Pretty Purple Necklace

I was playing with purple and blue beads and here is what I ended up designing.


The necklace has purple pearls as the base accompanied by purple Swarovski and blue Lapiz Lazuli. The three danglers in the pendant reminds me of dancing puppet dolls and the use of Silver beads added the shine.

How to make different earrings with same beads

As changing couple of ingredients or spices can give you a new taste in the same recipe, playing with same primary bead but changing the findings or using different complimentary beads can give you new designs for your earrings (and necklaces). That's what I tried when I was playing with different shades of Amazonite recently.

The earrings below have same circular Amazonite bead as the main bead. I have used a blue Swarovski bicone, a crystal studded separator and leverback earwire in one, and small round Amazonites with silver beadcaps and flat fishhook earwire in second. As you can see in the picture, one is elegant and the second one looks more rustic.



In the earrings below, I have used Aquamarine irregular rectangles as the main beads and accentuated them with different color and shapes of Amazonite. In the first earrings, using four Aquamarine rectangles together with round Amazonite at the end gives it a shorter look but in the second earrings, separating the rectangles with small round Amazonite beads and using Amazonite briolettes give it a taller look perfect for a long neck wearer. As you can see, changing the pattern in which you use the same beads can give you a unique design.

Silver and Chains

Couple of months back, while I was thinking of new designs for the Winter Art & Crafts Fair I invited my best friend for a dinner at my house first time after her wedding. I was very sure that I would gift her my handmade jewelry and wanted to make something special for her. As she wears very simple jewelry the question was should I gift her what I wanted her to wear ;) or what I knew she will wear for sure. After thinking for a while, I went with the latter. So I made a simple necklace set with Silver chain and Lemon Topaz. I was very glad that she not only loved the set, but she in fact gave me the inspiration for my new designs for the fair. I humbly dedicate my new collection to her :)

In the new collection, I have emphasized on chains and different shapes of Silver more than the gemstones which resulted in simple but elegant pieces. Here is a glimpse of some of them.

From Menka's Jewelry

The necklace set above has a crazy Jasper square as the pendant with Pyrite gemstone. The grey color of Pyrite enhances the grey yellow pattern of the Jasper. Different shapes of the gemstones used in the necklace adds to its beauty.

From Menka's Jewelry

The second necklace set has Amethyst drops with Swarovski crystals. Laser cut oblong Silver pendant compliments the pattern of the chain.

Peas of the same pod

The moment I saw them, I fell in love with the Solar Quartz used as pendants in the two necklaces below and while designing one, the second one just followed through. I really liked the mystic look these quartz have with different colors and shapes in the middle of them.

The necklace here has multicolored quartz beads which in a way offset the simple look of the pendant.

From Menka's Jewelry

The peach fresh water pearls and green Swarovski crystals compliment the Quartz and enhance the colors embedded in the center shapes.

From Menka's Jewelry

Simple yet mystic :)

Spring Orange

The color Orange has a special place in my life...may be because it was 'the' color at the time of my wedding or may be because the three men in my life - my husband and my two sons - have 'Sun' hidden in their names :)

My facination for orange reflects very well in the color scheme used for the necklace set here. This set is the first design I have made for Spring 2010. Fresh water pearls in different shades of orange and lilac give it a soft look and yellow Swarovski cubes make it vibrant. An oblong mystic Agate bead is the focal piece of the necklace and the metal used is sterling silver.

Princess Necklace Set

One of my favorites...simple, elegant and royal in itself.
Set in silver with white & olive green fresh water pearls and purple Swarovski cubes.



I am glad that it found a home already and is on its way to NY!