Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Red White and Blue

The picture here is fuzzy and it is difficult to take a picture of opaque Czech glass jewelry. This necklace was made in honor of our upcoming 4th of July celebration - Independence Day - made with red, white (clear), and blue Czech glass beads.
What are some of your favorite 4th of July traditions?

Monday, June 18, 2007

Independence Day

Independence Day is around the corner! The jewelry box set shown here (Wanda) is also available in the patriotic colors of Red, White (Clear), and Blue in Czech glass beads. E-mail me at stephaniewillsonjewelry@gmail.com to order it in time for the Fourth of July!!
Wanda was designed for a flower girl for a wedding that will take place on June 23, 2007. The wedding colors are Red, Black, and White.The earrings shown are on silver tone, but can be easily made on sterling silver by request. They are handwired.

Friday, June 15, 2007

June is for Weddings!

June is the romantic month for brides to get married. I designed these earrings for my friend Jennifer as a wedding gift. She will be getting married this month on the 23rd. These earrings are available in sterling silver and freshwater pearls. Congratulations Jennifer!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Pearl History

Since June celebrates pearls - I thought it would be fitting to go into some history about them using resources from the American Museum of Natural History. The following are some clips from their website here in Washington, DC.

For Ancient and North America they say that some peoples, including the ancient Sumerians, pre-Columbian Americans and Pacific islanders, placed an even higher value on the larger and more easily obtained mother-of-pearl shells.

Pearls in Antiquity (The Roman and Byzantine Empires) say that Ancient Middle Eastern cultures were apparently the first to value pearls and pearl shells. In Persia, the gems were said to be worth their weight in gold. According to some historians, one of the reasons Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 B.C. was to obtain freshwater pearls.

Mother of Pearl says that throughout history, before the 19th century, Japanese shell divers who found pearls apparently did not bother to keep them. Polynesian children are said at one time to have used pearls as marbles. These and other peoples harvested pearl oysters for their shells, using the mother-of-pearl for decoration.

Pearls in the Renneisance say that ongoing exploration of the Americas and recently established trade routes to the East made pearls available as never before in Renaissance Europe beginning in the 1500s. The upper classes adorned themselves lavishly in these gems, which became the symbol of wealth. Irregularly shaped, or baroque, pearls were especially admired. By the late 1600s, people began to favor less extravagant displays of pearls as a result of a changing religious and political climate, combined with a decline in pearls arriving from the New World.

India and the Middle East Traditions says that during the 1700s and 1800s, some of the world's finest collections of pearls, typically from the Black-lipped Pearl Oyster and Ceylon Pearl Oyster, were owned by rulers in these regions. Both Islamic and Hindu philosophies celebrate pearls: in Islamic thought, pearls represent perfection and completeness. For Hindus, the pearl is one of the planetary gems, associated with the moon and second only to the diamond in esteem.

Russia and its Pearls says that both the Russian aristocracy and the gentry owned pearl jewelry and clothing decorated with the gems. Russian noblewomen often wore large headdresses decorated with pearls, lace and colored gemstones.
Royalty and Religion says that pearls continued to be used throughout the 18th century, however, particularly among the royal families of Europe. Women of the era wore pearl parures—matched sets of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches.

China says that pearls became especially popular in China during the Qing, or Manchu, dynasty. The imperial family and wealthy elite used large numbers of pearls to enhance costumes and furnishings. In theory, the emperor himself was supposed to use pearls only from freshwater mussels.
A Craze for Seed Pearls says that the growing middle-class in both Europe and the United States developed an interest in pearls, seed pearls had become the pearls of choice. Jewelers typically worked with seed pearls imported from India and China that had been strung on silk or, more commonly, white horsehair. Indeed, an 1870 newspaper article stated that such pearls were "exquisitely beautiful and constitute an appropriate and elegant present to a young bride."

A Time of Opulence says that during this period of new industrial fortunes, ostentatious wealth and ornate style, pearls found favor with American society figures and also with royalty and titled families from Britain to Russia. An all-white effect was sought in fine jewelry, achieved by masses of pearls or pearls with diamonds.

New Styles for A New Age says that irregularly shaped freshwater pearls.
Peals Are Everywhere says that with the arrival of cultured pearls on the international market in the 1930s, pearls became more available and more affordable than ever before. Although some people initially rejected cultured pearls, a handful of designers, most notably Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, embraced them, using the gems in her elegantly casual designs. By the 1950s, cultured pearls were essential accessories for well-dressed women in the United States and Europe.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

My Daughter Picked This Name

My daughter has been begging me to make her a pearl necklace for the longest time. I made this one specifically for her to celebrate June, the month of pearls.

Keira is strung with 8mm freshwater pearls and clear seedbeads and finished with a lobster clasp. It comes in several sizes including 21", 18", and 16" choker. It is shown here in the 16" choker length.
When I asked my daughter what we should name the necklace she said, "Keira". It made me laugh since she names everything Keira.
Everyday for the past year she has pretended she was a baby of some different animal and could be heard saying, "Pretend I am a baby kitten that was just born today names Keira!"

Sunday, June 10, 2007

June Pearl Inspirations

I was inspired to design this freshwater pearl necklace after admiring a similar piece being worn by an elegant woman. I named this necklace Haas and it is being sold on my Store Website with the following description:

16" choker in 8mm freshwater pearls teamed with clear seed beads. Finished with a lobster clasp.

This necklace can be made in several other lengths and colors depending on my client's preferences. Haas would be a very elegant piece for a bride and her bridesmaids to have coordinating and similar fine pieces.

How would you like to see this item best created to your personal desires?

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Noir et Blanc and Pearls!

Noir et Blanc is a sample of my wire-work. This particular item is not for sale, but I can be contacted at stephaniewillsonjewelry@gmail.com to commission a special piece that cannot be found in my collection.

The month of June celebrates pearls!! One of my most favorite materials to work with is freshwater pearls, especially in wire-work as seen in the photograph above. I have always loved the look and feel of pearls. What do you like about this organic wonder of mother-nature?

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

June Celebrates Pearls

The birthstone for June is Pearls. I work with freshwater pearls as I handwire them onto gold-filled wire. Saltwater Pearls need to be threaded on silk, so to make my artisan necklaces I choose the freshwater pearl as shown in this piece I created.