Gwinna's Creations

Sprite's Touch Copper Necklace

2008-07-11T16:34:00.002-05:00

I didn't know it, but it turns out Sprites have a purpose in mythology besides frolicking and looking cute. Apparently they're the ones in charge of painting the leaves in autumn all those gorgeous reds, oranges, yellows and browns. So when I finally found this grape leaf in copper, and saw the finished result, I did a bit of research and came up with this title. Once again, I love this necklace. I suppose it'd be silly if I didn't, after working on it for as long as I did. ;)

Dionysus' Grape Leaf Necklace

2008-07-06T08:07:00.002-05:00

SOLD!!
These Pewter Grape Leaf Toggles are very detailed and I love using them in my Necklaces. Once again it can be used as the focal point, or worn behind the neck or to the side for three different looks. Dionysus was the ancient Greek god of Wine, and the color reminds me of a pewter goblet a king might drink from.

Viking Princess Sterling Necklace

2008-07-03T07:59:00.002-05:00

This is a delicate necklace appropriate for nearly any setting. I really like these little sterling silver tubes and love pairing them with Swarovski crystals. I titled the necklace Viking Princess because the Vikings often used silver in their jewelry, as well as crystal and amethyst.

Love of Artemis Amethyst Necklace

2008-07-02T10:49:00.001-05:00

This beautiful amethyst net necklace was inspired by ancient times.
Artemis was my favorite Greek goddess while I was growing up because she was one of the first feminists. She was her own woman, a hunter, intelligent and beautiful. The Greek myth surrounding Amethyst is really interesting. The story goes that a beautiful young woman on her way to worship at a temple of Artemis (also called Diana) got in the way of a drunk and angry God, Dionysus. Artemis saw that her disciple was in danger, and turned her into a glittering quartz statue. At the sight of this crystalline woman, Dionysus wept tears of wine, staining the quartz purple. And so was Amethyst created.

Philosopher's Stone Copper Necklace

2008-06-25T07:40:00.002-05:00

With this necklace I finally found copper rondelle spacers and beads, and paired them with my one of my favorite pearls, these coppery peacock pearls (a few of them have a touch of green to them which looks great now, and will be perfect if the copper ever oxidizes). The decorative copper toggle clasp makes a great focal point, or can be worn as usual behind the neck for an elegant and almost formal look.

Silver Dipped Rose Leaf Necklace

2008-06-19T07:29:00.005-05:00

This is a fairly long necklace made with Labradorite (one of my favorite gems), silver freshwater pearls, sterling silver tubes and seed beads. Whoever came up with the idea of taking dried leaves and electroforming them with precious metals should be commended. It's absolutely gorgeous, especially in person where you can really make out every vein in the leaf. And strong!

Fabergé Egg of Life Necklace

2008-01-19T21:41:00.000-05:00

I created this necklace a few months ago and misplaced the images in my computer. Well, I finally found them and posted the necklace! I love the pendant, it really reminds me of Fabergé Eggs (which I was privileged to see in California Exhibit a few years ago). As soon as I got this pendant from my supplier, she informed me that they'd been discontinued, so I couldn't get any more. So this is it! Absolutely unique due to the fact that I'll never be able to make another! ;)

Escape of the Seahorse

2008-01-16T21:31:00.002-05:00

I made two more historically accurate necklaces yesterday (I was excited and had the supplies on hand), but the weather has been too dark to take pictures. So instead I went back to a necklace I made a few weeks ago but hadn't gotten around to listing on etsy. It's a Glass Seahorse pendant I got in Maui, and Labradorite and Freshwater Pearls :)

Historically Accurate Jewelry

2008-01-15T19:32:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to create a historic jewelry piece for a while. Well, I found this gorgeous portrait of Elizabeth Brydges, Queen Elizabeth's handmaiden, dated 1589. After doing a lot of research, I recreated it!

Something that bugs me about the SCA is that most people are all about being historically accurate down to the hat and shoes, but forget about the jewelry. Historic Reenactors wear no jewelry, wear modern jewelry, or wear indian tribal jewelry no matter what they're wearing. So finally here's a piece of jewelry that actually compliments a person's garb :) (TMI about the SCA?)

