Rings on Your Fingers...

Rings on your fingers, Rings on your toes - Rings everywhere! Sorry for the delay since the last post, but I've been super busy with jewellery making, gardening, and general Fibromyalgia crud.
Here are some great new rings that aren't even on the website yet - they are available in copper (shown), sterling silver, and 14karat gold-filled wire, as well as with different stones and beads.
The simple spiral rings can even be worn as toe rings!

Above - Copper Ring with Cushion-Cut, Gem-Grade Cubic Zirconia (Left), with Back Detail (Right)

Above - Copper Simple Spiral Rings in Large (left) and Small (right)

Above - Copper Wire, Blue Agate and Swarovski Crystal Pearl (Left), and Copper Wire, Czech Firepolish Glass Beads in Jet and Peridot (Right)

Above - Copper Celtic Spiral Ring with Swarovski Crystal Pearls (Left), Copper Celtic Spiral Ring with Czech Firepolish Glass Beads in Jet (Right)

These should be on the website and available for sale shortly! Check it out at www.littlestudio.ca

Happy Browsing!

Meghann

Blue Glass with Gold Foil and Firepolish Bracelet

~Blue Glass Beads with Gold Foil, Czech Firepolish beads and Gold-Filled Bracelet~

So here is the bracelet I promised you in the Gold Spiral, Blue Glass and Swarovski Crystal Necklace page. I used the same blue glass beads (though I didn't put spirals of gold wire on each bead as they would catch too easily on things) and capped them with gold-plated daisy spacers and round beads, and spaced them with Czech Firepolish glass beads in "Topaz" to really bring out the sparkling gold foil in the blue beads. I then finished it with a 14karat gold-filled toggle clasp for security and style. I made it about 7-3/4" long so it has some movement on the wrist, but I can adjust it if need be. This is a really fun, stylish and summery piece - it evokes sun, sand and surf all in one, and does it with such class.

This bracelet is now available for sale on the website at: www.littlestudio.ca

I have just created some great rings, which I'll try and get on here soon too!

Happy drooling!

Meghann

New Earrings!

~Top, From Left to Right: Sterling Silver Chandeliers with Garnets and Swarovski Crystals, Sterling Silver and Brushed Silver Curved Tube Dangle Earrings, Bottom: Sterling Silver, Swarovski Crystal and Czech Firepolish Glass Heart Loop Earrings~

So I was busy yesterday, trying to get housework done and failing miserably when my hips went into spasms (thank you again Fibromyalgia), so I made earrings instead! I have had requests for more chandelier earrings and thought that I would try and deliver.
I first made some really sexy chandeliers from a custom-crafted sterling silver bead frame. I suspended one-inch sections of fine sterling silver chain and from the chain I hung real garnet beads and centered a Swarovski Crystal on each earring. They are so light and swingy!
Then I thought, well, why not make something a little different? So I took some brushed silver curved tube beads and strung a small silver-plated bead at each end of the tube and hung three from each earring for a really cool look. Very sleek, yet understated so you stand out - not your jewellery.
Finally, I have been wanting to make a heart-style chandelier earring with a Celtic feel, and these deliver! I hand-twisted sterling silver wire into a heart shape and then hung Swarovski crystals and Czech firepolish glass beads. They are classy and pretty, and just too neat!
I really like making earrings, as they are something that almost every woman can wear all the time. If we're feeling a little blue, we put in a pair of fabulous earrings and feel a little better. And they are affordable so almost anyone can have a pair...or two....or ten (yes, I'm talking to YOU mom!). There is a style of earring for every mood we could ever possibly have - sexy, shy, classic, happy, artsy, etc., and the possibilities for creating more is endless!
These are all for sale on the website at: www.littlestudio.ca
I hope you like them,
Meghann

Blue Swirl Sunburst Necklace

I love this necklace! This is actually the first necklace I made when I decided to start selling my jewellery as a business and not a hobby last year. I was inspired by the Mayas after watching a documentary on their civilization and art. This was made to look like a modern version of the 'bib-style' necklaces that you often see them wearing in their friezes. I made this necklace with Czech glass beads in a blue and crystal colour mix on silver plated wire. Each spiral is made with the same pattern of beads for continuity. The spirals represent the sun and are finished at each end with a tiny wired spiral for a nice polished finish. The chain is actually comprised of single and double beads hand wired together in a repeating pattern and finished with a nickel-plated lobster clasp. It took hours, but was so much fun to make. This looks great on, and I even made spiral earrings to match. It is light and swingy and so much fun to wear, but the necklace would also look good framed in a shadow-box for art with a dramatic effect!

This necklace is available for sale on the website at www.littlestudio.ca and as always with my pieces, it's affordable!

I hope you like it, there's more to come soon, so keep checking back!

Meghann

Sterling Silver Wire-Wrapped Turquoise Pendant and Happy Mother's Day!

~Pendant Details on Top, Whole Necklace on Bottom Left, Clasp Detail on Bottom Right~

Before I get to the necklace, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are all having a great day - you deserve it!

