New Jewellery!

Hemp Mala Bracelet

I've been very busy with my friend and business partner Mel making lots of goodies for you, which is why I haven't been around much. I am going to try to blog three times a week from now on though, so you all know I am still alive and such, what with the incredibly odd weather we've been having this winter ;)
Thankfully, it is warmer right now, and we've actually been able to clear some of the deadly ice off of our deck, front walkway and driveway! Yay!
All of this gorgeous eye candy you're seeing today is currently available in the Etsy shop, though they are selling quite well, so you'll have to hurry if you see something you like...

Memory Wire Chakra Mala Bracelet

 We now have Chakra Mala bracelets, as well as traditional Mala bracelets, for your fancy. Some with glass, as the ones above...

Gemstone Mala Chakra Bracelet

 ...And some with gemstones, like these ones. We also have more of the painstakingly knotted ones...

Turquoise, Jade and Lampwork Glass Mala Bracelet

 ...And some with gemstones and hand crafted lamp work glass beads, like these...

Tourmalinated Quartz and Lamp Work Glass Bead Mala Bracelet

This last one is one of my all-time favorites... get it while you can! Many of the jewelry pieces that have lamp work glass beads are one-of-a-kind, as I can't get these exact same focal beads again, so you'll need to strike while the iron is hot, these pieces are going fast! If you're in the Kemptville area and taking yoga classes from Mel Savoie, she will usually have these pieces with her for you to see in person (and if you purchase in person, you usually get a discount, as it saves us on postage!).

Friday Features: Deronda Designs

Shades of Blue Handmade Lampwork Beads by DerondaDesigns

Today's Friday Feature post is about an amazing lampwork glass bead artist, DerondaDesigns. Read on to find out more about her incredible beads...

My name is Deronda and because it's not a common name, we decided ti would be perfect for my glass. My etsy shop is www.etsy.com/shop/derondadesigns 

I play with glass and metal. The beads are the big part of what I do, but the etched copper is something that comes and goes as the mood hits. 

How did I get started? Curiousity....my mom gave us the love of creativity and the encouragement to play with all kinds of stuff.

Pretty Pink Flowers Handmade Lampwork Beads by DerondaDesigns

 Do I have any other arts/crafts? Oh wow, have you been sneaking into my closets? The curiosity has led me into all kinds of things from woodwork, to sewing, to painting, to scrapbooking, to ceramics and on and on it goes. But glass is still my first love.

A story of my shop name? Nope, it's just my name...nothing exciting there? 

Every set of beads I make is different so it's hard to pick a favorite anything. A lot of what you might see in the shop depends on my moods. The glass has always been a way for me to express things that I can't say outloud. 

Right now I am selling on Etsy and Artfire and I have finished jewelry pieces and other things that have nothing to do with glass or jewelry at our little store here in my hometown.

Ivory and Amethyst Lentil Lampwork Beads by DerondaDesigns

Sometimes I blog a lot, and then I get busy and forget...now that you have reminded me, i will probably blog soon. It'sderondadesigns.blogspot.com/

I do the FB thing: http://www.facebook.com/deronda.designs and you know that I am an addicted Plurker: http://www.plurk.com/Deronda

Her beads are incredible...I happen to have purchased the above beads, but you can find many more in her shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DerondaDesigns
Have a great day!

New on Tuesday: New Earrings!

Black Lanterns Copper Hammered Drop Earrings

As promised, here are a few of the newest earrings in my shop on Etsy! Click on the photos to go to the site and get all the details!
Above are the Black Lanterns Copper Hammered Drop Earrings, just added to my shop today! Sexy, shiny and full of swing, it's no wonder that these earrings are one of my best sellers! Also available in Gold (below) and I have another, similar pair in sterling silver that are awaiting photographs.

Black Lanterns Gold Hammered Drop Earrings

I also make them with different dangling beads: crystals, crystal pearls, and gemstone beads. If you would like something custom made, just contact me!

Long, dangling earrings are very in style right now, as is evidenced by just about every star wearing some form of long, graceful earring.

