Springtime Earrings

They took me over a week to make, even though they're very simple, but I'm happy with how they turned out.

What do you think? I got the sterling silver flowers at the Rings and Things bead show last weekend. And "found" the two different Rose Quartz beads in my supplies. I have so much stuff that finding things is typical. =)

I haven't posted them in my shop yet...I need to take actual photos. These are just quickies taken at my desk (on my Aflac folder hahaha).

Thoughts?

What Are Leverbacks?

Before I started making jewelry I rarely gave much thought to what various components of jewelry were called. I knew the term "posts" because those are fairly obvious types of earrings. I didn't know that the hook style ones were technically called "French hooks" ... and why is that by the way? I'll have to look that up because I have no idea.

And I was clueless as to what the 'other' kind of earring backs were called - you know the ones. They go through the ear and then a little 'lever' flips up and closes the earring so they don't fall out.



They're called Leverbacks and I find them to be the best type of earring, simply in terms of safety and security. But many people don't know what they are or are intimidated by wearing them because they take a little extra maneuvering to get on.


With a little bit of practice though they are super easy to wear and I find them easier than French hooks now. You have to tilt the leverback piece at the right angle so that the portion that enters your piercing goes in straight. With a French hook you can just sort of "approach" the ear with the earring up and down - the wire is bent enough to slide into the piercing. But with a leverback you need to tilt the earring so it is horizontal to the ear and slide the wire in level. Then it can be tilted to be upright and the lever closed.

Another big benefit of leverbacks is storage. I can't tell you how many times I've been digging around my jewelry box trying to find matching pairs of earrings to wear...posts or french hooks. But not with my pairs of leverbacks...because I can hook them together so they don't get separated.


There is a slight drawback to leverbacks and that is their cost. They're more complicated and use more metal than posts or french hooks and therefore are more expensive. And it's not a design that I can create myself, whereas posts or French hooks I can make from scratch.

I've seen sterling leverbacks as high as $5 a pair wholesale! I try not to pay that much. And 14k gold leverbacks start in the $30s wholesale. Remember, an artist has to factor in their costs and a lot of folks use a percentage and multiply their costs...so that $5 pair might add $15 to the cost of a pair of earrings.

I still think they are worth it though. For security and for keeping earrings in pairs instead of orphans. :) Check out my Etsy shop for earrings with leverbacks, as well as the other styles.

P.S. The photos shown here are a pair of Black Onyx and Swarovski crystal earrings that didn't make it to my shop before my mom bought them. =) And their matching necklace. She has good taste, right?

Modern Pearls

When I saw these pearls at the gem show I went to two weekends ago I just stopped and stared. Even among strands and strands and strands of other pearls these stood out. Of course the sticker price just about gave me a heart attack, but I had to have them. I only got one strand (it's all I could afford) and brought them home and stared at them some more.


I thought about how to showcase these properly and truly the only thing I could do is leave them alone and show each pearl off by itself. No extra metal. No extra beads. Just a big, huge, gorgeous, lustrous, rainbow, ivory, pink, pearl. How's that for a description?

I even created my own 14k gold headpins and 14k gold ear wires for a pair of earrings that are elegant and classy while still being a tad sassy.


I'm thrilled with how the gold accents turned out - sort of rough and abstract just like the pearls, which aren't rough but are abstract.

These are extremely limited edition because I only bought one strand and there were only 14 or 15 pearls on the strand. Each one is brilliant! And though no two are exactly alike they all 'go' together.

Good As Gold

Why I couldn't have started playing with gold with the market price was a lot lower is beyond me. But now that I have the bug I can't help myself! I have started soldering gold and I absolutely love it. It's completely addicting.

I want MORE gold...but thicker wire. It's ridiculously expensive right now. The market yesterday ended at nearly $950 an ounce. The thicker wire is several hundred dollars per FOOT. Yes, one foot of 10 gauge wire is $429. Wholesale. Holy crap. And it doesn't get that much cheaper as you get smaller either.

I made these lovely (if I do say so myself) 16 gauge wire rings and even that was painful to purchase - especially because I hadn't done any gold soldering before so it was an expensive experiment. I only bought one foot of wire. It doesn't go far.


And then I decided I had to make some earrings. They didn't turn out exactly the way I expected. But I still really like them.

And this is why I work mostly in silver. As expensive as it has gotten it's still loads cheaper than gold. But gold is classic. And it's calling my name!

Photographs Make the Jewelry

I am so excited!!! I am waiting on the edge of my seat for my brand new TS Harrington professional photographs. I sent her several pieces of my jewelry to get some really good shots because some of these pieces just have to be photographed on a model. And boy are these models gorgeous!


She's been teasing me with a photo here and a photo there...it's like Chinese Water Torture waiting for the rest. So I will tease you with the amazing photos she's sent me so far


Showing my large links fine silver necklace and twisty earrings.





Gorgeous - my fine silver long links chain necklace with matching bracelet and earrings.

Man-O-Man...I can't wait to see what else she has for me!