Mexican Flor

As some of you know, my husband and I are spending this winter in Oaxaca, Mexico.  I brought a limited number of beads along with me and it is a good challenge to design with what I have here.  I'm still enamored with Marsha Neal's twisty spike headpins.  I used a coral pair of them 2 weeks ago and today I'll share a new pair of earrings that feature green twisty spikes.

I topped the spikes with Czech glass flowers and threaded yellow seed beads onto the head pin wires.

I bent the wires into circles and also ran the wire down behind the flowers to keep them positioned facing forward.

Mexico is a land of amazing, vibrant colors and I think these earrings have a bright happy color combo that reflects the country in which I am living now.  You can view the Mexican Flor earrings in my shop.

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

Ice and Spice

The earrings that I'm sharing today are something of a hybrid, I guess.

I'm getting over my autumnal design frenzy and have my mind focused on winter-y pieces.  There's some autumn warmth in the frit-ty torch-fired panels, which I got from Georgie at 4ophelia.  She has some lovely pieces available at the moment. I ordered some more the other day and, just checking her shop, I can see more that are tempting me!

Here the spicy shades on the panels strike a contrast with the frosty white, icicle-like, recycled glass shards.  As I've said before, I do like a spiky bead!  I finished these with some vintage ribbed washer beads and freshwater button pearls.  They're available here in my Etsy shop.

Bye for now, Claire

www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com
www.somethingtodo.etsy.com

Another story

Spikes again from me this week - or one spike, at least.

I'm rather fond of this pair. I've teamed a stray Scorched Earth spike, finished beautifully with a cap of fine silver, with a Ragged Robyn connector.  The connector was one of a pair and I was reluctant to split them up but when this design came to mind I couldn't resist the combination.  I've added in some freshwater pearls and a lovely, glow-y drop of rainbow-coated quartz.  

They are almost bridal, but unconventionally so.  They've also got a bit of a winter-y feel, but so has the air here in Somerset of late, so they don't feel too out of season. 

They're available here in my Etsy shop.

Bye for now, Claire

(something to do with your hands)

Pointed -

As I'm sure I've said before, I do like a spiky bead. I also like a bead that looks ... hmmm, what's the word?  Weathered? Aged?  Moreover, I have a little inner goth that can't resist a bit of black and red.

So, I'm rather fond of this pair of earrings. I think the seller of these glass beads described them as 'distressed'. I love them. This isn't a new pair of earrings; they've been in my shop for a little while, but there's a serious danger that they're going to find their way into my ears soon. If you'd like them for yourself - and, please, do stop me! - they're available here.

Bye for now, Claire

something to do with your hands blog

something to do with your hands shop

No Tea and Crumpets for Me

Spike Earrings

It is off the beaten path that we find the most interesting people, places and experiences. When we are not concerned with what everyone else is doing or wearing or eating, we are likely to discover something that would otherwise have escaped us. With a long holiday weekend coming up, maybe we should think about where everybody isn't going as our destination?

In these earthy Bohemian earrings, I use Czech glass, brass, copper and gorgeous primitive ceramic components from Petra Carpreau of Scorched Earth on Etsy. I don't know whether Petra likes tea and crumpets; I just love her work.

More Bohemian earrings here and here.

Gloria Ewing

No Tea and Crumpets for Me by bohobeader featuring wedge sandals