p.quinn

Etsy Extras

Ok.

Here's another one of those pieces that the five photos on the Etsy listing just aren't enough.

So, if you have arrived here from Etsy, welcome!

  I hope you will spend some time looking around and please come back again!

 

Pearls of Wisdom.

Of course it started out much different from what it looks like now.

Seems like they all do.

It was supposed  to be a chain with just a few pearls wired on.

Which was then going to be part of a multi-strand necklace.

The end result was hideous.

It all got taken apart.

Except for the chain of pearls....

That got added on to.

A lot.

Freshwater pearls in different sizes, shapes and colors.

Peacock Bronze, Copper, Gold, Olive and Cream.

I was sorting through a problem in my mind.

Waiting for the wisdom to come.

I kept on wiring.

And wiring.

And wiring.

Until I was done.

The vintage chain was full.

A simple, yet elegant square toggle clasp was the perfect finish.

Nothing over-powering.

Just the right compliment to all those pearls.

Pearls of Wisdom was shown in the Spring 2009 Belle Armoire Jewelry  magazine in an article featuring one of my shard necklaces. 

I was thrilled.

To say the least.

But the time has come to let go.....

 For all these pearls to find a new home.

 

And that problem I was trying to figure out as I was wiring pearls?

I'm still looking for the wisdom.

Pearls of Wisdom.

Available in my Etsy shop.

Now.

Etsy Extras

Sometimes I've just got to show more photos than Etsy allows on a listing.

This is another one of those times.

So, if you have come over from my Etsy shop, welcome! 

Take some time to look at some of my other posts.

And please, stop back again!

"Go Fish!" is a lariat necklace.

A *l.o.n.g* lariat necklace. 

It is longer than I am tall.

All the better to wrap several times around your neck and make all those glorious Czech glass beads pile up in a tangle of rich color.

Around and around it goes.

Up to four times if you like a choker length.

The colors are amazing!

Olivine and Alexandrite.

Peridot with a touch of sparkle inside.

Green Iris.  Purple Iris.  Blue Iris.

Lots of Brass glass.

Spaced throughout with a seed bead mix I whipped up especially for this.

And true to its name, there are plenty of fish!

These iridescent beauties really caught my eye...

Quite the shimmer!

This sweet little brass fellow finishes off the necklace.

Rather primitive.

I love him!

You can wear him hanging right down in front, or be adventuresome and dangle him off to the side.

Or perhaps you can even think up some new ways to wrap him up....

My classic "Brass Balls" Czech glass earrings sold on a separate Etsy listing co-ordinate very nicely....

As does my "Sweet Pea" seven-loop memory wire cuff.

Also available in my Etsy shop.

Yep.

That makes a pretty nice batch, doesn't it?

They all get along, but yet not matchy-matchy.

Kinda like some families.

Just an amazing assortment of glass.

Transparent, opaque and frosted.

Shiny and matte.

Cubes, rounds, bicones.

Stacks of wafers.

Facets.

And fish.

"Go Fish!"

"Sweet Pea"

"Brass Balls"

All available in my Etsy shop.

Now.

Kinda makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?

Etsy Extras

 

"Rustic & Recycled"

Sold!

Thank you!

  

When I list pieces on Etsy, there are a few that I want to show more of than the five photos allowed.

This is one of those pieces.

Though "Rustic & Recycled" was completed awhile ago and featured in the July/August 2008 Belle Armoire magazine, I have just recently decided the time has come to let it go.

To let someone else enjoy it as much as I did while creating all the handmade swirls and rings, and then later, seeing it published.

If you have hopped over here from Etsy, welcome to my blog!  Please stay awhile, read some posts and enjoy my photos.......

And I invite you to come visit me again later!

 

Recycled glass is a big feature of this necklace.

Luscious rough and tumble aqua glass.

 

A swirled pewter clasp.

Rustic sand-cast beads of a mellowed mint green accented with butter yellow.

 
 
Cast pewter leaves.

Handmade rings.

 

Large, funky saturn beads.

Craft wire mellowed to the patina of vintage hammered aluminum.

 

Asymmetrical in design, yet balanced. 

