Pearl_dreams applying for membership....

[barbie biggs]

Dear Pearl Dreams:
Iim so happy you had a great day with your honey! And what a cute little cow... Don't you love animals? Taking a day out like that now and then is so healthy and nice. Thank you for sharing with us.
barbie

 

[claudenancy]

Just had a chance to look through this thread. Beautiful pieces! So many fab gems--so little time, not to mention $$$

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Thank you! I've got to get cracking and string some more pieces this week...the loose beads are calling me....

While I'm here I'll post another few photo! This is a Smithsonite necklace. I bought it with a matching bracelet but I didn't like the way the necklace hung, so I took it apart, redesigned it and made matching earrings. I'll include the picture with the bracelet but I repeat that I did not make the bracelet.

In the photo is a cabochon of lavender colored Smithsonite that we bought at a gem show. See the following photo for the the fine diagonal lines that captivated me and induced me to buy this cab. I'm going to have this made into an enhancer.

 

[GemGeek]

Those colors are terrific.

 

[pattye]

That is really lovely! I love colors that shade back and forth like that! Isn't it fun to be able to remake a a piece of jewelry to better suit us??!!

 

[jerin]

Such refreshing and vigorous colours! LovelY!

 

[Amrita]

Those colors are terrific.

I agree wholeheartedly!

 

[Sueki]

Such refreshing and vigorous colours! LovelY!

Oh, yes, gorgeous colours.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You are all so kind!

Here is what I made today-- a fall colors necklace. Ocean jasper beads (5mm) with 2mm garnet spacers, with a mouse Ojime bead pendant and a dyed CFWP "acorn" drop. (I love this little mouse!)

I used 49-ply Beadalon wire, silver Twisted Tornado crimps and sterling silver wire (Argentium) for the pendant. A silver head pin for the drop. The clasp is a silver lobster claw.

I originally strung this necklace several years ago but I found it boring and I never wore it. It needed to be shortened and it needed the pendant!

 

[pattye]

That is just adorable! I love all the jaspers! At first I thought it was a rabbit, I love them, but the mouse is precious! And the pearl yummy! Garnets set it all off beautifully! Agreed, perfect for fall----------------

 

[Caitlin]

Very nice. I love the mouse and pearl pendant with the jasper/garnet necklace. Nice colors. I'd like to see more of us incorporating little critters in their necklaces. It reminds me of pattye's koi necklace-very different design, but also with a wonderful critter.

Maybe we can start a trend!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Thank you! This one was fun to make. I have to come up with matching earrings...maybe I'll make some tiny polymer clay acorns.

I have a few other kinds of necklaces half made; maybe tomorrow I can post another one.

 

[Heidi]

I really like the combination of elements in this! I am a fan of little carvings like that - especially related to netsuke and other traditional forms. I hope you do more!

 

[GemGeek]

That is just CUTE!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

*waving to Heidi and GemGeek*

Here is what I've been working on yesterday and today-- baroque Akoyas, natural color. I don't knot onto silk often so it was a slow process. I didn't measure the pearls but there are 46 in the 18" necklace; I believe they are about 7.5-8mm mostly. As usual I chose the best of the pearls for the necklace so the bracelet pearls have more "character".

For the necklace and bracelet I used Griffin silk cord No. 1 which I doubled. I think in the future I may look for the silk thread others have mentioned using here, Gudebrod, but I still have a pile of the Griffin stuff to use up. It comes with a needle attached but now that I've started doubling the thread, I've been snipping off the attached needle and threading the silk cord onto a collapsible eye wire needle.

The bracelet can be linked with the necklace to lengthen it, for wear under turtlenecks. The weather is turning colder and I want to be able to wear these in winter!

The dangle earrings are a little lighter blue in color than the rest of the pearls. I used Argentium wire to make the hooks.

Photos taken by my door with available light; no photoshopping done.

 

[GemGeek]

Wowee! That color looks super on you. I think I'll have to get mine out and wear them soon. Great job.

 

[pattye]

Love the character of these akoyas --they really POP!! Bet you will get lots of compliments in those--the knotting looks great too! Thanks for modeling--and for the tips. Gorgeous with your coloring!!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Thanks! I'm on a roll now so I am going to keep going. I have a baroque CFWP rope I've been meaning to make.

*****
Hours later...the rope is done! 42" long, 8-9mm. Could have been longer but I left out the less lustrous pearls. Photos to come, when the sun is out! This night owl needs some sleep.

 

[jerin]

Pearl_dreams,

I somehow missed the earler pictures of you creations, I think they are superb. As for the Akoyas, they do look very nice on your neck. What gauge do you use when having Argentum to wire your jewellery?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hi Inge,

I use 22 gauge wire for the ear wires (and hammer them a bit to work harden them.) By the way, I often use purchased ear wires-- I had run out yesterday so that is why I made them.

I asked my daughter to serve as a model for the rope before going to school. She loves these! She wanted to wear them to school-- I quickly agreed, but then she backed out. (Maybe she didn't want the attention she knew they would draw. Seventh graders can be critical!)
Edit: She tells me that wasn't it at all-- she just didn't want something around her neck today.

The rope has 118 pearls. I reserved 4 to make earrings later today. And I strung it on doubled No. 2 nylon, not silk-- I didn't have long enough silk. The nylon was quite easy to use and didn't twist as much as the silk does.