My Design

[Caitlin]

Hi Susannah
Thanks. I am flattered.

So far, I have not sprinkled glitter on pearls, but thaaaat gives me an idea.........

 

[Caitlin]

Most of Chinese designs lack a professional aesthetic sense for beauty and uniqueness

That is going too far. It is a different aesthetic sense from an American one, but just as valid. Besides, I think the two cultures will come closer in the future. As the pre-teens exchange culture, the adults will follow.
Of your designs,#3 the one with the pearl drops every so many beads seems to be the favorite here, so far. I think a lot of popular jewelry features either one drop bead or maybe several, with a larger one at the bottom of each drop. And it is a pretty style.
We had a discussion of swags on necklaces here a few weeks ago. That would be a style that connects two drops into a continuous loop of pearls. Swags are popular in other jewelry right now, but I haven't seen too many in pearls... Have you done any? Or do you know anyone who has?
Please take your time in answering, I understand you are busy and I am in no hurry.

 

[perlas]

Hi Susannah,

What I meant by "my lowly beadworks" is I don't use the high-end pearls like the ones Pearl Paradise are selling unless otherwise requested by some customers (but the requests do not usually fall on the beadwork category but on gold and diamond jewelry).

I usually use muranos, amethysts, peridots, garnets, swarovskis, aquamarines, and the likes. Nothing fancy.

For higher end beadworks (which usually ends up for myself and for family), I add gold balls, rubies, gemstone briolettes.....

I too, am a beader and designer by hobby. Before I stumbled on this forum, I don't usually use pearls due to personal struggles against durability issues. You see, my mom used to own a Miki rope and after using and spraying perfume on it every so often, she was left with beads in no time.

But lately, I've been so interested in pearls buying stuffs not for beadworks but for myself .

-----
For the rest of the forumers,

About faceted pearls, I don't find them attractive ALTHOUGH I would like to try carving pearls in freshadamas and tahitians. Any of you guys ever tried carving a pearl?

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Perlas
I am glad to realize you are a bead stringer like me. We use about the same materials. I have liked the tidbits I read about you in your posts. Now I know why.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Perlas

So can I join the lowly beader's club?

I think you are already a charter member.

I thought I was all alone in this pearl world- the only one who likes to string beads in a world of Perfect pearl connoisseurs. It is so nice when some of you start revealing a little of yourselves- especially your creative works.

That necklace is really creative and I like your pearl carving. I think you would find using the proper tool a little more satisfying. Like what IS the proper tool for such an endeaver? I don't think it is Kinsey Milhone's hair scissors, though! , LOL

 

[perlas]

Caitlin,

Thanks for even considering the necklace creative. The reason why I made it into a kid's necklace is because I thought it would only appeal to this demograph, especially if I throw in a lollipop along the way.

The dyed pearls are bought at USD1/strand so this should definitely certify me as a lowly beader's club member.

 

[Caitlin]

The dyed pearls are bought at USD1/strand so this should definitely certify me as a lowly beader's club member

It sure does. Not to mention the colors!

 

[susannahxu]

We had a discussion of swags on necklaces here a few weeks ago. That would be a style that connects two drops into a continuous loop of pearls. Swags are popular in other jewelry right now, but I haven't seen too many in pearls... Have you done any? Or do you know anyone who has?

Dear Caitlin:

Sorry I?m not quite sure about the swags you mentioned here. Is it a kind of pendant with two drops of pearls? If so, that isn?t a rare style in China. You may post a picture to let me know the swags you defined if possible.

And thanks for your good words about my third picture.

 

[susannahxu]

I usually use muranos, amethysts, peridots, garnets, swarovskis, aquamarines, and the likes. Nothing fancy.

Those are my favorites too. I like to mix whatever I think of with pearls in my designs. I also once made a baby-look necklace with silver-grey pearls to please my niece. Sometimes I?m also a lowly beader  Attached are several pictures of my other necklaces. Your criticisms are still highly welcomed.