This necklace was a bit tricky at first, but once I got into the rhythm of it, it was an absolute blast to make. I took a Stabilized Turquoise pendant at about an inch long and wrapped it with over 7 feet of sterling silver wire to secure it in place and create the bail (the part that the pendant attaches to the chain with). I then took some beautiful sterling silver beads, silver plate beads, and Czech glass black beads and used the fine sterling silver wire to attach them to the front of the pendant. The entire piece is suspended from fine sterling silver chain with a sterling silver toggle clasp to finish it. I love this necklace - it feels very smooth against the skin and has a very earthy-oceanic feel to it...Like The Little Mermaid's necklace that she could wear from the ocean to the beach! This is one of those go-anywhere necklaces that could be worn with jeans while cleaning the house, or a very nice dress for an evening out.

Truly gorgeous, I even made earrings to match, but haven't taken pictures of them yet as my Fibromyalgia has been really bad these last few days. The earrings will be on the website soon, but this necklace is currently on the website for sale at: www.littlestudio.ca

I hope you like it!

Meghann

Desert Sands Necklace and Earrings

~Necklace on the Left, Earrings on the Right~

Here's a necklace I've had on the site for a couple of months, but I never get to tell the story about it. I was in a bead store last year and I saw this gorgeous, huge carnelian bead in the display case. It wasn't in my budget, but, of course, I had to have it. I had no idea what to do with it, but I bought it anyway and took it home where it sat on my dining room table all night. That night I had a dream. I dreamed of sand, hot under my feet and swirling on the hot wind into my face in golden colours of yellow, amber and brown. I saw the aqua sky, and burning red sun. I woke up at 2:30 in the morning and couldn't sleep - the necklace had planted itself in my mind and needed to be addressed. I drew it for an hour or so, went back to bed and created the necklace that very same morning (though at a decent time of day). I strung the carnelian for the sun with a small spiral of gold wire at the bottom (although I was envisioning the Sahara desert, the Celts see the spiral as a symbol for the sun) for the centerpiece. I then layered gold-plate beads, multi-hued amber chips and yellow aragonite for the sand and spaced them with Czech glass beads in an aqua shade for the sky. I created a custom toggle clasp with more gold wire and strung the aqua beads along it. I then made matching earrings with more Czech glass, amber, gold-plate and aragonite beads (with gold-plate daisy spacers for a polished look) on 14karat gold-filled ear wires. I love this necklace! It is long, about 18 inches or so and the carnelian pendant sits just at the decolletage. It feels really nice against the skin, even the amber, which at first I thought may be rough, but not at all. Very luxurious!

The necklace is available for sale with or without the earrings at http://www.littlestudio.ca/

Enjoy! I'm off to make more jewellery, blog you soon,

Meghann

Gold Spiral, Blue Glass and Swarovski Crystal Necklace

~Whole Necklace on the Left, Bead Detail at Right~

This necklace was in my head the moment I saw these lentil-shaped blue glass beads with gold foil in them. Normally, I buy my beads from a few very reputable online suppliers to get quality and good value that I can pass on to my clients, but a friend of mine knew of a little store in Ottawa that sold beads and jewellery supplies and had to show me. Good thing she did - I got these high quality beads and a few others too. It took a while to complete as my Fibromyalgia has been really bad pain-wise, but it was worth it - this necklace is stunning! The design for this necklace just popped out at me immediately. It's very Celtic in style - being blue and gold and spiral-laden - but I could picture someone (preferably myself!) in the sun on a yacht off the coast of Monaco wearing this necklace. Ho hum, nothing better to do than tan with gorgeous jewellery and hob-nob with the rich and famous. This necklace is so classy, but you really could just wear it to the beach with a bathing suit and towel, out to dinner with friends, to work to make you feel fabulous, you get the idea. The clasp is a custom-crafted spiral-based hook-and-eye closure that is very secure. The chain is comprised of 2 inch pieces of gold wire that are spiraled on each end with a blue Indian glass bead in the centre of each piece (the Indian glass beads are great because they occasionally have little silver flecks that actually look golden and match the foil-laden large blue beads - too convenient!). Each individual link ends up being about 1/2 inch in length. The links are then connected with gold-plate rings. The gold-foil blue beads, gold-plate beads and Swarovski crystals in "Dark Sapphire" are strung on jewellery wire, and then attached to the custom spiral chain, but first the gold-foil blue beads had 14karat gold-filled wire strung through them and coiled around the front for an extra bit of oomph. I really like how the gold wire frames the beads and brings out the gold foil embedded inside them. Over 5 feet of wire was used on this necklace!

This necklace is now for sale on the website, check it out at http://www.littlestudio.ca/

I have plans for the few remaining blue beads, so check back soon (hint - it'll be a bracelet!).

Take care everyone, I hope you have a sunny day! As always, I'd love your comments and suggestions.

Meghann

The Creative Process Lives On....

Welcome!
I am starting this blog to talk about my many varied jewellery designs. Often I am inspired months in advance of a piece's completion, but don't have the room to tell the story behind the piece in the description of the piece for sale on the Little Studio Photography and Jewellery web site. Now I finally have a place to explain the madness behind the method - and boy have I got stories for you :)
I have Fibromyalgia, and struggle with it every day. The only way I have found to keep the disease manageable is to stay at home, rest often, and make jewellery! I work from home, and I am trying to make a living making jewellery so that I am able to rest when I need to and keep this disease in check.
I try to make a few pieces a week and update the web page at least once per week, so this will be a new challenge - trying to update this as often as I make and photograph new pieces for the website.
I hope others will comment - I love getting feedback and suggestions for new pieces.
Check out my web page at www.littlestudio.ca if you haven't already.
Enjoy!
Meghann Gervais
Merrickville, Ontario