This mixed metal gold and silver triangle bracelet is an example of an experiment gone right. I've written about many failed attempts to make certain things, but in this case, this bracelet came out better than I anticipated.
I knew from the start that I liked triangle patterns and wanted to do something mixing gold and silver. However, I wanted to try an off-kilter design and decided to see what would happen if I made each triangle link progressively larger than the last. Know what? It ended up looking cool! It looks a little like a modern sculpture and well, that's what I want my jewelry to be: wearable art.
In other news, I now have a Facebook fan page, so if you like my work, please "like" Naomi's Designs on FB. Also, I'm starting to gear up for craft show season. My goal is to do four or five this year to see how well I do at them. So far, I have shows lined up for April 3 and May 1. The April show is going to be particularly sweet for me because last April 1 was the day I broke my leg and last April 3 was the day that the orthopedist popped my bone back into place. Owwwwwww!!! So it's kind of cool to know that a year after being in the worst pain I've ever been in, I'm going to be doing something new and fun and interesting. I know it seems odd to connect my jewelry making to my broken leg, but I had a chance to make a lot of jewelry while I was laid up! Plus, I have metal plates and pins in my leg, so I come with my own "hardware," LOL.
In all seriousness, I'm really excited about doing these shows. You just never know where life might take you. I definitely didn't expect to get injured last year, nor did I expect to be selling jewelry at craft fairs only a year later.
To see or purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
The stories behind my jewelry pieces and jewelry-making adventures.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Gold bangle bracelet with green crystals
Whenever I make a new piece of jewelry, I like to experiment with interesting color combinations. One of my favorite ways to do this is to simply take colors from the same family and mix them. When I was a kid, I used to like to do this with paint cards when my parents were at the store choosing wallpaper. It amazed me to see just how many shades of purple or blue or even white even exist. We may only see seven colors in a rainbow, but there are probably millions of colors between each band.
For this bracelet, I went with a green theme. I'd gotten new gold wire that I'd never worked with before -- 16 gauge square -- and really liked the combination of the yellow with green. But I didn't just want to go with one sjade of green, so I went for several and chose crystals of forest green, kelly green, grass green, yellow green... you get the idea. I then made a simple bangle bracelet, alternating the green cubes, but in the end, they look like one unit.
Though I'm not Irish, I'll probably wear this for St. Patrick's day this year because this bracelet is the perfect accessory to wear when welcoming the spring. And remember, when looking at a color, note that there's more to it than meets the eye.
To see or purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
For this bracelet, I went with a green theme. I'd gotten new gold wire that I'd never worked with before -- 16 gauge square -- and really liked the combination of the yellow with green. But I didn't just want to go with one sjade of green, so I went for several and chose crystals of forest green, kelly green, grass green, yellow green... you get the idea. I then made a simple bangle bracelet, alternating the green cubes, but in the end, they look like one unit.
Though I'm not Irish, I'll probably wear this for St. Patrick's day this year because this bracelet is the perfect accessory to wear when welcoming the spring. And remember, when looking at a color, note that there's more to it than meets the eye.
To see or purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wire wrapped pink coral earrings
I first saw coral in its natural state when I was in Australia. Up until then, I'd seen it in aquariums, but it was a whole different experience when I went swimming in the Great Barrier Reef. It was amazing! The coral came in so many colors that it looked as if there were a garden beneath the sea.
That said, I was very excited to get my shipment of coral nuggets and had visions of creating "Enchanment Under The Sea" necklaces and whatnot. Unfortunately, the nuggets turned out to be not the most attractive things. They were, well, nuggets ... that happened to be made out of coral.
First, I tried to make a bracelet out of them, but they were so bulky that my piece looked like something that Wilma Flinstone would wear. I then decided to experiment with some wire wrapping. I figued that brass would look good against the pink and you know what? After I did some work, the coral actually looked pretty cool. I twisted the wire into a spiral design because I wanted to make it look a little like a conch shell. I then finished them off with brass wire hooks.
In making jewelry, I've collected a lot of failed experiments. Sometimes, though, it's worth it to try a new technique!
To see or purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
That said, I was very excited to get my shipment of coral nuggets and had visions of creating "Enchanment Under The Sea" necklaces and whatnot. Unfortunately, the nuggets turned out to be not the most attractive things. They were, well, nuggets ... that happened to be made out of coral.
First, I tried to make a bracelet out of them, but they were so bulky that my piece looked like something that Wilma Flinstone would wear. I then decided to experiment with some wire wrapping. I figued that brass would look good against the pink and you know what? After I did some work, the coral actually looked pretty cool. I twisted the wire into a spiral design because I wanted to make it look a little like a conch shell. I then finished them off with brass wire hooks.
In making jewelry, I've collected a lot of failed experiments. Sometimes, though, it's worth it to try a new technique!
To see or purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Silver necklace with red Swarovski crystal hearts
I wasn't kidding when I said I've been on a Swarovski hearts bender! Here's another one of my designs featuring these little beauties. I wanted to do something classic so I chose the red hearts -- that's about as traditional as you can get. I then attached them to a simple lattice design and finished off the necklace with a silver chain.
