Fancy Brass Bracelet with Vintage Style Tile

This was a tough one to make. I was trying to challenge myself. See what I could do. It turned out alright. I won't be able to sell it though. I ran into a little challenge, or a hic up in my design. I could pretty much tell it was going to do this as I was building it but I was hoping if I added enough dangles and chain that it would not turn. I am speaking of the oval links. If I wear the bracelet, the oval links turn and end up vertical instead of horizontal.

I really love the look of the different layers of brass, the mix of shades and colour. I love the way it moves. Now how do I fix it??

I mixed different elements on the other side of the bracelet. Links, rings chain pearls and one of my lampwork glass beads.

I tried to echo the minty, tealy greens of the scrabble tile in the pearls. The paper seems to lose some of it's colour in the photo, it is actually a little brighter.

You can really see all the layers and elements I used here.

Now if I could only keep the bracelet the way it is supposed to look, all would be well in the world :)

Let me know if you have any ideas...

Marie

More Wood Tile Jewelry!!

I am experimenting with my tiles to see what else I can come up with and how else you can use these to make original pieces of jewelry and accesories. One of my favorite things to make is still charms bracelets. Hard not to like 'em when they sell so well!! I am using a lot of my Vintaj findings with these tiles, I find that the colouring of the brass is perfect with the rustic style of my tiles.

My favorite toggle end. I have not used them yet because I don't want to run out!! lol I know, it's silly. I used glass flowers in an off white colour which matches perfectly with the shell hearts. I also used another colour of glass flower that has some of the colouring of the brass. The little Leaf charms from Olay finished off the bracelet nicely.

This is one of my favorite sayings! I thought it would be perfect as a link, so I drilled it that way.  I think it was perfect for this kind of bracelet.

This is a toggle end that I did not have the courage to use until now. I was not sure what I weould stick into it. I broke up some of my larger seed beads and it turned out great! I might actually have to get more of these :)

That's all for today, hope you come back again soon!

Marie

"Watch" Out Here I Come!!

I had to make more watches to replace the ones I sold at the Party on Saturday, so I took out some of my new copper and brass watch fronts and made these. I love the Antique Brass with the teal colours. Its warm and fun and elegant.

This closeup shows the richness of the colours together.

This one I made with copper and mother of pearl flower charms. It's meant to be fun and playful!! I love the movement of the watch when it sits on my wrist.

This is one of my favorite watch fronts. I love how simple and fun it is. It has a nice matt finish and a bit of an artsy look with the wavy line on the contour.

For this one I was considering leaving it with just the brass, I do like the colour by itself, but I decided to add a punch of Coral to it. It looks orange in this picture, but it really has a very "coral" colour.

Fun leaf and heasrt charms give it a nice sound when it moves, and lets face it one of the attractions of a charm bracelet is the soft tinkle of the pieces touching each other.

Thanks for stopping in, I hope to be busy this week creating more pieces to inspire you :)

Marie

My Other Goodies and more to come...

I had to get you to come back right?? So I put up some pictures of the other new bracelets I made. I have been so tired from my trip and not sleeping well since I got back, so it has been hard to get anything done.
I wanted to pull some of the colours out from the charm so I found a Picasso Jasper bead that had the right greens and a hint of red. I also found a small turquoise bead that worked quite well to add a splash of colour and bring out the teal colour on the bird's head. I also hand shaped the hook clasp and added the Vintaj toggle to match. Fun eclectic and one of a kind!! :-)

These fun tiles have really helped me bring excitement to my designing. I needed something new and different to add on and this is really doing it for me. I have about 50 listed in my Etsy shop right now, give or take, so I really hope you will go pick out a couple.

I have a few different styles, from charms to pendants and links. You can also contact me if you want something a little different.

Just a hop back to some of my original work, which still sells really well locally, I made this charm bracelet for my show this weekend. The Hostess wanted me to have lots of charm bracelets and watches to choose from. She is a big fan and already owns two of my watches.

I really love the darker metals and made a couple of copper charm bracelets for this weekend. This is my favorite. The leaves and green crystal pearls are the perfect combo.

