Wire Gemstone Necklace-in progress

Gold Wire and Ruby Zionite Gemstone Necklace and Earrings

At the weekend I worked on creating this necklace and earring set. I love working with wire and really enjoyed making all the different links for the necklace by hand (apart from one Gizmo bead). It was also my first time using the gizmo and I used up all my wire and will need to wait for a shopping trip before I can play again. 

I think I might have included too many components in the design although the colours are great together. So I have it hanging up whilst I  decide if I am allowed a slightly mad necklace for myself.
The earrings are long as the current style. I made the earring wires and the chain and think I might make a complete chain for a necklace since it has come out well.I have caged the gemstones and opened them up so  as not to hide their lovely colours.

New Tree Of Life Pendants

I could not help it I  found myself making another two Tree Of Life Pendants this week.
I was inspired by the gold plated copper beads to make a Gold Tree of Life and by  the Ruby Zionite Gemstones to make another spring Tree.

Gold Spring Tree of Life, Gold plated Sterling Silver and Ruby Zionite Gemstones.

Tree Of Life Pendant, Gold plated Sterling Silver with Gold Plated Copper Beads.
Can you spot the hidden Gold Bead? This is lovely and Shiny.

Which one do you like best. I want to make the Gold winter Tree again with birds nests with golden bead eggs.
It is nice to work with these lovely Gemstones.I wish I was better at photography to show the lovely shine from the  gold.

Jewellery Making-What to use in place of an anvil

What is the most unusual thing you use for jewellery Making?

I try to recycle and my jewellery has a recycle theme, so its also important that I recycle tools
I use a small glass drinks bottle as a mandrel for pendants, its perfect and allows for different sizes.
I also use the metal nose on my hammer as a mandrel for small round earrings,they come out really neat

I have been unable to find a cobblers anvil that has been in my house for years,normally used as a door stop. It belonged to my grandfather. Of course once I wanted to use it for hammering metal for jewellery making its missing. So I looked about the house for inspiration and starting using the flat iron I had sitting on a shelf.  The only problem is the handle which prevents you getting at any big smooth surface. I have used it to hammer earring wires and clasps on the top of the handle.

I now have a spline! This is a great brass weight that is used in shipbuilding apparently to hold down curves when drawing ship design. I also have a new hammer so I must try it out soon.

I recently bought a ring mandrel, since I got a couple of rings stuck on my fingers when I used them instead!

Today my husband found a table perfect for craft fairs on a skip and after asking permission he came home with a perfectly good table, recycled to sell recycled produce on.

Gold Tree of Life Pendants

Gold Tree of Life pendant with gemstones. Green  Aventurine

Gold Tree of Life Pendant with Natural Green Turquoise Nuggets

I have enjoyed making these Tree of Life pendants from  lovely materials. The frames are made from sterling silver which is gold plated,very soft to work with so protected with my new coated pliers. The very fine wire for the trunk and branches is gold plated copper wire, and I have used tiny  gemstones. The  tiny aventurine beads took ages to put on the branches and I am very pleased with the shape of the trunk  and the gold wire which shines nicely. The  swirls can be removed if preferred.

Aventurine- 

A member of the quartz family,known for its lustre,its aventurescence.It  is thought to be lucky and to increase perception and develop creative insight.

I am also  pleased with the Tree Of Life pendant with Natural Green Turquoise which is also made with sterling silver which is gold plated and fine gold plated coper wire. I love the contrast in colour with the turquoise and the  gold.

The gold twisted wire makes a lovely trunk and I especially like the swirls made from twisted gold plated copper wire. I left the frame clear to allow the gold plated silver wire to shine.


I can  make these special tree of life pendants to order for a special price of £35 with leather strap with gold plated handmade clasp.This is  a great price for handmade sterling silver and gold plated jewellery. A real treat.
I am also listing these in  my Etsy shop.

Paper Bead Making

Cheerio box beads

Making Paper Beads from music manuscript and cereal box

Last Night I splashed out buying gold and silver wire and gemstones online a real treat to play with when they arrive in post.

I intend to make gold and silver tree of life pendants with birth gemstones. I bought a new hammer and  pliers coated to protect wire.It feels like xmas and I will spend too many hours playing with them when they arrive.

In contrast today after work and chores I have been making beads out of paper. Big colourful beads from cheerios cereal box,and slim beads from an  old  music manuscript. Soon I can have fun  letting my imagination run and create some necklaces earrings and bracelet.

The fun is mixing the beads with other beads with endless variations.I do not have a theme this time so I am not sure what they will end up as.  I will post some photos when I am finished.

It is easy to make paper beads but time consuming and they need endless coats of varnish.There are lots of tutorials on line. However you basically cut long triangles  from the paper (marking every inch or 1/2 inch) and roll on a cocktail stick, fixing the ends with glue stick prior to varnishing.My husband came up with the idea of using the potato to hold the beads while they dry. Whilst I am always buying tools  I use household objects where I can.I us a small bottle as a mandrel for wire work and love the potato hedgehog too.

Moon and star pendants

Tonight I made a copper moon and shooting star pendant with wire and  thread beads, it sparkles nicely.

I searched for other images on internet and found different designs. My pendant is  a little bit big,so I need to start again and make a smaller one. I love the swirl shooting stars.I am also thinking of making one with amber and copper. 

Even more winter Tree of Life pendants

I have been busy the last three days making Tree of Life Pendants, exploring and hopefully developing technique.  Today I made two using method of making the trunk first which helps to shape the tree .Also since I was able to bead and then join one branch at a time I did not lose beads as in danger when working the other way round.

Business Card

My 2 sons made this business card for me, aged 10 and 15.

The business card that my sons made.

Recycled Jewellery from Guitar String

My son has gifted me his broken guitar string,but to me this is not rubbish,it immediately inspired ideas for pendants or bracelet with music guitar theme.
I must goggle and see if anyone has an image for any of my ideas.Watch this space I will shortly download photo of the jewellery I have made from a broken guitar string.

More Tree Of Life Pendants

I have been busy again making Tree Of Life Pendants, I am trying to improve and explore new ideas.

I made this copper Tree Of Life using the wire for the leaves.Think I will make again using the heavier wire,although this thinner gauge wire (24) is the one that you use for this type of work.I think the heavier wire will make nice swirls. I must try an untreated copper wire to make a distressed tree! However I am still pleased with this copper Tree Of Life, which is quite different from the others.

I like this Snow Tree in silver,it took hours to thread on all the little snow and ice beads,I like the silver and white together.

I have bought some nice green beads to make  a shiny spring Tree of Life, they have a wee touch of purple so remind me of a magical forest.However I could not resist making a Winter Tree of Life Pendant since I like shaping the  tree.It reminds me of the bare trees I see out my living room window at the moment which I love.I also need to try a love heart Tree of Life with snow and red berries I think.