Much as I like hearts, though, let me clarify something: I'm not a sappy romantic. Not that there's anything wrong with being one, but I've never been a "hearts and flowers" girl. While I enjoy getting flowers and jewelry from my husband, I don't make a big deal out of it. Frankly, I like making my own jewelry better!
I do like beautiful things, though, and love the simple perfection of the heart shape. Hearts look good with everything. Plus, it DOES have a nice message attached, which is icing on the cake. So even though I may not be the most romantic person around, I'm still happy to spread some love.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Much as I like hearts, though, let me clarify something: I'm not a sappy romantic. Not that there's anything wrong with being one, but I've never been a "hearts and flowers" girl. While I enjoy getting flowers and jewelry from my husband, I don't make a big deal out of it. Frankly, I like making my own jewelry better!
I do like beautiful things, though, and love the simple perfection of the heart shape. Hearts look good with everything. Plus, it DOES have a nice message attached, which is icing on the cake. So even though I may not be the most romantic person around, I'm still happy to spread some love.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Triple heart silver chandelier earrings with amethyst Swarovski crystal hearts
Purple is onw of my favorite colosr, especially since my birthday is in February and my birthstone is the amethyst. I still love this stone and think that an amethyst looks beautiful in any form.
I really like heart-shaped things, though, so it's no surprise that I adore these amethyst Swarovski crystal hearts. I wanted to do something special with them, something that would show off their beauty.
I finally decided to build a chandelier earring around them. I wanted to make an interestinf spiral design with the silver wire, but something different than what I've done before. I've used the lattice design many times and while it's beautiful, I felt that I needed to branch out. I eventually came up with this curly-cue pattern that's slightly askew, but has interesting angles. I then hung three crystal hearts -- two amethyst and one lavender -- on each earring. It ended up looking really cool, especially when I tried on the earrings. Though my hair was a mess and I wasn't wearing any makeup, I looked fancy. Let's just call them miracle earrings!
As you'll see from my upcoming posts, I went on a bit of a Swarovski crystl heart "bender" this weekend, but you have to love the materials that you're working with. Part of the reason why these pieces turned out so well was because I believed from the start that they'd look good. And they do!
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
I really like heart-shaped things, though, so it's no surprise that I adore these amethyst Swarovski crystal hearts. I wanted to do something special with them, something that would show off their beauty.
I finally decided to build a chandelier earring around them. I wanted to make an interestinf spiral design with the silver wire, but something different than what I've done before. I've used the lattice design many times and while it's beautiful, I felt that I needed to branch out. I eventually came up with this curly-cue pattern that's slightly askew, but has interesting angles. I then hung three crystal hearts -- two amethyst and one lavender -- on each earring. It ended up looking really cool, especially when I tried on the earrings. Though my hair was a mess and I wasn't wearing any makeup, I looked fancy. Let's just call them miracle earrings!
As you'll see from my upcoming posts, I went on a bit of a Swarovski crystl heart "bender" this weekend, but you have to love the materials that you're working with. Part of the reason why these pieces turned out so well was because I believed from the start that they'd look good. And they do!
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Silver necklace with green Swarovski crystal hearts
I'm in love -- with Swarovski crystal hearts, that is. I got a bunch of these little guys on sale a while back and think they're so, so pretty. I love heart-shaped gems, anyway, but seeing them in all of these different, shiny colors just about sent me over the edge.
I've been waiting to get the right inspiration when it came to designing with these Swarovski hearts. I didn't want to just hang them on a wire and call it a day; I wanted to do something special with them. I'd already designed a multi-colored cuff bracelet with them, but looked forward to coming up with more great ideas.
This particular necklace came about due to me wishing it were spring. This winter has been terrible, because of the snow and multiple colds for me, so I'm longing for some warm days ahead. To me, spring is a happy season filled with sunshine, flowers and a lot of green. That said, this necklace with the light green hearts represents my love - heh -- of nature and of things coming back to life after a long winter.
To make the necklace, I used 18 gauge silver wire and twisted it into a simple vine shape. I originally wanted to make an entire necklace out of the vine pattern, but it kept getting tangled and looked more like poison ivy than a beautiful, winding leaf. I nixed that idea and went with a simpler version of the design; I then hung five green Swarovski crystal heart "leaves" onto the vine. The end result is that it looks like a tree is just starting to bloom.
This spring, I have a lot to look forward to -- my wedding anniversary, a trip to Greece, long days outdoors. This necklace celebrates that.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
I've been waiting to get the right inspiration when it came to designing with these Swarovski hearts. I didn't want to just hang them on a wire and call it a day; I wanted to do something special with them. I'd already designed a multi-colored cuff bracelet with them, but looked forward to coming up with more great ideas.
This particular necklace came about due to me wishing it were spring. This winter has been terrible, because of the snow and multiple colds for me, so I'm longing for some warm days ahead. To me, spring is a happy season filled with sunshine, flowers and a lot of green. That said, this necklace with the light green hearts represents my love - heh -- of nature and of things coming back to life after a long winter.