 

Each piece of recycled glass is different.

Every sand-cast bead unique.

 

 

A totally handmade twist of wire, topped with bits of dark and lustrous gunmetal Czech glass, finishes both ends of each chunk of recycled glass.

 

A wire curly Q finishes the pendant.

Great fun!

 

Equally interesting earrings complete the "Rustic & Recycled" look.

Recycled glass,  gunmetal Czech glass and sterling ear wires.

 

 

Included with purchase is a copy of the Belle Armoire magazine where "Rustic & Recycled" is shown in the Salon.

 

Comfortable with jeans and a tee.

Or that black linen dress.

"Rustic & Recycled" is at home most anywhere......

And it could be yours.

One of a kind.

Available in my Etsy shop.  

Sold, thank you!

   
  

 

Etsy Extras

"Mary Under Glass"

Oh, I love this necklace!  I love the seed bead colors.  I love the recycled glass.  I love the vintage religious medal.  Yeah, I guess you would say that I kind of like it.

I decided once again, that I needed to use several more pictures than the five that are available on Etsy to show all the details.  If you have come over from Etsy to view them, welcome!  Check out some of my other posts!  I hope you come back often!

~~~~~~~

As is often the case when I make a necklace, "Mary Under Glass" started out life totally different.  The colors were Bronze-lined Peridot, Metallic Bronze, Brown Iris and a few others I no longer even remember.  There was no pendant.  It sat there, unfinished, for months.   I would give it a look and think  "oh. well."  And then leave it sit some more.  Then one day I picked up a beautiful piece of recycled glass and things started to happen.  Mary jumped on board next.  Then all of a sudden it was like the beads had a mind of their own and I was left behind, struggling to keep up, all the while shouting "Whoa!  Wait up you guys!"

 

Yep.  I no longer look at this necklace and think "oh. well."  Of the six strands, the only original remaining beads are the Matte Raku Soft Brown triangles.  All else was changed.  I can't even really describe the Miyuki squares gorgeous color---perhaps a shade of khaki with a purple iris finish??  Just a touch of sparkle.  Very cool.  A variety of iris finish beads make up the other strands---wonderful names like Matte Metallic Copper Iris and Bronze Iris.  Just makes my imagination run wild. 

 

The pendant is removable should you choose, but I would have to wonder why?

 

Here is a close up of the front of the lovely pendant......

 

And here is the reverse.

 

A great shot of the blue recycled glass. 

 

There is a touch of mirror finish on the bottom of the recycled glass.  What was it in a former life?

 

And a final view of "Mary Under Glass".

Just a touch over 18 inches long.

One of a kind.

Available in my Etsy Shop!

"Mary Under Glass" has been sold!  Thank you!!!

Etsy Extras

 

Here is a rather funky necklace, "Fire Opals A Go Go", that I am going to be putting up for sale in my Etsy shop as soon as possible---hopefully yet today.  However, I wanted people to be able to see more than the five photos I can show there, including close-ups of the various "pieces and parts".  I figured this was the perfect forum.  So, if you are stopping by from Etsy...Welcome!  Please take some time to look around at a few of my other posts and thanks for coming by!

When I bought the stones for this necklace, they were marked as Mexican Fire Opals.  They glow!

 

I have since also seen them called Sunset Agates.  Whichever name, they are just gorgeous!

 

I love copper!  Isn't this lily piece just great?  So detailed.  It made a great focal point for the pendant.

 

I named this piece "Fire Opals A Go Go" because while I was working with them, the mother of pearl rings reminded me of the 1960s....I could imagine mini skirts, white lipstick, and, of course, go-go boots.  These mother of pearl rings are natural color and have the pearly glimmer, waves of darker tan, and touches of black.  A beautiful gift from nature.

 

Besides the stones, copper and mother of pearl, there are also Czech glass beads in Rosaline and Dark Amber.  A very nice blend.

 

Yup.  A very nice blend.  

   

I am even including a pair of matching earrings! 

"Fire Opals A Go Go".  Asymmetric.  One-of-a-kind.  Long, no clasp.

Available on Etsy!