some more of the same

A few more pendants done this morning for practice.
One thing I notice is that I seem to have the wires a bit more under control, they tend to stay together more than in the yesterday pieces. Still lots more work to do, but maybe I can pull it off using round wire afterall...

first attempts at wire sculpture

Wire sculpture is a bit different from the typical wire wrap, as here the person can get even more creative with the wire, twisting it and turning it to no ends, letting it become as abstract as they want. I have seen some gorgeous wire sculpture pendants and I decided to try my hands at it. Here are my first test pieces (done in chronological order), turquoise and copper wire. As usual, I'm not too pleased with them, but I see here lots of potential. One obstacle I have though is that I can't get square wire in Cyprus. Round wire doesn't sit too well on the piece, it tends to slip away from the stone and the wire next to it. Oh well, I'll have to work with what I have, I guess, and do the best I can with it...I'll have a few more goes at it in the next few days...

Busy busy

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OK firstly apologises for the website looking so depleted I had a mammoth party last night (Thank you Jan and Rosie!!) a fabulous bunch of ladies who filled the house with laughter, and they loved my jewellery too! Many pieces have now gone to new homes so I will be extemly busy for the next two weeks I think before the next party starts!!

The weather is still beautiful here in Cornwall - I wonder by buying my new Ugg boots I've set a jinx on the weather - so of course everyone needs to thank me for the sunshine ;0)

Its been so nice to actually still be able to put Elli in her summer dresses - she loves being girly!

OK back to it - and I promise to start showing you new pieces asap

© Gemheaven 2007

Freeform pendant

I made the earrings in herringbone weave yesterday, and I felt like taking out my silver wire today again and playing a little bit more. The pendant is free form, using the main instructions from an older Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine. I formed the frame by hand, was fun to make.
I will send the set for a swap in a jewelry group. Hope she will like it.

Almost ready!

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I've been finishing off for the party on Friday - and yesterday after finishing some earrings I was sooooooooo tired I couldn't think past by bed so thats why there was no post yesterday. I'll use this post to show you some of my latest pieces I've finished - hope you like them!! The chainmaille bracelet "Chains" is with 6mm rings so slightly lighter and more movement than the smaller rings.








This is some more of Hannah's handy work - I commissioned these for the special purpose of showing off these organic emeralds - isn't it pretty??



















Again Hannah's discs with some of my beautiful faceted garnet - these flew out the door this morning and I have to say I've seen them worn (hello Clare!!) and they look very pretty!










Zanzibar again with Hannah's componants are with peridot handwired on handmade fine silver headpins. Very zingy looking with a fabulous swish!





Wish me luck and I'll probably be back on SUnday - busy weekend up ahead!!

© Gemheaven 2007

Red

I fell in love with these beautiful beads of Lauras the minute i saw them on her blog and couldn't believe my luck when I found out I had won them!! Sometimes I get beads and know instantly what I'm going to do with them, sometimes I keep them knowing one day inspiration will strike - and not always at the most conveniant time!! These weren't ones I knew instantly but when I looked at them on Sunday I wanted to make a necklace - funny though I played around with it and finally decided she wanted to be a bracelet....... (yes the jewellery commands lol)

Suddenly I found these silver vine beads which I've had in my bead box for ages and bingo here we have Tomatoberry!! I'm really pleased with it and can show it at my party with pride on Friday

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Thank you so much to everyone who has added lovely comments about my interview here and elsewhere I really appreciate them and I know there will be some fabulous interviews in the future!

© Gemheaven 2007

The Season of Sapphires

The sapphire is the September birthstone (although many sources will list lapis as an alternate). It is a very popular precious gemstone probably since a large percentage of people say that their favourite colour is blue. However, the sapphire, although know for its beautiful blue, comes in many, many other colours.
The sapphire is a corundum (like the ruby!), made of aluminum oxide, and created by heat and pressure deep within the earth. Other elements are responsible for the colours of sapphires such as iron and chrome. There are pink sapphires, green siapphires, and I have quite a few yellow sapphires in my own stock as well as some white sapphires. When corumdum is red, it is called a ruby. So is a ruby a sapphire? Well, yes, in a manner of speaking. It is the red colour caused by an element in the sapphire that makes a ruby, a ruby!



Sri Lanka, once known as Ceylon, was one of the earliest places to mine sapphires successfully. Sapphires are also found in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Brazil. Today the largest suppliers of sapphires are Australia and Africa.
Many legends have grown up around the mysterious blue of the sapphire. The sapphire gemstone has been believed to represent wisdom - and even to endow one with wisdom if worn constantly. Thought of as a "mind-opening" gemstone, it is thought to prevent jealousy and bring truth and health to the wearer. Perhaps this is why in ancient times it was believed to be an antidote to poison.
The first two pictures represent jewelry on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website. The bracelet is made of rather large (9mm-10mm) faceted sapphire rondelles and - yes! I added lampwork beads to a sapphire bracelet! These are good borosilicate lampwork beads that have beautiful shades of sapphire in them, and then a faint glimmer of green and a hint of a dark red. They are perfect for sapphires. See the bracelet on the Sapphire Bracelets page of our website.
The earrings are made of faceted sapphire rondelles and sterling added to give them a slightly "Moroccan" look. They are on the Sapphire Earrings page.
The last bracelet is a combination of two favourite gemstones I recently got in. The pink Peruvian opals are some of the most glowing and beautiful I've ever had although they are not very large. The pink colour is wonderful. And the aquamarine gemstones I just got in from Thailand are beautiful. I decided to combine the two beauties just for fun!
Otherwise, custom orders are keeping me busy. I try to make one or two new jewelry pieces a week to put on the website to keep it fresh. So keep looking, you may find your heart's desire (and a great piece of jewelry to wear when you're with him!)

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Ohhh I'm famous !

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I've been interviewed for a fabulous blogspot by Brandi of This Rocks My Socks - go and have a read and let me know what you think!!

I really enjoyed it and Brandi asks fabulous questions - make sure you read the other interviews there are so many talented crafters about!!

© Gemheaven 2007

Just a quickie!

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Just to show you I have made another chainmaille bracelet (its on the website now) I love this one with even smaller rings than the last - with a tiny lotus bead for company - isn't she pretty!


I've also added Purple Haze earrings - these beauties contain beads by Caroline Hannon of CraftedGems.

I also made Beautiful earrings but sadly for you all (lol ;0)) they've sold !! The lampwork bead by Isabelle Anderson is truly that - beautiful so I really couldn't call them anything else could I now?

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Thats all from me tonight - I'm off to sit on the sofa with my poor neglected husband!

© Gemheaven 2007