Copper Jewelry - a Different Style

Recently I added several earrings to the site, utilizing new copper findings. Most of my work is done with sterling silver, so this is a new adventure for me. I feel like an artist that has literally added a new color to her palette. It's very inspiring.

I am simply in love with these earrings. I wear my own pair of them all the time. The teal blue faceted window glass peeking from beneath the scalloped copper edges reminds me of the backgrounds in paintings by Da Vinci, Raphael and other Renaissance painters. Amazing that a simple pair of earrings can bring such pleasure, but these do. Maybe that's why we wear jewelry.

Antiqued Copper Blue Window Beaded Earrings


The same findings go equally well with a totally different set of beads. They are made from Japanese Artistic Stone Jasper. I like the organic style and mystery of these beads.
Copper Artistic Stone Jasper Handmade Beaded Artisan Earrings


I also used the same copper findings with large faceted Picture Jasper Beads. They are the essence of the current popular Handmade Beaded Artisan Jewelry. Picture Jasper comes in several colors and I offer them all with the copper findings.

Copper Picture Jasper Handmade Beaded Artisan Earrings Custom Color


By the way, copper does not contain nickel. Nickel is the element in jewelry that causes the most allergic reactions. Copper and sterling silver do not contain nickel. I have an allergic reaction to nickel, but I can wear these copper findings (and sterling silver) without a problem. These copper earrings are also lighter in weight than they may appear, as the metal beads are hollow.

You can purchase any of the items by clicking on their pictures and visiting my website. Feel free to request other gemstones or beads with copper findings.

Many jewelry artists are now using copper in their pieces. Here's a wonderful pair of earrings using copper filigree from my friend Sam at Eclectic Elements.

What is Lobster Lu doing this week?

Lobster Lu is

Entering Art Jewelry Contests - I'm finding these to be a fun motivation to force myself to try new techniques and designs. I work well with freedom within a defined concept. The inspiration is seeping into all my new designs. You'll see soon!

Redesigning the Website - This is an ongoing challenge. But I have some ideas to make the navigation easier and the jewelry more front and center to you. I'm really excited, actually. Hopefully I'll be able to carry this out soon within the next few weeks.

Creating a Spring - Summer 2007 Line for all the Collections. I find that jewelry falls into seasons, just like fashion. I aim to release a Spring Summer Line before March and then a Fall - Winter Line in late September. Meanwhile, I'll add more items to the site frequently.

Preparing for Monthly Limited Edition Jewelry Designs. These should begin this year in February. This will be a way for me to offer items specially geared towards each month's special days - holidays and birthdays, special events, etc. The items will only be available for that month, so it will be fun and refreshing for all of us.

Is that enough? Well, there's more! But I will spare you the details.

What do you think of these ideas? I welcome your comments.

Always and Forever - romantic punk Valentine's gift earrings

I'm starting to think about Valentine's Day. I think the pair of earrings above are so romantic and punk at the same time. Just perfect for a really unique woman.

They are made of Mixed metals, copper, brass and sterling. Red glass heart charms and black agate beads. Sterling silver ear wires. You can buy them for $14.99 by clicking here.

Earrings really are the perfect gift. As long as a woman's ears are pierced, you don't need to know sizes with earrings.

I'm going to try to make some special earrings for Valentine gifts and put them on the website soon. Until then, I think the Always and Forever Earrings are the perfect Valentine's gift.

This bracelet is a sampler of materials I often use. It includes a plastic guitar pick, a stainless steel snap, a vintage Indian head wooden nickel, threaded with sterling silver wire and embellished with a flower made of ocean jasper faceted briolette beads, a charm made from an American Express magnet, mixed metal rivets and jumprings. The clasp is a silver metal magnet. I made this bracelet for the EBSQ Art Jewelry Show Contest, although I've made others similar, I had to be sure to add wood, stone and metal to this piece. It was a fun challenge and I plan on making more with these elements.

Since each piece is unique, I will be allowing for customization in the bracelets. I think this is a great way to incorporate little tiny treasures that we all hold onto and never know how to keep them close to us. Like a quilt made of fabric scraps from our childhood clothes can trigger such precious memories, I think a sampler of found objects bracelet can do the same.

