A Mermaid's Tale

Did you ever wonder what happened to the little mermaid's mother when her daughter moved from the world under the sea to the world above? This bracelet tells her story:

She felt as though she had been torn in two, but just like this pearl, their connection was not broken. Her life went on, taking its own path, as did her daughter's. At first, she could think of nothing but missing her child; but finally she came to realize that their hearts would always be connected, no matter how far, nor how long, they were apart.

Her tears eventually crystallized into the beautiful aquamarine of the sea, and she wore them on a chain that would spiral through even more generations of her family. She still missed her daughter every day, but in a quieter way.

She would always wish that she could witness the small things in her daughter's life; see the expression on her face, hear her voice, touch her cheek. She was not without recourses: the dolphins, who live in water, but breathe air, carried her daughter's world to her every day. It was not enough, but she made it enough. She went on, as mothers do, taking comfort in the happiness of her child, though she missed her dearly for the rest of her days.

© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Sterling silver, freshwater pearl, aquamarine. Hand fabricated.

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was trapped in a palace made of ice. It was a beautiful palace, with every comfort she could want, but one. She was entirely alone. Although the walls were crystal clear and she could see all that went on in the world around her, she could not touch, taste, smell, nor hear anything outside her walls. One day, she looked out to see the most beautiful vine, bravely growing up the sides of her icy prison. The flowers were so lovely, she longed to touch their soft petals, to smell their fragrance. They were so close!

The woman cried, and her tears fell on the wall of ice that separated her from the world. Astonishingly, the ice melted just enough for her to smell the wonderful fragrance of the flowers, and then just enough more for her to reach out and touch one. The flower wound its way around her wrist and turned to glass, stone, and silver. The rest of the palace melted for the flower that had given its life; and the woman, no longer encased in ice, wore her bracelet always, to remind her of the miracle that warmed her frozen heart.

© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Sterling silver, lampwork by Donna Millard, tourmaline. Hand fabricated.

Gothic romance

Ripped from the pages of a gothic romance, this neckpiece will make the woman who wears it feel cherished and adored. Faceted labradorite briolettes hang from brilliant white cubic zirconia beneath the breathtakingly blue flash of the labradorite cabochon. The sterling silver setting and the chain, with labradorite coins and swarovski crystals, add to the gothic allure of this 16 inch necklace.

Sri Lanken nights

Somewhere in Sri Lanka, a young woman waits and watches as night fades into morning. On her balcony, a tiny flower bud waits with her, not yet ready to unfurl and bloom. This bracelet is for both of them, at their moment of becoming. Three exquisite sapphire briolettes, set in sterling silver, flow over the back of the hand in a fluid drape when this bracelet is worn. The clasp is hand fabricated, and features two tiny CZs. There is enough silver in the clasp to easily keep the sapphires on top of the hand.

Celestial objects

"Shine on, Shine on Harvest Moon, up in the sky . . ."
was running though my mind while making the chain for this bracelet in the Harvest Moon weave. I couldn't resist going with the theme and adding a perfect harvest moon of a bead from Glass & Splinters Lampwork, and repeating the full moon theme with a large hammered ring around the bead. The clasp features carnelian accents and even more round shapes. This is a fun bracelet, perfect for casual days and nights.

Only Love Prevails

No matter what happens in my life I always strive to remember that only love prevails; this bracelet was created with that in mind. The wonderful lampwork focal bead from Donna Millard is as multi-colored as the world we live in; asymmetrical, but balanced; and reminiscent of the ancient symbol of yin and yang. To it, I added tourmaline in soft shades that echo the rich hues of the bead, and sparkling accents of faceted iolite, as deep as the sea. The toggle features a metal clay leaf from my garden, bringing this bracelet very close to home.

This bracelet is my personal reminder that only love prevails on this mother's day.

Happy Mother's Day!

Shhhh . . . don't tell mama 'cause this one's for her! Happy Mother's Day, Mom; I love you, and I wish I could be there to give you this in person. Opals are one of my mom's favorite stones, and these jelly opals are so yummy, I just could not resist them. I think that the gold maille really sets them off nicely.

Victoria Regina

Turquoise and opal are magical stones and together, they work their alchemy to make a bracelet fit for a queen. Lacy maille in a variation of the Celtic Visions weave supports a diadem of sleeping Beauty turquoise, opal, and cubic zirconia. A fringe of more Sleeping Beauty turquoise and graduated, faceted jelly opal adds to the richness of this bracelet. The clasp is handmade, and features cubic zirconia on the toggle ends and a loop that is heavy enough to keep the focal on top of the wrist.

Gatsby's Girl

I want to be Gatsby's Girl . . . and in this lacy sterling silver maille bracelet, with emerald and pearl dangles, I do feel as though I'd just left Jay at the pool. This is the sort of bracelet that he'd have handed out after a quarrel; the maille is a silky smooth version of the Celtic Visions weave, and the tiny emerald rondelles that dance at the ends of the freshwater pearl fringe make this bracelet very precious indeed. The handmade sterling clasp is accented with deep green jade and sterling silver swirls and balls.

Cascade

A cascade of color and texture runs through this bracelet; inspired by the dynamic lampwork focal bead from Donna Millard, I added a waterfall of tourmaline to extend the drama of gold filled maille down the back of the hand. Vermeil beads give this bracelet added opulence, and add weight to the back and sides to keep the focal bead where it belongs.

Peacock Maille

I've had these pearls for a long time, and didn't quite know what to do with them. Then I had this idea, and I think it's a lot of fun! These iridescent square pearls are big and bold; this is a bracelet that begs to be noticed.