, so I filed down the Sharp edges and cleaned it up and applied the engineering I thought up during the night one night in Florence, Italy to suspend it from the necklace. I love rescuing lost and/or broken bits and making them beautiful again if I can. Four double link 'S' connectors suspend the butterfly between the 'branches' of vintage amber Czech glass beads and a few Amethyst ones. The arches and flower like beads book-ending the 'lower branches' are contemporary Czech glass. The filigree 'rose' connectors are warmer in tone and help offset the brightness of the filigree butterfly. Thus the result is a Fall-ish warm amber tones with touches of dark purple, silver butterfly with gold accents…

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

Getting into a Fall theme...

"Rustic Owl"

(Necklace)  Price: $ 60.00  SOLD

Getting into a bit of a Fall theme, here, with the antique 'pewter' look of the metals against the brighter silver. There are those mixing of metals again. Add to that the gold accents and the tiny Venetian green glass beads as the last of Summer, and it kind of works to amplify the warm amber glow of the vintage Czech amber glass beads. I had a bit of fun with this one, especially in engineering the focal, using the favourite 'silver branch' as the base. 

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

And now for something completely different...

 

"Green Dragon Suite"

(Necklace & Earrings)  Price: $ 80.00 

I mixed the metal tones in this one, just because now and then, I feel it adds visual 'texture'. Antiqued bronze elements amplify and compliment the base silver, and also make sure that the bronze dragon doesn't look out of place. The purple beads are pure Amethyst, and the blue beads are vintage Czech glass. While I wasn't thinking along those lines, it has been pointed out to me that the blues, the filigree silver connectors, and the feather dangles lean this creation towards an almost Native American vibe. And again, I had fun engineering the focal the dragon is hanging from. That's half the fun, you know. Trying out ideas to see how they look and organically growing from there. Some of these elements shouldn't work together, but I'm so glad that they do. 

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

More red, gold and black drama...

"Gothic Gold Suite"

(Necklace & Earrings)  Price: $ 80.00 

Well, this is definitely a 'statement piece' as it were. Very 'late night gothic or vampire ball' in theme. Or some antique idea of an imagined Egyptian fantasy run through a Victorian filter for a masqued ball. There are my beloved black Onyx hexagon beads that go exceedingly well with the vintage Czech 'ruby' glass and the gold odds and ends that I created the focal with. The engineering on this one was a lot of fun and I'm still really pleased with how it turned out. I even made matching earrings to complete the look. I think I'm down to my last few hexagon beads and I'm hoarding those for a bit until I start a project they are worthy of. Alas, I've spent a lot of time online, looking at getting more, but they are danged elusive. 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

 

Inspirational shapes...

"Dark Hive Honeybee"

(Necklace)  Price: $ 60.00  SOLD

As soon as I saw the vintage,hexagonal, black Onyx beads I found in Lisa's hoard, I instantly thought of bees and hives. Pulling a number of other vintage elements together to help create the vision, I got to work. The center of the focal consists of a trio of gold circles. This is actually a length of loose chain from a belt or some such that was floating around the odds and ends box. I twisted them into a triad and held them together in form with a couple of thick crimp links and crowned it with a row of beads, central of which is a very oddly formed vintage Czech glass bead. The amber coloured bead backing the honeybee dangle is also from the same Czech glass lot. The little golden, round concertina connectors bookending the black hexagon lengths are also vintage. While this isn't a literal translation of a bee hive, it certainly is suggestive of one. I've been inordinately proud of this necklace as the ideas I had for it don't differ from the reality of it all that much. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

Small blings...

"Celtic Malachite"

(Earrings)   Price: $25.00  SOLD 

Antique bronze combined with the pure Malachite stone and black glass beads creates and earthy ancient vibe in this pair of earrings. 
 

"Celtic Silver"
(Earrings)   Price: $15.00  SOLD 

On the lighter side, plum coloured Fluorite and teal dyed Freshwater Pearl make a pretty balance to the more delicate silver Celtic knotwork. 

 

"Soft Blue"

(Earrings)  Price: $20.00 SOLD 

 In reality, these handmade lamp-work blue and copper glass beads are slightly more sky blue than seen here. Since they came to me second hand, I can't be sure if they are Italian or Czech in origin. But they are quite spectacular in the 'flesh' so to speak. 

 

"Fluorite Natural Trio #1"

(Earrings)  Price: $ 20.00  SOLD 

Fluorite comes in a range of beautiful colours from the palest, clearest cool green, ranges through almost blue greens and into pinks, purples, and plum. Some are cloudy, some are glass clear, some contain fractures and flaws. And they are some of the prettiest stones in the semi-precious collective. My Grandma Plumridge taught me a bit about lapidary work and basic jewelry making at around the same time she taught me how to paint in oils. Among the stones we worked with were amethysts and Fluorite. I remember claiming a large, irregular polished cabochon piece of vari-coloured Fluorite and turned it into a pendant with a large silver bellcap and long chain. Very 1970s. So, I love Fluorite and it has appeared, and will continue to appear in some of the things I make. It brings clarity and healing on many levels according to gemstone connoisseurs. 