To make the necklace, I used 18 gauge silver wire and twisted it into a simple vine shape. I originally wanted to make an entire necklace out of the vine pattern, but it kept getting tangled and looked more like poison ivy than a beautiful, winding leaf. I nixed that idea and went with a simpler version of the design; I then hung five green Swarovski crystal heart "leaves" onto the vine. The end result is that it looks like a tree is just starting to bloom.
This spring, I have a lot to look forward to -- my wedding anniversary, a trip to Greece, long days outdoors. This necklace celebrates that.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Silver and Swarovski crystal wire bangle bracelet
It's hard to go wrong when combining silver and clear Swarovski crystals, but there were some challenges involved in making this bangle bracelet.
For starters I decided to experiment and use a softer wire than what I normally use. Most of the time I work with 14-18 gauge wire and then use softer wires (22-28 gauge) for wrapping purposes. However, I envisioned a bracelet that was very thin and delicate and went with 22 gauge. It held up a lot better than I expected, but I then had to deal with the round Swarovski crystals. Most of my other bracelets contain square or faceted crystals, which are easy to work with; they stay in place and you just shape the wire around them. But the round crystals kept spinning and moving, and wouldn't stay in place. I finally gave up and secured them as much as I could, but still let them have some "spin."
Overall, I like how delicate this bracelet is. It's not too chunky and because it has the crystals woven into it, isn't too thin either. Since it's silver and the crystals are clear, it will match pretty much anything; this is the perfect type of bracelet to wear with a stack of other bangles.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
For starters I decided to experiment and use a softer wire than what I normally use. Most of the time I work with 14-18 gauge wire and then use softer wires (22-28 gauge) for wrapping purposes. However, I envisioned a bracelet that was very thin and delicate and went with 22 gauge. It held up a lot better than I expected, but I then had to deal with the round Swarovski crystals. Most of my other bracelets contain square or faceted crystals, which are easy to work with; they stay in place and you just shape the wire around them. But the round crystals kept spinning and moving, and wouldn't stay in place. I finally gave up and secured them as much as I could, but still let them have some "spin."
Overall, I like how delicate this bracelet is. It's not too chunky and because it has the crystals woven into it, isn't too thin either. Since it's silver and the crystals are clear, it will match pretty much anything; this is the perfect type of bracelet to wear with a stack of other bangles.
To see or purchase more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Silver spiral earrings with green and yellow Swarovski crystals
The spiral is one of the basic shapes you should know if you're going to be a wire artist, but more than that, it's beautiful to look at. Think of how many things in nature are a spiral: the inside of a shell, a galaxy, a hurricane. I love the infinite nature of it, how you can keep going around and around, but the circle doesn't really end.
I wanted to do something simple with the spiral where this would be the primary shape in the piece of jewelry, so I decided to just go with single spiral earrings. However, I didn't want them to be plain silver, so I added a couple of Swarovski crystals to each. I really love blue, but I went with a variant on it, using green and yellow instead. I like the warm, bright colors and think they add just enough flash to the earrings.
To see or purchase more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
I wanted to do something simple with the spiral where this would be the primary shape in the piece of jewelry, so I decided to just go with single spiral earrings. However, I didn't want them to be plain silver, so I added a couple of Swarovski crystals to each. I really love blue, but I went with a variant on it, using green and yellow instead. I like the warm, bright colors and think they add just enough flash to the earrings.
To see or purchase more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Sterling silver necklace pendant in a zig zag design
When it comes to actually wearing jewelry, I'm sort of a minimalist. I'm not a big fan of necklaces that have rows and rows of pearls and diamonds, or just too many things on them. I like my eye to go right to the focal point of the piece.
This is why so many of my handcrafted items are so simple. I'll use only one or two elements so that each element gets the chance to be front and center.
That said, I do like pieces that are unique and even when I'm making something simple, I like to do something interesting. Whenever I work with a metal, like silver or gold, I treat it like a sculpture and see what kind of cool shape I can come up with. Often the metal does the "talking" and the end result is a surprise to me!
This zig zag pendant is made with 14 gauge sterling silver wire and a black silk cord. That's it. But 14 gauge wire is so thick and tough that you're basically working with a sheet of metal. There is some labor involved in bending it into something presentable, then hammering and polishing it. I've never seen myself as the type of girl who'd work with hand tools, but hammering metal is very satisfying!
Some jewelry makers like to hammer wire until it's flat, but I just kind of gently bang it to give it some texture. There's really not a "correct" way to do it; it depends on what you want the end piece to look like. I'd wear this piece with pride, though, so I'm pleased with the result.
To see or purchase my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
This is why so many of my handcrafted items are so simple. I'll use only one or two elements so that each element gets the chance to be front and center.
That said, I do like pieces that are unique and even when I'm making something simple, I like to do something interesting. Whenever I work with a metal, like silver or gold, I treat it like a sculpture and see what kind of cool shape I can come up with. Often the metal does the "talking" and the end result is a surprise to me!
