Jewellery for January

Hello there!   Not been getting inky and messy today but keeping clean and making some new necklaces which are all available in my Kettle Courtyard shop on Etsy.  The quickest way to get there is by clicking the photo in my side bar.

Amethyst and Ultraviolet Pearls

Pantone's colour of the year is Ultraviolet and who doesn't love a good deep purple.  Also Amethysts are the birthstone for February which will be here soon!!

 

Turquoise Spike Necklace

 

I've had these Turquoise Spike beads for a while but I was just waiting to find the right Sterling Silver chain to hang them from - this has a lovely diamond design.

 

 

Cobalt Blue Swirl Lampwork Bead Necklace

 

I love these Cobalt Blue lampwork beads - they have so many different colours in them.   I've added them to a curved bar and hung from a Sterling Silver chain.

 

 

Haven't decided what to make next but I'm thinking it'll involve Black Pearls and Emerald Crystals.

Watch this space!!

 

Elaine xx

Woodland Agate Necklace

As well as getting inky and making cards etc I've now started making jewellery and opened a shop on Etsy called Kettle Courtyard.   Over the years I've amassed a selection of beads, and whilst some are definitely for me, I'd like to share with the rest of you!

Here is one of my latest creations made with some beads from Beads Direct - I was lucky enough to win their Woodland themed giveaway on facebook.  It features some brown agate nuggets teamed with shaded green beads and other rounds called Orange Tweed!

The question here is what to charge for such a necklace.  I decided on £20 - you may think this is too much when the beads were free but what you don't realise is how much design time and actual construction time this took.  To be honest it took me about 4hrs to decide what to do, get the length and balance right and make sure it was as perfect as possible.  That time doesn't include the photography and the long walk I took to find the right shaped twig as the prop.

I am not sure what you think when you look at an object and the price but please don't forget the time it has taken to get it on your screen and the amount of love that has been put into it!

Elaine xx

Turquoise Beads

I thought I'd show you something different today. A couple of years ago I bought a string of turquoise beads but found they weren't long enough so at last I found the time to re-string them.

I have a few lampwork beads in my stash so I've used one as a centrepiece and then added some Miyuki Cube beads and silver spacers.  I kept some of the turquoise beads back to make a matching pair of earrings. 

I quite enjoyed making this so watch this space, I might make some more!!

Elaine xx