Glass beads individually selected were carefully arranged to complement the overall design and colour scheme while appearing to be naturally randomized. It can be a surprisingly challenging feat to accomplish which is why many mass-produced pieces of jewellery never have quite the same cohesiveness that can be accomplished by an artist's touch and an eye to perfection.

These memory wire bracelets adjust to most any wrist size and are very comfortable to wear.

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Description

A variation of my Jasper Bloom necklace this design was inspired from the colour and fluid sheen of ice and arctic waters. The rich blue freshwater pearlshave an intriguing hint of purple and green that give them a rich depth. Glass, crystal and silver metal elements add a sparkle of sharpness the look. Its both classic and elegant and I hope a delight to wear for many occasions.

Having the clasp incorporated to the side allows for ease of wear and prevents the necklace from breaking or choking you on the odd chance it catches on something. The magnet clasp is very strong and the comforting weight of the necklace ensures you'll notice if it loosens suddenly. The side closure also allows for the additional focal point of the crystal slider at the back of the neck where the clasp normally dominates. If you have short hair or an up-do its wonderful to have that added subtle glint of captured light at the back of the neck.

Lenthwise 'Arctic Bloom' is approximately 43cm.

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I am frequently inspired by the natural world as much as I am by colours. When I got my hands on this neat sea turtle link I knew I'd have to do something with these wonderful greens and aqua blues that I've been collecting. I got to use some of my favourite beads in this necklace and the aquas are set off perfectly with the mossy green glass pearls and antiqued metal elements. The chain on this was actually a salvaged piece which works perfectly in this design.

I love that while it is asymmetrical the visual weight of the focal beads still balance the design. I hope you will adore this necklace as much as I do.

Lengthwise this necklace fits between 45 - 51cm with the adjuster chain. That's approximately 17 1/2 - 20 inches for you non-metric folks.

Description

″I'd like to be under the sea / In an octopus' garden with you.″ -- The Beatles

The inspiration for this necklace is a dear one for those of us who grew up with the Sesame Street / Muppet version of the classic Beatle song. I can't help but grin anytime I see this surprisingly elegant necklace.

The Octopus' Garden incorporates antiqued bronze metals, rich purples, freshwater pearls, shell beads, and glass flowers to suit this octopus' whims. The shimmering glass teardrops and shell discs of the upper necklace are visually reminiscent of bubbles. He tends his garden blooms very carefully as you can see.

The overall design is so graceful that the octopus blends right in (as any good octopus can) to the point that many people won't even realize that it's the central focus of the necklace! It is a perfectly quirky necklace that both amuses and impresses.

Description

I was waiting for things to grow this year as the snow melted and I guess I got inspired. I always love how clean everything smells after a fresh spring rain. When the shell raindrop falls on this necklace click together its a soft sound very reminiscent of the rain on a window. And they're so much fun to play with!

Glass pearls & beads, shell charms, metal accent beads (I particularly love the floral ones I found), and a little metal ladybug beneath a tiny milky swarovski crystal. Somedays you just wish the rain was somewhere else but perhaps this necklace can remind you how much fun it can be and of the flowers that it brings.

This necklace can extend from around 40cm (15 3/4inches) to 48.5cm (19inches) in length for a range of adjustability!

"Jasper Bloom" was a featured piece in the Halton Hills 2009 John Sommers Juried Art Show.

This necklace is a lovely and classic slightly asymmetrical design featuring jasper stone beads, a double strand of soft white glass pearls, swarovski crystal details, and a mix of glass and metal accents. It is strung on nylon coated stainless steel wire for extra durability. The weight of the Jasper stones ensures that the necklace will hang true and the lovely soft green swarovski accent flower suspending the collection of charms adds that extra focus to the design. They're also fun to gently play with while you're concentrating on those engaging projects or flirting on a night out.

The side orientation of the silver magnet clasp allows for ease of wear and prevents the necklace from breaking or choking you on the odd chance it catches on something. Don't worry about losing it though! The magnet clasp is very strong and the comforting weight of the necklace ensures you'll notice if it loosens suddenly. The side closure also allows for the additional focal point of the crystal slider at the back of the neck where the clasp normally dominates. If you have short hair or an up-do its wonderful to have that added subtle draw of the occasional glint of captured light at the back of the neck.

Jasper Bloom measures approximately 44.5cm ( 17 1/2 inches) in length and will sit just at the collarbone on most women.

Named after the traces and swirls frost leaves on window panes, sometimes called frost flowers.

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This jewellery set grew from the discovery of the metal pieces in the earrings. They were a salvage find and I loved the subtle little detail of the ladbugs set in different postions. The necklace was built to complement that theme and the clasp toggle has its own little ladybug to finish the whole design.

Its made of topaz-yellow glass crystals, glass beads, and lustrous green freshwater pearls. Silvertone metals compose the lacey filigree focals of the necklace and earrings.

Materials: Natural stone, cut glass crystals, swarovski crystal accents and metal findings.

