The Different Faces of Jewelry

It is nearing the end of summer; there were so many things that I wanted to do while the summer sun shone brightly that I may not be able to accomplish in the few summer days left, but I relish the change of seasons, especially the change from summer to fall. I've been working on my Fall Collection of jewelry frantically incorporating the season's colours into new looks that will complement Fall clothing. I've also been working on my new line of cameo necklaces and antique style jewelry; this line is very time-consuming since glue is often involved and the curing time for the strong-holding (but non-toxic!) glue that I use can take several days.
Above is a simple antique style bracelet with an art-nouveau look; with its three strands of silver chain and heavy filigree, it also has a contemporary air as well and would look great with a grey blouse (and grey is one of the great colours for Fall 2010). Below is a year-round favorite; turquoise. This turquoise bracelet features a special lampwork bead with a desert landscape on it as well as one of our favorite sterling silver bird toggles. The heavy sterling chain, one of the three strands of the bracelet, is also a favorite.

It's still August and peridot is the August birthstone. In this peridot bracelet, the gemstone is mixed with pretty blue aquamarine for a different look and a mix of 2 of Fall's hottest colours. The next bracelet is made of genuine rough emeralds and features dolphin beads in sterling as well as a special clasp with a bezel-set faceted emerald.

An art nouveau looking piece, above, again in silver, with the addition of blue rhinestones and Czech fire-polished beads. The dangling chains are still a hot look for this Fall; here, little silver Czech beads dangle from them.
Below, a bracelet that is a combination of aqua quartz (the rectangular slab) brass oxidized filigree, and Preciosa crystal and Czech firepolished beads - a great statement bracelet! It's both sweet and showy at the same time.
Finally, a long agate necklace with very large oval links shows off slabs of purple agate with their beautiful patterns; the focal is a smooth teardrop of charoite.
Watch for the new FALL COLLECTION coming soon; don't forget FREE SHIPPING in the USA with every purchase over $50.00; a low $1.95 under $50.00.

Jewelry and Cats!

The title reflects the state of my life at the moment: jewelry and cats! Cluny and Cuervo are adapting to life in the city; I had almost forgotten what high-maintenance cats they are! (I wouldn't have it any other way). Cuervo will come and sit on the floor and look up at me when I'm working; he can do this for 15 minutes without moving. If I talk to him briefly without getting up, he will start talking to me - and he's anything but brief. He doesn't need food or water or even a treat usually; he wants to play! He wants to run around in circles after a furry "mouse" that has been attached to a long rope, and no, he cannot play by himself, I must twirl it around or run with it. If I persist in working, he will walk away and then come back dragging the rope from his mouth and drop it at my feet. Cluny wants to be petted or brushed constantly or at least talked to; luckily both cats do love their naps!
I have been able to make jewelry though. Above is an aquamarine bracelet made from some great new aquamarines I've just gotten in. The aquamarines are a beautiful blue colour with almost no inclusions at all. The bracelet above also has some of Robin Weber's gorgeous lampwork beads. Below are some aquamarine earrings made with the same aquamarines!
Below the earrings are a lapis bracelet and an ankle bracelet made with sterling silver and iolites (also known as water sapphire). I'm trying to find all the pretty iolite that I can, but it is hard to come by.
On to the antique style jewelry: below, an art deco style pendant with rhinestones hangs from a crystal and gold necklace. The next necklace features a gold cameo studded with light aqua rhinestones.


Below is another gold cameo in an unusual shape surrounded by four vintage opal cabachons on gold filigree. The light pink and opal lined beads that make up the necklace are a perfect complement to the opals.



A necklace with two cupids and aqua rhinestones on some of my favorite antique gold filigree. The clasp is an old favorite: a crouching cat pawing a ball of yarn.




Above, a modified cross shape with clear and pink Swarovski stones dangles Swarovski beads with vermeil accents. Below, a vintage swirl has a vintage opal cabochon in the center and has little Swarovski dangles.

FREE SHIPPING with any purchase totaling over $50.00; low $1.95 shipping with purchases under $50.00.

Contests madness

This year's Flex Your Creativity Beading Contest supported by Soft Flex Company is on Steampunk designs. Are you not sure what Steampunk means? Check out the short article, on that type of jewelry! Design entries must include exposed beading wire. All beading wire must be one of Soft Flex Company brands - Soft Flex, Soft Touch, Extreme, Metallics or Econoflex. You may use any color or diameter in your design. There is no limit to the number of designs that you may enter. The company encourages you to feature beads and findings from your local bead shop as well as create your beads and findings from found materials - clock parts, gears, washers, screws, bolts, bottle caps etc. Lampworkers, recycled glass from bottles, made into parts and components are encouraged, too. Prizes are great! All entries must be received by September 1, 2010.

Flex your creativity!