Gold Dipped Rose Leaf Necklace

2008-01-12T15:06:00.000-05:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, this a real Rose Leaf that's been dried, then dipped in 24k gold. I used my favorite 6mm gold freshwater Pearls, 4mm bronze freshwater pearls, and sublte yet elegant 6mm pale gold translucent Czech faceted beads. I really love this necklace, and debated whether or not to put it up for sale. Buy I'm determined not to hoard the things I love the most, so here it is for you!

Bacchus - God of Wine Necklace

2007-11-17T23:52:00.002-05:00

SOLD!
This newest necklace is made with Deep Blue Freshwater Pearls, Labradorite and Sterling Silver Seed Beads. The Grape Leaf pendant is also the clasp, and I love how it turned out!

Contest

2007-10-13T19:13:00.001-05:00

A list I created for a contest over at Etsy. Items you might give to someone for a housewarming present :)

Fuschia And Rose

2007-10-05T18:19:00.001-05:00

I'm a redhead so I don't wear pinks very often, but I found this amazing rhodonite focal stone and several beads that matched it exactly and went where the piece took me :)

Love of Ra

2007-10-04T12:14:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
This is a delicate 18 karat gold and pearl necklace with swarovksi crystals. I made it a couple weeks ago, but didn't post it because I was waiting for a completely sunny day to get good pictures. It's been overcast here for a while, so I just decided to bit the bullet, do the best I can with the picture, and take better pictures later when the sun comes back.

In the Dipped Leaf Tradition...

2007-08-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

SOLD!
I love these Dipped Leaves, they just look so delicate, but they're strong and gorgeous.

Queen Titania Necklace

2007-08-22T22:10:00.001-05:00

This is a great necklace made up entirely of Sterling Silver and Swarovski Crystals. It's always amazing how much of a difference the best materials make in the final product :)

Storage

2007-08-22T19:34:00.000-05:00

Recently I've been looking for a good way to store my beads while keeping them accessible. My solution: a wheeled kitchen island that has a flip up top, much like a sewing table. All my jewelry books fit inside on shelves, as well as All of my beads, tools, and supplies :) Finally, some real order! And I can wheel it off to the side of the room when I'm not using it. It's great :) And since I got it from walmart, it was completely affordable. And I put it together myself, which is always nice :)

Oak Leaf of Strength Necklace

2007-08-21T12:53:00.001-05:00

SOLD!

With the smallest of the dipped leaves, this one copper, I made a unisex necklace. I love these real leaves and thought guys should have a chance at them too ;)

Lady of the Lake Labradorite Necklace

2007-08-20T22:31:00.000-05:00

This gorgeous necklace is made with Labradorite, a semi-precious gem that reflects green light, much like an opal. :)

A Lick of Frost

2007-08-16T19:59:00.001-05:00

SOLD!
I did something a little different with this new necklace. I love the colors and the design. It works great with jeans (several shades of blue), but is elegant enough for an evening gown. That's the kind of jewelry I most like to make. Something that dresses up whatever you're wearing, and compliments a fancy dress. Why have jewelry you can only wear once?

I also went through all my jewelry and added metric measurements last night. That was quite the project. I knew it needed to be done, but a thread on the etsy forums convinced me to make it a priority. I'm definintely a lot better with metric now ;)

Gold Dipped Birch Leaf Necklace

2007-08-15T20:30:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
Another gold dipped leaf necklace. These pendants are just so stunning, I couldn't help but use them as soon as I got them. And really, how can you beat a real leaf dipped in gold? It's just awesome :)

Real Aspen Leaf Dipped in Gold

2007-08-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
I found these gorgeous leaves at a bead show I went to a few months ago. I bought two gold leaves, and two copper leaves, and now I wish I had bought more! They're absolutely stunning, real leaves that are dried and then dipped in 24k gold. And they're strong! You can see between the veins of the leaves, but you can't bend the leaf at all. They're so pretty...

Back in the Swing of Things

2007-08-08T16:41:00.001-05:00


It's been a couple weeks since I made anything for Etsy, so here it is! It's made with Goldstone, a very pretty material that comes in red or dark blue, and is flecked with a million tiny silver specks. :)

A Drop of Burgundy

2007-07-07T17:13:00.000-05:00

I posted something really different tonight, they're not colors I usually work with and I love how absolutely striking it came out!