Jessica Gold Treble Clef Celtic Swirl Earrings

 Back in stock are the Celtic Swirl Treble Clef Earrings. I make them in 14 karat gold filled wire (above), sterling silver (below) and copper with sterling silver ear wires, though they are waiting for photographs.

 These are very light and graceful, and wear well with jeans, as well as a nice dress (great for date-night!).

Jessica Sterling Silver Treble Clef Celtic Swirl Earrings

Please visit my shop on Etsy to see these, and more fabulous pieces of jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleStudioJewels

Tuesday's Treasures: Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

Today is such a treat, I've been waiting to unveil this little beauty for over 2 weeks! This is the newest necklace for my NeoAmour designer collection. It is inspired by the enigmatic Cleopatra, ruler of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians are very well known for their beautiful ancient jewelry - many pieces are found to have multiple strands, along with talismans and decorative pendants (seems they were quite ahead of the times in more than just architecture). Jewelry is depicted on many of the ancient tombs. It was a symbol of power, wealth and standing, and Cleopatra's jewelry would have been no different.

This necklace started out with this dramatic and unique focal bead, purchased from Louise of Fireseed (http://www.fireseed.etsy.com). She makes the most amazing beads, and I usually have a hard time sticking to a set spending limit (but it is ALWAYS worth going over budget to get her beads!!). I saw this incredible goddess bead over a year ago and fell in love with it, though I didn't quite know what to do with it until chance brought a few bags of stone beads and the pendant bead all in the same place at the same time. 

I started doing inventory in December (I still haven't finished, don't remind me, haha!), and as I pulled out a few bags of beads to count, they spilled into each other. I was about to curse when I took a second look and, well, Eureka! is the word that comes to mind now. A vibrant mix of turquoise, amber, lapis lazuli (Cleopatra used to grind up lapis lazuli to use as her eye makeup!), black Czech glass beads and brass-plated pewter findings all came together to create this 3-strand masterpiece.

I had been reading a brief history of Cleopatra and was thinking how brave she must have been to have accomplished everything she did. I wanted to make a necklace that would show her love of her country, her bravery, yet also show her vulnerable side. These beads spoke to me and said, "Make us into something Cleopatra would have loved..."

Cleopatra's history is long and the accounts vary depending on who does the telling - many were simply trying to discredit her for their own ends, as was (and is) common. Many said that she was an evil seductress. More likely is that she was a powerful, intelligent woman trying to find a powerful, intelligent man to help her stabilize her rule in a very unstable time.

Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

The goddess has always been a symbol of femininity and fertility, and I thought that this would be a perfect fit in a necklace for a young Cleopatra. By the time she was eighteen, she had witnessed her two sisters assassinations (they had each tried to take the throne from their father), her father's death, the decline of the Egyptian empire into perilous debt to Rome (thanks to her father) and had been forced to marry her own 12 year old brother. When Caesar came to Egypt to try to sort out Egypt's problems, I can see Cleopatra wearing a necklace like this to symbolize her fertility and womanhood. At that time, one of the only ways to stay safe on her throne would be to have outside help, and a strong man like Caesar would have been just the person to help her (he did, and she had his son, Cesarion).

This is a one of a kind necklace. I can never get the exact same goddess bead again, so if you like this necklace, please get it while you can.

This necklace is now available for sale on my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleStudioJewels?ref=si_shop. Please take a look and get it while you can. I may have enough beads to make a matching necklace or earrings, please contact me if you are interested.

Tuesday's Treasures - Newest Necklace Inspired by Boudica

Lamp Work Glass Boudica Celtic Sea Necklace, From my NeoAmour Collection

I am so thrilled to show you my latest necklace today, as today is Tuesday's Treasures, where I will aim to show you one completed jewelry piece per week. This necklace has been in the works for quite some time; almost a year, as that was when I bought this beautiful focal bead from my friend, incredible lamp work glass artist Louise, from Fireseed . It is a special bead, being one of a kind, and I knew it needed special treatment to do it justice. It took a while, but this is the fantastic result (if I do say so myself!).

