Coral before and after...

Someone gave me this. 

I wish I knew who to thank for these awesome red coral beads. 

I fixed the broken necklace and used a few strands for some fun experimentation. 

I made this beauty using the elastic I use for stretch bracelets. 

I just slip it on over my head. It's easy on and easy off. My mom will like that. I think I will make more elastic necklaces. 

These are two stackable bracelets that I made also adding turquoise and German silver cube like beads. 

Another shot

I'd say this was a successful refashion. I'd like to return the fixed necklace to its owner but can't seem to remember who gave it to me! 

It's so pretty! Needs to find its way home. I'll keep asking. 

I love a good refashion!

Dreaming of Summer and Working with Turquoise

Saturday means piano at 9:30, tennis at 11 and now, acting classes at 1pm. Here I sit for hours waiting for both boys to learn the fundamentals of acting. My two future Keanu Reeves? I'm trying to think of other half asian male actors....

And it's cold. Just cold. So I hunker down with my hot tea in my hot cup and my travel beading bag. 

Today, I've decided to work with turquoise. It's making me think of warm days, white t-shirts and summer jewelry. 

I oxidized some 26 gauge silver wire to make it black. I thought that would look nice against the smooth but uneven shaped stones. After starting, the 24 or even 22 gauge may have been better bc the 26 is thin and hides into the holes of the beads but it's subtle and I like it. 

I got about 10 inches done in the lobby of the acting school and now that I'm home, I'm thinking about clasps and a possible pendant to dangle off the clasp. 

Because the beads are large, a hook is probably easier than a toggle. So, I lay out my options. 

Left to right my options are

-baroque silver pearl 

-baroque cream pearl 

-a large moonstone

-pale pink tear drop shaped pearl 

The sizes are roughly the same so I think at this point, it's personal preference. 

Not sure what I'll pick just yet. 

This is a peek into my process :) 

And this is the final finished product 

Can't wait for warmer weather. :)

Here is me wearing my new turquoise necklace with a summery top. 

Emerald Necklace Redesign

Genuine emeralds? Why yes please. I got these at my first gem show. I thought they'd be nice like this. Simple. Elegant. 

I put the largest bead from the strand in the front. I thought it was great. But you know what they say. Why have one when you can have three???

But even after a few bazaars, this one wasn't getting much attention. So, I turned it into the ever so trendy "bar" necklace and viola, sold the next time I displayed! 

I love the random placement of the gold bead. I think I will remake this one and restock. Maybe with other stones as well. 

Blue diamonds

It all starts with a strand of beads. Right?

I split a strand of blue diamonds with my beading bestie who went to the Vegas bead show. 

Diamonds, I have learned, are really really sparkly. Rough cut, colored, big, small, they all really sparkle. 

Then I went to make a long blue diamond necklace but the wire I had (28g) wouldn't fit. So I got thinner 30 gauge and we were in business. However, this was blinding work. The holes in the already small beads were tiny and hard to see. (Yes, bigger diamonds would have broken the bank.) 

To save my sanity I linked the diamonds together but added sections of chain so I could "cheat" a bit. Here is what I made. But........

I found that I never wore it. Something about it. Too dainty, too something. So I oxidized the silver. (That means I made it tarnish on purpose to turn the wire all black.) 

I wanted to add a little more sizzle so I laid out some options. 

See how making the wire black changed the delicate to a bit more rocker/funky? It gives the necklace more weight, I think. But I didn't love love love these. A few more options were laid out. 

And the winner is......

And this is what it looks like, on. 

Moss aquamarine necklace gets a redesign

First I made a two strand necklace with two separate moss aquamarine strands.

But it was not exactly what I wanted. So then I tried a different approach. Made the two strands come together and added a pendant. 

Which is better? 

Labradorite and Sapphire Earrings -- Dainty Didn't Sell...

These started small. I liked the idea of dainty earrings. Small, almost stud like but not exactly. Its also easier to wrap briolette style beads with the sapphires on top, I felt.  But maybe they were too small... Eventually I made them longer.

Once I made them longer, they sold! 

These big hoops needed to be made smaller, I think. 

These new updated earrings are available at my Etsy shop currently:

http://www.kuriyasunodesigns.etsy.com