Happy Valentine's Day, readers! Once upon a time, I hated this holiday, but I've come to appreciate it in recent years -- especially since I make so many heart-shaped pieces. In honor of Valentine's Day, love and romance, here's a photo gallery of my favorite wire wrapped and enamel heart jewelry. You can see more of my work at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.
Since I have a February birthday, I love my birthstone, amethyst. I own a lot of purple amethyst jewelry and often use the gemstone in my own pieces. But while I use many amethysts that have been cut into clean and clear shapes, I really love the natural look of the stone. I've always wanted to get a huge amethyst geode, but those can be thousands of dollars!
The next best thing was to get a smaller version and so I purchased "raw" amethyst beads. I like using large beads as a canvas for my wire wraps, so I dressed it up with a brass design. I actually made this pendant a couple of years ago, but it's been getting a lot of attention on Etsy this month -- probably because it is February -- so I'm giving it a little showcase:
What's interesting about this set of beads is that not all of the stones are purple. Some have a greenish color and some are purple and clean. Then there are even a few that look almost clear. Most people I know associates amethysts with purple, but they're more varied. It's amazing what beauty is produced in nature!
I'll continue to use my amethyst hearts and bicones, but these purple stones are lovely to look at as is.
Check out the rest of my wire wrapped and enamel jewellery at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.
In honor of my 40th birthday, which is tomorrow, I'm posting photos of my favorite 40 wire wrapped and enamel jewelry pieces. Yesterday, I posted Part I. Here is Part II. All can be found at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.
This group is really colorful! That round enamel piece with the pastel colors -- the one that looks a bit like an Easter egg -- is important to me because it's the first piece that I made with cloisonne wire. I was so happy that I got the wire to stay put! Even better, my best friend purchased it from me at a charity event. I believe he gave it to his boss.
That rainbow-colored anodized aluminum bracelet took about a million years to make, but I love how bright and cheerful it is. Same goes for those multicolored anodized aluminum earrings.
That silver spiral wire wrapped necklace is one of the first items I made. I couldn't believe that I'd managed to make an entire necklace out of wire. The other silver wire wrapped necklace with the asymmetrical design is a personal favorite of mine. I love how weird and different it is ... though people don't seem to "get" my design. I've had a lot of questions about it. One woman almost broke it at a craft fair because she thought it was a headband. On the other hand, I've received many compliments for the simple teardrop necklace with the Swarovski crystals.
That blue enamel necklace is special to me because I made it for my mom. I made a similar one last year, but hers came out better, I think. And those wire wrapped bubble bracelets are fairly new items that I've created. They're not only fun to make, but I think they look really interesting!
It's just about February, which means three things in Jewelry Land: One, it's my birthday (February 3, for those of you keeping track); Two, Valentine's Day is just around the corner and jewelry makes the perfect gift; Three, amethyst is the February birthstone. It also happens to be my favorite stone -- and not just because it's mine. I just like the way that soft purple color looks. Amethysts are said to have healing properties, too: some believe that it can help you sleep better and ease stress.
Last year, I put together a photo gallery which featured some of my favorite handmade amethyst jewelry designs. Here are some more of my wire wrapped amethyst pieces. All can be found at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.
It's my birthday today, so it's my party and I'll blog if I want to! There are some downsides to having a February birthday: it's usually cold and it gets dark pretty early. But a huge positive is that I get to have what, in my opinion, is the prettiest birthstone: the purple amethyst.
I love, love, love amethyst jewelry. One of the best gifts that my husband gave me was a pair of amethyst heart earrings. The deep purple color is so pretty, but the stone also has the personal meaning for me.
I know many people who wear amethyst jewelry simply because they like the color and not necessarily because they were born in February. But most of the people I know who share a February birthday with me take special pride in having this special stone for our month!
In honor of it being my birthday today, here are some of the handmade wire wrapped amethyst jewellery pieces that I've designed. Everything is available at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.
Wire wrapped triple heart amethyst earrings
Amethyst Swarovski crystal heart earrings
Wire wrapped chandelier earrings with purple Swarovski crystal hearts
Silver wire wrapped amethyst ring
Amethyst heart dangle earrings
Silver wire wrapped amethyst birthstone infinity ring
