Fun with wire and crystal!

The necklace I was making as a special order finally got to it's destination today. I was asked to make a free form filigree necklace and earrings with all of the birthstones of the family on it. It was really a lot of fun to work on making a design that would work, and then see it come into being! This is the result. The crystals on the top of the design are for my friend and her husband, and the 2 on either side and in the middle are the children. My friend treated herself to this for her 50th birthday. The earrings are an "S" swirl and have one of each of the birthstone colors on them.
The tag at the top is my logo stamped onto a sterling silver tag. I haven't been able to get the stuff that makes it black in the grooves so you can see it better. That's one of the things on the list of "things I need or want for my business". It's a VERY long list. It also keeps getting longer! It seems like there is always something new to learn, something new to use to make another kind of jewelry, and ALWAYS there is the need for more silver wire. That's a constant and a given!

I'm going to be selling rosaries and jewelry a couple of places in the next 2 weeks to help people get ready for Confirmation and First Communion and those that need Easter gifts. I've been working pretty non stop on rosaries for the past 2-3 weeks and while I love that part of my business, I think I'm going through withdrawal from the lack of designing and making jewelry. The ideas fill my head, I just haven't had time to do anything about it. I can't believe it's already Lent! Before I'm even ready, Easter will be here and I have a whole lot of rosaries to finish before then! This is a very busy time of year for most rosary makers. However, I love doing it, so it's really not a problem. The problem is finding the time I need. Have you ever wondered why they haven't figured out how to make 36-48 hour days?? I could sure use a few!

My First Interview!

This is the rosary I donated to the fundraiser for our parish school, St. Pius X. They are having a casino night and silent auction tonight, and this is going into the auction. It's bronze wire wrapped with carnelian small beads and green goldstone for the large ones.

I was interviewed by MissKittyville.org this month! Here's a link to my interview:http://www.missevilkitty.org/rosariesandjewelrybylaura.html. It's my first as an independent business woman.

The rosary I donated to the Catholic Biblical School raised $160 at the silent auction. That will go toward giving others a chance at a scholarship that I was fortunate enough to get so I could complete the 4 year course. I graduate this May, provided I finish all the assignments! It doesn't seem like four years in one way, and in others it seems like it's been twice that long. My husband was alive when I started, and now he's gone. I didn't have a business when I started and now I do. Since then I've also learned Spanish and I'm also trying to learn how to write in html. So many changes, and so many things the same. I've learned to blog, I've been able to design jewelry for people for special events, I've got a roommate from Mexico and I'm learning a lot from her too. Like I said, it seems both longer and shorter than four years. I guess it will always seem that way.

I'm just finishing up a mother's necklace and earring set for someone's 50th birthday. It's being polished as I write this. I'll post the picture after it's all done. It was a lot of fun to make. It has the birthstones of both her and her husband, and all three of the kids. I'm anxious for her to see it in person.

The last couple of weeks have been very hectic with both me and most of the cats being sick. Hopefully we've got that done and over with!! The worst were Katrina with an abscess on the side of her face and Oscar with bronchitis. I also ended up with bronchitis, but we both sound a whole lot better now. Let's hope it stays that way!

Would you like to??

Win some great make up and cosmetics? Check out this site of one of my fellow Switchboarders. She's have a contest to celebrate her 3rd year in business, so if you want to try it out by winning, enter here: http://www.jlynnecosmetics.com/jlynne-cosmetics-sweepstakes.html
Tell her I sent you!!

In Hopes of Spring.....

It looks as though we might be getting out of the deep freeze next week! I'm still navigating the snow in front of my house every day, and trying not to fall on the ice! We've got so much snow, that if the temps go into the 40's next week like they say, I may be writing this next time from a boat. I've got 5 feet of snow piled up in my front yard that's been there since Christmas. When it melts we may have to swim out of here!

I ran into these shell beads and focal bead the other day, and the design just popped into my head. I've been working on it in between orders and rosaries for our parish and finally got it finished.

I like to incorporate fun into my designs and give people some movement. I find myself reaching for whatever necklace or earrings I'm wearing throughout the day, so I try to make some of my designs like that for others that do the same.

The crystal is Swarovski in one of the newest colors, vintage rose. I wasn't sure at first if I liked it, but with the right combination it really pops! The chain is handcrafted with fine silver wire and all findings are sterling silver.

Nothing like a touch of spring in the middle of winter.

Hope you have a great week!