Handmade Monday: Recent jewellery makes and bag charms, more bag charms!

Poor neglected blog.  Not sure why I haven't been posting, I have been busy making and listing, and have had a few sales on Etsy (and one on Folksy) which is always good for morale. I treated myself to a new gizmo - the 'deluxe' version with five different thicknesses of coiler, so had some fun with coiled wire jewellery. 

Wire coiled gizmo bracelet

This bracelet has double coiled 'beads' with pink crackle agate and smoky quartz cubes.  It's a bit of a big statement piece, but I'm very pleased with it.

Coiled wire earrings

The earrings are a bit more manageable for everyday wear, and they've been nicknamed 'Around the Globe' because the mosaic turquoise stones look just like a map of the world!

Ancient world bag charm

Meanwhile, I've been having an ancient world inspired season.  This bag charm with the lovely yellow and green agate vase bead sold on Etsy for a mother's day present. 

And this charm bracelet has a similar feel about it, I think.  So many of my creations these days look like they could have been dug up - perhaps I should bury a few in the back garden!!

Love knot bracelet

Finished off this love knot bracelet - the matching earrings sold so this is the last in the series.

Flower necklace

And finally, a little flower wire woven with tiny pearls and pale blue sari silk necklace.















Hope you like the creations.  Let me know if you have a favourite.

Here's the link to see what other crafty folk have been making this week.

Handmade Monday: Poppies, gizmos and more wire work

Are you bored with the wire work yet?  I know I keep posting about it but I can't get enough of it.  This week I finished this set where each bead is caged in twisted wire.  I hand twisted the wire (me and power tools would be a dangerous combination!) and the spirals so the set literally took hours.  Decided not to sell them as the time they took would make them so expensive, and there's always a chance that the twisted wire might snap on knitwear - I wouldn't want to be responsible for ruining someones warm woollen sweater!  Those are just excuses because I want to wear the set myself ;-)  I did make an extra pair of earrings - they'll be going in the shop soon.

Also this week, I invested in a wire coiling gizmo machine.  What an excellent toy!  I can now waste hours at the table turning the handle until I'm mesmerised!  The first real results are these earrings.  I thought the coiled wire looked a bit festive, so I added ruby and green chrysocolla rondelles.  What do you think?

I always like to support the poppy appeal, but at the moment haven't ventured into brooches.  So thinking outside the box, I had a go at some poppy earrings in ruby red jade, onyx and emerald.  They don't lie flat - naughty little gemstones! - but that does give them a quirky little 3D feel!  There's a donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal with each purchase too, so you can wear these poppies with pride.  Why have one poppy when you can have two?!

Quite a busy week, and I managed to fit in a project management exam as well.  Actually most of these makes were a diversion from revising for that exam if I'm honest.  So if I haven't passed, at least I have something to show for it!!!


Here's the link to see what others handmade crafters have been doing this week.