A Love Affair

As of late, I've been finding my happy place in metalwork...

I've not really done any new wire jewelry, I'm not giving it up, just infatuated with stones and metal right now.
These pretties are residing in my Etsy shop, looking for a loving home:)

Have a great weekend!

Shelby

A Little Shopping

Thank you for all the well wishes regarding last weeks incident. I didn't get quite as much done as I had hoped, must stay more focused...but I did do a tiny bit of shopping on Etsy. Nothing to crazy.

I've been drooling on this bag for at least a week and I needed something new for spring, right? I'm kinda plain Jane when it comes to my clothes, but that allows me to accessorize with colorful bags, jewelry, and scarves.

courtesy of Cayenne Peppy Bags

And, a couple new lampwork bead sets from Outwest. It's been a long time since I've purchased any lampwork beads, I have so many, but I could pass these up. I'm in love the chartreuse color and the blue kicker. They are even nicer in person, aren't they always.

courtesy of Indian Creek Art Glass

and these because who can buy just one? Plus they will give me a little challenge, they're pretty big.

courtesy of Outwest

I haven't been out to the studio, but my fingers are quickly healing, at least quicker than I thought, so I'm gonna give it a go today. Plus, I just received a package from Rio, just metal, but I can get pretty excited about that!

Have a great day!

~Sale~ in Etsy Shop

Visit my shop on Etsy Sundown Bead Designs. I have not had any new additions to my shop lately...therefore I'm having a great sale. Below are a few of the select items in my shop that are on sale up to as much as 20% off the original price. And check back soon as I will be adding new items for the fall and upcoming Christmas season.

SALE - Tropical Paradise - Bodacious Lampwork, Thai Hill Tribe Silver and Hand Forged Sterling Silver Bangle

Save Big SALE - Northern Lights - Chunky Boro Lampwork, Sterling and Thai Silver Bracelet

SALE - Fall Rustic Red - Sterling Silver Wire, Coral and Red Jasper Necklace

Save Big - SALE - Sienna Lampwork and Sterling Silver Bracelet

Great Summer Bracelet

~Sunset~ Boro Lampwork and Sterling Silver Wirework Bracelet

Check out this great bracelet for this summer...It's bursting with beautiful pastel colors!...Envision yourself perfectly bronzed from the summer sun with a little blink on your wrist. This bracelet is absolutely eye popping...great pastel colors contrasting with shiny silver...you'll love it!

See this bracelet and many more in my Etsy shop.

Bright, Bold & A Little Different

Bold Blooms Wirework Bracelet

I'm still on the rainbow kick...for my latest designs I have been using an array of colorful lampwork beads. I'm getting off the beaten path, I like to use all the same color lampwork beads in a piece...I tend to do the same thing, what can I say I like structure...same thing...same thing...then I wonder away for a while but eventually will work my way back to the same thing. I'm definitely wondering lately!

The funky wirework is the main focus in this bracelet. The lampwork beads are small spacer beads. I have been wanting to use them but I have really struggled with them because of their size. Finally, I came up with this bracelet and I'm really happy with the outcome.

This is a bright, funky, fun bracelet for the summer!

Asteroid Belt

~Asteroid Belt~ Sterling Silver Orbiting Lampwork Beads

It's been a while since I've posted, but I've still been hard at work!

This is one of my newest creations. For years my son has been enthralled with space. He feeds me sporadic blurbs of information here and there...the cold, hard truth...I actually learn facts that I'm not sure I was taught in school~ouch! HOWEVER...we were not so long ago discussing the inner and outer planets and how they are separated by the asteroid belt...hence the name for this necklace.

As soon as I saw these lampwork beads it brought the asteroid belt to mind. The vast mass of asteroids encircling a dark space which contains the inner planets. And I stayed with the whole belt, orbiting, rotating sense by linking the beads with the elongated springs. This keeps the necklace moving...or orbiting if you will.

This necklace is currently not in my Etsy shop...I will be listing it when I have a chance.

Over the Rainbow

Over the Rainbow Bracelet

My daughter colors everything in rainbow colors. I can't say that I've seen a cat in every color under the sun but she is creative (like her mom). So in honor of her colorful out look on life I made this bracelet. Plus, it uses up some of those odd beads, you know the ones that have been hanging around for a while that you just can't seem to pair up.