This zig zag pendant is made with 14 gauge sterling silver wire and a black silk cord. That's it. But 14 gauge wire is so thick and tough that you're basically working with a sheet of metal. There is some labor involved in bending it into something presentable, then hammering and polishing it. I've never seen myself as the type of girl who'd work with hand tools, but hammering metal is very satisfying!
Some jewelry makers like to hammer wire until it's flat, but I just kind of gently bang it to give it some texture. There's really not a "correct" way to do it; it depends on what you want the end piece to look like. I'd wear this piece with pride, though, so I'm pleased with the result.
To see or purchase my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sterling silver necklace with yellow crystals
I've never been gung ho about diamonds; in fact, my engagement ring has an emerald in it. However, I really like the look of yellow diamonds, especially when they're paired with silver. Silver and yellow don't seem like two colors that would go well together, but they really do.
Obviously, yellow diamonds cost a fortune, so I went for the next best thing: yellow crystals. I then brainstormed some ways that I could highlight them in a piece of jewelry.
I ended up creating this necklace with 16 gauge silver wire and yellow crystals. I wanted to do something unusual so I created this abstract squarish design. Since the crystals are round, I like the way they look against the sharp angles of the wire. I then added a long centerpiece onto the necklace, which is simply a string of the yellow crystals. It gives the necklace some depth and balance.
To me, yellow is a "happy" color, representing sunshine, daisies, warmth. I hope that this necklace radiates all of these good feelings.
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Obviously, yellow diamonds cost a fortune, so I went for the next best thing: yellow crystals. I then brainstormed some ways that I could highlight them in a piece of jewelry.
I ended up creating this necklace with 16 gauge silver wire and yellow crystals. I wanted to do something unusual so I created this abstract squarish design. Since the crystals are round, I like the way they look against the sharp angles of the wire. I then added a long centerpiece onto the necklace, which is simply a string of the yellow crystals. It gives the necklace some depth and balance.
To me, yellow is a "happy" color, representing sunshine, daisies, warmth. I hope that this necklace radiates all of these good feelings.
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Silver bracelet with crystals and spirals
First up, good news! I made my first sale online! Now I hope the purchaser likes my item and wears it well. While it's nice to make money from online ventures, honestly, I'm not planning to be a millionaire (though that would be nice). It's more about the idea of people willing to pay me for my art. It's flattering when people want to buy your work and then show it off.
And now on to today's featured item ... my silver geometric bracelet with crystals and spirals. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this, but I wanted to make something unique and funky. At the time, I was playing around with different shapes and wanted to see how they could be combined. I twisted wire into a spiral and triangle design and liked how it looked, so I made some more links, added some crystals and voila! This bracelet was born.
One of the things about jewelry that can be so overwhelming is that there are SO many possibilities. Whenever I see beads I like, I get a million ideas about what to do with them. This is why I'm always challenging myself to make unusual designs and use odd color combos. I want to push the envelope a bit with my jewelry and I think I succeeded with this bracelet.
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
And now on to today's featured item ... my silver geometric bracelet with crystals and spirals. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this, but I wanted to make something unique and funky. At the time, I was playing around with different shapes and wanted to see how they could be combined. I twisted wire into a spiral and triangle design and liked how it looked, so I made some more links, added some crystals and voila! This bracelet was born.
One of the things about jewelry that can be so overwhelming is that there are SO many possibilities. Whenever I see beads I like, I get a million ideas about what to do with them. This is why I'm always challenging myself to make unusual designs and use odd color combos. I want to push the envelope a bit with my jewelry and I think I succeeded with this bracelet.
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Silver wire bracelet with Swarovski crystal hearts
First up, some good news! I received my packet to sign up for what will be my first craft fair this May! I'm very excited about this and hope that it will be a beautiful day outside. While I'm, of course, looking forward to selling my jewelry in person, I'm also anxious to meet new people and see what the other artists are selling. I've always had a lot of respect for the artists who participated in fairs, so now it's kind of surreal knowing that I'm going to be one of them.
As for my jewelry du jour, this Swarovski heart bracelet came together as a result of another bracelet that turned out to be a disaster. I love heart-shaped things so I purchased these Swarovski crystal hearts on sale in bulk. Unfortunately, they're not drilled top-to-bottom or side-to-side as many beads are; instead, they're drilled front-to-back at the very top of the crystal, meaning that it's kind of difficult to string them.
My original plan was to make a silver bangle bracelet and then wire wrap the hearts around the outside of the frame. This didn't work. No matter how tightly I wrapped the wire, the hearts were sticking out at weird angles or slipping off the wire .... the project was completely messed up.
I realized that the best way to showcase the hearts was to just let them dangle from a piece. That said, I created one of my favorite patterns, the nine-loop lattice and strung the hearts along the bottom. The bracelet was looking a little bare, though, so I added some matching Swaorvski crystal bicones to give it more color. In the end, this turned into a really cool-looking, fun bracelet.
I still have dozens of these hearts, so I'm trying to decide what to do with them. A matching earring and necklace set might be next...
To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
As for my jewelry du jour, this Swarovski heart bracelet came together as a result of another bracelet that turned out to be a disaster. I love heart-shaped things so I purchased these Swarovski crystal hearts on sale in bulk. Unfortunately, they're not drilled top-to-bottom or side-to-side as many beads are; instead, they're drilled front-to-back at the very top of the crystal, meaning that it's kind of difficult to string them.
