New contest

Read Full Post »

Debs newest creations

This beautiful handcrafted bracelet is made with Grossularite Garnet and Freshwater pearls, rose quartz, amethyst, purple jasper, pink chalcedony, swarovski crystals and sterling silver.  Deb you have outdone yourself this time, congrats.

Amethyst—- Is the stone of transformation.

Jasper—- Is associated with relaxation, contentment, compassion, nurturing, consolation,

Rose quartz—- Is known as the love stone, opening your heart and encouraging you
to be tender, peaceful and gentle.

Pearls—- Promote sincerity, truth and loyalty, Enables one to accept love see the good
parts of oneself people and objects, increases sense of self worth.

Read Full Post »

One more added

These wonderful faceted freshwater pearls have been added to the contest lets keep this going there is much more to add.

Read Full Post »

Handcrafted Jewelry–What type is for you

I love handcrafted jewelry, the gemstones, pearls, crystals everything that comes with it.  What the is your favorite.   Blue lace agate,  Black Onyx, Moonstone, Smoky quartz.  Just to name a few.  Then you have pearls  Freshwater, Keshi,  Coin, Cultured, Colors that span the rainbow.  Then we have crystals,  Swarovski the best crystals around, firepolished, czech crystals.  I want to know what your favorite is. please leave a comment till I can place a poll on this blog. Visit www.totaldelights.com  to find your favorite ingredient for handcrafted jewelry

Read Full Post »

Creating with pearls

Waiting for the mailman has become a great new pastime for me.  That is waiting for my lastest bead order.  Then the magic begins the opening of the package and then the indiviual little bundles.  Each one with new treasures to make beautiful jewelry with.  This order has my favorite pearls any kind will work, all the colors, shapes.  Some artists want to work with crystals, and they have their place in my creations.  Gemstones, anything from rich agates to pure black onyx.  These all make for great jewelry.  But if you mix these with the best, pearls you then have the ultimute in jewelry.  I have said before that I have a passion for pearls and that is an understatement.  Wearing jeans and a tee shirt then you can add a simple pearl bracelet or a pair of pearl earrings, keeping it simple.  But dressing up then the pearls will make a real statement.  Multi strand, single peart drop.  or like this Pearl Necklace DB-150  This necklace will make that little black dress and you stand out in the crowd.   Visit www.totaldelights.com for more creations with pearls.

Read Full Post »

Pearls, Pearls and if there is time more Pearls

Pearls, Pearls and if there is time more Pearls, as you can tell

Pearls are a passion of mine and one of my favorite gems to create with.

They are the only gemstone formed within a living creature.  Have been a symbol of wealth and sophistication.  So now to look at some of the differences in pearls.  Natural vs. Cultured.  A natural pearl is actually begun as a foreign object inside an oyster’s inner body.  In response to the intrusion the oyster goes into defensive mode and secretes nacre, a substance to protect itself from the object.  Adding layer after layer till a beautiful pearl is formed.  Natural pearls are very rare about one in 10,000 will produce a single natural pearl.   Just recently, a double strand of 68 perfect natural pearls, know as the “Baroda Pearls” was auctioned at Christie’s Auction House for $7 million. Google “Baroda Pearls” to see a picture of these wonderful pearls.  So because of the rarity of natural pearls, most of today’s pearls are cultured.   In 1916 Kokichi Mikimoto patented the process of culturing pearls inside Akoya oysters in Japan.  This then made pearls affordable to the public and the pearl craze began.  Now cultured pearls are still actual pearls, similar in most ways to the natural pearl.  The only difference is a small piece of polished shell or mantle tissue is introduced by hand to the oyster.  The process from there is the same, to creating a pearl.  Cultured pearls come from saltwater or freshwater mollusks.  The freshwater ones can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of freshwater.  The majority of the freshwater pearls today come from china.  The Saltwater pearls come from oysters that live in the oceans and are in protected waters such as lagoons, The Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian pearls are the best know and are certainly deep sea treasures in there own right.

Part one of Pearls, Pearls and if there is time more Pearls.

Written by Diane Brixey, Pearl lover and self taught jewelry artist. Her work can be seen at www.totaldelights.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »