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One of the interesting things about this design idea is that it combines foil-backed glass gems (the 10mm x 10mm diagonal square stone) with a sheer, no-foil-back teardrop shaped pendant.  Really I just wanted to point out that we can do that – we can combine colors that aren’t actually the same. Or textures. Or in this case, sheer and foiled stones. And it works! That’s the fun of do it yourself jewelry – make it the way YOU want (and save money!) The rainbow vitrail glass gems shown here are terrific when combined to make earrings. They aren’t heavy, but are vivid enough and have enough sparkle to really catch the eye. And they go with so many colors!  Now I know sometimes we want neutrals, or soft pastels. But you know, sometimes you want color that sparkles and is strong and vibrant and… fun! That’s what you get when you wear rainbow vitrail. Combine the 10mm rivoli faceted rounds, and 14x10mm octagons as shown here. Or wear each shape alone. Or coordinate with other colors. That’s the fun of rainbow colors! These lightweight, delicate-seeming earrings are great for every day – and hey, if you need emerald earrings for a special occasion? These have the fabulous color of precious gemstone emeralds – without the high price tag! 
These would be great for May birthstone earrings – but they’d also look good with blue jeans. You know: as jewelry ought to. You’ll love them! This sapphire blue, two-stone glass jewel combination is turning out to be a customer favorite! These are sheer rhinestones (glass stones) – with no foil backs. The color is rich enough to shine even without the foil backing – as you can see here:  They are slightly different shades. Note too that the lighter sapphire octagons are handset into silver plated brass settings with closed backs – so the silver shows through and helps to actually lighten the color a bit. If we used patina brass settings, the octagons would appear to be much darker. Really what I want to show here, is two different shapes, and how wonderfully they combine. And how much fun it is to try different prong settings! You’ll adopt the idea to your own particular style. That’s the fun of DIY jewelry! P.S. Well, and also that you can save money when you design and make your own jewelry. Now that is *really* fun! I think this picture illustrates one of my favorite jewelry design ideas. No, it isn’t “faceted teardrops on a pearl necklace” (though that idea right there is pretty terrific.) It’s simpler than that. Gorgeous colors in a pendant, combined with pretty (and inexpensive) glass pearls. Presto: a great looking necklace that you’d be proud to wear anytime.  But the real point(s) are even simpler than that. One, you don’t have to spend hours, and learn difficult and time-consuming skills, to make pretty jewelry. Of course those skills are fabulous, and yes you can use them to make fabulous items. But you don’t need to, if you just want fun and lovely jewelry! And point two is even better: you don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can of course, and there are wonderful (and costly) gems to be found. But if you’re not rich, you can still make gorgeous jewelry! It’s that simple. Buy a few quality items. Learn to string beads, and work with jump rings. Or just buy a pretty (and once again, inexpensive) chain. Make the jewelry you love. Don’t spend a fortune. That’s a great way to start the new year! Hey, just one more reminder of why neutral glass gems can be so terrific! The pendant jewel in this pic is a faceted glass pear or teardrop that measures 25mm x 18mm – about one inch high. The round glass gems shown here are 10mm in diameter, or approximately 3/8″. They’re small enough that they are super lightweight when used as earrings – or as earring components. Imagine them linked to pearls, to small faceted beads, or to a bit of filigree – if you want to make fancier earrings. Yes, I’ll post a couple examples later, maybe next week. Stay tuned!  But even without those pics, you can see how useful these black diamond (gray) round gems could be! Link several together to make a bracelet, or necklace ‘chain’. Pair them with coordinating glass gems, or add rich color to provide contrast. Use your own style to make them work the way you want! And – I don’t usually do “sales” – but from now through December 31, 2023, if you buy the gems shown in this listing you get a second pendant for free. Just let me know what freebie you want when you order! These black diamond (medium gray) faceted glass gems are a great year round jewelry choice! Now don’t laugh, you know I like rich colors in my jewelry. But sometimes a neutral is just right. And especially if you’re making jewelry for someone else, and are not sure about their favorite colors, neutrals totally work.  These are what I would call “medium small”. The diamond shape stones are 10mm x 10mm, about 3/8″, and are great glass connectors as well as small pendants or earring jewels. The pear or teardrop shapes, shown inverted here as connectors, are also fabulous in one-ring settings for smallish pendants or earring jewels. Together or separately, these are terrific with most colors – and they work wonderfully for last-minute Christmas gifts too. Just saying! The earrings shown on this model (mannequin) are faceted glass ovals in rich aqua blue, paired with dangling silver chain – in this case, not even sterling silver but rather silver-tone chain. These earrings would be easy to make – and easy to wear – and affordable!  Sometimes you don’t need “precious”. You want pretty jewelry, and you probably want to be able to make gifts for your friends and family. These would be great gifts! Adapt the idea to your own style, have fun, and make great jewelry! That’s what it’s all about 🙂 The 18mm x 13mm (3/4″ x 1/2″) sapphire blue pear or teardrop shaped faceted glass stones in this pic are a rich, almost royal blue (though just a bit deeper in tone). The smaller diamond shape stones are gorgeous fuschia pink. Of course I love neutrals – but sometimes you want rich, fabulous color in your jewelry!  These teardrops are probably the most popular jewel shape – and of course I have them in lots of colors in my shop. Please go take a look when you have a few minutes – I think you’ll fall in love! And just to make them even more tempting, from now through midnight on Friday, December 8, 2023, when you buy one pair of 18mm x 13mm pears (teardrops) in my shop, you get a second pair free! You just have to mention this blog post and the BOGO sale I mentioned! The “montana sapphire” or navy blue glass gems in this pic are an easy-to-use pendant and earring jewels set (though they are sold separately). Navy Blue is super popular this time of year – it’s a great color for fall and winter, deep and rich. And if you want to make some jewelry for yourself, or for gifts, this is a super option for you!  The teardrop pendant measures 25mm x 18mm, or approximately 1″ x 3/4″. The smaller teardrops, or pear shape stones, are 18mm x 13mm. That’s probably the most popular size for earrings. These jewels are large enough to have great presence with no more embellishment, but not big enough to be heavy. I think you’ll love them! |
Jewelry and Accessories
Vintage, Recycled, Upcycled!
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