99 days until Christmas!!

Wow. There are only 99 days until Christmas and the stores have been decorating since August. Some unusually organized people I know have already started shopping and wrapping their gifts. I am NOT one of those people.

But maybe you are super organized and getting a jump on your holiday shopping. If so, here are a few ideas for some beautiful sparkles that are sure to be a hit, and you know that your gift will be truly unique. Some of these new products were inspired by my lovely customers - you all have the best ideas. :)

Crystal Ball Earrings

The Swarovski Crystal Ball Earrings are only $14 and they're gorgeous. True story: My friend was wearing these sparkling earrings that I just loved, and I was about to ask her where she got them. Then I realized that they were the crystal ball earrings that I'd made for her the week before! Right now I have crystal clear ones in stock, but I can order any color you'd like. I plan to work some up in other colors and would welcome suggestions on what colors you'd like to see.

Petite Pearl Drop Earrings

The  Petite Pearl Drop Earrings are a smaller version of our pearl dangle earrings, with two freshwater pearls instead of three. They're available in gray pearls as well, and copper can be substituted for the silver if you'd like. They're classic pearl earrings with a modern twist, and range in price from $14 - $17.

This is the final piece I'll show you today. The Couture Pearl Cuff is the most luxurious pieces in BooJay's collection, with nearly 80 luscious freshwater pearls dancing on the wire. The colors range from cream to charcoal gray, with a few lavender and pale silvery gray pearls for added interest. This is also closed with a sterling silver slide clasp, which is different than our normal toggle clasp closures. It's definitely a statement piece! It retails for $75.


Hopefully this has given you a few ideas for your Christmas list. In the coming weeks I'll be posting more about specials, new pieces, and showcasing some new designers. TGIF and have a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Saturday

Because I'm currently working on a big wholesale order and have  no time to type. Also thought you might like some eye candy... and I've already blown the whole "Wordless" thing. Oops.

Jewels on Copper - a brilliant customer's suggestion

Black Tie - love those pearls!

Copper Luxe - Clearly I'm on a pearl kick

"Baby's Independence", my picture that was an honorable mention in a photography contest.

So here's my (sort of) wordless update. What are you up to?

Coming soon... a tutorial!

I apologize in advance, this post is coming out a little random. Hopefully the pictures will make up for it... or maybe you'll think I'm funny? Anyway...

I think this Memorial Day weekend might have been the first one during which I haven't knitted. Not once! I didn't even bring knitting on our camping trip. In the past I've considered it a personal challenge to complete an entire project over the "Camping weekends". Once I made a poncho, once a self-designed short-sleeved summer sweater. I've made other stuff as well, but those are the ones I remember.

Anyway. Tonight I finished a little summery project - a red, white, and blue bracelet. This was my first time using colored wire. Not the greatest pic, but I wanted  needed to write, so it will have to do. I think the blue wire would look better with purple or green beads, but then it wouldn't have been patriotic. :)

Also...

Would you like to learn how to make a pair of these? Do you know how to knit? Well, then you can do it! Much as I would like to tell you that knitting with wire is incredibly difficult and time consuming and your fingers will bleed (Because then you'd be more impressed with my pretties) It's just not true. OK so my fingers do ache after a while, but they do that after knitting with fiber (yarn) too.

When my husband looked at me like I was nuts as I was taking a picture, knitting a stitch or two and taking another, I told hime I was going to make a tutorial for these earrings. He said, "But then everyone will just make their own instead of buying yours!" Aren't you glad I didn't listen? (You are, right? You DO want to know how to make these pretty little earrings for yourself, don't you???? )

My goal is to have the tutorial up by the end of the week. First I have to finish the second earring, then take some more pics and edit them. Stay tuned!

Oh, and one more thing. One of the talented artists in the oft-mentioned CCC Facebook group has cancer, and the group is having an auction for her, because chemo isn't cheap. Also, it's a way to show her our love and support. It sounds like there will be many wonderful objects to bid on, and I'm thrilled to be offering a bracelet as well as the earrings I'm currently working on. So I guess I'd better get on that, because the entries are due tomorrow. Yikes!

:)

Success!

Ooooh... pretty! Here's another pic:

And one final one:

This is the finished result of the cuff I was working on earlier this week. I'm so happy with it, and unlike many other projects, it didn't require hours of tinkering, ripping out, or otherwise redesigning it.

The best part? Someone else loved it, too! It will soon be mailed off to its new home.
Success!

Bling

This is my latest creation. I worked on it for most of last week, because I could only do it when my kids were asleep. The wire is too fragile to risk being tugged or twisted by little hands. The finished piece is delicate yet strong, and measures approximately 2" wide and 7.5" long measured from each clasp. The knitted portion is just over 6".

I tried to capture the shine of the piece, and the contrast of the black and silver. It's truly gorgeous! Try it... add a little shine to your next outfit with this one-of-a-kind bracelet. I can't wait to make this in other colors.

I would love to hear your suggestions for future color combinations! Do you have a favorite metal or color? Or maybe you have an outfit that needs that something. Maybe even a favorite sports team? (Black and gold, anyone??) Whatever it is, I'd love to hear it. :)

Testing

Knitted metal seems like such a contradiction to me. Knits are "supposed" to be soft, like sweaters or socks, and metal is, well, hard. But what if I combined the two ideas? I've been testing this metal + knitting combination out this week, and the result looks a little something like this:


That's fine gauge silver wire, knitted on small needles that bangs up my hands. :( But the end result is worth it, don't you think? Those beads are way prettier in real life; they have an iridescent shine to them that reminds me of soap bubbles. Tiny, black, soap bubbles.

The resulting texture in quite interesting. It's hard because it's made out of metal, but it's flexible and light because it's knitted. This is going to be a cuff, or a wide bracelet, when it's finished. Currently I have an inch left to knit, then I have to figure out a closure for it. Lobster claw or magnetic? Which would you prefer?

In other knitterly news....

I'm test knitting a sweater for Stefanie Japel. THE Stefanie Japel. In case you don't know, she designs knitwear and she is one of my favorite designers. Her designs are flattering and intuitive, and most of them are also seamless. (I hate seaming. It's right up there with cleaning up puke on my "Ugh" list.)

Anyways... I, along with a bunch of other knitters, are knitting a test pattern for her. I don't know if I'm allowed to post pics or anything, so I won't. But I will say that it's a perfect spring sweater. Light, flowy, and flattering. Can't wait to go yarn shopping!

[p]\posted from Bloggeroid

Ooooh pretty!

Usually when I go to Joann's I wander through the yarn section with a blissful smile, stroking all the yarn, until my husband calls and asks if I'm coming home tonight.

Today I wandered through an entirely different section... beads!
Remember the beaded bauble I made last week? I got the supplies to make some in more colors.

See? Only one little ball of pale pink yarn for a custom order. (Love those!) All the other stuff is for jewelry.
I got copper wire, silver plated copper wire, teal beads, purple/black iridescent beads, and a small knitting needle (size 3) for knitting the wire. Unfortunately the beads are not shown to their best advantage here. In real life they're shimmery, and the black ones look like tiny black soap bubbles.

I can't wait to get started! I'm also envisioning a bracelet made with just the wire and beads to match.

My kids need to go to bed now so I can get started! If only I could convince them of that. ;)

posted from Bloggeroid