My original plan was to make a silver bangle bracelet and then wire wrap the hearts around the outside of the frame. This didn't work. No matter how tightly I wrapped the wire, the hearts were sticking out at weird angles or slipping off the wire .... the project was completely messed up.
I realized that the best way to showcase the hearts was to just let them dangle from a piece. That said, I created one of my favorite patterns, the nine-loop lattice and strung the hearts along the bottom. The bracelet was looking a little bare, though, so I added some matching Swaorvski crystal bicones to give it more color. In the end, this turned into a really cool-looking, fun bracelet.
I still have dozens of these hearts, so I'm trying to decide what to do with them. A matching earring and necklace set might be next...
To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Silver wire bracelet with turquoise beads
Okay, so I'm finally going to talk about the piece that's featured in the huge photo on my blog's home page. That's my very cool pentagon bracelet.
When I was teaching myself how to make spirals, squares and triangles, I wanted to see if I could try a more complicated shape. I successfully made a pentagon and just thought that it looks cool, kind of like a rose. That said, I decided to make an entire bracelet featuring them. I like the way that silver and blue look together, so I added the turquoise beads as an accent.
I used 20 gauge wire for this, but my next challenge is to see what kind of shapes I can make with a tougher gauge. That's what I love about making jewelry; there's always something new to experiment with!
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
When I was teaching myself how to make spirals, squares and triangles, I wanted to see if I could try a more complicated shape. I successfully made a pentagon and just thought that it looks cool, kind of like a rose. That said, I decided to make an entire bracelet featuring them. I like the way that silver and blue look together, so I added the turquoise beads as an accent.
I used 20 gauge wire for this, but my next challenge is to see what kind of shapes I can make with a tougher gauge. That's what I love about making jewelry; there's always something new to experiment with!
To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Silver wire bangle bracelet with square purple crystals
When I was in the second grade (this would've been in the '80s), purple was my very favorite color. I had purple headbands, purple pencils and entire outfits that were purple. They even had a store dedicated to all things purple at South Street Seaport; there, my parents bought me a purple mug and a purple set of erasers.
These days, my favorite color is actually blue, but I still like purple when it's used appropriately. I fell in love with these purple crystals; seeing all of the different shades like lilac, violet and lavender took me right back to my childhood.
I've been on a bangle bracelet kick for a while now, and let me tell you, that are not easy to make. You have to line up the pieces of wire and make sure that they don't get tangled. Then you have to make sure that the crystals are framed well. I love how this came out, though, and how all of the purples work together to create one unit. Looking at this bracelet makes me happy because it reminds me that spring is coming. Just like the purple crocuses would work their way out of the ground in March, this bracelet is a reminder that these long days of winter will soon be gone.
To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
These days, my favorite color is actually blue, but I still like purple when it's used appropriately. I fell in love with these purple crystals; seeing all of the different shades like lilac, violet and lavender took me right back to my childhood.
I've been on a bangle bracelet kick for a while now, and let me tell you, that are not easy to make. You have to line up the pieces of wire and make sure that they don't get tangled. Then you have to make sure that the crystals are framed well. I love how this came out, though, and how all of the purples work together to create one unit. Looking at this bracelet makes me happy because it reminds me that spring is coming. Just like the purple crocuses would work their way out of the ground in March, this bracelet is a reminder that these long days of winter will soon be gone.
To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Giant silver hoop earrings
Sometimes less is more, as is the case with these giant silver hoop earrings. I got the inspiration to make these when I had only a little bit of 14 gauge wire left and I wasn't sure what to do with it. Part of the wire was already bent in a teardrop shape, so I continued with that and came up with this cool earring design. When I tried them on, I loved them. They look very funky and very '80s, and remind me of something I would've orn in my youth.
Though a lot of my pieces are embellished with crystals or pearls, I decided to leave these bare. They're already large and have an interesting shape, so nothing else is needed to dress them up. Trust me, they will get noticed when you wear them! I think hoops are a classic kind of earring that will always be in style. These are modern, but also reflect a past era, so in that way, they're timeless.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Though a lot of my pieces are embellished with crystals or pearls, I decided to leave these bare. They're already large and have an interesting shape, so nothing else is needed to dress them up. Trust me, they will get noticed when you wear them! I think hoops are a classic kind of earring that will always be in style. These are modern, but also reflect a past era, so in that way, they're timeless.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Brass and lattice garnet wire earrings
I originally designed these brass and lattice garnet wire earrings for a princess. That's not a figurative princess, either; we know a young woman who is royalty is Nigeria. I made her a pair of these earrings for Christmas and chose these colors because she looks amazing in jewel tones, like deep red. She loved them and has actually asked me to design a matching necklace.
I don't usually design for royalty, but when making jewelry for friends, I do try to think about what colors look best of them. What surprised me about these earrings is that the garnet and gold combo looks great on almost anyone who has dark hair. I have brown hair and eyes and pale skin, but I liked how they looked on me.
