The Newest Jewelry Additions for the End of 2018: Earrings
And here are the final earrings that I have added to the Iris Elm Jewelry website in the last couple months of 2018. I have been learning wire weaving so look forward to showcasing more of that style of work in the upcoming year as well as much more beadwork, metalwork, and real flower jewelry.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
Iris Elm Jewelry Newest Additions: August 6 - 12
Hello! This past week the pieces added to the website were all shades of purple with the addition of a couple pairs of amethyst earrings, the birthstone of February, as well as a pretty real lilac flower necklace:
This whole design was based around finding a unique way to showcase these small naturally dark purple amethyst gemstones. Above the amethyst gems, I handwove a beaded bead design from glass seed beads in light purple and silver shades, anchoring the beadwork with two faceted amethyst rondelle beads. The wire work is all sterling silver.
Along my back fence I have a row of lilac bushes that bloom usually in late May. For this vintage style pendant necklace, I pressed one small lilac flower as well as a sprig of prairie grass that I found at a nearby Minnesota park and encased them in resin.
Gorgeous faceted pink amethyst briolette gems dangle from sterling silver beaded wire for these elegant drop earrings. Though this shade of amethyst is called 'pink', I describe it as a pretty translucent lavender.
Iris Inspiration
Purple and White Bearded Iris 'Batik'
If you hadn't yet guessed, iris is my favorite flower. And like the gorgeous iris photographed above, I have several different varieties planted in my backyard garden.
People have been cultivating the iris for thousands of years. The beautiful showy flowers are available in every color of the rainbow. In fact their name comes from the Greek word for rainbow. The flowers have three upward facing petals as well as three downward sepals. Usually the iris' blooms last for a short three days.
In past cultures, symbolism was assigned to many things and each flower had a meaning. Though it is not something we think of nowadays it is still a lovely thought. The iris symbolized eloquence. And each color had its own meaning with purple irises symbolizing wisdom, white symbolizing purity, yellow symbolizing passion, and the blue iris symbolizing faith and hope.
I designed these iris seed beaded earrings and bracelet based on the purple iris that grows in my backyard:
