Charmed Bracelets

Elegant Lampwork Heart Necklace

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 You could search a long time before you'd find glass hearts as beautiful as these.

In fact, I did search for quite some time before I found these handmade hearts in various designs and colors. 

This heart has a dramatic but sweet design of flowers, swirls, and little raised balls of glass. One is the center to a flower, the others are part of the overall design. 

The heart is about 19 mm in size and each one is handmade individually in California of Italian and German glass by a company called Grace Lampwork.

I used sterling silver wire to attach the heart to a jump ring with a wrapped loop. Then I threaded black velvet ribbon through the ring, and added a high quality cultured pearl on another jump ring. 

You can't see the pearl in this photo, but here's a different necklace with a pearl: Glass Hearts: a Variation

I have some earrings made with the same pearls and jump rings: Precious Pearl Earrings

The black velvet ribbon is long enough to tie in a bow at the back of your neck. You should be able to adjust the length to suit the neckline you are wearing it with.

If the ribbon seems too long, just cut the ends with very sharp scissors. It won't fray as long as the scissors are sharp.

Price: $85, which includes postage, insurance, and taxes. Buy this necklace:

See also: How to Use This Web Site

Photo: @ Monica Strasen 2010. 

 

@ Jeanne Sather 2011. 

 

Industrial-Strength Heart

This necklace shows off a red glass heart and a skeleton key on a antiqued silver-tone chain. 

The heart is one inch, and the key is two inches long. The chunky chain closes off to one side with an oversized clasp, also of silver-toned base metal.

I took the necklace for a "test drive" the other day and received lots of compliments. 

One of a kind. 

Price: $60, which includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2011. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2011. 

Glass Hearts: a Variation

Here's a variation on the necklaces I've been making with lampwork glass hearts and velvet ribbons. 

The hearts are about 19 mm in size and each one is handmade individually in California by a company called Grace Lampwork.

The heart in the photo has swirls of purple, blue, and white, and is more abstract than most of the hearts I have for sale. 

I used sterling silver wire to make a wrapped loop for the heart, and attached that to a jump ring. Then I threaded navy blue velvet ribbon through the ring, and added a high quality cultured pearl on another jump ring. 

I have some earrings made with the same pearls and jump rings: Precious Pearl Earrings

This necklace is a gift for a friend, but I have all the components to make one more. Price: $85. 

Photo: @ Monica Strasen 2011. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2011.

Hearts and More Hearts

These handmade glass hearts have been very popular with my customers, and I  love them as well.

The hearts are about 19 mm in size and each one is handmade individually in California of Italian and German glass by a company called Grace Lampwork.

I like the complexity of the designs--the mix of colors, the way the different colors of glass overlap each other, and the raised details.

I make a loop for each heart with heavy sterling silver wire, and then slide it onto a ribbon--typically black, purple, or deep navy blue velvet. I also have grosgrain ribbons in various colors. 

The ribbon tie makes it easy to adjust the heart necklace to the length you prefer.

I've also been adding a high-quality pearl on a sterling jump ring to the last few necklaces I've made. You can slide the pearl to the center of the necklace next to the heart, or you can move it several inches up the ribbon. (It will stay where you place it because of the thickness of the ribbon.) 

When you order, specify which heart you want (from left to right above: pink/lavender, brown swirls, and rose pink.) I will e-mail you to discuss the best color for the ribbon.

Price: $80, which includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. mailing addresses. 

The purple and pink heart at the left in the top photo is spoken for. Sorry.

See also:Finished Heart Necklaces

Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2011.

@ Jeanne Sather 2011. 

For a Special Girl 2

 

Here's a bracelet for that very special little girl in your life. Actually, I should probably describe it as a bracelet for a young girl, since it suits girls from about 8 to age 12.

My model, The Amazing Martha, is 11. 

The bracelet is made with coins of very good quality natural turquoise. The beads are separated by short sections of sterling chain with heart-shaped links. The bracelet has a plain clasp, and a charm at the end of the extender chain, which gives some grow room.

Measure your child's wrist to avoid disappointment (young girls have surprisingly large wrists). The bracelet, as is, is 6 1/2 inches long, including the extender chain, and will fit a wrist between 5 and 6 inches. If your child's wrist is smaller, or larger, I am happy to adjust the bracelet to fit. 

Questions? Please e-mail me:  jeanne.sather@gmail.com

Price: $50. This includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. mailing addresses. 

 

Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2010.

Text and design: @ Jeanne Sather 2010.

Glass Hearts and Flowers

You could search a long time before you'd find glass hearts as beautiful as these.

The hearts are about 19 mm in size and each one is handmade individually in California of Italian and German glass by a company called Grace Lampwork.

I have five hearts of four different designs. (Actually, I have many more, Not all have been photographed, however.) I bought two of the black ones, which were my favorites until I handled the orange one at the top or the more feminine pink and blue heart at the top left. The fifth one at the bottom right doesn't photograph as well as it looks, because the peridot glass is translucent with pink and white flowers and light green leaves ... but maybe that one is my favorite....