This bracelet is unique in another way as well. There are no "mass production" beads such as Bali or Thai silver beads. I have juried for an artist tour, and the pieces that I display during the tour can not contain any mass production materials. I'm still waiting to hear from the jury. I'll be sure to let everyone know the outcome.

This bracelet is not in my Etsy shop but hopefully I'll list it sometime this week:)

See this bracelet in my Etsy shop! You'll love it!

Desert Stone Bangle

Desert Stone Bangle

Last week was spring break for us. We went away for a few days, but the rest of the week I was home with the kids, therefore didn't really get to much done. And especially didn't get to craft any new pieces. However, my dear hubby took the kids for the weekend to PA. So I created to my hearts content this past weekend.


I had so much fund creating this bracelet. It has lots of coiling and wire beads...which I love!! I also really like the oxidized copper with these lampwork beads. It really makes them stand out. This bangle is a little different style than what I normally create. In the past bangles have always been a hard sell. They are so size specific...it seems that whenever a client has been interested in a bangle, it's either too small or too big. This bangle has been left open, therefore can easily be adjusted to fit almost any wrist.




Check this bangle out in my Etsy shop.

Oil Spill Pendant

Oil Spill~Sterling Silver Wire Wrapped Pendant

I was so excited upon receiving these beads! Couldn't wait to create a new something. The focal bead is so much larger than the others so I wanted to make a pendant using it.


This is how it turned out. This bead is large and chunky (22 mm x 30 mm), and I wanted the wirework to compliment it well without covering up the metallic finish and raised bumps. The bead is framed in coiled fine gauge wire, followed with another wrap of a medium gauge wire. The base and top loops are also coiled, and the top is embellished with hammered cascading spirals.


I am very please with the results! I almost hate to sell it...but I did save the largest of the smaller beads for moi.

Be sure to check this Oil Spill Pendant out in my etsy shop.

Update from yesterday's post

Freeform Cone Weave Pendant/Necklace

Okay...here is the finished necklace with much better photos. I am on the fence whether I am going to add this piece to my Etsy shop or take it to the gallery. If I do list this necklace in my shop I will be doing it later tonight, as I have a really busy afternoon.

Something New & Different

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the jewelry that I create. It is so very therapeutic for me and I enjoy sharing my finished piece for others to enjoy. However, lately I have kind of been in a funk. I feel like I am creating the same old thing over and over, in a different color with little variation. So today I decided that I was going to do something way different for me.

There are a few artists who's work I really enjoy drooling over. One of them is Ronna Weltman. Her jewelry is so beautiful and unique. So the necklace that I created today was inspired by one of her pieces of work. I really enjoyed creating something different and I am very pleased with the finished piece.

Now, I'm off to go oxidize and tumble this necklace...I was just so excited, that I couldn't wait to post a picture of it.

Finally...Something New...Earrings

Aqua Swarovksi Crystal & Sterling Silver Earrings

I'm lovin' these new earrings. The Aqua Swarovski Crystal Earrings look great! They would be a nice gift for someone with a March birthday, as aquamarine is March's birthstone, or perfect wedding jewelry. These earrings are nice and simple, inexpensive and have lots of bling because of the crystals. Also, all new for these earrings, I have used my new hoop earwires.

Passionate About Purple ~ Hand Forged Sterling Silver Stick Earrings

I'm wild about these earrings too!! I love the luster on the pearls, nice and shiny. Again, new earwires. But, I had the most fun pounding the wire to create the "sticks" in these earrings. I think that this is one of my new favorite things to do. You know...I can beat (take my aggression out) and create something so beautiful at the same time. Who knew! I'm really happy with the way these turned out after I oxidized them. The oxidation makes these earrings POP!!

Check 'em out in my Etsy shop. Go ahead and splurge...you'll love these too!!

Sale...15% Off this weekend

I am excited to be participating in the February Shopping Extravaganza sponsored by Team ESST. In conjunction with this shopping event, you will receive 15% off all orders of $15 or more. This sale will run in both my Sundown Findings and Sundown Bead Designs Etsy shops until Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Check out ESST's blog, and look for the new "official" promotional thread each day to see what fellow estian are offering as part of this shopping extravaganza. Hope to see you there!!

