YOJ Week 17 - Organically Yours

My entry for this YOJ week - 17 is based on a tutorial by Iza Malczyk based on her popular Gemini earrings. I took the tutorial and made my own version, a mix of sterling silver and copper.

The earrings are quite tiny, about 4.5cm with the earwires. (less than 2"). Very cute and easy to wear.

YOJ 2013 Week 11 - Rescued from the Scrap Bin

Here is my entry in the week 11 for the Year of Jewelry Project of this year. It's my second project from Melissa Muir's soldering course. I am proud of it because I could never solder before, but now I made two separate projects already, including the previously shown first ever soldered chain.

It also fit well the week's theme because all the wire pieces and jump rings are literally taken from the scrap bin, from older projects that didn't go anywhere and had to be dismantled.

I love soldering and I know I'll get good at it once I practice enough.

Byzantine Wrapped Earrings

A quick pair of sterling silver earrings done in the chain maille Byzantine weave. The beads are amethyst with a very lovely color. Earrings length including the ear wire is 6.5 cm (2.5"). All metal, including the ear wire is sterling silver.

For wrapping the bead in the semi-herringbone weave I used a free tutorial by Heidi K. (link to her tutorial is in my Best free 4 herringbone weave tutorials post, reachable from the sidebar of this blog.)

Butterfly Earrings - YOJ Week 4 Project

Here is my 4th week Year of Jewelry 2013 project, with the them "Not from the Mall". When I started this pair of earrings I only knew I wanted to do the butterfly weave, but I had no idea how they will turn out. I used at least 3 different ring sizes, and finally decided on the turquoise briolette.

Speaking of the briolette, this is also a good example how to cheat when you can't wrap a briolette worth beawns (that is me). After all these years, wrapping a briolette the right way eludes me. I've watched countless Youtube videos, looked at various tutorials, nothing helped. So I've settled on a bit of cheating. And to be honest, I kind of like the result.

Still have to tumble the earrings as the silver jumping are not quite shiny yet. I hope I won't destroy the turquoise in the process.

Week 3 YOJ 2013 - White Pearl Sterling Silver Earrings

When the new theme for the week 3 in the Year of Jewelry Project came up: "music", I knew just what I wanted to do. I've recently seen a simple  but very cute pair of earrings that were last year auctioned off at the Julien Auction House. The earrings auctioned off used to belong to the late diva Whitney Houston, which she wore while filming the Bodyguard.

I have a few freshwater pearls that I got not long ago, so my fingers were it itching to do something with them. And this is the result. A simple design that goes well pretty much everywhere: a wedding, a party or worn with a little white dress or jeans.

Materials are freshwater pearls, all metal is sterling silver including the ear wire. Length of earrings with earwires is close to 5 cm (almost 2 inches).

Week 2 - Grace - The Year Of Jewelry Project 2013 Entry

Here is my second week's entry in YOJ project 2013, with the name Grace. For me grace is something simple, without too much fluff and extras, something elegant and classic.

So for this entry I made a pair of silver earrings with chain maille mixed with wire wrapping. Chainmaille weave is JPL (Jens Pind Linkage) and the wire wrapping part is herringbone weave surrounding the cute onyx beads. Not the best pics, I'll try to take better later and post them as well here.

Round Waves Earrings With Red Garnet

Back again to making jewelry. Sometimes I need some time off when I feel I'm getting bored, or tired or lacking energy. Plus there were lots of things going on in my life, so I took a leave of absence. However my fingers were itching to do something creative again, so I've picked up one of Nicole Hanna's tutorials and made this pair of earrings. She used studs, however I prefer danglies.

The earrings are made of sterling silver, the two gemstones are red garnet and in the middle are two freshwater pearls. The garnets are really cute and sparkle when held up against the light. Earrings measure almost 5 cm (2 inches) with the earwire (also handmade from sterling silver).