The Bells Are Ringing...

First, let me say it's snowing again today, an unusual but delightful occurrence on the Enchanted Isle. Naturally, this means that it's a bit gloomy, so my photos are not as crisp as I'd like. All of you who follow me know that as I prefer to use natural light in my photos, I'm constantly griping about gloom, but heck, when summer hits this is the best place in the world to live.


The items I'm putting up today are a selection of suggestions for a wedding jewelry suite for a Very Special Person. We'll call her The Magnificent M-Dees, and you know who you are! Here's the first pass at possible options for Ms. M-Dees and her five lovely attendants.

Here are Ms. Dees' earrings. already picked out (upper pair)! They are barely-off-white shell and freshwater pearls with a sterling rhinestone rondelle at the center, adding interest and sparkle, and making these earrings reminiscent of a queen's glittering tiara. The third earring is my first suggestion for bridesmaids' earrings - freshwater pearls, quite a bit smaller, with their own bit of bling! So sweet. The one shown is not fully wrapped, and sports a ball-end sterling pin; a flat-end headpin could be used instead.

Something different, if Ms. Dees prefers not to have the attendants' earrings match hers. These are perfectly plain, a smaller version of the shell pearl used in her earrings. They could easily go smaller, with little freshwater pearls. Very petite and pretty! Once again, I wrapped this single earring on a ball-end pin, but flat-end could be used in the final pairs.

I know, I know, she wants a very plain pendant for her necklace! But this set-up, with a bigger shell pearl that matches the earrings, makes me happy! It could dangle from a very simple chain - a sturdy cable, perhaps - but I'm on the hunt for reasonable snake chains, which are beautiful, smooth and strong, though a bit more pricey. We'll see what happens.

A big shell pearl looped sideways (horizontally) onto fine cable chain. I'm not thrilled with this one, and it would work only with this kind of chain, which I have found to be a bit flimsy for a style like this. It would not work on a snake chain, either. Don't know why I suggested it!

Simple, simple. This style would work with absolutely anything. I'd use a smaller ring above the pearl to serve as the pendant bail, or another simple style silver bail (something like the ones shown, with many thanks to Erin at Lytha). Ideally, they could be strung or wrapped onto the chain, either a snake (am I sounding like a broken record??) or a slightly thicker cable, with a spring-ring clasp. I'd suggest my one biggest shell pearl for the bride and medium-sized pearls for the attendants. And, again, the pearls could be wrapped on either the ball-end pin shown, or a flat-end headpin.

Here's a little comparison of styles; imagine the pearl on the left being the size of the one shown on the right (it would actually be that very pearl; this is the last one I have of this size in white).

I can't wait to hear from the Magnificent M-Dees! Let me hear from you, too, and don't forget to visit my shop at www.suzyrocksdesigns.etsy.com. I'm revamping my necklace sales procedures there; will post info soon!

New Stuff - Be Still My Heart

It's starting to snow here on the Enchanted Isle, and I'm wallowing in the very beginnings of a new slice of life, having just been semi-laid-off from my long-time job. While this is NOT good for the pocketbook, in the near future I'm pretty excited to have a lot more time on my hands for - yes - beautiful stones! And, of course, for making them into pretty jewelry. I've been laying low, napping, readjusting, and smiling a lot over the last few days, but the creative sap is beginning to rise.

With St. Patrick's Day around the corner a pair or so of green earrings simply have to appear in my Etsy shop. Here's one I made this afternoon, and just listed:

Snow and Shamrocks: Speckled Green Agate, copper wrap, niobium ear wires. So very sweet!

And, as is my wont, I have to share some upcoming lovelies that will appear all made up in my shop at www.suzyrocksdesigns.etsy.com over the next week or so. I'm planning a new line of pendants as well as the earrings; will share as soon as I have a nice grouping done. In the meantime, Enjoy Looking!

Botswana Agate teardrops, in swirly, glossy browns, whites, creams, oranges, and good enough to devour; they'll make up into about a 1-1/4" earring.

BIG iolite onion brios. A little hard to photograph, but just gorgeous, with their purply-blue glow and areas of brown-clear.

Landscape jasper wedges. Delicious; need I say more? These come in varied sizes.

Golden pyrites, big faceted teardrops. Yikes!! I think my teeth actually started chattering like a cat looking at a canary when I saw these. They'll make up into about a 1" earring.

Juicy red agate, glowing like summer sunshine. As you can see, these will be available in a couple of different sizes. Oooh, signs of coming spring, we hope!

Spectacular zebra jasper wedges, very deep black with brilliant white markings. These are also going to be available in different sizes - a couple of pairs of earrings and one pendant - but they are very limited in quantity.

Amazonite kite briolettes. These are so beautiful, with that exact shade of soft, creamy blue so cherished in amazonite. I love the dark striations; such terrific contrast, and they make for very sophisticated earrings. They'll work up to about 1-1/2 - 1-3/4" long.

This is a new stone to me, and the photo doesn't do it justice. Hypersthene or Labrador hornblende has a "silky" optical quality, and a chatoyance reminiscent of labradorite (it is minerally related to lovely lab, as well). My first reaction to it, especially in this brown-grey-black coloration, was to think it resembled mink fur. Rich, luscious, warm.

SO SO So-phisticated! These gorgeous Succor Creek jasper kite brios are just wonderful. They'll make up into almost 2" long earrings.

And, last but not least in the least, these chunky golden pyrite faceted tilaks are yummy! They're showing a bit more grey in this picture than the gold they actually are. As earrings they'll have a drop of around 1-1/4".


Come back soon, and don't forget to visit my shop at www.suzyrocksdesigns.etsy.com.