My new favorite item

2007-06-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

For Beaders and Jewelry makers - My new favorite item is Darice's Deluxe bead organizer carrying cases from Walmart. It's crazy, but walmart has the best bead organizer around! It's a mini brief case shaped tupperware-like container with 52 little bead tight containers inside! It's great! Especially since I was gearing up to spend $90 on something very similar, because it was the best deal around. I bought two today, we'll see if I completely fill them tonight and need to buy another tomorrow ;)

Oh Starry Night

2007-06-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

This is a Swarovski and Silver chain necklace. I love working with Swarovski Crystals, they're like holding a handful of stars. I created something similar for myself using leftover blue crystals, and loved it so much that I went out and got dark and light swarovskis, as well as clear crystals, and put them together in an alternating pattern. This way the necklace matches a whole range of blues, so you can wear it with a wider variety of outfits, including Jeans! :)

A little bit Dark

2007-06-06T11:26:00.001-05:00

I love working with this gorgeous gunmetal grey color, and Hematite is such a beautiful stone/mineral. The twisted bugle beads used in this necklace add a bit of unexpected sparkle. Happily, this necklace also matches my Hematite Earrings I created a few weeks ago :) If I was still going out dancing at night I'd definitely keep this one for myself. It's a choker, which means that it wouldn't flail around while I dance, and it would really stand out against the skin, even in fairly dark conditions (like a night club). :)

Ancient Spiral

2007-06-02T15:22:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
These Spiral rounds immediately attracted me when I first saw them in the bead store. I knew I'd seen the symbol somewhere before, and remember today that it was in Ireland and England, on ancient Megaliths I saw while visiting. I've always loved prehistoric art, and these are great examples of bringing the Past back into the Present.

Gift of Poseidon

2007-06-02T15:14:00.001-05:00

SOLD!
A Gorgeous Multi Colored Freshwater Pearl and Sterling Silver Necklace.

I knew this one would go quickly, I loved making it and it came out just as I imagined, and so beautiful!

Treasure from the Sea

2007-06-01T15:10:00.000-05:00

SOLD! Email me if you're interested in commissioning something similar. :)

Purple Pearl Drops and Fire Polished Czech Glass make up this Elegant necklace.

Nine Love Charms

2007-05-29T20:29:00.001-05:00

Wine Glass Charms for for your Wedding or Anniversary Parties! :)

I used memory wire and pewter scrapbook charms for these great little pieces. Something handmade and completely original for your Special Day :)

Unisex Necklaces

2007-05-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

Lately I've had terrible artist's block, so I decided to do something different, and I made necklaces that work for men or women! Sometimes switching gears is all it takes to get your creative juices flowing again!

SOLD!
SOLD!

Swarovski

2007-05-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

I made some gorgeous Swarovski necklaces for family this weekend, I took them to my favorite bead store, had them pick out whatever they liked, and put it together for them. It was really interesting to see what my boyfriend picked out for his mother, and what my mother picked out for her goddaughter. I think I'll be making more of the same. Swarovski is just so elegant, and necklaces made up Entirely of swarovski look amazing. When I first started beading & jewelry making I really didn't understand what the big deal was, but I can look at a bead and know if it's well made now, and Swarovski is just made better and clearly differently than other beads, even with the same cut. Off to make something new :)

Spring Creations

2007-05-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

Spring Flower matching set

Spring Leaves matching Necklace and Earring Set

Something New

2007-04-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

Necklace SOLD!

Today I finished this gorgeous metallic green necklace and earring set. The beads were just so unique I had to make something with them as soon as I brought them home.

Cobalt Blue Slave Bracelet

2007-04-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

Another gorgeous Slave Bracelet. I'm so pleased with how they're coming out! :)

Bead Store Shipment

2007-04-10T14:32:00.000-05:00

The hand and feet forms from the bead store arrived today. Unfortunately, both are childlike in size, so nothing fits them. I think I'll take pictures of the hand bracelets on the foot form, so that you can see the shape of it and clearly see the color and how it lays, but also take the first picture on my hand (for now), so that the first picture people see is on a hand. That way people won't look at the first picture and assume that they're bare foot sandals. I still like the forms, they're very artistic, and I think I'll put them around the house as decoration.

