Classic Silver Wire Wrapped Bangle Bracelet With Blue And Turquoise Square Crystals

Lately I've been selling a lot of bangle bracelets... and so I've decided to make a few more.

I'd started this wire wrapped bracelet for a customer -- and then realized that she wanted a similar-looking, but not quite the same bangle. I then looked through my bracelet listings and realized I've never actually made one that has blue and turquoise beads. Surprising, given how much I love the combination! I've done several bracelets in blue, light blue and indigo or blue and green, but for some reason, I'd skipped this rather obvious color pattern.

Well, since I was already halfway through with the bracelet, I finished it and really like the result:

It's difficult to tell from these photos, but the darker blue beads are AB (aurora borealis) crystals. Two sides of the crystal are made of a shimmery prism material that sparkles when the light hits. It's a really beautiful effect. I have AB crystals in many different colors, but I especially like them in blue. It reminds me of the sunlight hitting the ocean.

This was a bracelet that sold almost as soon as I listed it yesterday. I love when that happens! Since I seem to be on a "bracelet kick," I'm off to make some more. Meantime, check out my handmade wire wrapped and enamel jewelry at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

"Swimming Upstream" copper wire wrapped, turquoise and enamel champleve necklace

I finally finished my latest champleve creation! This one, I call "Swimming Upstream" since it has an abstract fish design that I made from silver cloisonne wire:

I actually began this project last June. After sawing out a rectangle of 16 gauge copper sheet metal, I "burned" a depression into it using acid (a process I recommend NOT doing unless you've been taught and have proper safety supplies). After, I filled the large groove with silver foil and then a few layers of white base enamel. Full disclosure: I burned the enamel a couple of times, which I why I had to add several coats.

Once it came time to lay down the cloisonne wire, I played around with some shapes and came up with this simple, abstract fish design. I liked the way that each fish fit into the next, creating a little pattern. I also love the ocean, so I liked the idea of creating something that had a nautical motif. I used aqua, nitric blue, purple and gem green enamels to create those oceanic colors; the silver foil provides a bit of a shimmery effect, so it looks like the water is rippling behind the fish.

After the pendant was finally completed, I set to work on the chain. I wanted to offset the copper "frame" on the pendant, so I alternated the turquoise bead links with little 18-gauge wire wrapped copper "shell" spirals." I didn't want to make the chain design too complicated because I wanted the pendant to take center stage -- but I think that the wire wrapped design complements the fish.

I have a couple of other champleve enamel pieces that I'm working on, so stay tuned! Meantime, check out my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.