My Everything Corner

Here is a new bracelet that has become one of my favourite pieces. Non-tarnish silver jump rings with a black freshwater pearl set over top of the joint on each link created a flawless and elegant design that I'm sure to create variations of. I had a difficult time photographing this item. After trying several different props, I tried a teacup. I had seen earrings dangling from a teacup and thought the result was quite charming. Not only did the cup allow the bracelet to drape nicely it also helped add a bit of texture and depth to the photo. In short, it made it more interesting, a goal we all share when trying to photograph our items for our shops on Etsy. Half the fun in browsing Etsy is seeing all the creative ways people photograph their goods. The best images not only show off the item for sale, but they also create a mood. When we are shopping for items for our homes or for ourselves we are drawn to whatever best suits our mood at the time. Or, if you are like me, yo...

There was little to no thought put into this bracelet. I picked up some lovely glass beads, grabbed some wire, and a few tools, and went to sit on my deck with an espresso and the sunshine for motivation. I got started by creating all the links for the base chain, and then I went to work on the 'charms'. I just turned and twisted and played with beads and wire until I ended up with something I liked. I worked like this until it was time to make supper, and realized that I wasn't even 1/4 of the way finished. I put everything together into a bowl, and kept the project nearby, where I could pick it up at any time I had a few moments. So over the next 3 or 4 days, with the time adding up to several hours, I had a finished bracelet. I love this piece because it is unique and has a lot of character. It is fun to wear because it is heavy, and makes a wonderful sound with the slightest movement. It is fun to look at because of the variety of beads, the depth in some of ...

Here is the latest addition to my little shop on Etsy. These are all hand linked glass beads with the cute little murano glass cabochons 'floating' between each link. I had purchased a vintage lot of jewelry making supplies with a real mix of cabochons, stampings, findings, crystals, and beads. While digging through and organizing this treasure, I found these sweet, little cabochons. But, what to do with them? I formed a pretty little loop-de-loop link and used epoxy to attach the cabochon. I waited a day, tested it for sturdiness, it passed with flying colors, so off I went to find more beads to co-ordinate with the murano glass. Because a lot of my beads and things are from recycled pieces, I sometimes find myself in a bind for materials that will work together. This piece was no exception. I was sure I didn't have enough of the blue beads alone, so I tried oranges and reds, blacks and browns, but nothing was working for me. then I came across the green beads...

Cloisonne is both a product and a process, an ancient technique used for decorating metalwork objects. Closed sections are created by either gluing or soldering fine wire to the piece. These sections are then filled with enamel and need to be fired in a kiln. The fine wire remains visible in the piece and becomes part of an often very intricate design. Cloisonne was first developed in jewelry, smaller pieces such as rings and bracelets. This technique, like so many others, is limited only by imagination, and is used for decorating bowls, vases, statues, really just about anything. The beads you see in this little bracelet are small, five by eight millimeters, and are beautifully detailed. Imagine what time it must have taken to individually create each bead. When creating this bracelet, I wanted to compliment the intricacies of the beads, and so I made the link work fine, and a bit complicated. Each beautiful bead is showcased between the links so that it may be appreciated...

Look at this wonderful bracelet...no, look at the beads that make up this wonderful bracelet. Now tell me, could you ever get bored wearing this? The creator of these wonderful beads is Melissa, a fellow Albertan, mother of six girls, and a graduate of the Emily Carr College of Art. Although, the lampwork glass beads you see here are the basis for her shop on Etsy, Melissa enjoys art of all kinds and enjoys working with many mediums. I was attracted to this bracelet for several reasons. First of all, it has a lot of my favorite color, blue, in it. The intricate designs, and the uniqueness of each bead, intrigued me. The fact that each bead was handmade and done locally was enough to make me pull out the credit card. Yes, sorry, this particular bracelet is no longer available, but there are many more items in her shop, each unique and beautiful in their own right. As an added bonus, our team, The Alberta Street Team, is having a sale this week on Etsy, and with at least 70 pa...

I've only just started this new craft, and already it has led me to places I never intended. What began as just a bit of fun, has, in just a few short weeks, turned into a small business. With an online shop at Etsy, several pieces in a boutique here in town, and another request for my jewelry in a nearby town, I'm almost overwhelmed, very excited, but definitely feeling some pressure. I'm starting this blog with the intention to tell people a bit more about where this jewelry is coming from. Not just what it is made from and its dimensions, but also the inspiration behind the pieces and the journey that some of these beads and stones have had. This bracelet for instance, started with me sitting down with a pair of pliers and some wire, not having any end result in mind. I just started twisting and turning the wire, and when I had a design that I liked, I created more and made enough links to create a bracelet. Then I searched through my stash of beads and broken jew...