It took me many hours of practicing to get the nine-loop lattice design down, but now that I know how it, I use it often in my jewelry. One of the things I love about the lattice is that it's perfect for hanging gemstones on the bottom loop. I just love the shape of these, as well as the colors.
I've unofficially named these my "princess earrings" in honor of my friend.
To buy my jewelry, check out Naomi's Designs. or http://www.artfire.com/users/NaomisDesigns.
I don't usually design for royalty, but when making jewelry for friends, I do try to think about what colors look best of them. What surprised me about these earrings is that the garnet and gold combo looks great on almost anyone who has dark hair. I have brown hair and eyes and pale skin, but I liked how they looked on me.
It took me many hours of practicing to get the nine-loop lattice design down, but now that I know how it, I use it often in my jewelry. One of the things I love about the lattice is that it's perfect for hanging gemstones on the bottom loop. I just love the shape of these, as well as the colors.
I've unofficially named these my "princess earrings" in honor of my friend.
To buy my jewelry, check out Naomi's Designs. or http://www.artfire.com/users/NaomisDesigns.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Funky spiral silver earrings
These earrings were fun to make and look really cool. There's just something very relaxing about bending wire into spirals and squiggles, and it feels really good when I've made a finished product.
The challenge with making earrings is to get them somewhat uniform, which can be difficult with wire work. But I did my best to keep the spirals the same size and to match the turns in each squiggle. Together, they look evenly matched, though, and when they're worn as a set, you can hardly notice the differences.
Even though these earrings are long and wide, they're very lightweight. When you wear them, you hardly feel as if anything is in your ear. I love dangling earrings, though, because they just make ears look so pretty. That'sprobably a strange thing to say, but I feel a lot more dressed up with longer earrings than I do with shorter ones.
By the way, I got some good news this week: I've been invited to participate in a local craft fair this spring! I'm very excited about getting out there and showing my jewelry to to world ( or at least the neighbothood). More information to follow...
To buy any of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.
The challenge with making earrings is to get them somewhat uniform, which can be difficult with wire work. But I did my best to keep the spirals the same size and to match the turns in each squiggle. Together, they look evenly matched, though, and when they're worn as a set, you can hardly notice the differences.
Even though these earrings are long and wide, they're very lightweight. When you wear them, you hardly feel as if anything is in your ear. I love dangling earrings, though, because they just make ears look so pretty. That'sprobably a strange thing to say, but I feel a lot more dressed up with longer earrings than I do with shorter ones.
By the way, I got some good news this week: I've been invited to participate in a local craft fair this spring! I'm very excited about getting out there and showing my jewelry to to world ( or at least the neighbothood). More information to follow...
To buy any of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Silver wire bracelet with blue crystals
By now, I think it's pretty obvious that blue is my favorite color. I especially like when different shades of blue are combined.
When making this bracelet, I wanted the blues to be front and center. That's why I used three different shades of blue and put all of the blue beads in the middle of the design.
This was one of the first bracelets I made in this particular style. Let me tell you, making a bangle bracelet is hard! You have to get the strands of wire to be the same length and then make sure they don't get tangled. Then you have to wrap them to keep them together and form the bracelet -- only the wraps have to look artistic, too. It took a lot of trial and error, but I'm happy with how it came out. And I own a lot of blue tops, so this matches them all!
For more of my jewelry, check out Naomi's Designs.
When making this bracelet, I wanted the blues to be front and center. That's why I used three different shades of blue and put all of the blue beads in the middle of the design.
This was one of the first bracelets I made in this particular style. Let me tell you, making a bangle bracelet is hard! You have to get the strands of wire to be the same length and then make sure they don't get tangled. Then you have to wrap them to keep them together and form the bracelet -- only the wraps have to look artistic, too. It took a lot of trial and error, but I'm happy with how it came out. And I own a lot of blue tops, so this matches them all!
For more of my jewelry, check out Naomi's Designs.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wire wrapped lava stone
I first saw dried lava when I was in Hawaii about six years ago. I never knew that lava -- which is porous and black -- could be beautiful, but it really is, especially when there are large sheets of it.
When visiting Hawaii, however, you're not supposed to take pieces of lava home because it's bad luck. There are all sorts of stories about people getting cursed after bringing home lava. We didn't want to take a chance, so we left it alone!
Still, when I saw these round lava stones being sold, I was inspired to make something with them. Each one is like a blank canvas and I wanted to build pieces of jewelry that obviously looked like jewelry, but also brought out the beauty of the rock.
For this pendant, I went with a simple wire wrap design. I didn't want to completely cover the rock with wire, so I used it as a frame. I then added just two small crystals to finish it off. I feel like the black, silver and blue play well off of each other and work together in a finished product. I've been told that it looks like a Native American piece, which is a huge compliment.
I've been experimenting with other types of rocks, as well, but I still like lava the best. When "dressed up," it's especially eye-catching.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs.
When visiting Hawaii, however, you're not supposed to take pieces of lava home because it's bad luck. There are all sorts of stories about people getting cursed after bringing home lava. We didn't want to take a chance, so we left it alone!
