Healing Goddess Pendants

I had to do a post about these healing goddess pendants...I love creating them & have one I wear often! These are piece I can't help smiling at while I'm making them! Each one ends up with its own unique design & personality...I haven't done 2 the same yet! They feature a nice thick cab of Mother of Pearl inlaid with a paua shell goddess. I have incorporated healing stones within the framework of the wire wrap. They look beautiful & with the stones have nice added meaning and energy for those days when you need it! (It's tax time & we need it:)!

The Snow Queen

Winter is here & we have a snow queen! Ever since she saw a cat outside Sallie is convinced there are creatures living under the snow ... Apparently she didn't see the cat run into the woods ... she thinks he lives under the snow. So we have a dachshund that pokes her head into piles of snow until she's frozen & we yell for her to come in!

Wire Wrapped Roman Antiquities

I am officially addicted to wrapping these Ancient Roman Antiquities! It all started several months ago when I purchased my first roman coins & now I'm hooked! They are genuine artifacts from 1,600+ years ago, with certificate of authenticity! It is hard to believe how much detail these pieces have after laying buried in the ground for hundreds, if not, thousands of years! The heart shaped piece is an actual armor ornament from 100-200AD; the coin is Valentinian I from 364AD. Many of the coins have goddesses on the backs & scenes that are unbelievable! The armor ornaments I could not resist as Valentine's Day is approaching --- and what is better than a heart that could have been worn by a real knight in shining armor! The back of this coin features Nike, the goddess of victory. I wish these pieces could talk...i would love to know what they have "seen" in their time.

We Got an Ice Storm!

Wow! Winter finally hit us in the North East! We got an ice storm! Hard to believe something so destructive can be so beautiful! It's been so warm up here that many of the bushes and trees were starting to bud & now they are coated in ice & in shock. What strange weather this season has brought! On Christmas we had a ladybug walking along the front step & mushrooms growing in the yard...and now ICE & SNOW! I started making my spring creations .... perhaps that's what brought on the winter weather. Hmmm, maybe I'll go back to wrapping Santa's and Snowmen for awhile.

Inspiring Springtime Creations!!

Time for valentines! We're getting ready for spring & Valentine's Day.... pretty hearts, sunshine, & lots of color! We've been lucky so far this winter...no snow & nice warm weather up here...but we still can't wait for spring! I just receive a shipment of hearts & sterling silver heart chain, and lots of beautiful beads & stones....so be on the lookout for new creations!

Happy NEW YEAR!!

Hope everyone had a great holiday & is looking forward to the new year! Thank you for all of your support and orders through the holidays! It was a crazy marathon at times, but fun! I don't like being bored!

I've already started one of my resolutions...new designs & experimenting with new techniques with wire! I love working with long sleek strands and sculpting with wire, but want to focus on some new techniques to keep me challenged! I have been on a quest to create mens wire wrapped jewelry & I think I've come up with a nice unisex design....gave one to my other half for Christmas & he loved it--that's a good sign (he's pretty picky :)!! I have listed this lapis lazuli pendant in our store. I have work to do to get a nice selection of this design up and available!

My Chakra pendants have inspired this design! This is a unisex style, perfect for a man or a lady. It is a hefty piece that I think balances the intricacy of the coiled wire with a clean line setting! The back is nice and clean too, almost looks woven together!

Indulge! Wire Wrapped Swarovski Ornaments!

I indulged this holiday! I wrapped 63mm Swarovski Crystal spears in copper and sterling silver to create the most amazing Christmas ornaments you'll ever see!! The sparkle is stunning. Unfortunately I did not receive the spears in time to list them in our store for the holiday.... though they don't have to be just for Christmas... hmmmm... they would be pretty in a window (hence Sculpted Windows Jewelry). If you're interested let me know...it'll be a bit before they're in the store.

This little moose ornament is one of my polymer clay creations from 13 years ago!! He's always been one of my favorites...I made them for everyone that year... wonder if they still have them in their collection. Gosh time flies!

Lookout! NEW Valentine's Day Focal Beads & Pendants to Inspire You!

Be on the Lookout! I'm starting to list some of my new Valentines Polymer Clay Focal beads, Face Cabs, Butterfly Wings, & Pendants!! They are sure to inspire you!! Check them out in my ebay store...just click on the Title of this entry above or below this entry. I'll be adding a Valentines category to the store soon!

The Glamorous Life of an Ebay Seller!

Here it is...up at 2am listing items and setting up auctions!! Create, ship, and photograph during the day & list at night while watching TV with my 2 little helpers at my side! I have an office...but somehow seem to end up on the sofa once the sun goes down.

Okay...so it's not so glamorous, but I have NO complaints!