 

[pattye]

All nicely done, Susanna, but by far my favorites are the ropes with the small pearls with larger pearl stations!!!
Thanks for sharing,
Patricia Saab

 

[susannahxu]

All nicely done, Susanna, but by far my favorites are the ropes with the small pearls with larger pearl stations!!!
Thanks for sharing,
Patricia Saab

Thanks for giving me confidence, pattye
The following one is my latest design, which is my favorite:

 

[perlas]

Those are my favorites too. I like to mix whatever I think of with pearls in my designs. I also once made a baby-look necklace with silver-grey pearls to please my niece. Sometimes I?m also a lowly beader  Attached are several pictures of my other necklaces. Your criticisms are still highly welcomed.

the 4th picture with the dyed mother of pearl and chalcedony beads is the type design used in fashion shows here and sells well in our area.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Suze
That 5th picture 2jpg. That is a style I make too. In very similar color, too. It is just one of my variations on combining large and small pearls.
I made a 42" that just alternates the two sizes in a 10+mm and a 4mm, but it is too "agressive" a statement, when it is that long (unless you wrap it 3 times) so I cut way back on the numbers of large pearls and added more small. I think it works and is versatile.
I usually steer away from the bright dyed colors, but I think that picture # one with the pearls that look like grains of corn is kind of cute. I think I would make one with traditional corn colors for a Southwestern look- Santa Fe look, if you prefer.

 

[susannahxu]

Hi Suze
That 5th picture 2jpg. That is a style I make too. In very similar color, too. It is just one of my variations on combining large and small pearls.
I made a 42" that just alternates the two sizes in a 10+mm and a 4mm, but it is too "agressive" a statement, when it is that long (unless you wrap it 3 times) so I cut way back on the numbers of large pearls and added more small. I think it works and is versatile.
I think I would make one with traditional corn colors for a Southwestern look- Santa Fe look, if you prefer.

Dear Caitlin:
Thanks for sharing your experience. May I have the luck to see your designs? Maybe we have something in common.

 

[susannahxu]

Dear Caitlin:

To tell the truth, I’m a little surprised at your designs. They are different from the original picture of your necklaces in my mind. I thought the style of your designs is modern or post-modern, bold and wild, with a strong Bohemian flavor, and caters to romantic hippy.

Your beads are regularly arranged into a classical pattern, which present a classical look. The light color of the gemstones you stringed (aquamarine and rose quartz ) seem to appeal to the taste of Japanese, Korean and Chinese who like the delicate transparencies(me too). Have you tried mixing pearls with some stones of deep color?

for these strands, I love the last one most for its complete abundance of the gentle appearance of pearls. It goes more far than my 2.jpg.

I would like to enjoy more pictures from you and somebody else on this forum.

 

[susannahxu]

Hi susanna

I have a personal collection that is more unusual, but I am probably not as far out as you thought. Here is a unique one I haven't posted here. It used to be Navajo cedar beads with small turquiose seed beads in between. I restrung substituting some of those nice 5mm pearls I got from Evergreen at the Gem show last year.

Cool! That's a very,very stuning design, a piece of artwork. I love it so much. You're really professional at composing various materials into a harmonious jewellery. The lovely 5mm pearls have reduced the harshness of stones and metals and became an indispensable element for an unusual effect in this design. And I like swag of it too(is that the swag you mean?). This necklace will definately fascinate lots of my friends(crazy women artists). And that's also a piece of eye-catching work for a fashion show, I think.

 

[susannahxu]

For some reason, these have names. The bottom one is San Francisco Skyline with Clouds, the top one is a variation called Bridges. The colors and shapes were inspired by the Bay area bridges reflecting on the water.

San Francisco Skyline with Clouds sounds so poetic. It inspires me. Maybe I can give a name to my necklace too.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Susanna
Your reviews are so flattering. thanks. Anyway the design of the charm necklace does have swags. I tied them all into the Tibetan/Chinese turquoise. The design is based upon, but getting further away from a traditional Navajo necklace with several strands and loops of beads fastened at the bottom. These were originally called jaclaws and the longish (7" or so) strands could be used as an earrings.
Here is a link to a page with a more traditional necklace with jaclaws
http://images.google.com/images?sa=N&q=jaclaw+Navajo&hl=en&sourceid=gd&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-15,GGLD:en

 

[Caitlin]

Here is a link to the world's most overdesigned piece of pearl jewelry.
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=487
What do you think? More comments are needed on that thread, so click through and take a look.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Caitlin,

How come the picture of da big bling bling is back up? I see no referencing or copyright.

Zeide