Crystal Pave Bracelet, Tube Bracelet, Pave Bead Bracelet, Sparkly Bracelet

This multi-color crystal pave bracelet is the first of the "We love Pave  Crystal" series.  

Add a touch of sparkle to your everyday outfits
with this tube bracelet.

Or a sparkly bracelet to brighten up your day....

This pave bead bracelet features paves and  Swarovski crystal in blue and green on a silver plated chain. 

I have been doing easy and simple bracelets to start the wheel in my creative department rolling. These are a few of my bracelets using crystal pave beads.  I have been using crystal pave in my designs here and there; as in a bracelet I made for my niece and also other bracelets listed in my Etsy shop.  

Restyling Broken Jewelry

A friend needed help with some of her stretch bracelets that were broken. 

I decided not to re-string them all over again  as they were originally designed (I felt that the original setting did not reflect her personality) and since she did not mind it, I was happy to create entirely new pieces for her.   Restyling broken jewelry  is a great option to repurpose the gemstones into new modern pieces and  I wanted the pieces to look young, fun and playful - just like her!

         

She gave me these loose blue beads in a bitty bag. The gemstone was unknown but I suspect it could either be amazonite, aquamarine or blue agate but I could be wrong as I am not a gemologist.  

I wire wrapped each bead individually and added some clear crystals for a little glint.  It needed texture and so I dangled some quirky silver metal charms. 

I made for her a fun playful beaded charm bracelet.

I am pleased to say that she loved the bracelets.

A pair of fancy dangling earrings from her stash of amethyst Chinese crystal 

swinging prettily from s-link connectors.

A little shine and glitter perfect for any party or occasion.

It makes me very happy that these beads will not be sitting and collecting dust in her jewelry box. My heart is singing that I could give her a fresh look and style that she can actually wear over and again.

Charm Chain Bracelet, Beaded Charm Bracelet

This charm chain bracelet was a gift for my daughter some years ago.  However, it was left sadly in the bottom of her jewelry box.  I changed the clasp from a lobster clasp to this flower toggle hoping that it would change her mind.  Sadly, it did not.  So I thought it was time for a makeover ......

The charms are metalized acrylic so they are very lightweight.

Here’s the new look :

I remembered I had a small packet of metalized acrylic based charm that was given to me some years ago, which was at the bottom of my bead stash (not a great fan of metalized acrylic beads, dont ask me why; i just dont).  I added those to the bracelet along with some pretty pink glass pearls for color. However, the charm bracelet needed more drama.  So I wire wrapped some irregular clear glass beads with pink seed bead together with some white seed bead dangles to complete the makeover. 

 PS :  I am glad to say that she loved it and the bracelet is getting some of the love and attention from her. 

 Afterthought:

Jewelry makeover with other designer’s jewelry saddens me.  It makes me feel as I do not respect the inspiration, ideas and joy of the creator; that the piece has lost its identity.  However, it makes me sad when jewelry is not worn as it should be.  Every jewelry piece that has ever been made was made with love, passion and hard work and we should respect and appreciate that.

Basic Jewelry Making - The Balancing Act - Symmetrical Bracelet

It has been a long log long time since my last post.  What can I say?  There were many things going on and I let myself be drowned in it.  Not a way to live but everyone needs a break now and then.  We are humans, right?  We err and we do allow many stupid things to go on before we see the light of day. Learn and live.....

Well, since my last dry spell, I have been trying to get my creative juices flowing again by going back to the basic - starting with the first principle of basic jewelry making, which is Balance. There are 3 types of balance; the symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial.  

Of course, the symmetrical (and the easiest) is the perfect balance as the bracelet would be balanced in materials, colors, texture shape and form. Centering is the easiest way to achieve a balanced design.  Symmetrical jewelry is pleasingly orderly and expected.

Asymmetrical balance or informal balance deals with designs with visual weights that are equivalent but not identical.  It takes more planning and practice to ensure balance.  I find the best way to achieve asymmetrical balance is to have more or less equally placements of different size, shape and color randomly distributed throughout the design. 

The final balance is radial balance whereby all the elements in a a design radiate from a center point and the visual weight is distributed equally, like a starfish.  Like a charm bracelet.

Here are the photos :

I love the irregularity and the color of these swirling purple-blue Czech beads.

A classic bead and chain bracelet from natural hand-cut lemon topaz
with gold-toned miyuki seed beads.

Practicing my wire working.  This is lilac stone with copper craft wire.  This was a vast  improvement from the earlier piece I made for my sister,  Things to do list - to remake my sister's bracelet.

A multi strand bracelet of sunny yellow and sun colored chinese crystal rondelles
 individually hand wrapped with gold toned craft wire.

          

A wire wrapped Swarovski Elements pearl bracelet in grey with a brass charm with an extract from Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 - " And every fair from fair sometime declines"

As you can see, I made many symmetrical bracelets.  Always start with the easiest, right?  I have not taken photos of the other pieces....will upload as soon as I can....Promise!