The Firebird

More than a year ago, I fell in love with these heart-meltingly beautiful resin wings by the wonderful Joanne Louvaine Bell of Twinkiedinky:    

They're perfectly made, with gold veins and just the right amount of sparkly gold dusting, fading into a beautiful padparadscha pink-red-orange color to die for.  I held on to these beauties for a long time, working on other projects, but I kept thinking about them...and I finally asked one of my favorite bead artists, Beth Mellor, to make some beads to go with them.  And did she ever! 

Beth's two-color hollow beads are perfect, with their swirls and streaks of gold over a delicious color that's a close match to the little padparadscha Swarovski crystals right beneath them.  The fiery colors, the lines, the heat of the earrings remind me of the title character of The Firebird, one of my favorite ballets: 

Ballerina Misty Copeland as the Firebird.

The Firebird.

Thanks for reading, all!  

I'll be back in a couple of weeks.  💗

xoxo

Meridy

My shop

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Hello 2018!

New Year, new ideas?  Well maybe not this time.  I'd only remembered my post was due today, yesterday.  I'm amazed I was able to make anything at all as I got nowhere in my efforts last night.  I tried again this morning and here are the results.  I hope you like them. 

Group shot of all 3 pairs.

 Lampwork headpins by Linsey Peck, lampwork sparkling rocks by Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens, blinged up with Swarovski spacers plus Czech glass and brass findings.

 Lampwork headpins by Linsey Peck, lampwork sparkling rocks by Maryse, ceramic rounds by Jana Bliznokova. 

 Lampwork headpins by our very own Kimberly Rogers, lampwork sparkling rocks by Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens.  

They will be listed in my Etsy shop today. I will be back towards the end of the month with more designs, hope you pop back to see what I've been up to - hopefully not last minute designs 😁

Suhana <3<3<3

My Etsy shop: Buttoned Up Beads

Revisiting

As the title suggests I ran out of ideas and decided to go back old designs.  This has been a very busy week in my house.  Christmas concerts, discos, my little lady's (Zybella's) 1st birthday and recycling of the winter lurgy among all 5 of us- so ideas for new designs weren't happening AT ALL. 

Here are my efforts so far.........

Gorgeous Petra Carpreau decals adorned with Czech glass flowers, lampwork spacers and blinged up with Swarovski spacers.

Second pair with Frida decals, again by everyone's (including mine) favourite Petra, Czech glass flowers and ceramic rounds by Jana Bliznakova

Now that I've made 2 pairs I think I've got the 'bug' 😂 so I will be making more 

Here's a little collage of some of the older designs. 

Nothing has changed.  I'm a bit disappointed as I tend to change up older designs in their new versions.  Maybe I will do that another time. 

These earrings will be available in my last show of the year here.

Thanks for taking the time to read.  I will be back in a couple of weeks times with my last post of the year.  Take care and have a lovely Christmas/holiday 🎄🎄🎄

Memory Lane

Hi, today I thought I'd take a walk down memory lane. Here are three pairs of earrings I made before, that I hope still can inspire you.

Ingredients:

Faceted pyrite drops

Yellow vinyl spacer discs

Hammered look rhombic lucite beads

Swarovski bicone crystals

Oxidized copper wire

Handmade copper earring hooks

Ingredients:

Stone pebbles, hand picked by a friend of mine near 

where I grew up, then she tumbled and drilled them

Swarovski bicone crystals

Oxidized copper wire, two different gauges

Handmade heavily oxidized silver earring hooks

Ingredients:

Metallic pewter love knot beads

Oval metallic rings

Matte turquoise nuggets

Oxidized copper wire

Handmade brass earrings hooks

All my best,

Malin de Koning

Super Long

Oh, I am so much in the mood for really long earrings lately. As you might have noticed in my last few posts here. These ones however break my own record so far. They just barely touch my shoulders when they sit in my ears. It doesn't cause any discomfort at all, since the chain is very supple. I really like the combination and contrast of the classy rich glitter of the Swarovski crystals and the rusticity of the chain and the other heavily oxidized metal parts. I already love to wear them. These earrings are keepers.

Ingredients:

Swarovski bicones in different colors and sizes

Large champagne coloured Swarowski rondelles

Rustic chain

Heavily oxidized copper wire gauge 20

Heavily oxidized sterling silver handmade earring hooks

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My etsy shop is on vacation again. I'll let you know when it's back on.

All my best,

Malin de Koning

www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Pink and Purple Towers

I love to stack stretches of beads one after one another. It feels like I am telling a story. And it creates a nice kind of architectural effect. The beads are like miniature building blocks.

I wanted/needed to add something odd to that slim tower, so hence the upside down enameled bead caps by Jade Scott. Inside them a Swarovski crystal is hiding.

I don't know what you see, but I myself find these earrings have a monumental quality to them. Even though they are so slim and delicate. Interesting. Perhaps my mind is effected by the fact that my son and I have been talking about architecture over the past few days. Or the We Are All Ears Challenge for September. As always so brilliantly put together by Erin Prais-Hinz of TesoriTrovati. Very inspiring!

Handmade Art Beads:
Glass Head Pins Capped in Tinwork - Sasha Crow of CrowsCacheSupplies
Enameled Three Petal Bead Caps in Purple and Orange - JadeScott

Other:
A variation of different styles of seed beads
2 sizes of Swarovski bicone crystals
Purple electroplated hematite discs
Vinyl discs
Sterling Silver Handmade and oxidized earrings hooks

All my best,
Malin
www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Peanuts/Farfalle

I really love the kind of bumpy row peanut/farfalle beads create when they are put together. This week I made two pairs of earrings using peanut beads.


Ingredients:
Faux amber faceted drops
Powder pink matte peanut/farfalle beads
Green Swarovski bicones
Oxidized copper wire
Handmade earring hooks in oxidized copper


Art Beads:
Polymer clay wheels - BeadsByEarthTones

Other ingredients:
Maroon vinyl disks
Deep blue Swarovski bicones
Powder blue matte peanut/farfalle beads
Oxidized copper wire

Handmade earring hooks in oxidized copper

.............

All my best,
Malin
www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Blue dotted pebbles

Art Beads:
Painted pebbles - Plymouth Rocks

Other ingredients:
Milky teal Swarovski facetted rounds
Black wooden rice shaped beads
Twisted copper wire
Copper findings
Handmade copper earring hooks



All my best,
Malin
www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Crystal Obsession _ Aquamarine Chandelier Earrings

In love with the sparkle of Swarovski crystals lately. I just can't get enough of the color and shine. It's been my main focus this past week or two. Paired with rustic brushed silver, I think they are the perfect complement to each other. I don't know why my crystals have been sitting in draws un-admired for years and suddenly they've got my attention. Feeling very inspired, as I said by the array of colors. And the sparkle of Swarovski is unmatched, IMHO. 

I am looking to expand this design into a few other sets of color combinations. However, my supply of these "cosmic" Swarovski crystals is very limited. Very.

For now, this set is available and ready to ship, in the store today.

 http://www.artandsouljewelry.com/products/aquamarine-earrings-long-crystal-chandelier?variant=19934155523

 These earrings are handcrafted with pure silver. Hoops are torch fused and hand forged with a hammered texture. 

Drilled holes hold charms of Pacific blue Swarovski crystals, tiny, faceted, 3mm.

"Cosmic" beads are added in the shade of Crystal Golden Shadow. A lovely light sand color that reflects light like no other. Wrapped in 20 gauge thick pure silver wire with a rustic brushed, matte finish. 

And finally at the top are natural, pale blue Aquamarine gemstones. 

Look for more in this style, coming soon! 

and always #lovelife

 

Stones And Swarovski

Hi everyone, I hope the beginning of the new year has been kind to you so far. Here in Sweden it's been cold and lots of snow.

Do you remember my latest post here, when I told you about the wonderful gift of stones and pebbles that I got from a friend of mine. Well, here's another pair of earrings made with another couple of stones from that lot. This time I've combined them with Swarovski crystals. Which probably surprises those of you who are familiar with my style. You haven't seen me use Swarovskis very often, have you. But in my bead stash I have a rather large collection of them in different colors and sizes. I haven't actually bought most of them myself, but received in different collaborations in the past. I keep them all together in a box, because I haven't known what to do with them. But, anything odd or uncomfortable challenges me creative wise, so lately I've been thinking more and more about ways to incorporate them in my jewelry.



I am rather pleased with the result. However it was difficult for me to capture the sparkle of the swarowskis in a photo. I hope you get the idea anyway. When you wear them and they dangle they constantly and beautifully catches light from different angles. Makes them rather suitable for a party or a night out in my mind.

----------------------

Drilled local stones from Ostergotland Sweden - Mia Christensen

Messy wrapped oxidized copper wire in two different gauges

Swarovski crystals

Handmade earring hooks in oxidized sterling silver

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All my best,

Malin

www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.se

How Textures are Talking to Each Other

 How do you go about your design process? I find this really fascinating since I have found out that different people do it quite differently. How does it happen when you choose the different beads and components in your piece, and/or how to assemble? Where or what is your starting point? Do you work with one piece and then finish it before you start the next one? The list of questions I could ask is long. I'd love to hear all about YOUR process.

Mine is very intuitive and from the gut kind of. I kind of disappear into the "zone". When I step out I love the feeling of being surprised by what I made. And that happened this time with these earrings. I think that the textures, the colors and the shapes are talking to each other. Some earrings I make I really want to keep for myself, these might be one of those pairs. They will be my happy-autumn earrings.