Description

When my friend Connie got married to her beloved Ewan, I was honoured to be a bridesmaid. Not knowing what to do as a gift I decided to make her a gift to give, for herself and the bridal party to remember the day. I've always adored heirloom keepsakes and knew their wedding was symbolized in red and ivory-white, and roses. They both have a love of traditions and history, especially since they met working at Fort York! I wanted to incorporate those and personal elements for each of the pieces that the bridal party could wear.

The pin for the bride is petit-point embroidery set in an oval pin frame. It's about 2inches tall at most. The oak tree shelters the image of the unicorn, the bride's emblem, and the roses bloom and frame beneath it. The largest of the affixed gold-plated roses holds a rich red swarovski crystal at its centre. It turns out the oak tree was also used as a symbol on their invitations and favours which I did not know when I began this. It came out more perfectly than I ever hoped!

[ I should note that this is the second embroidery I have ever attempted. The first being my little bunny that I taught myself basic stitches with my little bunny in the snow [found in crafts, under textiles] . Why no, I'm not ambitious at all... ]

She got embroidery because she's just that special, the rest of the supporting set were minutely carved from aromatic cedar wood and accented with paint, ink and goldleaf.

The circle pin frame is about 2" in diameter and has the gold-tone roses setting off the styled Utena-rose to symbolize the Maid of Honour. Its something they bonded over together early in their friendship and the rose symbol fits for Catherine personally as well. It was obvious to honour them both with it.

Lastly is my little firebird backed by a sunburst and the smallest of the broaches, only 1.5" tall - there are also little crystals suspended from the broach frame that aren't yet attached here. I first met my friend the bride at a convention, randomly, the week before we both started the same university, and was wearing my first cosplay (CCS actually) with that sunburst on the cape. It seemed fitting to represent our fortuitous meeting as well.

The groom has matching roses carved around the regimental saber for Fort York where he, his wife, and his best men were all involved in reinactments. The groom and his best men's pieces are shown in the next page of the gallery.

I only wish I'd had an opportunity to photograph the set together before I presented them. These photos are ones my brother graciously took the very night I finished them all before I had to attend to my duties as bridesmaid! It was an honour and a pleasure to be there as part of their wedding.

When my friend Connie got married to her beloved Ewan, I was honoured to be a bridesmaid. Not knowing what to do as a gift I decided to make her a gift to give, for herself and the bridal party to remember the day. I've always adored heirloom keepsakes and knew their wedding was symbolized in red and ivory-white, and roses. They both have a love of traditions and history, especially since they met working at Fort York! I wanted to incorporate those and personal elements for each of the pieces that the bridal party could wear.

For the groom and his best men I ended up designing tie clips finely carved from aromatic cedar and accented with ink, paint, and goldleaf. Since the Fort and historical re-enactment was so meaningful for the bride and groom I honoured it with the regimental sword, it is included for the groomsmen as it also helped cement their friendships with the groom.

The groom's sword is twined with roses to match his bride's and to honour them both. The rampant lion both balances the bride's own unicorn, for dedication and strength, and ties to his family heritage as well.

I drew from this idea of traditional symbols to decide upon the final elements for the two groomsmen's clips. This was especially difficult because I had only met one of the two before, and then quite briefly. But with the swords fitting so well it fell into place to ask the gentlemen about their family heritage and what symbols it might suggest. It worked at last!

The fern is New Zealand's emblem gracefully backing the sword. Scotland's thistle just as elegantly frames the other.

The bride has roses matching the groom's in her design. They frame the finely embroidered scene of her unicorn emblem beneath an oak tree, it and her bridesmaids' pins can be seen here, in the previous page in the gallery.

I only wish I'd had an opportunity to photograph the set together before I presented them. These photos are ones my brother graciously took the very night I finished them all before I had to attend to my duties as bridesmaid! (Unfortunately the groomsmen clips were photographed upside down, though it has little impact on the design to anyone but me.)

It was an honour and a pleasure to be there as part of their wedding.

A personal piece from a weeklong summer course at Haliburton earlier this year, Jewelry Fabrication. Silver was ridiculously expensive so a number of us opted to play around with copper and brass/bronze for some of our projects.

My wingling cuff is actually made from copper sheet. The texture on the wings was from running it through a press with carefully cut and aligned pieces of sandpaper. There was lots of hammering and detailed sawing and sanding as well. It took ages to decide what the centre design should be. I ended up going with very simple stars because my fancy compass rose design was just not looking clean enough.

I don't wear bracelets like this very often but I figured if I was going to make one it may as well be a design I love.

The colours are from heating the metal. I kept getting all these gorgeous hues when I torched it to be able to keep working it further and decided to heat it a final time to see what colours I could keep. Its sprayed with a clear coat to keep the colour from oxidizing further.

This necklace is my own design which I made during a week long silver fabrication course at the Haliburton School of Arts, Ontario, summer 2011. It took me several days of fine sawing and hammering of the silver sheet to wrap the silver to a tight fit around the shell with the spiralled ammonite design revealing the colour beneath. All done by hand!

The pendants focus and inspiration is actually a salvaged Paua shell earring-turned-pendant. I have a second I'll have to make something else with. They were pretty gaudy as earrings though very pretty pieces of shell. The chain was made from limited bits I had on hand during the course - some swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls, and pyrite (fools gold).