Basic Black Earrings Beach Stone Jewelry

What is the main color that fills your closet? Mine has a lot of black. I don't want to be that "emo" girl who always wears black but I am drawn to it. (no offense emo girls!) I love wearing black and it's easy to fit any other color with it, so it's a good go-to accessory & clothing color. 

These earrings are another take on my beach glass/stone earrings. The only two stones I found that were so beautifully smooth and really *black. All the other stones I collected on this day were some sort of gray. I really love the look and feel of these smooth stones. 

photo by Cindy Pack free for personal use

They pair well with the silver and add a nice contrast to the metal, even in it's rustic patina'd state. 

My original idea was to have the asymmetrical rings hanging side by side. But I was inspired by some of the many asymmetrical earrings I've seen here on the EE blog and I mixed it up a bit. I'm really pleased with how they came out. 

Part of my "Peace, Love & Rocks" Collection

http://www.artandsouljewelry.com/collections/peace-love-rock

Found black stones, handmade fine silver rings, 
and black stone beads from Alexanders Bead Bazaar (Seattle, WA). 

What's your go-to color? 

(original post date Oct 2014)

Japanese Garden

Amazing bicone shaped lampwork beads by Paul Spencer called for a bold, yet simple approach. My design has an Asian influence, reminiscent of a Japanese garden with rich colors, high contrast and simple lines. The copper dangles have been hammered and then layered with Guilders paste in Inca Gold to give them more dimension.

Lime Green by chrysalis-hco featuring big buddha purses

Gloria Ewing
Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire
Chrysalis for the Curious Blogspot

Not So Basic Black

I reversed my usual process for this post and assembled my Polyvore outfit first and then made earrings that would coordinate with the ensemble. In the outfit below, I chose purple as an accent color and used pattern and texture to add interest. The earrings are Sterling silver with black ceramic beads that have some shades of mauve and gray, and a little dash of sea green African vinyl beads for additional color.

Back when I was still wearing stylish shoes and my clothes were sort of an "investment", I had some basic black pieces that served as my wardrobe foundation. Black is such a versatile color and has the added benefit of making us look thinner. I would still include pieces in colors that are within my palette. But Instead of having to start over each year in order to have the trendy colors of the current season, all I had to do was add a few new accents, maybe a couple of new tops and a pair of shoes.

The idea is to have basic pieces that can be worn with multiple components, to add contrasting colors and patterns, and to select styles that will be wearable for more than one season. The concept applies to jewelry as well. Start with the basics and then inject your own personality.

Business Lunch by bohobeader featuring high heels

Helmut Lang / Ports 1961 draped top / Stella McCartney long pants / High heels, $22 / Purple bag, $51 / rag & bone

To see more of Gloria Ewing's jewelry, click here or here.