Blue and Silver Beaded Slave Bracelet, aka Handflower, aka Harem Bracelet

2007-04-09T16:54:00.000-05:00

I figured it out! The first one is up for sale on etsy now!

Posting

2007-04-09T07:10:00.000-05:00

Goodness, I haven't posted in over a week! It's because I'm perfecting the handflowers I'm making, and since every one takes about 5 hours, it takes quite some time to work the kinks out of a new design. On the bright side, I ordered 3 new beading books from amazon (their prices are So Good!), one of which I got used for $9.50, which is quite a bit better than $23 retail!

I also found out that the ceramics store nearby is also a bead store, so I'll be stopping by today :)

HandFlower/Slave Bracelet

2007-04-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

I've been looking for inspiration, and finally found some this weekend. Today I created a Hand Flower/Slave Bracelet that I'm really happy with.

Hour Two

Hour Five
I'm trying to decide if I should sell this one or not. I want to keep it because it's my first one, but after spending 5 hours on it, I feel like I should try and get paid for all that time. Maybe I'll just call it my pattern ;) Now I just need to get more silver bugle beads. Oh, and note to self: 4 yards of beading line, Not 2. 5 if I want to make this into a necklace. Maybe make it a layer deeper too.

Gold and Pearl Chevron Necklace

2007-03-28T18:20:00.000-05:00

This is a gorgeous piece I worked on for two days! I love how it turned out, it's really elegant and exactly what I envisioned. It has an almost Egyptian feel to it. :)

I also received a book called Jewelry: From Antiquity to the Present by Clare Phillips for my birthday, and it's exactly what I've been looking for! A real book (more than 100 pages finally) with color pictures and useful text. I can't wait to start reading it tonight!

Today's Work

2007-03-27T19:39:00.000-05:00

Today I worked on a variegated gold chevron necklace. I'm very pleased with how it turned out, but unfortunately I didn't finish in time to take pictures outside while the sun was still up, so it'll go up tomorrow. What to create next.... :)

PayPal Money Market

2007-03-26T23:35:00.000-05:00

I signed up for PayPal's money market account. Apparently nothing changes about your paypal experience except that they deposit interest on any money you keep in paypal at the end of each month. This month's interest is 5%. How can you go wrong? I haven't read anything negative about it, and the prospectus seems fine. I won't put my life savings in there, but there's no reason the money I make from beading shouldn't make me even more money ;)

Bead Store Trip

2007-03-26T20:53:00.000-05:00

Today I made a trip to the local bead store. They did not have exactly what I was looking for, but I picked up some spare needles and a vial of very pretty shimmery moss green seed beads. Afterwards I went to a big box craft store and got some gold and silver jump rings, and separators for a necklace a friend gave me which tangles terribly. They had separators that will match exactly and fix that problem. I was looking for bugle beads really, but came away with something useful nonetheless.

I also started a varicolored gold chevron net necklace. I worked on it for a few hours after I got home, and hope to finish it tomorrow.

I am still looking for resources of ancient beading patterns, especially medieval and the like. It has been much harder than I expected. Even the local library system is coming up empty. There is a book on the history of beads, but I am really looking for the history of what people have Done with beads, including patterns for inspiration.

Elegant Purple Chevron Necklace

2007-03-25T18:59:00.000-05:00

I am amazed at how great this one looks. I can't wait to get more bugle beads in more colors. This is such an elegant necklace, and it took Hours and Hours to create. I definitely need to get some beading needles to make things a little easier. Needles usually speed up the process by about 20%, which adds up when you're talking about the difference between 8 hours and six hours of non stop work. I'm already thinking about a gold version :)

Silver & Hematite Memory Choker

2007-03-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Today I posted & SOLD this gorgeous silver & hematite necklace. I got the pendant from a little town in Mexico, and I absolutely loved it. Once again the silver bead caps really finish the necklace perfectly.