Study in Blue Treasury

Here is the latest treasury that one of my pieces is in. Yesterdaysnew snagged a treasury in treasury west, as part of the continuing treasury chain. Be sure to take a peek my Seahorse Boro Necklace in this Study in Blue Treasury, click around, and post a comment.

Sea Breeze ~ Boro Lampwork & Sterling Wire Bracelet

Sea Breeze ~ Boro Lampwork & Sterling Silver Bracelet

I LOoOoOve this bracelet...I almost would like to keep it for my own (tears). But I always want to keep my newest designs, this will pass though...that is when I make my next creation.

These blue/green artisan boro lampwork beads are embellished with lots of sterling silver hand coiled wire, and I have added Thai sealife beads, as well as a few dangles.

Hopefully I will get this added to my Etsy shop tomorrow... definately at some point this week if not tomorrow. I have been a little preoccupied with getting ready to visit the accountant on Friday. UGH!

New Shop

Hoop Earwires


Textured Sterling Silver Big Hook Clasp & Connector




Hand Torched Sterling Silver Ball Tip Earwires



Are you looking for nice quality findings for your jewelry making projects? Copper or sterling silver, shiny or oxidized, check out my new shop on Etsy Sundown Findings. I figure that I am making findings all the time anyway so I might as well offer them for sale. This will give me a little something extra to dabble in, not that I need it, I'm already so busy. So check out my new shop, I don't have a lot of listings right now but I will be adding more items soon.

I'm Featured

I'm so excited...I have been featured on DZ Fantasy's Blog. I have had pictures of my pieces on other blogs before but not and actual "interview." Hum...I almost feel...um...famous. Yeah that's it, for one whole day her most recent blog will be devoted to my shop. Be sure to visit DZ Fantasy blog, she does such a great job featuring Etsy artists and their work. Also, be sure to visit DZ Fantasy Etsy shop and see the awesome fiber art she does. Just beautiful and you can even try to win one of her treasures. DZ Fantasy offers lots of giveaways on her blog.

King Sale

Faceted Rose Wire Wrapped Briolettes

Double Heart Wire Bookmark

Land N Sea Lampwork & Sterling Bracelet

I know that it is a little delayed but visit my Etsy shop this weekend for my sale in honor of the holiday weekend. Save 10% off your entire purchase until Monday. So go ahead and splurge...treat yourself or your someone special to a little something special.

Treasury Chain

Treasury Chain

I'm in this treasury...I can't believe that I have been on Etsy for months and I've never been included in a treasury...and now two in one week!! WOW! Go figure...

Today was productive, I have been working on updating my listings in my Sundown Bead Designs shop on Etsy and I have completed almost all of them now. I also added a new listing in my shop, a beautiful Plain & Simple Necklace. As well as photographing my new items that I have yet to list.

Stay tuned...more to come this weekend

TGIF!!

Facted Aqua Briolette Earrings
Sienna Swirl Earrings

I absolutely can't believe that I have finally made it through this week!!

After a 2 week break school started back on Monday and so did everything else. It seems that when school is out so is everything else. So we go from being busy bees to a dead stop. I know...it's my fault but I got out of my routine. I wasn't getting up at my usual time, and didn't miss driving back and forth to school one bit. So anyway, I am SO over taxiing my kids to and from school this week. I HATE riding in the car as it is, so a 2 week break really set me back. Also, my daughter's gymnastics resumed, my son started basketball this week, and to top it all off my husband was out of town this week. Very Stressful!!

But the good news is...as usual I was visiting the community forums last night on etsy and I came across two other blogs that had featured something from my shop. Yeah! Rouge River Beads does a Get Inspired Challenge every week, so this week I submitted my Faceted Aqua Briolette Earrings, and they were chosen to be featured on the blog. In addition, Katwhitt features an etsy find of the day. On Wednesday, she featured my Sienna Swirl Earrings on her blog. I guess all the time spent at the computer promoting is worthwhile, but I like it so who cares.

The other good news is...I did get a chance to design a couple of new items this week. But, I have not had a chance to photo them yet. I oxidized and tumbled them today, so as soon as we have a nice sunny day I will get the camera out.

Stay posted for more...