Rustic ochre/mustard/saffron patinated chain links - MissFickleMedia

Perky opaque apple green glass rounds

Vintage Swarovski pale sky blue facetted drops

Messy wrapped oxidized copper wire

Handmade oxidized earring hooks

Don't forget to tell me about your design process now! :-)

All my best,

Malin

www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.se

Festive Sparkles

Over the years, I've accumulated a large inventory of high-quality jewelry components, and as I learned new metal working techniques, I sort of moved away from using ready-to-use parts and favored doing my own. But, these components are so pretty, I decided to bring them out to play, and make a good number of earrings for the Christmas Craft Show last month.

It was really nice to offer them as well as my more time-consuming/higher priced designs. 

These new Swarovski Crystal Earrings were very well received, and I have decided to also offer them on my website.... These are just a few examples of the earrings styles that I made:

Amber & Montana Blue Copper Chain Earrings (Sold)

All these earrings are set on non-allergenic Titanium ear hooks (from RioGrande), and are created using USA-made Tierra Cast components (lead-free), beautiful chains (from ArtBeads), sparkling colorful Swarovski Crystals and tiny glass beads.

Light Green & Blue Gunmetal and Gold Tone Earrings

  It's fun to play and design earrings using the various textural and visual elements.

You can really come up with new fun and flirty designs :)

Lilac and Clear Silver tone and Gunmetal Earrings

Each pair is unique (one of a kind) in terms of design elements and/or color.

Playing with the vibrant colors and beautiful shapes

of the Swarovski Crystals always makes me happy!

I'm not finished uploading the bulk of these designs on my website (I hope to have this completed within the next couple of days), but if you want to take a look at what I have listed so far,

you can find this new collection in my lead-free pewter section HERE.

Thank you for stopping by & have a wonderful weekend!

Nathalie Lesage at http://www.NatLJ.com

New! Free Shipping to Canada & USA on orders of $50.00 or more... don't miss out!

Heartbreaker

I love Swarovski (who doesn't?) and these hearts were just begging to be made into earrings. Love the pinkish hue paired with the matte vintage silver chain from AD Adornments. Long sexy earrings are very "in" right now too.

Love that they would go with both of these outfits.

Heartbreaker by kristyabner featuring evening handbags


 You can find these earrings here on my website available for purchase.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fab weekend!

Kristy Abner

Kristy's Kreations
 
 

Wild Fire Girl

My wild days are over, and I'm not sad about it (I love sleeping now LOL... ) but there's always that little wild side of me that enjoys playing a bit with sparkles and glitter :)

I get the chance to create some Limited Edition work once in awhile, and this is one of those pieces:

I'm a member of The Artisan Group, and as such, I sometimes have the chance to submit some jewelry designs to stylists of various TV shows for 'consideration' to be used on those shows. 

Some stylists have restrictions or special requirements, while others give us carte blanche. 

You just never know what will strike a note with them. 

I enjoy the challenge, and hope that my designs will be selected (eventually).

I could so totally see these Swarvoski Sterling Tassle Earrings with this outfit:

Wild Fire In The Night by nathalie-lesage featuring a nail polish

I love the ultra light-weight feel of these earrings. Fun to wear, and so sparkly, it's crazy (did I say how much I hate photographing Swarovski Crystals? Ugh.... Even Polyvore messed up the image that I uploaded). All Sterling Silver, suspended on a pair of my handcrafted Sterling Silver Ear Wires.

These are going to be submitted to the Stylist of the Days Of Our Lives :)

I'll let you know if they get picked! Wish me luck!

You can find these earrings and my other designs HERE on my website.

Thanks and have a great day!

Nathalie Lesage

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

NathalieLesageJewelry.com

Copper Frost

I wanted to make a pair of flirty and kind of glam earrings for the holiday season and this is what I came up with. I've had these pretty copper acrylic hoops for YEARS and finally dug them out to put them to good use. I paired them with some matte silver chain and Swarovski crystals.

I think they'd be fab with this ensemble....

Copper Frost by kristyabner featuring a sterling silver cuff bracelet

You will find these earrings HERE and lots of other fun pieces.

 "Like" my page on Facebook HERE.

 
Thank you,

Kristy Abner

Kristy's Kreations

Confetti!

I accompanied my son to a birthday party a few weeks ago. His friend, a boy turning 11, chose a green camouflage theme with little plastic soldiers all over the table..very age and gender stereotypical and appropriate, but not very bright and cheery. The party venue was hosting other events and while the boys were playing laser tag, I peeked into a few of the other rooms and one, in particular, caught my eye. Bright orange, red and yellow streamers hung from the ceiling, a bright red table cloth sprinkled with multi-colored confetti adorned the table. Now we're talking! Later as I was having some playtime with enamels and frits, I thought of that brightly colored, confetti covered room and came up with these. I covered dapped copper disks with orient red enamel, then added some brightly colored frit. Embellished with just a couple of Swarovski crystals and hung from my hand-wrought sterling earwires, these simple "confetti" earrings will bring the party to your earlobes!

You can find these and more of my unique designs at my Etsy shop.  To read more about me and my designs, go visit my blog!