We're surviving the holiday chaos! Everyone has been great and I hope you're all ready for the holidays! I'm still offerring FREE first class SHIPPING on all orders of $25.00 & up SO TAKE ADVANTAGE--before it's too late!! I'm getting Valentine's creations together so be on the lookout for new pretties!

A Beautiful Handcrafted Christmas Charm Bracelet!!!

OH MY GOSH!!! I went to the mailbox the other day and found a mystery box address to me & inside was this awesome Christmas charm bracelet from Dee at Dingles by Diana! WHAT A SURPRISE! I have only had the pleasure of computer corres- pondence with Dee, so I was touched to receive such a beautiful a Chrsitmas gift from a fellow ebayer & jewelry designer! I can appreciate all of the work and time that goes into intricate pieces such as this!!

This bracelet is loaded with festive charms from snowmen to runner-sleds, jingle bells, angels, christmas trees, sparkly beads, baubles, and a little charm that says 'Hand made with Love!' It matches gold and silver and everything in between! I LOVE IT & I received several compliments when I wore it the other day! The jingles it makes when worn are perfect for the holiday. If you love charm bracelets contact Dingles by Diana at deecook630 @ aol.com!

Below the bracelet is a photo of one of Dee's originals--little sunshine people! These little guys have been crafted by Dee with SWJ polymer clay faces, wire scrolls, colorful beads, and cute little rhinestones & adornments! These little sunshine people make adorable pendants (sorry, my pendant photo won't upload)!

I have been so fortunate to have met some of the nicest people on ebay and online! Thank you Dee for this surprise gift and for sharing your artwork with me! You are a master at combining little bits & pieces to create something beautiful!

Meet Bob, the Mouse

Who's Bob the mouse? Another family member that lives in this crazy house!! Bob is Sallie's favorite toy (Sallie is the dog)! You can usually find him (or one of his many red or yellow brothers) under the bed, in the bed, on the sofa, in the bathroom, the car, the yard, or in Miss Sallie's Mouth!! If Sallie is awake, she carries Bob around with her & if she's sleeping, he's probably under her chin or not far off.

Why is he called BOB? Well, Sallie named him...she came up to us one day, dropped him on the sofa to play, & and made a noise we've never heard before-or since...it sounded just like 'Bob'! Ask her where Bob is & she'll find him for you! Walk into any room of the house and there will be a Bob. If you offer her a new Bob, she acts like she's found a long lost friend---even though there's about 25 of them floating around the house in one place or another. Want to make her crazy, tie 2 Bobs together. We are so easily entertained--maybe we need to get out of the house a little more!!!

Rainbow Moonstone, Specrolite, & Larvikite--OH MY!!

LOOK OUT! I went to a gem show on Sunday & found some gorgeous rainbow moonstone, spectrolite, & larvikite (a.k.a. Norwegian Moonstone) cabochons. I couldn't help but wrap up a few of these beauties to place in our store! The bottom two pieces are rainbow moonstone with flashes of blue, aqua, gold, and a hint of peach---most people haven't seen true rainbow moonstone--the more common blue flash is what is found in the commercial/ manufactured jewelry in the stores...these are far better quality! The top left pendant is Larvikite--a.k.a. Norwegian Moonstone--a beautiful form of moonstone that has patches of blue flashes throughout the stone that look almost like brush strokes! The top right 2 pendants feature Spectrolite--the same family as moonstone with unbleieveable flash & fire in rainbows of color!! I included a close-up of one of these pendants too---can you believe the 'fire' in this stone!

All of these gems are of the feldspar family. The characteristic shimmering reflection in these stones is called ‘adularescence’ or the ‘schiller effect’. It is created when light passes through the the different crystals composing the stone and is diffused over many different angles, creating a prism-like effect within the stone. Schiller can be seen when a stone is moved or rotated in the light.

Lore of RAINBOW MOONSTONE: Believed to help clear the mind, protect, and bring vitality and joy to its wearer. It is recommended for anyone who suffers from daily stress or who carries old emotional wounds or grief. Rainbow moonstone promotes optimism, helps one to overcome obstacles and difficult people, and can guide one through dark times.

Lore of SPECTROLITE: Said to detoxify the body and slow the aging process. It also is believed to elevate consciousness and protect a person's aura, helping to keep the aura clear, balanced, protected and free from energy leaks.

Passion for Purple! A Wire Wrapped Paua Pendant!

This purple paua shell is OUTSTANDING
!! And, the best part is, this is a reversible pendant with blue paua on the flip side! Paua is Mother Nature's dichroic glass...so luminous and vibrantly colored! I've placed many beautiful top-shelf paua shell pendants in our store this week! It is easy to see why many ancient cultures placed a higher value on paua & abalone shell than pearls and gemstones!

Wire Wrapped Goddess Necklace!