Inspired by Boudica and the Ancient British Seas

I've long been inspired by the ancient Celts, as I've spoken about many times here on this blog, and beyond. When I recently took this bead out again and started turning it over in my hand, I was immediately reminded of the sea. I love the colors in this bead, as they are so vibrant yet still manage to be natural. I love how Louise managed to get so many different shades of brown, topaz, silver, black and blue into one bead, yet the whole bead does not look too busy. In fact, as I looked at it, I thought of the ancient English sea.

Simple, Yet Bold

Thinking of the ancient English sea, with its white foam, sandy stones and beaches, and vibrant blue of water and sky, I was suddenly, clearly inspired to create this necklace. I thought of, long ago, a young Celtic warrior Queen, Boudicca, as she prepared to take on the Roman Empire. She knew how important reserve forces would be for the Romans as they came over the channel from the Roman empire to Britain. I could see her planning her strategic attacks on British soil, against the usurping Romans, and thinking of how quickly reinforcements would come over the sea if the battles lasted too long.

This necklace was created for her. I used the stunning bead Louise had made, and then created a hand-blended mix of glass seed beads in shades to complement the focal bead. This necklace was made in a lariat-style so that you can wear it either choker style, with the bead hanging farther down your chest, or looser, with the pendant closer to your neck, depending on what you're wearing and how you like to wear your necklaces.

Please visit my Etsy shop to see the necklace here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90201685/lamp-work-glass-boudica-celtic-sea and please let me know what you think!

For more stunning glass beads by Louise, please visit her Etsy store here: http://www.fireseed.etsy.com
or her website here: http://www.fireseed.ca

Have a great day,

Friday Favorites, May 20 Spring Vessels

'Friday Favorites May 19 Spring Vessels' by LittleStudioJewels

A collection of my favorite vessels - anything that holds something - all in spring colors of greens and pinks. Enjoy!

Delila Bag - Garden Mum... annyandme $68.00	Lace Heart Ring Holder ... LennyMud $10.00
Personal teapot Hodakapottery $100.00	Kawaii Cinderella Fabri... blota $24.00
Printable Posh Dots Bal... ThePoshEvent $3.50	Damask Floral Pitcher -... JosiesPotShop $150.00
Michelle Bag handmade w... aggieray $57.50	Anxiously Awaiting Spri... PoFu $55.00
Fill me up Butter cup Eclecticclaywo... $52.00	iPad Tablet Case with P... BearStitches $50.00
Hand Painted Wine Glass... decouverre $75.00	Ready to ship...Sweet a... bayousalvage $54.00
Pillow Shaped treasure ... Creativewithcl... $48.00	The Versailles Collecti... CarolynPayne $80.00
Big Toile Travel Bowl doggydetail $12.00	One 16 oz Personalized ... TwistedRiverCl... $22.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

So I am rather redfaced to realize that I dated my latest treasury incorrectly. It SHOULD read May 20, but I typed May 19. Doh! Anyway, these are a few of my favorites in spring colors, but only things that hold other things, you know, vessels :) I love the beautiful ceramics, the wonderfully patterned fabrics, and the incredible talent that went into making each and every item.

Here is the link, just in case the image above doesn't link properly: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd5b86bb3396d911559e311/friday-favorites-may-19-spring-vessels

Please comment and click on the items to give them some love. See you tomorrow for some Squee of Etsy!

New Photo, Pledge Update and Glass Bead Demo!

Here is another photo of our rings - yes I had sapphire blue nail polish - I couldn't just go with traditional French, lol!

As for my Chatelaine pledge: Yesterday evening I rode my stationary bike for 30 minutes, and then did 40 minutes of yoga - feeling some serious exercise bliss and so proud that I did it instead of watching a movie and probably eating mindlessly (even if it is usually healthy stuff, it is still mindless eating - and I avoided it!). Woot!

Tomorrow I am going to watch a glass bead making demo with my friend Louise from Fireseed - we are going in together to see a woman make glass beads that look like the inside of an aquarium. I can't wait to see the demo! I am going to try to remember my camera to take some photos for you all :)

Have a great weekend!