This one is made using one of my bracelet links. I love how this one sits on my wrist. You can really see the ephemera charm. I don't know if you can tell that I like birds? I do have many different kinds of birds and flowers and even vintage looking faces. My two faves are the butterflies and birds.

I hope you come back soon, I hope to stay very busy next week creating. We will all need a little more eye candy than usual since Lorelei will be in Florida. We will miss you :)

Marie

Finding My Groove!!

It has been a fun week of work and experimentation! I have been discovering a new style that has been hiding in me and I really, really like it!! I hope it may perhaps be the thing to bump my sales in my Etsy shop!!

Introducing the new and improved Marie!!

I think in fact I have been slowly bringing this style about, but it has just really shown up this week and has overtaken any previous style I might have had. I will still be making some of my other stuff, but I really freel like I am bringing "me" out in these new pieces!!

I have always like wire wrapping. Ever since I first started I knew there was something special about it. Discovering Vintaj helped bring my love of deep rich colours out, and different designers that have inspired me have brought about different elements to pop out in my work. {thanks Lorelei and Erin}

I even used some red!! I feel like I am more capable of using bright rich colours that before. I still need the richness of copper and brass, but some silver will always have to creep in ;)

I saved some pics for when I get back from my trip. I am visiting a friend about 2-3 hours away and we are doing a jewelry party at her house!! I will close down my jewelry shop for the two days that I am gone, but my supply shop will remain open in hope that these designs will inspire you to try some of my new tiles in your jewelry designs.

Marie

Valentine's Day & ArtBeads.com

I am part of the Beaders that Blog Program at Artbeads.com. I am lucky enough to have found these darling little hearts for their Valentine's Day Program and waited until today to post them!!

I created this bracelet using Vintaj wire and findings and my own fun and funky lampwork glass beads!

I wanted to give you a closeup of my new beads. I am still learning how to make them, but I may be able to post some in my new Etsy shop very soon. None of them are going to be exactly the same but I am getting closer at mastering that technique. I am mostly having fun experimenting!!

Back to the whole reason I am writing this blog post!

Some amazing hearts similar to these can be found HERE on artbeads I am not sure why I could not find them when I went looking for them, maybe I am too late and they are no longer selling them. That would be dissapointing because I really love them and I am hoping to order more :)

You can find a nice selection of copper heart charms HERE and for other fun pieces that are in the same style as these lovely hearts you can find an old looking cross HERE a large heart pendant HERE or even a large variety of fun copper pieces right HERE . You won't be dissapointed :)   

I also got this copper heart toggle that I was originally going to use in this design, but changed my mind at the last minute, choosing instead to mix metals!! I am making another bracelet using this toggle and a few more of the hearts, I am just stuck on what else to add to it right now.  It is a really pretty pretty toggle and latches well. You can find it HERE on Artbeads. They come in other metals as well just in case you are not a copper person :)

Instead of using the toggle I made my own hook clasp using two gauges of wire. You can find some of these in my new Etsy shop Moreskyejewels.etsy.com .

Thanks for visiting

Marie

I received the products free of charge from Artbeads and I am honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

Just a little something new...

I was inspired by the desire to have some warm weather come my way and thought...seaside charm bracelet. Why not? I know I am not the only one that is DONE with winter!!

And I threw in a little mermaid in for the count ;)

Mostly pictures today, I am feeling yuck! Head cold!! and, let's face it, it's all about the pictures right?

I wanted to include some of the new little pieces in my brand new Etsy shop!! I have been working on it all week! That explains my less frequent posts. I started with a few Bezels. I think they turned out ok :) This froggy is from my second batch, a little different than the original ones but more "fun".

My long awaited ephemera scrabble tiles!! I have a whole bunch of them listed in my Etsy shop and I have two sets and a single that have already sold. Some of them come with single holes in the corner, some like this one come with three holes or even four! I let the tiles do the talking, don't worry, the voices inside my head are quiet tonight ;)

I have a little bit of everything. I have flowers, teacups and birds. I have crowns, words, dolls and damask! If you are looking for something let me know, I am still listing...

I have also been making some findings myself. This particular one is Argentium silver! Ask if you don't know what that means and I will add it to my next post. I am trying different kinds of metal, but mostly the silvers and Vintaj wire for now. I will be making earwires this week.