Christina (aka Good Quill Hunting) is sponsoring the Second Annual Haute Couture Beading Contest. Using one of the 36 presented Haute Couture Fashion photos as inspiration in color, technique, textures, shapes, and style, you are supposed to create a piece of jewelry. Go bold, go bright, use your imagination to conjure up your wildest dreams, as fashion designers have! You may use multi-media in this, but the main part of your work has to be done with seed beads. Prizes are also great! Deadline for contest is November 1, 2010. Winners will be chosen on November 26, 2010. Prizes will be shipped out within 72 hours of contest results.

Haute Couture Beading Contest

Exciting News

I applied for the BCTF a couple of weeks ago thinking that I would never get in but I did.
It is a trade event for British designers so I feel very privileged to have got in.

I have been checking the site ever since I found out I had been accepted to see if my name was there and today it was - I'm so excited but really nervous as well.

I also signed up for their online magazine. This is my page.

If anyone has any hints and tips for my first trade event I would love to hear them.

Now to get on with making and designing my stand.

Speak soon

Chloe

xx

The Long Road Home

It's been a very, very busy week, and I'm hoping to catch up on everything in all my lives, work, personal, domestic.... I drove over 800 miles to Arkansas without stopping for the night by myself and then back here to Virginia with my husband (who did the driving this time). If you look at the bottom of the page, you'll see my two reasons for that long drive - Cluny and Cuervo! I don't have a lot of jewelry to show today because of the trip, but I found time to make a turquoise bracelet with some wonderful Sleeping Beauty turquoise faceted nuggets that I just got in. I wanted to showcase the nuggets, so I only used 3 and accented only with sterling silver. The beautiful blue of the Sleeping Beauty is enough to hold its own! Below is a pair of amethyst earrings; they are gem-quality briolettes and hang from my favorite sterling earwires.

More of the antique jewelry line I've been working on is below. The first is an antique-style necklace with dark bronzey coloured filigree and a large peachy gold rhinestone backed by a dark circle of mother of pearl. The chain is a bar style that matches the filigree. The second necklace also makes use of the bronzey-coloured filigree. Here it is enlivened by crystal rhinestones and Swarovski crystals in Pacific opal; there's real sparkle, but it's sedate enough to wear during the day.


Finally here are my two travellers, who by the way, did exceedingly well on their first car trip ever (except for those short ones to the vet). They were absolutely wonderful, once we got them into their carriers. By the second day on the road, they had figured out that they weren't going to get shots at the vet, so the car ride was quite uneventful. They napped in the car and got back in their carriers whenever we stopped. Although only one of us got out at a time and we always left the car running, I was terrified that one of them would slip out the car door and run away into some field behind a service station. But they were perfect angels and now are trying to adjust to life on the sixth floor of an apartment building!

Above, Cluny with his tiger stripes on white fur and blue, blue eyes, and below, Cuervo, resting from the long car trip.
Shipping is FREE with an $50.00 purchase; $1.95 with any purchase under $50.00! Go to Cluny Grey Jewelry.

Studio 61 - Exhibition

Wow it seems like its been a long time since I last blogged.
This month I have an exhibition at Studio 61 which is a gorgeous little gallery just outside Matlock in Derbyshire.

I have taken a few pics of the gallery and lovely Karina has taken a picture of some of my pieces in their new home.

Some of my items on display

Some of Karina's mugs and the most amazing scented candles

Loads of bath and body goodies

Another room with Paintings and ceramics

The boutique section with jewellery and bags

The window with a beach theme

If you get the chance please do go and visit it is in a beautiful location and there is always a pot of coffee on the go.

Amethysts and Antiques

Hello from Arkansas! After a grueling drive here, I'm finally relaxed and rested and dreading the drive back. Of course, I drove so that my husband and I could drive our two cats, Cluny and Cuervo, back with us. Cluny does not really like to ride in the car - and I doubt that Cuervo is going to have a good time either, so I am looking forward to this drive with apprehension. And I can't wait to see how they adapt to a hi-rise!
The two bracelets you see above and below feature amethysts; the top bracelet gets an added zing from pretty aquamarines (I love the aquamarine and amethyst mixture!); the bracelet below has a pretty artist's lampwork bead for its focal and has accents in blue kyanite.
I'm still working on the antique style and cameo jewelry, too. My favorite piece, so far, is the double-strand cameo necklace below with Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. The gold cameo sits on layered filigree and has silvery grey freshwater pearls hanging from the bottom. The next necklace is a mixture of gold and silver with a pretty bright gold coin set in silver and hanging from a silver chain; it is a lariat that fastens in front.


The butterfly necklace below has a vintage givre stone and vintage pink rhinestone to brighten the aged looking metal. And finally, a large cross is decorated with pink and green stones and has a golden flower set in its middle.

I'll have the pages on the website with the antique style jewelry as soon as possible; meanwhile, if something strikes your fancy, e-mail me at clunygre @clunygreyjewelry.com . (Leave the space after clunygre out of course.
FREE SHIPPING on every order above $50.00; $1.95 shipping on everything below $50.00!!! Go to: Cluny Grey Jewelry.