Pretty Necklaces for Throat Cancer Survivors

As a jewelery designer and dentist who's primary focus is Head & Neck Cancer patients, I recognize that there is a need for people who have had a laryngectomy, or who have a tracheostomy stoma, to be able to have a decorative covering for their stoma.

These vintage filigree stampings are available in a variety of shapes and styles, all measuring between 1 1/8" and 2 1/8" in diameter. This is the selection that I currently have in stock.

As these are custom made necklaces, I can use chain, beading, or organza ribbons to accent the filigree focal piece. Simply choose your filigree stamping then choose which colour ribbon you would like to go with it. 

Detachable and interchangeable ribbons allow for cleaning and variety. They make a thoughtful gift too.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss options, sizing, or for more clarification.

Dreaming of Summer

Here in Southern Canada we are still firmly in the grips of winter. Lots of snow, wind, and frequent bouts of freezing rain.

As you can see there's still lots of opportunity for fun with family during the winter!

However, sometimes one's thoughts do turn in anticipation to those hot summer days. When that happens I head down to the torch...it's warm!

I tried to conjure up a pair of beads that evoked hot summer days...coral red and transparent blue...with just a bit of white.

I love this blue opalino glass...it develops tiny bubbles in the flame!

I then added some Swarovski crystals and sterling silver accents to make a pretty pair of summer earrings. If you would like a pair please visit my website...

Are you dreaming of summer yet?

A Tale of Two Loves...More Time Please!

Well, I have been away from this blog for far too long! As you all know, life moves in fast forward as one gets older, and that is definitely been the case with me!

Trying to slow it down at work, I have been working 4 days one week and 3 days the next, and LOVING it!! It gives me more time for hobbies, and of course I've taken more on.

I am always so torn between lampwork beadmaking and jewellery design. Here's an example:

I'm trying to use up some of my glass stash (could take several lifetimes!) so I made these scrollwork beads with a Lauscha Lavender glass that I only have a couple of rods left.

Torn between listing them for sale to other jewellery designers and making them into earrings for sale to jewellery customers I decided on the latter.

Oh the vagaries of photography and lighting! The bottom photo is more accurate on my monitor...more of a blue-lavender than a pink-lavender. The Swarovski crystals are Tanzanite, and they have .925 sterling silver earwires.

Available on my website for $15.

New Boro Beads....It's Been A While

Borosilicate glass, aka boro, is so different to work with compared to "soft" glass, or soda glass.  Most glass beads are made with glass from manufacturers like Effetre (Italian), Lauscha (German), or Bullseye (American).

Borosilicate, or Pyrex, glass, was developed by Corning and is the glass that "Corningware" used to be made from...it can go from cold (refrigerator) to hot (oven) without cracking.

Coloured borosilicate glass yields beautiful, ethereal hues and is a very different palette when compared to soda glass, where most of the time WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get).

Here are some new boro beads I have listed in my Etsy shop:

 Deep & Hazy Blue

 Dark Amber Purple & Hazy Violet

 After Midnight

Deep Purple & Hazy Blue

Boro beads are wonderful design elements in jewellery...here's a bracelet using shades of violet with copper.

Violet & Copper Bracelet

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

Big Hole Beads...The Trend Continues

The fashion trend using glass beads with large holes continues....wear them on European-style bracelets and necklaces, put them on a thick leather cord, string them one at a time or in groups on an existing chain you own, mix and match and change things up to suit your mood or your outfit today!

The holes on these big hole beads measure 4.2mm in diameter so they are very versatile and even slide over a small clasp or jumpring to make changing them easy. 

Here's a selection of big hole beads that I made recently, shown on a Pandora-sized bracelet.

 Look Deeply Ocean Blue Handmade Glass Bead

 Pink & White Swirled Handmade Glass Bead

Sea Blue Swirls Handmade Glass Bead

These big hole beads are great for designing jewelry with, or as an accent on an existing bracelet or chain.  They make wonderful gifts.

Brilliant Blues

I find that as I follow my creative inspirations I tend to gravitate towards some colour palettes, and forget about others.

I decided to have a look more closely at this habit of mine, so I searched "blue" in my Etsy shop...and I found that 14 of my 57 current listings were blue, or had blue in them.

I made a poster sketch of them because I thought they looked pretty all arranged by colour...I'm hopeless! Be sure to click on the image to enlarge it...my 50 year old eyes had to squint, LOL.

I hope you like them....now...it's off to make some more beads....hmmmm, maybe blue ones???

Outrageously Orange

I think it must be because my hair is auburn (well, more grey these days but thank you L'Oreal), my husband's hair is red, and three of our four children have reddish hair, ranging from strawberry blonde to medium auburn.

I LOVE the color orange!!!

I have orange pants, an orange jacket, orange shirts galore...and I'm crazy for orange beads and gemstones!

Here are some of the "oranges" in my Etsy shop...
Lions and Tigers and Bears...Handmade Lampwork Bead Set SRA
Apricot Swirls...Handmade Graduated Lampwork Bead Set of 7 SRA
Red and Orange Glass Bead for Pandora Bracelet
Red, Orange, and Yellow Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Glass Bead Pair
Orange and Violet Glass Borosilicate Lampwork Focal Bead
Red, Orange, and Yellow Glass Bead Pair - Borosilicate Lampwork
Orange Primrose...Beaded Necklace with Sculptural Lampwork Flower Focal
ON SALE - Orange and Silver-Gemstone and Crystal Beaded Necklace with Carnelian Pendant
Swarovski Fire...Brilliant Beaded Necklace with Faceted Teardrop Focal Pendant

It's Not Autumn but I still LOVE Leaves!

My husband is red-green color-blind and has great difficulty distinguishing between reds/greens, greens/browns, browns/yellow, and blue/purple. It's an X-linked genetic trait, and his brother has the same (dis)ability.

There is a tremendously good book written by Dr. Oliver Sacks, Neurologist, entitled "The Island of the Colorblind", which discusses the trait in wonderful, compelling detail.

One thing that is very apparent is that despite the fact that we see color differently, my husband has much better night vision than I do...he can walk around in the dark and see quite well, while I'm stumbling into things.

The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of the autumn leaves is one thing that he doesn't see as being very different than the green of summer.

I've been making borosilicate glass leaf pendants in all kinds of colors...and have solicited my husband's input for colors that he can distinguish as different.

Here are two that are currently for sale in my Etsy shop...
Green & Vibrant Blue Glass Leaf Pendant

Pink & Amber Purple Glass Leaf Pendant

Pretty In Pink...

I went for a bike ride at lunch today, down by the river, and all the wild Redbud (Cercis canadensis) trees were in bloom. I think they must be my favourite tree in the early Spring, with tiny, beautiful flowers which emerge directly from the stems before the leaves appear.

It put a smile on my face all afternoon, thinking of the bright splashes of pink hidden amongst the other trees.

I thought I'd show you some "Pretty In Pink" Spring earrings...on sale on my Brilliant Beads website, for only $7.00 each pair! That's sure to make you smile too ;-))

Pink Glass Drop Earrings

Soft Pink & Crystal Silver Earrings

Alabaster Pink Glass Drop Earrings

Pink Glass Bicone Drop Earrings