"Fluorite Natural Trio #2"

(Earrings)  Price: $ 20.00  SOLD 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

Mythic whimsy...

"Pegasus Moon"

(Earrings)   Price: $30.00

These earrings came from a "wonder how this would look" engineering adventure, cobbling together a few big rings and stacking them how they wouldn't normally go together. Getting the Celtic bail (the band the pegasi are hanging from) took a bit of effort, but finally worked. Then added the pretty bits: the pegasi and the beads. The beads are bluish pure Fluorite stones and look enough like moons to create the story in the title. The length of these pretty danglers is 2-3/4" from the top of the ear hook to their dainty little hooves. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

A little more ocean...

 "Blue Moon Dolphin"

(Necklace)  Price: $40.00  SOLD 

Something a little more elegant and simple, this time. I LOVE the electric blue and old gold glass beads, and have been trying to use them sparingly. They remind me of the ocean and also the Earth as seen from space. The lower part of the focal is a small glass 'pearl' for the moon, the leaping dolphin, and the blue bead represents the Earth, hence 'Blue Moon Dolphin' title. I once painted a painting along this exact theme some 35 odd years ago, now, so it brought back memories. The starfish and pearls also suggest the oceanic theme. And yeah, it's silver again. I love silver, so it bleeds into my inspiration a lot. I made matching earrings below...

"Electric Blue"

(Earrings)  Price: $15.00 SOLD

 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by,

Cheers, 
Marianne 

Along the shore...

 "Seafoam"

(Necklace)  Price: $50.00  

Now this, THIS is a 'statement' necklace. I was inspired by all of the soft seafoam blue and white Freshwater Pearls that I got from Lisa's hoard and the big crab and pearl focal piece that I'd been hanging on to for a number of years. I'm a Cancerian by birth and pearl is classed as one of my birthstones, so I was on an inspiration mission to do 'some thing of the sea'. Note the silver branch bar again. It was a great platform upon which to build my seashore fantasy necklace. And let me tell you, those freshwater pearls were obstinate little suckers to force-thread onto the silver posts. My fingertips hurt for a couple of days afterward. Not long after, I purchased some thinner gauge posts for future use. Meanwhile, I think I achieved what I set out to do. I believe that this necklace will look stunning against a white open necked shirt or simple white dress or other open necked top during the summer months. Some might consider it a bit much. What do you think?

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

 

Spiral connections...

"Golden Swirl"

(Earrings)   Price: $20.00  SOLD 

 I've always had a fascination for spiral motifs, and I almost squeed when I found these in amongst the stash from Lisa's hoard. The blue glass beads are vintage Venetian, I think. I can't be sure as they came to me second hand, but I know they are kind of special. The blue is kind of intense in this photo, but I was trying to make the image legible for posting. The reality is softer and has a slight 'dusty' quality. The blue glass is treated with an antiqued gold and matches the beaten gold spirals really well. I was really happy how these turned out. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers, 

Marianne 

From the deeps...

 "Kraken's Lair"

(Necklace)  Price: $60.00 SOLD 

 I had a lot of fun with this necklace. Combinations of contemporary findings from different collections with the large octopus at the center of the focal include mermaid tails, tiny gold starfish and and gold filigree medallions to lend a 'pirate treasure' theme to it. I really like the chain threaded through the tentacles, awash with fresh water pearls. I really liked the silver/gold combination as it lent a level of 'lux' to the overall effect. And let me tell you, those fresh water pearls were a complete pain to thread on the metal posts. I was still learning about different thicknesses of wire available at that time, and I spent a lot of time auguring the holes bigger with a metal awl. My fingertips were a bit hurty for a day or so afterward. The dark pearls are a lush teal, and the white ones lend a nice contrast. I wish it was a better photo because this one doesn't do the reality any justice. Meanwhile, I sort of have a photo of the matching Mermaid Tail earrings below.

 

"Mermaid Tails"

(Earrings)  Price: $ 20.00  SOLD

 

One thing about my bling prices is that it all depends on value, vintage, and rarity. I use glass beads, some of them vintage and imported, like Murano or Venetian hand worked glass. Others are semi-precious stones like Malachite, Freshwater Pearls, Fluorite, Amethyst, Garnet, Jasper, Jade, Onyx, Shell, etc. Contemporary findings will cost less than vintage or real stones, et al. 

 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne 

Winter is coming...