Still, when I saw these round lava stones being sold, I was inspired to make something with them. Each one is like a blank canvas and I wanted to build pieces of jewelry that obviously looked like jewelry, but also brought out the beauty of the rock.
For this pendant, I went with a simple wire wrap design. I didn't want to completely cover the rock with wire, so I used it as a frame. I then added just two small crystals to finish it off. I feel like the black, silver and blue play well off of each other and work together in a finished product. I've been told that it looks like a Native American piece, which is a huge compliment.
I've been experimenting with other types of rocks, as well, but I still like lava the best. When "dressed up," it's especially eye-catching.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Silver geometric earrings with blue Swarovski crystals
I made these earrings while my friend Lani was visiting. I asked her what I should make and she suggested that I make something that had crystals in it. So after playing around with 16 gauge sterling silver wire, I came up with this random, but cool design. I then strung different color blue Swarovski crystals across it using 28 gauge silver wire.
I tend to use a lot of blue beads and crystals because that's my favorite color. I especially love when different shades of blue are combined. For me, blue is very relaxing; it reminds me of the sky or the ocean on a bright, sunny day. It's also a color that I look nice in so I own a lot of blue clothing. Not surprisingly my high school crush had piercing blue eyes!
Anyway, silver is a great color to contrast with blue as you can see with these earrings. The earrings are not exactly identical, but I think that this only adds to their uniqueness.
For more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.
I tend to use a lot of blue beads and crystals because that's my favorite color. I especially love when different shades of blue are combined. For me, blue is very relaxing; it reminds me of the sky or the ocean on a bright, sunny day. It's also a color that I look nice in so I own a lot of blue clothing. Not surprisingly my high school crush had piercing blue eyes!
Anyway, silver is a great color to contrast with blue as you can see with these earrings. The earrings are not exactly identical, but I think that this only adds to their uniqueness.
For more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Gold and emerald green wire bracelet
I love the way that gold and green look together, so when I got these square, green glass stone, I knew that I had to combine them with gold-colored wire.
My original plan was to do a square bracelet with the stones in the center, but I didn't like how that looked. Instead, I decided to go with an abstract design centered around the green beads. Because the beads are so sturdy, I went with a tougher 16-gauge wire. I often work with 20 gauge, but the 16-gauge is thicker and better matches the stones.
When choosing a pattern for the wire, I went with the squiggles because I liked how they looked against the squares. The beads are so perfect in their shape and I liked playing against that with the not-so-perfect wire design. My friend says that it looks like a snake, but to me, the wire looks more like cresting waves. With the green stones, it gives the bracelet a very "natural" effect.
For more of my work, check out Naomi's Designs.
My original plan was to do a square bracelet with the stones in the center, but I didn't like how that looked. Instead, I decided to go with an abstract design centered around the green beads. Because the beads are so sturdy, I went with a tougher 16-gauge wire. I often work with 20 gauge, but the 16-gauge is thicker and better matches the stones.
When choosing a pattern for the wire, I went with the squiggles because I liked how they looked against the squares. The beads are so perfect in their shape and I liked playing against that with the not-so-perfect wire design. My friend says that it looks like a snake, but to me, the wire looks more like cresting waves. With the green stones, it gives the bracelet a very "natural" effect.
For more of my work, check out Naomi's Designs.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Wire lattice earrings with blue crystals
One of my favorite patterns to make is the nine-loop lattice design. It's not only fun to twist the loops, but it's a very beautiful and useful pattern. You can link the squares together to form a larger pattern, turn the square sideways to make a diamond, hang gems from the lattice ... the possibilities are endless.
I've always liked the combination of brown and blue so when I got this antiqued-looking brown gunmetal wire, I immediately decided to combine it with ble crystals. I wanted to do something different from just dangling one gemstone so I decided to weave the crystals throughout. I love the way the blue sparkles against the brown. I haven't seen too many earrings like this so I'm proud of the work.
Eventually, I plan to make a matching gunmetal lattice necklace. That'll be way more work, though because I'll have to make the entire chain by hand. It'll be worth it, though, especially if these pieces are worn as a set.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs.
I've always liked the combination of brown and blue so when I got this antiqued-looking brown gunmetal wire, I immediately decided to combine it with ble crystals. I wanted to do something different from just dangling one gemstone so I decided to weave the crystals throughout. I love the way the blue sparkles against the brown. I haven't seen too many earrings like this so I'm proud of the work.
Eventually, I plan to make a matching gunmetal lattice necklace. That'll be way more work, though because I'll have to make the entire chain by hand. It'll be worth it, though, especially if these pieces are worn as a set.
For more of my work, head to Naomi's Designs.
Labels:
blue crystals,
celtic knot earrings,
crystal earrings,
crystals,
earrings,
gunmetal earrings,
handcrafted jewelry,
handmade jewelry,
lattice earrings,
swarovski crystals,
wire earrings,
wire jewelry
Silver spiral pendant with Swarovski crystals
The idea for this pendant came when I decided to try a new technique: wire weaving. I'd seen some pictures of woven wire jewelry and liked the look of it, so I decided to incorporate some of those techniques into my latest design.
