A Year of Pretty - February 04, 2014

A few years ago I started with making jewellery. Nothing super complicated of fancy; mainly just beads on string. One of the designs I did a lot of were these three strand "freedom" necklaces. I designed them because my Oma was starting to have troubles with opening and closing traditional lobster-claw clasps. This "freedom" necklace let her just loop the strands around and not have to fuss with tiny closures.

Sometimes she would wear just one strand, sometimes all three. Or, she would take one strand from one set (pink) and mix it with two strands from another set (black and grey). She would make these intricate loops and twists and a lot of people would comment on how put together her jewellery always looked.

Today's Pretty Post reminds me of when I was first starting out to design, the technical stuff I had to work out. Which type of string to use. Would it be strong enough. Would tiger tail wire be better (it was). Would it be flexible enough (not really, but it beats having all the beads spill all over the floor when the silk/nylon thread broke).

I still have one or two of these necklace sets left. One is in freshwater pearls and pink rose quartz; very much like the one shown here. I also have a jet black and crystal one that I like to wear with a simple little black dress. My mom has a blue one with Murano glass beads, blue pearls and crystals; which she wears either with a men's dress shirt and jeans or with a dark blazer and slacks when teaching.

This photo also presents a different way to wear such a necklace, and is very much in keeping with the Great Gatsby Inspiration project I am working on. Perhaps I'll pull out my two necklace sets to accessorize my garments as the sashay down the runway.

Spring is in the Bag (almost)

Warm weather, blooming flowers, birds chirping and Easter only a few days away . . . .

 

Here are a trio of lovely spring tote bags to brighten you day. These bags all feature roomy interiors with six pockets; some smaller for your cell phone, others larger to secure your water bottle or pocketbook.

 

These bags can be put to use for a variety of tasks. Use one as a book bag, another as a diaper bag to hold just the things you need for your little one while visiting a friend for coffee. Load one up with flip-flops, a good book & a blanket and head to the beach (just remember the sun screen). I have one for craft projects that holds everything I need (crochet hooks, scissors, balls of yarn, buttons) which I can toss in the car at a moment’s notice if I am heading out to my nephew's cello lesson or to Oma’s house for coffee.

All the totes are handmade and feature many vintage or upcycled fabrics from . . .oh. let's see . . .a grad dress, a full length skirt that I shortened, Italian dupioni silk swatch samples, cushion covers that I tried to make that ended up being too small. Each has its' own character and no two bags are the same. The unique buttons are from either my mom's or my Oma's collections. . . pssst! Mom, see what happens when you innocently ask "Can you use these fabrics or buttons for anything?"

totes by silverbluedesigns.

Spring Earrings by silverbluedesigns

Spring is definitely in the air, despite the smattering of snow we received today. The crocus and daffodils are in full force, the cherry blossoms are out on the trees . . .and the buzz of creativity is in the air. All this excitement has turned my thoughts towards new beginnings. New projects, new job . . . .new wardrobe, perhaps?

Here are a few new accessories to inspire the new look of spring:

Pink and mauve are two colors that whisper spring. Here they work together in a pair of pink pearl and mauve blister mother of pearl earrings (left). Delicate blue and pink crystals accent the look. How very sweet. How very spring

Another color that heralds spring is soft green. Here green is presented in a pair of amazonite jade earrings with Bali silver flower accents (right). 

Denim blue is a staple year round. A great pair of earrings to match with your favorite jeans are these Montana Austrian crystal and silver pave earrings (below left).  Or try these navy crystal and ribbed silver bead earrings with pale rose quartz (below right).

Just add a spring floral top and a light sweater, slip on your ballet flats and you're set. Perfect for a Saturday trip to the local market or brunching on a Sunday.

Goodbye Turtlenecks, Hello Open Necklines

With all the warm weather we've been having here in Vancouver (perfectly fine by me), it doesn't seem so far a stretch to begin to think of shedding layers of heavy winter clothing for lighter, more vibrant attire. Can you say, "goodbye turtleneck"?

So with that in mind, I’ve started creating some new pieces for more open necklines. This doesn’t mean of course that you shouldn’t wear them with a classic turtleneck. Indeed, these pieces would be stunning with either a warm & creamy or a rich & dark palette to play off of.

Blue Lace Agate & Hematite Beaded Necklace

I enjoy the contrast of the black and copper banded beads with the pale blue lucite and frosty blue lace agate. The Bali silver textured beads remind me of pomegranates. Still with a hint of winter, but perfect for the opening of a blazer or peaking out from a tailored white dress shirt. Also great with a classic cocktail dress or dare I say it yet . . .flirty little sundress.

Highlights of this necklace include:

~ teardrop shaped blue lace agate focal bead
~ polished blue lace agate nuggets
~ textured Bali silver beads
~ round magnetic hematite beads
~ pale blue faceted lucite beads circa 1950
~ black with copper foil "wedding beads"
~ unique handmade scroll clasp

The necklace measures 18" or 46cm and has a 2" extension (5cm). Upon request, the necklace can have longer extensions added to suit your needs.

Want to add the necklace to your collection? You can find this handmade and one-of-a-kind piece here.

For other unique and interesting pieces, please visit the silverbluedesigns shop on etsy.com, and stay tuned for other newly created additions.