 "Winter Ice"

(Necklace)  Price: $50.00  SOLD 

The gorgeous blue foil laced glass beads are hand worked and every one is unique in shape and size, so finding companion pieces that work together got a little challenging. But, I found three from the small group I got from Lisa's hoard. I know they are vintage, but not the origins. In context of the original purchaser, they could be Czech, Venetian, or Italian made, as she favoured those locations for glass-work. They are transparent in the clear parts and distinctly recall winter snow and ice in conjunction with the silver settings. This is the first time using the bar-with-leaves as a base to build the focal and has rapidly become one of my favourite foundations upon which to build. It's become kind of hard to not use it too often, in fact. This necklace is one of my favourite designs and themes to date and was one of the first to sell at Illuxcon last year. Very frosty feels. I even created a pair of earrings to go with it. 

"Winter Ice"

 (Earrings)   Price: $25.00  SOLD

I must apologize for the photographs of my various creations. Some of them were taken on the fly at night with my iPad and are the only photos I have of them. Others, I've re-shot in better lighting. One investment in my future this year is to replace my very aged Canon Powershot camera if I can. It's autofocus mechanism seems to not work anymore. Still, that camera has been to many countries and on many adventures over the last 16 years, so  I can't complain. Meanwhile, I'll do what I can with creating miracles with Photoshop. Ahem.

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers,

Marianne

 

Natural stone combinations...

 "Silver Jade Acorn"

(Necklace)   Price:  $50.00  SOLD 

Of the few real Jade pieces that I got in the treasure trove from Lisa last year, I decided to use this stunning acorn and the last of my vintage chain of circles to create this piece in homage to Jeannie's necklace from two posts ago. Still leaning towards the very elegant 'elvish' forest feels from the Lord of the Rings movies and books, I started building the focal (the hanging center drop part that anchors a necklace) using similar ideas from before, although I steered away from repeating it exactly. I also liked the combination of the Fluorite beads, nine of them, to compliment the gorgeous jade acorn. Very soothing and healing to wear, and pretty to look at. Like most of my necklaces, it sits right at the collarbone of the wearer and is adjustable for comfort. Although I have since played with various gold metals, copper, and antiqued bronze, silver is my preferred metal of choice for a lot of creativity because I wear it almost exclusively. However, I have plans to play with gunmetal, blacks, and variations on copper, bronze, brass, and more silver and rose gold. Stick around and see the array of my creations to date. As I process the photos for the blog, I'll post them as I go. Including these first two, there are at least 40 designs of earrings and necklaces that I have created to post...give or take a few pairs of earrings that I created as giveaways to friends at Christmas.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by.
Cheers,

Marianne 

 

Bringing back the bling...

"Art Deco Hummingbird"

(Necklace)   Price: $60.00  SOLD 

I hit a milestone birthday a couple of years ago and my one request was to hold a 'maker day' at our friend, Sal's house with my friends. This is the second necklace I made that day. Using a bunch of jewelry findings, settings, focals and beads that I've been hoarding for years (hey, I like a good clearance sale at the craft store. LOL. Sue me.) I created a steampunk necklace that had been on my mind for a number of years for my friend, Sarah who costumes. After lunch, I moved onto another personal project, this. I LOVE art deco and art nouveau designs from last century, and I had these strung bead chains I'd purchased YEARS ago and some other bits I could make work. Funny, how watching movies, perusing old catalogs, costume books, old jewelry design books, et al. can inspire directions for creativity. I find the pushing around of bits, trying combinations of metal, glass, and stones to be immensely soothing. Like the problem solving of a vague idea and its engineering is like a mental jigsaw puzzle that results in something pretty and practical and a great deal of satisfaction. Not all ideas work out, either in 'making' or painting, or even sewing. As it is, the hummingbird necklace contains now vintage settings/strung metal designs that are no longer available and are extremely hard to find on the secondary market or online. Going forward, you'll find that my creations use vintage as well as contemporary bits that I find at junk sales, estate sales from friend's parents houses, broken bits that have been discarded that I find that tweak a creative blip enough to keep them around. Each piece is unique. Sometimes a 'statement' piece or just a simple elegant design for everyday wear, whether it be a necklace or earrings. I haven't ventured into bracelets at this stage, but it's not totally off the table. Depends where my ideas take me. I can thank a dear friend, Lisa, for kicking off this next stage of bling creativity last year. Her mum, who was a jewelry teacher for over 50 years passed away and left a virtual treasure trove of beads, stones, findings, metals, tools, etc hoarded loosely in a very big house. The initial push to clear out the largess ended up with Lisa and her family bringing caseloads of everything to sell at a local SF convention vending room. I took home four bags of 'stuff' that took my fancy, including tools and things I thought my movie night crew of fellow creatives might like to play with. That was the start of the current run of bling making and it's been so much fun. So, come back and visit to see what's up next. I have a lot of catch up posts to make. Some have sold and there are things still available. If you're interested in any, please don't hesitate to email me or catch me on Facebook messenger. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Cheers, Marianne