Let me know if you have a "scrap" of the past to put into a custom bracelet.

I currently have this bracelet on HOLD status, because I'd like to see if it places in the contest, before I set the price! I'll also have a custom bracelet listing soon in The Chelsea Collection at Amethyst Lobster. Click here for the page of this particular bracelet, titled Found Object Wood, Stone Metal Bracelet.

I HEART IKE
Today's Inspiration - Common Postage Stamps
Found Object Art Jewelry Earrings


This is what I like to do - challenge myself to create jewelry from the commonest materials. Some call it trashion. Some call it found object art. They also call it recycling and upcycling.

My challenge today was to use postage stamps. I took a big bag of saved, used stamps and sorted through them. I kept throwing Ike (President Eisenhower) into a bigger and bigger pile. He was the commonest of the batch I had. So - he deserves a glass heart. His campaign motto was I LIKE IKE. But these days, I think he'd get a heart instead.

These earrings are double-sided. There is Ike in mulberry, which matches the dangling heart. And there is the dark side of Ike - a deep gray. These are laminated and the holes are hand riveted. The charm adds some weight, but they are light. I love the way they flutter, showing both sides of Ike.

I really enjoyed making these. They'll be added to the Chelsea Collection soon. There are so many other stamps I could use. Do you have a special request? Let me know - these are easy to customize. If I don't have the stamps, you can send them to me - on the outside of the envelope!

New Products for Holiday Show

I've been busy the past few weeks getting ready for a 2 day holiday show here in town. I was challenged to come up with some designs that would allow the local children to buy for family and friends, without spending too much. The challenge was low cost, quick to make in quantity and yet absolutely COOL!

Here's a sneak preview (show is on Thursday and Friday this week)of some of the handmade products. I like them so well that I plan on adding some similar items to the website!

Just click the thumbnails to see a bigger picture!













As you can see there's pirate skull crossbones, mermaids, snowflakes, recycled soda pop can charm pendants, guitar pick earrings and more!

Have a Creepy Halloween!

There are some strange characters in my neighborhood.
A gnarly pirate that likes his jewelry, a suspicious security guard and an old pegleg pirate trying to trip everyone.

Trick or Treat!

Click on the pictures to see the creepy details!

Antique and Vintage Button Bracelets

There is something so special about buttons. Maybe you have to be a button person to understand. Anyway, here are some bracelets I made - mostly today - from vintage and antique buttons. I'll have them on the site soon for sale. Thanks to my sister Patty, who is the Queen of Buttons!


Carved Brown Bakelite Button Bracelet



Carved Applejuice and TEAL Bakelite Button Bracelet



Antique China Buttons Bracelet Pink and Green CUTE!



Silver Amethyst Antique Button Bracelet



Antique Gold Button Bracelet Sorry, this one I'm keeping for myself! I LOVE it too much to let it go!



Antique Flower Buttons Jade Bead Bracelet

Autumn Colors are Coming to the Beach










Kirby

Oak Leaves

Pretty clouds today.


Is it the surface of the moon?
No, just a closeup of the earth,
wet sand with shellfish air holes.

Walk on the beach Sandy Hook NJ 9/27/05.
These colors will change soon as Autumn comes.



I bet most people don't realize that there is cactus in New Jersey.



Sunshine on the water - like an abstract painting.

I've been walking on the beach at Sandy Hook most mornings, with my dog, Kirby (a 5 month old LabraDoodle). It's such an inspirational part of my day. I don't know what people do, who don't live near the water. I'm sure there's something equivalent, but beyond me. Anyway, I thought, maybe I'll try to share images of the walks here with my friends. The Fall is coming and it always changes the colors of the beach in subtle and wonderful ways. Maybe you will see that, as we go through the next few months. Along the way, we'll see a few distinct influences on my jewelry, I'm sure.

These are thumbnail images to save loadtime, but you can click on them to enlarge.

Here is a classic sunny beach image take on 9/23/05 at Sandy Hook.


Two shots showing an overcast sky on the bayside, Sandy Hook 9/26/05.



Kirby on the Bayside.


Textures on the beach. A fascinating found object - I was just thinking
of Japanese Mokume Cane techniques for clay when I saw this.




Kirby on the backporch - resting after his walk on the beach.