OK, by now everyone is saying "Pearls are kinda creepy, and diamonds are out, so what is Saur suggesting?"I still like pearls. Oysters are equivalent to insects to me, so I'm not overly concerned about them (as inhumane as that sounds). But if you have decided pearls are out, I can certainly understand why.
I'd like to recommend you frequent your local craft and bead shows. Lampwork beads are very hot (I adore them) and can be absolutely spectacular. And almost any other stones are equally acceptable. (By the way, click on any of these pictures to see a larger version, if you'd like to see a close-up)
I design jewelry but I don't have many pictures of my pieces because I sell or give them away before I think to take a picture of them. But most of you can't or don't want to make the pieces yourselves (you are probably much more sensible than *I* am) so I will divide this up into a couple categories. If I could take you to a large bead and jewelry expo, this is what you might see:
Kits For Necklaces
Cynthia Rutledge (not for beginners)
Floral Slider Kits (not for beginners)
Kits by Mavis
Festoonery (most definately not for beginners, but you must see some of these kits! The dragonfly necklace is spectacular!)
Art Beads
Terri Caspary Schmidt (this woman is probably one of the best art glass artists that exist. I've read her profile and have seen her work)
Venetian Bead Shop (beautiful Murano glass beads)
Lampwork Glass Beads on Ebay
Stone Age Hardware (lovely variety of gemstone beads. These people made a fun site with a great selection!)
Anne Choi (Stunning handmade silver beads and jewelry)
The Bead Shop (top quality gemstone beads. Just don't buy any diamonds!)
Completed Pieces Ready for Gift Giving
Fire Goddess (I'm a regular client of this woman's. There's not much to select on this site, but what I highly recommend is at the bottom of her home page. The 'Jewelry Wand' allows you to switch out different art beads, in different combinations, to create and recreate a stunning pendant that matches any outfit. You really need to see this demonstrated, but it is worth contacting her about it. These sell like hotcakes!)
Abednego Beads by Lisa Walsh (Amazing lampwork beads as well as beautiful pieces ready to be wrapped and set under the tree or given as a Channukah gift)
Saur's Top Artistic PicksBeyond Beads These are artistic masterpieces. Check out Laura Mears' porcelain sculpture faces.
Lands Arts Quite simply the best art glass beads you've ever seen, and a variety of pieces that are ready to be given as gifts. Considering that these are museum-quality, the prices are very reasonable. This amazing frog and the turtle above are just some of their pieces.
15 comments:
Cool, this is what I want to do for my nieces for Christmas for sure. Want to help?
Michelle, of course! I just need to have you come over to see some different selections and ideas. And check out ebay for relatively inexpensive lampwork beads that we can incorporate into something. I...er...just posted a rather bombastic post in your blog.
I saw the post, I love it. Upfront and hosest, you say it like you see it! Thanks I need you to help me shake things up sometimes you know!?!
You've been putting in a lot of work for this latest series. I really appreciate it. I made sure The Missus read the posts, and she had the very same question you posed. So, now I can give her the answer.
Of course, now she'll want me to run out and buy some for Christmas.
Thanks. :)
Those are some stunning pieces! Love it.
I buy my jewelry at Claire's, so I have no need to worry about the plight of the oyster. Really, I am not one that buys much jewelry. My hubby has purchased me a few lovely pieces that I treasure, and I have some of Gramillo's jewelry which means a great deal to me.
This is so cool. I've been checking out the website you gave us.
Boy howdy, Saur, that is some spectacular stuff. Do any of those come in peyote?
I remember as a kid vacationing in Hawaii buying oysters $1 a pop and prying them open to find a pearl inside. I was too squeamish to do it myself or even watch, but there's something beautiful and fascinating about the gory simplicity of a pearl.
Saur,
Jewelry is my game. Many years ago I commissioned Charles Lolama to make me a gator bolo out of coral and blue turquoise. A bolo just dresses up any outfit.
Excellent post.
I'm a polymer clay man myself (Just one of my peripheral hobbies that is beginning to slip). My wife is an amber nut, (she could start a store and stay in business for awhile, she used to buy it from Russia by the box --Oh Oh, that is probably politically or morally incorrect, though the apparent damage is to fossilized flies.) I still have a bunch of pearls that I bought at a jewelery show and if I don't attach them to findings soon, so that people can wear them, they will be ruined.
Wow, what beautiful things! I like to look at some jewelry, but I'm too hard on it to wear much.
Someone is debating you on the book topic. I encouraged it. Kathleen is already asking questions. People need to think about why they think what they think...
Michelle, I need to get over there. Been busy w/ work this am and the pain is bad today for some reason. Still healing, I guess!
Dddragon, yeah...the trick to jewelry is to wear it like clothes. Wear it, take it off and put it away till the next day. I don't do it with rings and certain bracelets but I do it with everything else or I'd wear it to pieces too! ;o) I know some women who take their jewelry (all of it) off every night the same as they take all their clothes off to get changed into nightwear. I guess I really should, but I'm a little lazy there...
3 Score & 10, I'm an amber nut too! I adore the stuff. And I have a really cool polymer clay necklace. That's a challenge in itself! Have you tried the new gold and silver clays (the REAL ones w/ the real metals)? It's amazing how you can make anything now, fire it, and have it end up being a unique sterling design (or solid gold!)
Mr. Gator, all well-dressed gators have bolo ties. You just went up in my estimation. But what about formal wear?
Jessica, isn't there??? It's like a treasure hunt!
Old Hoss, funny you should ask! I do peyote stitch (which is difficult to master at first and then is infinitely easy). I've made some really neat stuff with it.
Acton Bell, glad you like it!!!
Jamie Dawn, the inherited stuff is the most precious to me, even if it isn't 'real' stuff. One of my grandmothers was poor but proud and didn't leave much jewelry behind, but the couple 'flapper' pieces from the 20s are very collectible today and I've never seen anything like one of them (a dragon wrapped around a very large topaz colored piece of glass).
FTS, I am certain you are not short of prospects! But in the future, I definately would steer her to a beautiful CZ ring instead. HSN online has some gorgeous ones! Tell her that you'll spend the difference on the honeymoon instead!
Lee Ann, so glad you liked it!
Fred, well, it's not much work when it's your passion. I probably should've blogged about this earlier, but with the holidays approaching and all the diamond commercials going, it really got my blood boiling.
TC, thank you! Glad you learned something. That's why I love to blog - to help teach a little bit...
I'll admit, I kind of glanced over this post instead of reading it. I'm not a jewelry guy. Have zero jewelry and can't even find my wedding ring. I think it's in the gun safe. If I wore it, I'd lose it.
Oysters are equivalent to insects to me, so I'm not overly concerned about them (as inhumane as that sounds).
Insects and oysters have no brain. If you want to pry them open and stick a piece of sand in their shells, I could care less. If a kid wanted to take legs off of bugs, I could care less. They're bugs. They have no brains. They can't think. They're all instinctive.
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