Driftwood Gallery: No. 3

There are endless possibilities with this medium.  I LOVE working with driftwood.  In this necklace, I liked the contrast of the turquoise with the darker wood.   It's a fairly simple design but I think it works.  This one measures 1.5" wide and a little over half an inch tall.  Let me know what you think!

A True Vintage Find!

I love it when you go into a thrift store and walk out with something so perfectly on trend and truly vintage!  And, so phenomenally inexpensive, try $6!  Yes!!  This is a beautiful and classic gold mesh collar by Givenchy with a 1976 date stamp on the tag charm.  I am quite impressed with myself on this one.  It feels amazing on, lightweight and very flexible.

Peacock Pearl and Gold Chain

In this convertible piece I took peacock pearl and added a little gold wire and chain...I just love simple chic!  Wear as a long necklace or a 5-wrap bracelet. 

p.s.  More driftwood pieces are in the works!  :)

The Jewelry Bird at Kitsy Lane!

I opened my Kitsy Lane online boutique today!  There is truly something for everyone as they highlight up and coming jewelry designers.  I bought this cute little leather ring recently and kept going back to peruse the shop.  So, I decided that I would try my hand at selling my own curated selection of their crafts.  No, none of my pieces are for sale at Kitsy Lane, at least not yet! You'll have to contact me at LisaBead@gmail.com if you see something on my blog that you like. Please do check out my little corner shop at Kitsy Lane for some unique finds from other designers: https://jewlerybird.kitsylane.com!

Driftwood and Aquamarine

Hello Part II...in the Driftwood Gallery series that is!  This one was created to specification for my friend Cathy.  This time I used mineral oil to bring out the color and definition in the wood.  Then I wire wrapped faceted aquamarine to create a lengthwise tassel necklace.  I used a dark antiqued brown leather and gold wire and button for the adjustable clasp.  I truly love the one-of-a-kind-gallery-feel this piece has!  Email me at lisabead@gmail.com, if you'd like a quote on your own special piece.

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

Driftwood Gallery Series

A lovely person off the northern coast of England collects beautiful pieces of driftwood and when I saw them on her Etsy.com site I knew they would be the perfect inspiration for some totally one-of-a-kind and special jewelry.  My friend, Jennifer, and I thought we'd be making mostly bracelets out of this lot of pretty driftwood but as it turns out each piece has revealed a unique destiny, many as necklaces.  This piece is only a small sampling of the creativity that came out of working with this natural medium.  In this one, I re-purposed a thrift-store-gold-necklace-find and added turquoise and gold wire to complete the finished look.  I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this and that makes me very happy. 

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

Gronstedt Design

There is a very talented jewelry artist named Anita Gronstedt from Sweden who makes the most amazing leather bracelet cuffs.  My friend Jennifer discovered her in Boulder at an art festival.  She saved her pennies for two months to purchase the bracelet below.  These pieces are traditional to northern Sweden in an area near the arctic circle known as the Lapland.  These Lapland bracelets are hand stitched out of reindeer leather and are of the highest quality and workmanship.  I had to write about her because her work is so special and unique and she does all of her work right out of Boulder, CO.  The bracelet below features an antler centerpiece.  Just stunning!  Many of her pieces are featured and sold on her website at http://gronstedtdesign.com.  She also custom makes these, so they are a perfect fit to any wrist size, hallelujah! 

Turquoise Wrap Bracelet

Well, I said I may never do another ladder, Chan-Luu style bracelet again but these pretty turquoise beads lured me into another project.  It took the better part of two weeks to finish, working on it here and there, approximately 4 hours total.  I am realizing that after being a Coloradan for nearly 15 years now, it is high time I grow some southwestern roots...and style.  These last two pieces are a tribute to my deepening appreciation for southwestern style.  Now if I could just manifest the perfect pair of cowboy boots...see my "dream boots" on Pinterest!  (By the way, Pinterest.com is great fun...I highly recommend it!)

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

Chrysoprase Statement Necklace

I finally did it...I broke the cycle of bracelet creation!  These beautiful chrysoprase beads were begging to become one big and beautiful necklace.  I am in love with these stones.  The deep greenish-aqua hues mixed with the earthy browns are really special.  Visually they are stunning but even more, the very feel of them is intoxicating.  It is said that chrysoprase is a stone of love, abundance, prosperity and healing, no wonder I feel like a million bucks parading around in it!  I put it on an extender so I could wear it shorter or longer.  I mixed in some lovely turquoise beads as spacers and added a rich brown leather cord to finish it off.  This is such a special piece...I am very excited to share it!  :)

The Jewelry Bird Copyright 2012

Buy it because it fits?

I have very few hard and fast rules when it comes to jewelry.  One of my rules is that if I find a piece of jewelry that I want to buy but I can make it, then I am required to at least attempt to make it.  And secondly, if I find a bracelet (that I can't make) that actually fits my child-size wrists then I buy it!  Especially if the price is right.  I hit the Nordstrom Rack clearance section this week (at a minimum, this is a quarterly event) and discovered this plastic green cuff.  It fit perfectly, and it was under $10.  Sold!  But really?  A plastic green cuff?  Today I am questioning the thought process that went into this purchase.  I am thinking that I should add one more important criteria to my list of questions...must love it.  But here I waiver.  It was under ten bucks.  So what if I only have occasion to wear this funky thing once or twice?  :)  By the way, the chain link bracelet was a gift from my friend Kristin for my birthday last year, love it! 

The Brandi Wrap

I needed a bracelet to go with an outfit this weekend that I wore to the Brandi Carlisle concert at Red Rocks.  AMAZING show by the way, such a special and talented performer.  And what a perfect date night with our friends, Nicki and Bret, thanks guys!  Casey and I needed that!  So I whipped up this little double wrap delight and am calling it The Brandi Wrap in her honor.  I thought it looked really nice with the feather bangle from my very first post.  I re-purposed these rhinestones from an old piece and wove it into leather with blue-grey embroidery floss. 

Had to throw in a concert pic of Nicki and I!  :)  

Beaded Summer Bangles

I admit, I made the red one last week to have a little something patriotic to wear on the fourth.  I made a silver version of the ruby jade one for my friend and coworker, Katherine, this week, happy 30th!  And, the white quartz triangles I made today.  I have been wondering what to do with those triangle beads for some time.  I've seen a bit of a trend in triangle shaped jewelry in the last year, so it is timely that these beads find a home.  The flexible wire that I used allows me to get these on and off a bit easier than if they were rigid.  It also made it so that I could make it smaller than a rigid bangle since I can mold it over my hand when putting it on.  These are quick pieces, appealing to my instant gratification side.  My friend, Jen and I (who made the "Merry Wrist-mas" bracelets with me last year) are already beginning a plot to make a more stackable version of these for future gift-giving endeavors...hint hint.  :)