Rose of Sharon Jewelry

These lovely lavender pearl and Swarovski crystal earrings are quite popular on the Rose of Sharon Jewelry Flickr photostream. I suppose this means I need to get them posted in the Etsy store soon.

Swarovski crystals and pearls still are prized for bridal jewelry - but colorful gems are gaining in popularity. Today's Martha Stewart tv episode shows a wide assortment of gowns by Vera Wang and she talks with bridal experts on D-I-Y weddings. Bridal gowns in off-white and ecru colors are popular now and brides have themes in mind which incorporate bold colors. Dawn even has a friend with a purple and orange color-scheme! We are doing amethyst and Swarovski crystals in orange for her custom jewelry. Not my idea of wedding jewelry but as long as she is happy then so am I! As bridal season is upon us, Betty, Dawn, Sandra and I have been putting together our handmade spring wedding necklaces for a new collection. i just love pearls and will be doing plenty of unique designs to give brides some additional choices. Betty is doing a variety of illusion styles which are great for strapless gowns without overwhelming the bride's face. Many of the gowns Martha premiered have a very vintage feel and several of our necklaces will be vintage in length and style. We are working on making certain that the jewelry coordinates with the most popular Spring gown designs. A lot of fun spending time in the bridal salons and reading those 10 lb. wedding magazine.

Speaking of vintage - here is Snow Bride a beautiful new necklace by Betty using vintage glass pearls. We know they are at least 50 years old (me too) and have all the luster and sparkle of a period when quality was easier to find.  We're working on a new ArtFire store that will hold all of our found object, eclectic, retro and vintage designs under a new line we are calling New Life Jewelry Art.

Watch for our Grand Opening announcement next week. The ArtFire link is on the right but the store has yet to be fully stocked.

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• Recession Increases Interest in Vintage Wedding Gowns (shoppingblog.com)

Betty's newest handmade cross necklace is the delicate silver filigree "Glory to God". The ornate 2-inch silver cross has Swarovski crystals in colors representing the precious gems of peridot, ruby, amethyst, sapphire and citrine. Instead of competing with these colors - Betty selected firepolish three-tone beads - clear, fuschia and blue. The necklace strand is hand linked chain using brilliant sterling silver wire and jump rings.

Glory to God - handmade silver chain with firepolish crystals and silver filigree cross

Statement necklaces are hot for Spring! Floral beauties like April Remembered are a wonderful choice to brighten up any outfit. With tight budgets this season, you probably aren't spending money needlessly. A great way to freshen up last year's spring wardrobe is with an affordable statement necklace.

Betty couldn't resist buying an assortment of these lovely enameled pendants. Made with imitation rhodium and real Swarovski crystals, these pendants are brightly colored with plenty of sparkle. You'll find several other handmade necklaces in the store shortly each with different flowers and color combos.

Betty's newest series of beautiful hand beaded cross necklaces (part of our marathon photography session this week) will debut in  ROSJ store next week. Her original designs feature everything from simple sterling silver crosses to ornate gold filigree versions with Swarovski crystals. Here is a sneak peak of my personal favorite with luscious green Malay Jade - Betty calls this necklace Wisdom. If you are interested in this design before it appears in the Rose of Sharon Jewelry store - send me an email and I'll provide you with pricing, etc

Need a mood enhancer? Does the world seem so heavy lately? Help may be as close as your jewelry box. Even if financial woes aren't a constant in your life - buying a new handcrafted necklace may feel like a "betrayal" of others. But I believe that all of us deserve to be lifted up daily. A bold purple necklace or a golden yellow bracelet can be a good antidote for negative moods.

Having a positive outlook has been scientifically proven to increase your stamina, help you cope and improve your health - all things we need more of. Handmade artisan jewelry combines multiple mood enhancing features into a single, easy to use, natural solution.

• Color - look for jewelry pieces with gemstone beads, pearls and hand-polished glass beads that add a pop of color to your wardrobe.
• Reflection - necklaces and earrings featuring Swarovski crystals, precious metals and pearls reflect the light and brighten your complexion and spirits.
• Feel - jewelry isn't just a visual medium. Use your sense of touch to fully experience the coolness, heft and  movement of a treasured necklace. Touching a pearl, feeling the silver, caressing a pendant are all ways of soothing yourself.
• Sound - the faint tinkle of a charm bracelet or swinging earrings can be a Zen-like reminder to "be in the moment."
• Texture - organic, freeform stones and handcrafted jewelry designs create a grounded feeling.
• Creativity - unlike department store jewelry, one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry shouts creativity. Even a single strand of beads is a reflection of the artist's vision and soul.

Why not take a few minutes to stop by the Rose of Sharon Jewelry store to find a great new mood enhancing necklace? We'll ship it out immediately so you too can experience the joy of owning beautiful handcrafted jewelry. You'll be glad you did!

To learn more about how handmade jewelry enhances your life, don't forget to bookmark my blog or better yet - use the RSS feed (top right column) to never miss a single post!

As my family and friends know, I love moons and stars. I even have a guest bathroom decorated in gold and midnight blue with lots of moons and stars. By the way - I am still looking for a moon face wall clock for this room - please send link if you know of one. Okay back on track now - I just finished a fabulous new sterling silver charm bracelet with moons and stars and Swarovski crystals in Montana Blue and Sun Gold. This one is going to be very hard to part with!

Will set up the photo studio and take pics this weekend so my blog readers get the first peek! Don't forget to bookmark this so you don't miss out.

The Recession sure is a wet blanket - ruins your day doesn't it. But weddings are still going on and wedding jewelry is still a big must. That's my theory anyway. As a jewelry designer that loves to create wedding necklaces and earrings with magnificent Swarovski crystals, I'd doubt that brides are going without jewelry. Am I right?

Brides, Wedding planners, Mothers-of-the-bride, bridal salon owners - is the economic downturn affecting your choices for bridal jewelry and bridal party jewelry or gifts? Will you trim your jewelry budget or save money elsewhere? How much do you expect to spend for your bridal jewelry? What pieces must you have to look beautiful on your special day?

Please take a few minutes to leave your thoughts and I'll forward you a 10% discount coupon for the Rose of Sharon Jewelry store.