Be "Sparkling" at the Holidays

Lately I have been intrigued with using oxidized metals - especially bronze. Oxidized sterling is great too, but I don't have a source. I think that the professional jewelry makers oxidize their own silver. If anyone knows about this process, please let me know.

The picture shows three earring options for incorporating a Swarovski (c) crystal with bronze. I think the reason that I like bronze is that 1) it is less expensive than sterling, and 2) it goes great with darker or olive skin tones (like my sisters and I!) It seems more natural looking to me.

Simple, elegant and sparkly.

What was that line in 'Rainman' where Dustin Hoffman told the woman of his desire (his brother's girlfriend) - that she looked "very sparkly"? Love that movie.

Here is a way for you to shine at the holidays for just pennies. The Swarovski crystal is the finest in the world and comes in a huge variety of colors and shapes. I have used round faceted beads in two of these examples, and a helix shaped on the kidney wire. My favorite source is Artbeads.com. They have a free shipping option! If you order your color in AB (aurora borealis), it will have extra sparkle and really toss the light around. The three samples are in clear AB.

This photo is a pair of earrings that my friend Lila
(Dog Day Studio) made in a very unique Swarovski bead shape, cosmic, using sterling. This is a larger bead - nearly an inch from top to bottom. Perfect for a special performance at Orchestra Hall, or a night on the town.

The sparkle on your ears will match the sparkle in your eyes with these! Kathy