Th I strung the pink and blue heart at the upper left on pale green ribbon. The ribbon looks much yellower in the photo that is actually is. 

The black, white, and pink heart I strung on classic black velvet ribbon.

When you order a heart, please specify whether you want it on the black velvet ribbon, or if you would like me to find a different color for you. I'm starting to lay in quite a stock of ribbons, vintage and modern, so I have a number of choices. 

Price $80, which includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. mailing addresses.

When you order, please specify which heart you want and also what kind of ribbon you would like.

The orange heart is no longer available, as I have donated it to the raffle to help Erick DeForest pay for his cancer care and living expenses. 

If that one's your favorite, you can bid on it at this site once it is posted (we're waiting on the photo to post it).

Erick's Fundraiser 

Or you can buy one of mine:

For more choices, see: Hearts and More Hearts

Questions? E-mail me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

 Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2010.

 

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

Newborn on a Doctor's Scale

 This is the most unusual charm in my entire "Love & Marriage (& Baby Carriage)" collection--It's a sterling silver "mechanical" charm of a newborn baby on an old-fashioned doctor's scale. 

"Mechanical" means that the charm has moving parts, and this scale tips back and forth between the weight of the baby on one side and the weights on the other. 

 The charm is sterling silver and was made in England in the 1960s. It would be the perfect gift for a new mother, or for a pediatrician, or--even better--a new mother who happens to be a pediatrician. 

The bracelet has two strands: a string of rose quartz beads and a sterling silver chain with heart-shaped links. It closes with an adjustable toggle clasp and should fit most wrists. 

It is one of a kind. 

Price: $140. The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

Questions: E-mail me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2010. 

Design and text: @ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

More Charms: Love & Marriage (& Baby Carriage)

Here are some of the charms in my new "Love & Marriage (&  Baby Carriage)" series of jewelry. 

The baby's sterling silver mug is a tiny version of the classic new baby gift. It is a beautifully made charm from charm maker Beau Sterling. 

As I searched for charms that fit the theme, I focused on finding ones that were whimsical and playful, but also sweet.  

I've always loved baby shoes. There is something so tender and appealing about their chubby shape and small size. 

This little shoe is very well made, right down to the laces! 

I'm working on these pieces of jewelry now, and expect to have several bracelets and necklaces up on this Web site by early next week.

I'm using turquoise, peach moonstones, and rose quartz in the various pieces. 

See also: Love & Marriage (& Baby Carriage)

Photos:  Monica Strasen. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

The Love Letter Charm Bracelet II

This bracelet sold a little while ago, but it was (and is) one of my personal favorites, so I couldn't resist making another similar one.

I found another vintage mailbox charm online (shown in the smaller photo) that has flowers on it rather than hearts, but other than that the bracelet will be the same as the one in the large photo above.  

 I'm not the kind of person who gets all mushy about the "good old days," with one exception: In the old days, people WROTE LETTERS, including love letters. 

Be honest now, when was the last time you received a love letter? Not an e-mail. Not a text message. An honest-to-goodness real letter written on paper with a pen and mailed to you through the U.S. postal service?

I will confess that the last love letters I received were written in the 1980s, and I still have them, tucked away. I treasure them, even though I no longer love the man who wrote them. 

 If you decide to give your sweetie this "Love Letter Charm Bracelet," give it with the promise of love letters to come in the future. I would also suggest that you pick up a copy of the book "Griffin & Sabine, A Extraordinary Correspondence," as part of your gift. 

The bracelet has two strands: a chain of carnelian rondelles (that's the shape) linked with jump rings, and a chain with tiny hearts as the links. The charm itself is "vintage," although I don't think it is all that old. it is sterling silver, and it opens and closes.

The bracelet is a standard 7 1/2 inches long. All the chain and wire, and the toggle, are sterling silver, as is the charm, of course. The bracelet is one of a kind. 

Price: $140. The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. mailing addresses.  

Please e-mail me with any questions: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

Photo: @ Monica Strasen 2010.  

Design and text: @ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

Some Special Vintage Charms

 The charms shown in the photo at right are the only ones left from a large lot of charms I bought last August. 

Well, the five in the photo plus one more "mechanical" charm, a sterling silver heart that opens to show an embracing couple. THIS HEART IS SOLD. 

I had never bought this large a lot of charms before--there were 12 in all--partly because that's a lot of money to pay out at one time, and partly because I was afraid I would never use all of them. But this group has worked out well, because they were such special charms to begin with. 

Go to this link for descriptions of individual charms: What's New

Contact me if you'd like me to make you a necklace or bracelet with one of these charms: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

Here's the embracing couple. I made a multi-strand carnelian bracelet with this charm. It's similar to this one: Vintage Vacuum Cleaner Charm Bracelet. 

I love this bracelet design, and would be happy to make you a similar one with the charm of your choice. See: Charms 

 

 

 

Photos: @ Monica Strasen 2010. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2010.