Bright Mossy Green Butterfly Memory Choker

2007-03-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

SOLD
I love the way this turned out! It's a Swarovski pendant on memory wire, with Swarovski accent beads, and silver filigree beads, and it's great! :)

As always, feel free to email me if you're interested in commissioning something similar to a Sold Item.

Green Leaf Necklace

2007-03-22T19:46:00.000-05:00

This is a really pretty piece I created with a leaf similar to the peach leaf earlier. I used square gold filled beads and sea green seed beads. The colors are gorgeous, it's a delicate necklace inexpensive enough to wear casually, but made of quality. I love how the leaf fits perfect in the hollow of your neck, it's just perfect for spring and all the blooming trees outside definitely inspired me.

Peach Leaf Necklace

2007-03-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
This is a memory necklace I made almost entirely out of supplies I got in my recent big buy. Copper seed beads, peach freshwater pearls, peach & brown fire polished Czech faceted beads, and I love the color of the leaf. It's delicate and definitely one of my favorite creations. It's almost easy to create something beautiful when you're using quality materials. It still takes me hours, but it's more pleasant when I don't have to fight the materials to bring something beautiful out of them.

Purple Maui Shell Necklace

2007-03-21T22:29:00.000-05:00

Today I posted a necklace I made just after coming back from Maui. It's a shiny purple shell edged with gold, and the purple freshwater pearls match exactly. I also used bicone crackle beads that add shimmer and color.

Gorgeous Green Dragonfly Memory Necklace

2007-03-13T21:05:00.000-05:00

SOLD
Last night I created the amazing green dragonfly necklace. It's made with memory wire, which I love for how comfortably and easy to use it is. It's wire in the shape of a circle that keeps it's circle shape no matter how much you use it, and you just place it around your neck, and it fits comfortably around your neck. No clasp, no worry, just a choker that fits any size. And the pendant is from Jones New York, something I picked up a few years ago. I finally found perfectly matching beads and a design that works. I Love This Piece.

Blue Teardrop Necklace

2007-03-13T17:59:00.000-05:00

I just posted a gorgeous blue teardrop necklace I created recently. I used rice pearls I got in Maui (Maui is full of great jewelry and supplies), and the new silver bead caps look great! They really give a feeling of elegance and finish to the necklace.

Tangerine Shell Necklace from Maui

2007-03-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

SOLD!

I posted my first listing to etsy today! It's a bright pale orange necklace I made with a shell pendant I got in Maui. I love it, and I'm sure someone else will too!

Etsy

2007-03-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine uses Etsy.com to sell her handmade jewelry, and after looking the site over for the last few days, I'm really excited about it. It's an online marketplace made up entirely of artists selling their own handmade goods, and people selling their supplies to those artists. The percentage etsy takes from each sale is half what ebay.com takes, and the initial charge is extremely low. The sense of community is Very strong, and I just have a really good feeling about the site. I think I'm going to post a necklace to sell and see how it goes.

Elegant Spring Green Glass Necklace

2007-03-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

SOLD!
Today I sold one of my creations! It's one of my favorites, and the woman who got it seemed very pleased :) Next time I think I'll take the pictures outside in the sun.

The Big Order Arrived!

2007-02-20T22:26:00.000-05:00

It's in! And the neck forms (one white, one black) are perfect! Necklaces never look quite right when they're just laying flat. I've already taken pictures using them, and they're exactly what I needed! Out of 50 items, the only downside is that the ring sizer (it's just a stick that gradually gets bigger and shows the ring size on the side) won't arrive for a while. It's out of stock, but they'll send it as soon as it's available. I've already sorted everything in the appropriate containers, and I'm already seeing the possibilities! :)

Big Order

2007-02-12T16:17:00.000-05:00

Today I placed a big order with my beading supplier. I'm Really Excited. I have 50 new ideas, inspirations, and options coming straight to my door in about a week. I'm especially excited about some of the pendants I bought. I usually work my way around a pendant, which is the obvious focal point of a necklace. Wee!

Holiday Loot

2007-01-04T18:14:00.000-05:00

I got four different books on beading, a gift card to a beading store, and an advanced beading magazine for Christmas. I have So Much to do! :)

First Post in the New Blog

2006-12-23T12:54:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas Eve Eve, and I'm off to the friends house to give and receive loot. Happy Holidays!