Sunday, September 15, 2013

Pearls! Pearls!! Pearls!!!

My buddy Michelle of MishelDesigns is a treasure trove of knowledge as far as pearls go (and I bet she knows a lot about a lot of other things too!)

Exactly a month ago, she announced a blog hop to celebrate her beloved pearls (she has a diploma in pearls from the Gemological Institute of America!). The challenge was to design something with pearls...any kind (there are so many, I get dizzy just thinking about them!), real or imitation, as many or as little, and any form of jewelry. For the reveal, she requested the design and the source of the pearls.

I jumped in, not quite sure what I would do. Maybe a ring? Since I have not really ever made one?
And then happened my dead-internet-saga and I forgot all about it until I received an email from the lovely lady giving us further details about the hop.

Shamefaced, I thought I was too late, and will have to bow out of it. But then last night I decided I had to make at least something! She didn't put too many rules in, and I have used them before, not as a main focus, but yeah, I have used them.

Then my brain dug up the visual of a bracelet I had thought of a looooong time ago, when the components all just happened to sit next to each other (I was not even using them for what I was doing at the time!)
I heaved a sigh of relief and quickly whipped up this....




The focal is a very interesting ceramic tube bead by Marti Conrad of Marti's Buttons-n-Beads.
She had sent it to me as part of the gift from the bead fairies of Project Bead.

The pearls are keishi pearls (I am giggling as I write this, as I have a Japanese friend by that name at work), gifted by Marla Gibson of Spice Box Designs, also as part of Project Bead. The silver spacers are also gifts from my bead fairies!

I was really tempted to add some color to this...maybe bright yellow or green, but thankfully, better sense prevailed.

The bracelet is 7.5 inches long and looks super pretty :) 

And as is always the case with my designs, some beads I bought from Emma Todd of A Polymer Penchant were just sitting there doing their own thing, and I ended up making these...
The beads I used here are gifts from her :-) Yeah, I have super awesome friends! I am blessed that's for sure!!
 


The earrings on the daintier side...just shy of 1.5 inches from the top of the earwire.

Both these pieces are for sale. The bracelet: $25 + shipping, and the earrings are $15 + shipping. So let me know if you are interested :-)

There are whole bunch of super talented ladies who joined this hop. Pearls are so versatile, they can be used and strung and coiled and done-whatever-you-want-with! All these ladies have very unique styles, and its definitely a visual feast! So go on and have a look!

Sadafulee,…Always in Bloom <-- You Be Over Here

 

13 comments:

  1. Hi Kashmira! Both of your pieces are really cool. I think the one pearl shape I don't own is keishi. Your designs have made me want to run out and buy some! I like how you have used them in the bracelet and those sweet little earrings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Kashmira,
    I love your bracelet and earrings they are so lovely and delicate.
    Therese

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh these both are so sweet! I am in LOVE with that bracelet!! I love how natural and organic it looks with the focal and then those natural pearls. Gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both the bracelet and the earrings are lovely. I really like the combination of the polymer and the pearls, I would never have thought of that. I'm glad you "whipped up" those beauties at the last minute. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh My! Your bracelet is so very pretty - that focal is awesome and those pearls - yummy!! I'm so glad you didn't add any other colors, I think it's just perfect the way it is. I love the earrings - 1st because they've got blue in them (one of my favs!) and second because they are not too long - you know me, Kashmira! LOL!! Thanks so much for joining in the hop, I'm so very happy that you did. Your designs are just super - as always - and I really hope you had some fun! Thanks for you help, too!! I appreciate it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love both of your pieces, Kashmira. I agree with you on your bracelet, it is beautiful just like it is, and I love the color and style of the earrings. Great job! Gina H

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Kashmira! Love reading about your adventures with pearls. I'm especially taken with that bracelet of soft grays and peaches. So gorgeous! Perfectly compliments to that amazing focal.

    Lynda

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is a very nice bracelet. I would certainly wear it!

    Ambra

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love your pieces, especially the lovely bracelet, what a great use of pearls.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those keishi pearls add just the right touch! I love your work. Beautiful ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a wonderful bracelet! I love the focal and the softness of the pearls. The earrings are so fun. What great designs!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your bracelet. The pearls give some elegance to the beautiful and earthy focal. And those earrings are wonderful! Nice job, especially since you made them when it was getting down to the wire.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gorgeous bracelet, the pearls totally set off the focal. Those earrings are just beautiful love the color!

    ReplyDelete