Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders Review: Introduction to Wirework

In order to review a jewelry book and do it justice, I really have to read it.  I know that sounds stupid - but think about it.  How often do you really read the first chapter about tools and wire and techniques?  If you've read it once or twice, that's probably enough.  But since the goal of Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders: Creative Wirework Projects for All Levels book is to provide wirework 'projects for all levels', I have to read what I would normally skip.

The Earring Style Book: Review Part 3

This will be my last post on The Earring Style Book: Making Designer Earrings, Capturing Celebrity Style, and Getting the Look for Less for a little while.  Although I have been thoroughly enjoying making the projects, I am feeling a little burnt out making only earrings.   I'll have to set the book aside for a little while and summarize my thoughts.

This past weekend I made the Marlene earrings - not one, but two pairs.  I really wanted to get a feel for how the same style of earrings can feel in gold vs. silver.  I changed the center stones slightly too - both the shape and the gemstone.  The silver earrings are an amazonite hexagon with labradorite.  The gold earrings use aqua chalcedony for the focal gemstone and the same labradorite beads.

How I Saved These Spiral Earrings

I couldn't stand the thought that I wasn't going to be able to make these fabulous Rachael earrings with silver spirals in a simple silver frame from The Earring Style Book: Making Designer Earrings, Capturing Celebrity Style, and Getting the Look for Less.  I followed the instructions in the book, but when it came time to assemble them, the spiral would not fit in the frame.  I described my problems in this post.  So - here is my Plan B.