Van Gogh dreams in one color

Starry, starry night . . . these dark blue iolites remind me of Van Gogh's blue; and the silver links are light enough to be stars in a midnight sky. This bracelet actually came about in great frustration; I was trying to do something else altogether, and it just wouldn't work for me. But when I began idly putting rings together, I liked what was happening. The oval links are soldered for security. The clasp is handmade by me, and is heavy enough to keep the dangles on the top of the wrist where they belong!

Catch a shooting star

When you wish upon a star . . . This pendant is a wish come true. I made it to coordinate with the bracelet and earrings shown on March 8th. The topaz is prong set inside a soldered flower ring and appears to float within it. The maille matches the bracelet, and the chain has twinkling rings of twisted wire that sparkle when they catch the light.

From the earth to the sky

This organic style of wire wrapping has intrigued me for a long time. When I wrapped the amazonite in this piece with sterling silver lace, it just seemed to want to be part of a larger setting. So I experimented with copper wire, letting it flow over and under the lace-wrapped stones, and finished the back of the cuff with a coiled basket weave stitch. This bracelet sits low on the wrist and comes down over the back of the hand. It is very dramatic, but also very comfortable to wear.

First Flowers

These beautiful lampwork beads have been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now, whispering sweet suggestions as to what they'd like to be. They are handmade by Glass & Splinters Lampwork, and I think that ametrine and pearls suit them to a T. I love these beads! The focal has lovely little violets on a coppery background encased in clear glass, and all three have dots of fine silver that glow when they catch the light. They are truly a work of art! The maille is a variation on the butterfly weave (I had a great time messing with the ring sizes until I got the look I wanted) and the clasp is handmade by me, using traditional fabrication methods. I needed something heavy to balance the focal bead and keep it on top of the wrist. It was quite a challenge to keep all those little balls of silver in place while soldering and fusing; I think I spent half my time chasing them down!

In private collection

Infinity Rose

And it's back to the beginning . . . with more maille. When Don posted his flower weave bracelet, my mind started spinning. I could just see little faceted white topaz stones in the center of each link, but how to make them stay there? I decided to bezel set them, and solder the flower links around the bezels. I debated many different ways of linking them together, and then finally decided to go back to the Infinity weave. It was the first piece of maille that I successfully finished, and it is a weave that I am very partial to! I had two links left over, so I made a pair of earrings to match.

Silver Wedding

Interlocking circles of lace, accented with freshwater pearls, make a light and airy cuff bracelet. Six tiny, 3mm Swarovski crystals provide a subtle twinkle of light with every movement; this bracelet belongs on the arm of a bride. I've been experimenting with different patterns and styles of bobbin lace; the possibilities are endless!