What's New!

30.1.12

A few people have asked for my Christmas angel earrings to be available all year, saying that angels aren't just for Christmas. I guess angels have been an inspiration throughout history and across many lands and are still making an impact today as symbols of sharing peace and goodwill and of divine protection.

I've created a new earring category called Angels Rule! which currently contains my existing Christmas angel items. Made with Swarovski crystal, Czech crystal and Czech pressed glass, these are earrings you'll keep forever. All are on sterling silver or 14K gold-filled earwires and in a rainbow of colours. For smaller styles made especially for little girls, look for ones marked "Petite".

Am working on some new styles for this category, and possibly some pendants too, and will let you know when they're added.

With Valentine's Day coming up in a couple of weeks, you may be looking out for a special gift for your special someone, or even for your special someone to give YOU.

I won't try and predict what you or your beloved might want, but I'll help with the gift-wrap. For all orders between now and 14 February I'll include a free gift pouch for each item purchased. I'll try and match the pouch to the colour and style of the purchased item, but do let me know if you have a preference for a particular colour pouch.

6.12.11

Have just added a new range of cluster pendants, bracelets and earrings with shallow sea pools as its inspiration. Called Rockpool I for pieces with silver components, and Rockpool II for pieces with gold components, all items use turquoise-coloured magnesite gemstone, Czech glass beads in rock and sand colours and crystal clear, and USA-made pewter charms with a sea theme. Also included are frosted clear natural quartz beads to evoke beach glass finds, and white freshwater pearls. If you enter Rockpool into the Search field, the results will pick up all the new pieces in this range regardless of their category.

Now for something to help with the Christmas shopping panic attacks! For all orders between now and 24 December I'll include a free gift pouch for each item purchased. I'll try and match the pouch to the colour and style of the purchased item, but do let me know if you have a preference for a particular colour pouch.

2.11.11

More hearts have been added, by request, to the Simply Swarovski range, and all are available with either sterling silver or 14K gold-filled chains and bails. Look for sparkling 14x14.4mm hearts in cyclamen opal (a milky pinkish-purple with lemon glimpses), fern green, Siam AB, topaz AB, dark indigo (the original denim colour, or the sky at dusk - depending on how romantic you feel!), clear crystal AB, sapphire AB, amethyst AB and rose AB. The standard chain length for them all is 40cm (16ins) as that seems to be the most popular, but please email me if you want a longer chain. The Swarovski Classic - Solo earrings category has simple bicone drops to match the hearts, again with sterling silver or 14K gold-filled components, if you're thinking of putting a set together for a Christmas present.

25.8.11

New styles in the Earrings - Eclectica category comprise short and long drops made with polished gemstone leaves, gemstone rondelles, Swarovski pearls, snakeskin-patterned acrylics, Czech fire-polished crystals, freshwater pearls with crystal, and a sweet but sophisticated lampworked glass animal print that I couldn't resist! Colours in the new styles include peach, powder almond, honey, gold, deep green, olive, silver-grey, light amethyst, black, and orange-red.

3.8.11

Isn't the sunshine wonderful! A balmy breeze from the northwest and we're expecting a top of 22 degrees today. We really are into Spring in spite of the occasional wind and rain that we'll still get. Don't believe people who say that Spring doesn't start until 1 September. If a season is 3 months' long, and the Spring Equinox is 23 September 2011, then surely 6 weeks back from that is the beginning of August. Anyway, it gets me geared up to thinking now about flowers and new growth and bright colours and sweet pastels and butterflies and ... In the meantime, if you're getting yourself organised for Fathers' Day already, check out the great range of men's jewellery in the For Men section. The gemstone bracelets and necklets are the kind of quality that is ageless and will get noticed - no Bali markets cheap string pieces here! And please remember that I can always make pieces shorter or longer on request.

23.7.11

The new Duet Petite style has been added to the Swarovski Classics category. It's a smaller-scale version of the Duet style in the Swarovski Drama category - crystal rondelle pairs on swinging pins - and it's a great length for whether you're height-challenged like me or just prefer a less dramatic earring for daywear.

I know I seem to be doing just earrings at the moment, but it's hard to be inspired with other pieces when everyone is wearing high-necked tops, scarves and long sleeves. Not to worry, we've passed the winter solstice and we're on the run down to Spring. Now, if we could just get a few fine days, then I might actually believe in the possibility of bare wrists and bare necks with eyecatching adornments!

There are a few more earrings to come before I switch gears. Think gemstone leaves with Swarovski crystal pearls, freshwater pearls in unusual shapes, snakeskin-print acrylic with Czech fire-polished glass .... Just waiting on some sunshine so we can get the best photos.

Am about to rearrange the Pendants category so that those of you who only want very simple styles (eg on leather or chain) can easily find them without having to scroll through all the styles available.

25.6.11

Swarovski crystals are so gorgeous that you don't have to wear lots of them in order to make an impact. I've created a new category of earrings - Swarovski Drama - where I'll showcase styles that aren't OTT but will still add an outstanding element to your outfit. The first series in the new category is Duet: large sparkling rondelles on long swinging pins attached to demi-marquise earwires. The size and sculptural shape of the earwire balances the length and clean lines of the crystal drop. Simple but eyecatching!

The gold-filled earrings are not as long as the sterling silver ones as I was unable to get gold-filled headpins in the right length and gauge. I tried gold-plated headpins, but the effect was just not right.

If you have more colour ideas for this style, then I'd love to hear them.

Coming soon will be a shorter version of the Duet series, as a Petite Duet range in the Swarovski Classics category.

27.5.11

If you aren't familiar with Czech glass beads, then you've been missing out on some beautiful and legendary alternatives to Swarovski crystal and to other glass beads. Glass beads and other glass items have been made in the European region of Bohemia (now part of the Czech republic) since the 11th Century, and their range and quality are world-famous. See my Glossary for more details.

My new Czech Drama range shows the versatility of Czech fire-polished faceted glass beads as a beautiful and budget-friendly alternative to Swarovski crystal elements. The softer sparkle of fire-polished glass is a particularly appealing choice for cooler weather. The earwires or earstuds are, as usual, either sterling silver or 14K gold-filled. However, to help meet the lower-cost goal of the range, other metal components may be gold-plate or silver-plate over base metal (such as brass).

The earrings aren't as heavy as they look, either. Near-weightless drama - isn't that what most of us want?