Fabulous Friday: New Bracelet!

Wow, where did Thursday go? I know I was busy cleaning the house and doing yet more holiday baking, but to miss a blog post?? I'm very sorry! I was also working on this beautiful new Viking Weave bracelet...maybe that is where the time went.
I do apologize for the rather crummy photos, but I will have this listed with better photos very soon. I used a beautiful round lamp work glass bead by my favorite glass artist, Louise Ingram of Fireseed. I wanted to complement the 15 feet of sterling silver wire that I carefully wove into this gorgeous Viking weave bracelet, and this big, heavy bead was the perfect match. It does make the bracelet a little top heavy, but it will be perfect for someone who likes to play with their jewelry when it is on...like me! Okay, I will list this for sale, but I do like it an awful lot...
I also hand forged a sterling silver "S" clasp and attached two silver plate jump rings to attach it. All in all, this is a soft, heavy, gorgeous piece and I hope you like it. I can't wait for it to find its forever home :)

Have a great Friday,

Soulful Sunday: Keep the Cats Away From Your Monitors...

From http://icanhascheezburger.com/ I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I saw this...one of those, "It's funny because it's true" sort of things. Just don't use those cupcake wrappers when the hamster's done with them...no, those aren't raisins (ewwwww).

In other news, I visited the Ottawa Glass Bead Artists Show in Ottawa yesterday and had an absolute BLAST!! SOOOO many amazing artists, including a friend of mine, were showing some incredible beads that weren't so much beads as miniature works of art. I'm waiting on permission from a photo so I'll post all about it when I get the permission.

That is all for now, I hope you have a relaxing Sunday. I am going to bake cookies, make cupcakes to get ready for a cooking class, bathe the dog and maybe, just maybe, get some crocheting in there :)

NeoAmour - Boudicca's Heart Necklace

~NeoAmour Boudicca's Heart Celtic Heart Copper Necklace Closeup~

~NeoAmour Boudicca's Heart Celtic Heart Copper Necklace~

I created this necklace after being inspired by a movie. What the movie was I can't for the life of me remember, but this necklace was the wonderful product. I am always inspired by the Celts, and Boudicca the Celtic Warrior Queen is one of those people that, despite the totally oral nature of her culture (she had to be recorded by the Romans, certainly no mean feat), has been remembered for the last 1700 years due to her sheer will and determination, and yes, great love of her people.
Made a Regent Queen after her husband died, she was thrust into power in a time when (though the Celts allowed women rulers) women were NOT to be in power according to the Romans, the largest threat to the Celts at that time. They actually believed that the fact that Celts allowed women to rule made the Celtic people more barbarous than ever! The Romans came, publicly beat Boudicca, raped her daughters in front of her, took her husband's belongings, tried to take her tribe's lands, and attempted to force the Celts to become slaves for the Romans.
Boudicca had other ideas.
Outraged at these atrocities, she fought back, winning a few major (and very bloody) victories before the Romans finally conquered her tribe, and left her to fade into obscurity. No one knows what happened to her, but I can imagine that after all of this heartache, she would have welcomed a life in the background.
I thought of her courage and decided to make a necklace made of hand formed hearts. I took copper wire and cut it into 21- 4 inch sections, then hand formed each section into a Celtic styled heart. I then hammered them flat to give them a slight luster finish and durability. To connect them I used silver rings and made a custom hook and eye clasp from sterling silver wire to connect it. For a final finish I attached Czech glass beads in a black dagger shape to dangle from a few of the hearts - as a tribute to her final 'heartache' at not being able to save her culture from the invading Romans.
This piece is currently for sale on my Etsy store, under the NeoAmour Boudicca Celtic section. I am able to lengthen or shorten the necklace if you desire, and I can also remove the dangles if you would prefer. I can even make it out of sterling silver wire, or 14karat gold filled wire, all you have to do is ask :)
Thanks for joining my time-travel adventures today!