I'd made a series of geometric pendants in silver and gold, but wanted to try something a little different. Meanwhile, I had a box of tiny multi-colored Swarovski crystal bicones that I wasn't sure what to do with. The solution? Use both in my new piece. I ended up using 28 gauge silver wire to string dozens of the crystals into a colorful, abstract design.
I'll admit, when it came to this piece I was making up things as I went along, but I love the way it came out. It looks like modern art, maybe a bit like Kandinsky, with all of the random colors. Then again, maybe it just looks like a Christmas decoration. But it's pretty and definitely unique! It took a lot of work to create, but I'm glad I put the time in.
For more on my designs head to www.etsy.com/shop/naomirabinowitz
I'd made a series of geometric pendants in silver and gold, but wanted to try something a little different. Meanwhile, I had a box of tiny multi-colored Swarovski crystal bicones that I wasn't sure what to do with. The solution? Use both in my new piece. I ended up using 28 gauge silver wire to string dozens of the crystals into a colorful, abstract design.
I'll admit, when it came to this piece I was making up things as I went along, but I love the way it came out. It looks like modern art, maybe a bit like Kandinsky, with all of the random colors. Then again, maybe it just looks like a Christmas decoration. But it's pretty and definitely unique! It took a lot of work to create, but I'm glad I put the time in.
For more on my designs head to www.etsy.com/shop/naomirabinowitz
Friday, February 4, 2011
Silver Wire And Paua Shell Bracelet
When I was younger, I used to love collecting shells on the beach. Unfortunately, the shells in New York weren't the most interesting. One summer we went to Florida, though, and the shells there were amazing! They came in shapes and colors like I'd never seen; they almost didn't seem real.
These days, I still have a love of shells and the sea so when I saw these beautiful paua shell squares, I just had to get them. I wanted to create a piece of jewelry that showcased the shells, rather than blending them in with a bunch of other beads. I'd originally planned to make a cuff bracelet, but didn't like how it was coming out. Instead I opted for this simple design which alternates handmade silver wire squares with the paua shells. I feel like the silver and multi-colored shells look good together and the square design frames the beads. The spiral nature of the squares plays upon the natural spiral which forms within many shells.
I've been trying to experiment with different gauges of wire and I liked this gauge, 16, very much. It wasn't too hard, but was tough enough that the squares have depth. I have enough leftover shell beads to make a matching necklace, as well.
For more of my jewelry, head to www.etsy.com/shop/naomirabinowitz
These days, I still have a love of shells and the sea so when I saw these beautiful paua shell squares, I just had to get them. I wanted to create a piece of jewelry that showcased the shells, rather than blending them in with a bunch of other beads. I'd originally planned to make a cuff bracelet, but didn't like how it was coming out. Instead I opted for this simple design which alternates handmade silver wire squares with the paua shells. I feel like the silver and multi-colored shells look good together and the square design frames the beads. The spiral nature of the squares plays upon the natural spiral which forms within many shells.
I've been trying to experiment with different gauges of wire and I liked this gauge, 16, very much. It wasn't too hard, but was tough enough that the squares have depth. I have enough leftover shell beads to make a matching necklace, as well.
For more of my jewelry, head to www.etsy.com/shop/naomirabinowitz
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Welcome To Naomi's Designs!
Welcome to my online jewelry blog, Naomi's Designs. In each entry, I'll give the details on one of my handmade jewelry pieces. I mainly work with wire, though I also love beads and crystals.
I've always loved making arts and crafts, but have spent most of my adult years writing and making music. However, I broke my leg a while ago and needed something to do with my time. That's when I discovered jewelry making. I instantly fell in love and have been doing it ever since.
Though I enjoy stringing beads, I like working with wire because you can create the entire piece from scratch. Part of the fun of wire work is constructing the piece and figuring out how to align everything in order to make the strongest and most aesthestically pleasing design. I like that challenge and am always trying to learn new techniques. I've been on a bangle bracelet-making kick lately, but am eager to work with poly and metal clay. That'll open a whole new world of design for me.
Please check back with this blog often to see my latest creations! And check out my Etsy site http://www.etsy.com/shop/Naomirabinowitz
I've always loved making arts and crafts, but have spent most of my adult years writing and making music. However, I broke my leg a while ago and needed something to do with my time. That's when I discovered jewelry making. I instantly fell in love and have been doing it ever since.
Though I enjoy stringing beads, I like working with wire because you can create the entire piece from scratch. Part of the fun of wire work is constructing the piece and figuring out how to align everything in order to make the strongest and most aesthestically pleasing design. I like that challenge and am always trying to learn new techniques. I've been on a bangle bracelet-making kick lately, but am eager to work with poly and metal clay. That'll open a whole new world of design for me.
Please check back with this blog often to see my latest creations! And check out my Etsy site http://www.etsy.com/shop/Naomirabinowitz
Labels:
artisan jewelry,
beads,
bracelets,
crystals,
earrings,
handmade jewelry,
Naomi's Designs,
necklaces,
pearls,
pendants,
rings,
wire jewelry
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