Hope you go check out my new shop this week, keep looking as I am making new things all the time!!

Marie

New bracelets!! with SueBeads

I am please to announce {drumroll please!} two new bracelets!! TA DA!!! After I posted yesterday and realized I had not actually made anything new in over a week, I started thinking how rediculous that was!! So I put my kids in front of the TV {I know, I am soooo deserving of a mother of the year award } went to my workshop and sat down on the floor {does any one else do that??} and made some wire wrapped bracelets. My work bench is a little cluttered right now, ok that's not quite true, I have not seen it in at least a month. I think I may put up lost posters in the neighborhood soon.  So to compensate for the loss of my work bench {sniff!} I have been gathering my goodies on the floor around me and working that way.

This is a mix of copper, bronze and brown coated wire, bead caps and link. I used my ever favorite lampwork beads from Susan Kennedy, thanks for always making me more beads :)

I honestly can never remember any of the beads names but these ones reminede me of a deep forest with dark greens and shade in the trees. I hand shaped the hook, and textured it with a hammer. I used 12 gauge wire for this one.

For this bracelet, I used Argentium silver. I also made this hook using 16gauge wire and wrapped it with 28 gauge wire and hammered it down for extra texture. I am quite fond of how this one turned out. And guess who's beads I used??? lol. You got it, Thanks again Sue for all your hard work on all those special order beads you made for me. Obviously I LOVE them :)

These are both available in my Etsy shop, Skyejewels

I hope you check it out!! Please check out Sue's shop too, you won't be dissapointed!!

Thanks so much for visiting, come back often!!

Marie

Where has the time gone!!

I wish I had the time and stamina to post daily like some of you. Unfortunately 4 kids, a husband who works and goes to school full time leaves for a busy life!! I have not even made a new piece of jewelry all week!! I have however made some things for my new shop! I made some bezel charms and clasps, and my ephemera charms are just waiting to be drilled! I have to find a time when the cildren are not close by because I don't want any accidents. I really want to get those done right away, I have noticed that a few of you are eagerly awaiting thier arrival in my shop :) I have about 200 of them ready to be drilled and "jumpringed" photographed and listed! Your patience is appreciated. I certainly home you guys empty out my shop quickly ;) I am having serious trouble with my van and it may be on it's last legs. Need to save fast to replace it!!

Another sneak peak... I know, it's the same ones, but I WILL get to it I promise!! lol

I have been getting more colours ready. When I made these it was an experiment, but they turned out so well, that I decided to list them and make a few more. Now I know these are not for everyone, but they are cute. I think the new ones turned out even better! I just have to trim and file them and then they will go in my shop. Too bad that my 2 year old ruined 3 or 4 of them!! Kids! You gotta love them or lock them up so you can get things done without them wrecking everything!! Did I say that out loud?? Well, they may frustrate me to no end, but I am crazy about them :)

These clasps are also listed in my new Etsy shop!!

I made them with Vintaj wire and used some of their awesome jumprings to attach them to a project!! One bracelet I made with one of these clasps will be featured in the July issue of Bead Trends!! So catch onto the trend and get one now!! :) There are four unique ones listed in my shop right now!!

MORE SKYE JEWELS

I hope you check it out today and make me one of your favorites. I have so many ideas of things I want to make, so keep checking in! I may not have a lot of time, but I will be trying hard to list something at least every two days for now.

Thanks for the love :)

Marie

Preview of things to come...

I have been busy working on a "little" project! I am almost done but it has taken a really long time! I will hopefully be opening a new Etsy shop this week... SkyeJewelsExtras ...I am planning on having handmade items and perhaps a few other things. The first item to come out of all this is these little Ephemera charms. A lot of time, energy and detail went into these little pieces. I have selected three people to receive some of these as samples. I hope to be able to ship those out by the end of the week.

I have 120 waiting to be drilled, 60 waiting to be varnished and then lots of pictures to take! I think I will sell some in singles and others in groups of 3 and 5. I hope to hear what you all think!!

This has been a very time consuming project, I hope you all have not forgotten about me :)

Marie