Love goodess jewelry? This is a fun piece I created to unite the art of beading with the art of wire wrapping. The focal is one of my signature goddesses...she is holding onto a strand of freshwater pearls and swarovski crystals that weaves its way through each of the wire wrap links in this necklace. I created this piece as an entry to the Fire Mountain Beading Contest...it didn't win, but I love it any way! It is a happy piece that you can't help but smile when you see it...so I wanted to share it with you! I've been contemplating offerring it in our store for sale....haven't decided yet!

The Best Wire Wrapped Chakra Bracelet Ever!

This is the coolest chakra bracelet I think I've made to date!! This is actually a commisssioned piece...the chakra crystal was a pendant in it's former life. I was puzzled for some time as to how I was going to set this large piece in a bracelet that would be comfortable to wear on a 7 inch wrist...when done, it came out even better than I envisioned! I utilized 20 gauge sterling silver wire and created an ornate celtic setting to balance the size of this large crystal. Now that it's finished, I'm going to be sad to part with it....I'm going to have to create one of these for myself!!

Wire Wrapped Ring, Second Place in Fire Mountain Gems Beading Contest!!

Thank you Fire Mountain Gems!! For carrying great beads & for selecting one of my Wire Wrapped Rings as Second Place winner in in the Accessories Category of the 2006 Annual Beading Contest!!! I am honored & excited! This ring was created with an amethyst focal bead and Czech glass accent beads...it is exquisite---one of those pieces of jewelry that can only be created via wire wrapping...cast jewelry doesn't hold a candle to wire wrapped filigree jewelry!! This ring has a delicate filigree look, but is tough as nails...each loop hardens the half-hard wire until it is like steel!! This is my 'Victorian Wire Wrapped Filigree Ring'...I'm working on a few different pieces to place in our store...same design with a mixture of different of stones! Quartz crystals look fabulous in this setting too!!

A Wire Wrapped Jeweler's Bench!

So, what doest the top of a wire wrapped jeweler's bench look like--in the middle of the day--a few days before a show? Here you have it, it looks like a MESS!! A potpourii of stones, wire, pliers, scraps, & creations!! Sometimes I don't know what to wrap first and sometimes I have challenging pieces that may take a few days before I figure out what will look best! Other days, everything flows and your biggest challenge is deciding what you want to wrap next! Regardless of how messy it all looks, I LOVE THIS MESS!!! I love working with stones and figuring out the architecture for new designs and challenging stones! I wouldn't have it any other way!!

IF YOU LIVE IN THE UPSTATE NY AREA AND WANT TO MEET US, WE'LL BE AT THE HERKIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FINE ART & CRAFT FAIR NOVEMBER 11 & 12. It is a fabulous show, one of my favorites!! Many, Many talented artists with reasonably priced wares. Be sure to bring money, you WILL find something you can't live with out!
Unfortunately, this year we will not be accepting credit cards, cash and check only...I'm sure we won't be the only ones--the fees have gotten ridicuous and we only do a couple of shows a year at the moment.

Wire Wrapped Jewelry and Christmas Ornaments!!!

It's been chilly & rainy so I'm in the holiday spirit!! I've been creating holiday wire wrapped pendants and polymer clay focal pieces!

I am loving the pendants...my family has collected christmas ornaments for generations...while making pendants...I realized they make beautiful ornaments for the tree! I think back to what we have spent on ornaments over the years I don't think we have a single one made from precious metal--sterling silver or gold. WHAT BETTER THAN A PURE STERLING SILVER ORNAMENT THAT YOU CAN WEAR AS A PENDANT TOO!!! I think I'm in love with this idea! I'm going to include a little handcrafted hook with these to hang them on the tree! Now I can't wait to get the tree up so I can start decorating it!

We Made it Home!! Back in Business!!

We made our way through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, & back to New York!! It's been a bit since I've blogged...my cold was getting the best of me! I'm back on my feet & back in business. Nothing like the healing energy of being home with the pups and sleeping in your own bed!

The sunsets & moon-rises were unbelieveable in New Mexico! I had to include a picture of one of the moon-rises. I've never seen the moon look so big in my whole life!

Finally getting back in the groove of ebay & business! Be on the lookout for new designs & gorgeous stones found along our travels! Thank you to all who were patient while we were away!

Sick on the Raod!

It's been a few days since I've posted our travels...I got a NASTY cold on the road and have been coughing & sneezing non-stop! We stopped in Vegas & I was dying...so no great photos. Next stop was, Sedona, Arizona! Wow! What a beautiful & refreshing place! We loved it. If you love metaphysical stones & energy -- this is the place to go. It refreshes the soul, even when you have a cold. The views are spectacular, the hiking is unbelieveable, and there were plenty of neat shops--particularly if you're a gemstone lover.