Spring Flirt

I don't know about what's going on in your neck of the woods, but here, Mother Nature is messing with us these days! We've had warm weather (no snow/green grass) and then 10" of snow overnight that melted within a few days..... back to warm weather, and now we're back to snow!?!

When the weather starts to get warmer, and I start spotting little Spring flowers, I get that twinkle of Spring in my eye! We're a little bit behind this year. These little 'perce neige' (Galanthus nivalis) adorn the flower beds at the front of the house at my inlaws. This picture was taken last year (day for day) and this year, there's maybe around a dozen blooms (far less than last year), so we're running a tad behind.

Nonetheless, seeing just one of these in bloom, flirting with my senses, is enough to give me Spring Flower Fever :-) Enough so that I needed to see flowers RIGHT NOW.... so to satisfy my need (hey, we all got needs, right? LOL) I made a few sets of double-sided little Folk Art Spring Flowers in Polymer Clay, and used one pair (in dusty rose) to make these earrings that I call "Spring Flirt":

These very lightweight earrings are made using a pair of textured Sterling Silver oval hoops, on which I have wrapped a trio of sparkling glass seed beads on each side (yellow/pink/green) using Sterling Silver wire.

In the center at the top, I have some really cute (natural color) pink freshwater pearls dangling on a short piece of Sterling Silver chain, beautiful rose/pink Swarovski Crystals and lavender glass dagger beads.

I like to add an extra touch of color when I can with Anodized Aluminium jumprings - Today I used some "Lavender" colored jump rings (from The Ring Lord). I find their site a tad confusing, but they do carry some really nice colors there. With my daughter-in-law being allergic to metals, I like to offer/use hypoallergenic ear wires, and this time I used a pair of pretty Niobium Ear Wires (with a .999 Fine Silver accent bead) from one of my very favorite suppliers: Royal Metal on Etsy.

I listed these new earrings in my Etsy shop yesterday in getting ready to write this blog post, and they sold out within a few hours... ooops!! But if you'd like to make your own, I have a few pairs of these rustic folk art handmade flower drops (approx 12mm in size) left and I've listed them in My Garden Of Love Etsy shop:

Wishing you an early warm sunny Spring!
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers,
Nathalie Lesage
My Garden Of Love on Etsy
The Crafty Tribe on Etsy

Yee Haw ☼

Calling your inner Cowgirl, ☺

This is a nice twist to utilizing a looped bail, turn it upside down I say!

I've found this design to be very versatile and fun to work with. I chose leather in these postings, but I can also see looping wire & fabric, perhaps different colored leather with some African beads...Uh-Oh, the mind is spinning, may have to go back to this one soon.

  

These other 2 designs show the bail at the bottom with numerous potential to what your drops can be.

So if your looking for some inspiration, I hope you found it in my post.  Have a wonderful creative day and we'll see you in two weeks, ☺

Yucca Bloom Etsy Shop

Yucca Bloom FB

Rustic Silver Flowers with Ruby Spinel

A few posts back I posed the question - what do you pick out first the jewelry or the outfit? I got mixed responses. My conclusion? It is totally an individual choice! Same goes for earrings and necklaces, I suppose. You find one you like and try to match another piece to it, yes? 

These earrings actually came after the necklace. And the necklace became something completely different than what I started from. 

Either way, I am very pleased with the end result. 

Again, these components came together like magnets! You may have experienced this yourself.. you get on a roll and light bulbs start going off in your head like explosions of inspiration!

The charms are sterling silver disks that went through he rolling mill, pressed with bits of flower rick-rack. The flowers left a lovely embossed impression on the silver. It reminds me of rustic tin... although I hesitate to compare sterling to tin.

They are framed in fine silver hoops that were hammered with a dotted texture. 

And then finally adorned with ruby and pale rose colored Spinel gemstones. Absolutely a gorgeous array of colors in these little faceted stones. I can hardly believe they lasted in my bead drawer as long as they did!

I was able to achieve a nice big loop on my ear wires so it almost looks like a tiny hoop. 

Farewell summer... hello autumn... Rustic Silver Flower Earrings. 

☮ Cindy 

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August Flowers

The month of August is the month of my birthday, and what I love most about this month is the sight of the mature greenery and all the flowers in bloom. I love to stroll and take in all the gorgeous flowers that I see in all the gardens, as well as the wild flowers that bring a touch of colors sometimes in unsuspected places...

I absolutely had to make a pair of earrings to represent August Flowers:

I made a pair of .999 Fine Silver hoops on which I have wire wrapped some stunning Fancy Cut (faceted kite shaped) Tsavorite Garnets, AAA micro-faceted lilac amethyst gemstones and gorgeous berrilicious Pyrope Garnets.

I have also added some sun-catching faceted sterling silver beads near the top, and stamped a small leaf under the wrapped area.

All handmade from scratch, including the .925 sterling silver ear wires... these are my August Flowers earrings.

I wish you all a great remainder of August... enjoy the flowers while we still have them. Winter will be coming too fast.

Nathalie Lesage

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

http://www.NathalieLesageJewelry.com

Flower Hoops

I am torn. I don't want to give up the flowers but yet I am embracing the Autumn season too. These earrings are a cross between both. Gorgeous deep Autumn colors but with a floral motif.
Available in my etsy shop

I put together this inspired outfit to wear with these earrings.... I totally love everything here. I think I need to go shopping now....

Autumnal by lorelei-hill-eurto featuring knit fingerless gloves