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Because parties are coming. Christmas, and New Year’s, and office parties, and for that matter, any special occasion you want: ruby and red and crimson and siam are always in style. and it doesn’t hurt that you can make yourself (or gift your BFF) a pretty pair of classy earrings – for bucko less than it costs to buy them at Macy’s 🙂 Like these:  These are some of the vivid red rhinestone jewels I have available in my Etsy jewelry supplies shop right now – hey, party season is coming 😉 So these are just examples of the classic crystal rhinestones I was talking about the other day. I played with a few very basic shapes, rearranged a few times to play with design ideas. Like these:  See what I mean? I tried a few “insert Tab A into Slot B” (without actually inserting) – these are simple but effective. I’ll probably post a few more complex styles too – but I wanted to show that clean designs, and simple shapes, can combine to make some very cool earrings without you having to invest a lot of time – or money, for that matter. (cough) Of course the stones are available in my Etsy shop – with lots more pretty glass beads and rhinestone jewels. Yeah. You knew that 🙂 Really the title says it all. I think people respond well to color – I love it myself, I love the fun and vitality of it. But there’s something to be said for using classic, sparkling rhinestones. Like these:  They are always flattering, they go with everything, and women from 15 to 50 wear them happily. Correction: from, what, 10 to 90? I’m not sure – but from time to time, we ALL like a little bling and sparkle 🙂 If you’re a jewelry designer, or simply making gifts for your loved ones (or yourself) you really can’t go wrong with crystal rhinestones. There’s a reason they call them “classics”. P.S. And yes, that link takes you to my Etsy shop. Like you didn’t know that 🙂 I tried an experiment again. I gathered together some of the jewels I had on my work table – that hadn’t been put away yet, or were extras I was playing with, or whatever. I had to use what was sitting, randomly, on the table. And I made earrings (okay, I put together the jeweled pieces for earrings, I didn’t actually assemble them. Such a quibble!)  These aren’t colors I would normally use together – and yet, I like what I’ve tried here. Peach, and deep purple amethyst, and peridot green, in one dangling earring? Well, why not? Warm smoky topaz, jonquil yellow, emerald green, and amethyst? Sure. Warm smoky topaz, jonquil yellow, emerald green, and amethyst. Why not? I guess the real point here is – take out your bead soup, or uncover it from when your husband came in the workroom and you didn’t want him to think it was all a Mess. Play with different, unusual, fun combos. Try stuff. You’ll find out some things look good together that you never expected – and sometimes, you’ll make Art. This post is just bragging – I’ve recently gotten some more aqua glass jewels and I’m just in love with this color. Call it aqua – or turquoise – it’s gorgeous!  Yes, these are all available in my Etsy online store. I’ve got more than just the ones shown in the pic above – but I have to say, these are among my favorites. The color is probably the most universally flattering jewel you can find (okay, except real, large-carat diamonds, and if you can afford those it doesn’t matter what color your clothing is). And it looks good year-round: turquoise and a summer tan? Winner. Turquoise with black and white, or tan and cream, in winter? Bingo. Win-win. Affordable, flattering, gorgeous: aqua jewels. Do it yourself and save – and look GOOD. (Yes, that could be my tagline!) Don’t get me wrong, I love color. Vibrant, rich, happy color can totally brighten your day. But sometimes, you want a neutral. It goes with practically everything. It quietly announces This is Classy. Neutral gemstones or glass gems or beads are the Angela Bassett or Lauren Bacall of jewelry – they always look good, they’re always in style, and they’re always a Class Act. I haven’t got Angela Bassett or Lauren Bacall to show you but I do have some lovely “black diamond” glass gems in my shop right now:  And by the way, wasn’t it smart marketing, when somebody came up with THAT name for this neutral gray stone? Here’s another quick, easy necklace design idea. Take one pretty pendant – and add an ornament. Voila: a terrific concept that you can adapt to endless designs. For instance: 
In one design, I’ve shown a circular ornament, almost modern in design, paired with a very traditional ruby glass teardrop pendant. In the other, a vintage sapphire heart jewel is added to an asymetrical silver flower charm. You see what I mean – incorporating an extra ornament, a small cluster or charm, adds dimension and texture. It doesn’t have to be complex. It just has to be fun or pretty or interesting. You choose. It’s your design. P.S. What was I thinking? I almost forgot to mention that of course you can get these lovely pendants, and many other pretties, in my Etsy jewelry supplies shop 🙂 So I was putting together a pair of earrings that feature two of my favorite design elements: vintage glass rhinestone jewels, and chains. More importantly, chains of more than one style and more than one metal. I love the look – maybe a little messy, casual, easy to wear 🙂 These earrings have sapphire blue rhinestone pear jewels in silver settings, with silver, copper, and golden chains in deliberately un-matched styles. I added small yellow-green teardrops – just to give a little tangy color to the mix. Then I tried an experiment – take a look at the earring, with small crystal rhinestone rounds added asymetrically.  Sapphire Vintage Glass Pear Jewel Earrings It’s a nice way to give a little extra sparkle – and suppose you were to use small jewels in, oh, peridot green, emerald, aqua…. or pink and orange. Try it! Take this sort of design and run with it. Play with textures and colors – there is no “wrong” way to do it – and you’ll be surprised at how many designs you can create with this basic concept. Make it yours! This necklace design shows one way to add just a little extra pizzazz – and highlights the idea of repeating a motif or design element:  The crystal rhinestone pear jewel as a design element is repeated three times here. The central two-jewel “duo” pendant measures just a smidge over one inch long and is the focal of this necklace. Yes, it’s available here in my Etsy shop – all these jewels are (of course I used my own stuff for the example here)! I repeated the “crystal teardrop” element in two similar-but-not-identical shapes. It doesn’t have to be teardrops. Try the same idea with round beads or crystals, in ascending size to the central, larger pendant. It adds an extra bit of design excitement 🙂 This idea isn’t original with me – it probably started back in the Stone Age. Take the idea – run with it – make it your own! “Jewels, stones, rhinestones” – those are all words used “in the trade” (how’s that for an old-fashioned term!) to describe the glass jewels that sparkle so beautifully in affordable costume and fashion jewelry. Truly, you don’t need gemstones to have beautiful baubles! Case in point: some beautiful Light Siam Red jewels I have in my shop right now. Most of these are vintage style, but they’re actually new jewels. The look – classic (and classy!)  Think how gorgeous these’ll be with black, or black and white, or red, or navy, or used as a “new neutral” with turquoise or emerald! Yes, contrasts can be fantastic. The beauty of these glass jewels is that you really can play with new ideas – not spend a fortune – and look like a million bucks 🙂 |
Jewelry and Accessories
Vintage, Recycled, Upcycled!
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