What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

Soft Neutral Colors - Multi-Strand Necklace of Shell, Bone, Wood, Handmade Polymer Clay - One of a Kind Art to Wear

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neutral nuggets

 Beautiful mix of neutral colors in this multistrand mix of polymer beads, bone, wood, glass, 

and seed beads. And I love the little primitive birdie clasp almost as much as my handmade, hand painted polymer tubes into which I have gathered the strands.

 see it at www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

crochet, Czech glass, fossilized coral agate, polymer ...

and paper beads were used in my new multi-strand necklaces.

I just love the delicate lacy look of the simple beaded crochet strands wound around the agate

and paper beads.

see them at www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

Black and White

I was asked to make some B/W things.

So after much measuring, cutting, rolling, and varnishing I came up with this. 

She loved it! It is simple but striking and goes with so much; especially Winter's

darker palette. 

While I was at it I made a bunch of red beads to combine with creamy beige and white bone, wood and some rustic stone-like polymer beads I made a few months ago.

Chunky multi-strand necklace coming soon to

 www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

she ponders ...

new job for Scholastic StoryWorks Magazine

in mailboxes now ... their assignments are always fun challenges.

♥

http://www.susanswan.com

more experiments!

... playing with polymer again and this time made caps for some gem stones ... and lot more cones and beads. I painted some, added a crackle glaze to others. I may have to start another Etsy shop to some of sell them since I don't know how I'll ever use them all up in my jewelry.

A few examples below. Terrible photos but you get the idea.

What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

Multi-strand Chunky Tribal Bracelet - Turquoise Beaded Multi-strand Bracelet- Chunky Hippie Chic Style

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lotsa earrings ...

Pretty paper beads

♥ Process:
My paper beads are made from paper I paint by hand or digitally design to create certain patterns and color combinations; the papers are cut into strips and rolled into beads; they are sealed with at least two coats of either matte or shiny polycrylic and are extremely durable and quite water resistant (but as with all mixed media jewelry you are advised not to shower or swim in it)

♥

Visit my shop at http://www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

This is a gold and silver leaf over lava rock experiment from a few months ago. A little bling with rustic romantic bohemian earthiness. Don’t ya think?Lava Rock Necklace // Boho Chic Statement Necklace

via Tumblr http://ift.tt/1IYupCG

further experiments

different kinds of metal leaf over lava rock ... love the look. Now I need to decide what to do with them.

Made this a while back but it hasn't sold so I'm not sure if no one else likes the look 

or it's just that the right person hasn't discovered it. 

It's an interesting mix of bling and rustic romantic bohemian earthiness.

♥

http://www.rocksandpaperswans.etsy.com

Sterling silver and Czech glass

 

Very pleased with this one - simple and elegant.

I oxidized and wrapped sterling silver and found this pretty red Czech glass bead to hang in it. The necklace strand is made of tiny gray and white spotty glass beads.

 ♥ Visit my shop at http://www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

altered metal experiments

 

Love how the whole look changes with different metal treatments.

These medallions with large fresh water pearls are my new favs.

Visit my shop at RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com 

Roman glass

I keep hoarding some really, really old Roman glass and finally decided to use a little of it. These earrings also use TINY Glass Excavation African Trade Beads*. They are primitive and rustic and beautiful but unless you look closely you'll miss them. 

So look closely!

The discs are my textured painted polymer clay and I added little metal birds that I patinated in gold and green.

*(The supplier was required to have signed, written permission from the Museum of Mali in Bamako in order to purchase these 600+ year old beads. Because they were not originally made in Mali, they are not considered Mali "artifacts".)

Visit my shop at http://www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

Want to know when there's a sale - and get a birthday present?

 http://www.rocksandpaperswans.etsy.com

For special goodies give me

your email address

and birth date

either in the comments

here on my blog

or 

leave a comment on my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/rocksandpaperswans

♥

You will get the very occasional

sale announcement and

an extra special 

discount coupon

on your birthday!

 ♥

What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

altered metal and gold leafed quartz earrings -

via Tumblr http://ift.tt/1HVDonO

What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

black stone and copper minimalist earrings+…

via Tumblr http://ift.tt/1HVDpYZ

decisions ...

there are so many possibilities that sometimes I can't decide which version of a thing that I like ...

 I've been playing around with some wire shapes I made a while ago and used them to hang little 

stacks of polymer and seed beads.

I like the look but the messy spacing between the wire shape and the beads bothered me.

It would be easy to fix but I decided to tie a little sari silk in a gorgeous blue shade around the wire instead. The colors are amazing together and I think I like it better than the all wire look. 

If anyone out there reads this I'd love your opinion. 

Silk or plain wire. 

Wadda think?

www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

rustic stones, clay and paper beads
eclectic artisan bohemian jewelry

Yum - a school reader job

This was from a recent school book assignment; really wanted pancakes for breakfast

the whole time I worked on this. 

I managed to survive without! Yea me!

more, more, more ...

for the earring obsessed ...

You know who you are!

Enjoy! 

.....................................................................................................................................

I have just listed many more new earrings at:

www.RocksandPaperSwans.etsy.com

rustic stones, clay and paper beads
eclectic artisan bohemian jewelry

at the beach

Well, not me :( 

But at least I got to draw all these happy kids enjoying a day 

flying kites at the beach while learning to count. 

This, of course, was school text book assignment.

the earring obsession continues

I repeat, a girl can't have too many fabulous earrings!

 

 Note the little blue birds of happiness in this pair.

♥

http://etsy.me/1UBhIGo

Dance the night away!

♥

http://etsy.me/1G7FezR

new things in ocean blue

 and lots of milagros!

♥

 http://etsy.me/1eGHk3E

♥ 

I love tucking multi strands into unusual cones. I hand wrapped the copper wire cone to go along with my copper hook clasp and on the other end used this chunky old engraved copper cone that I topped with a copper cap. I love the lush look and extra detail of layered caps and use them often on cones and dangles.

♥

http://etsy.me/1J4SiIc

 These rustic textured cones (I made them out of polymer clay) mixed with the strands of Mali clay, jasper, carved soapstone, pink lepidolite, sterling and turquoise faceted and matte Czech glass give this bracelet a sort of beachy sea shell/shore kind of vibe.

♥

http://etsy.me/1KPdDvg

Remember my polymer roses?

I made this necklace with one of them. I like the color that the leafed and copper wire wrapped quartz point adds to the overall look; probably will switch out the quartz for another without a broken tip but have to leaf and wrap some more of them first. Or maybe not. The old rustic look of it works well with the dusty-dried-rose-found-in-the-attic look.

♥

http://etsy.me/1Lc4mfs

new things with red/orange gemstones

   I have been waiting to have time to work with some wonderful matte/natural gemstones and am so pleased with the results. Click on the first pic to see the textures. Rough natural garnet mixes with matte red agate and sparkly faceted Czech glass in rusts and oranges.

 I hand wrapped a strand of more faceted beads and added beads and caps to others for dangles to provide lots of movement and color and used one of my hand formed sterling silver clasps for a gorgeous closure. There is also a tiny Hill Tribe Sterling elephant to symbolize wisdom, power, loyalty, intelligence and strength. 

See it at RocksandPaperSwans 

♥

http://etsy.me/1RkYlCb

I love what the pop of blue adds to this bracelet of matte red agate, jasper, Czech glass, and African recycled glass. I added an old sacred heart milagro that I got many years ago in Oacaca, Mexico and a pewter cross along with Hill Tribe sterling silver flowers for a beautiful tribal bohemian look.

It's in my shop now.

♥

http://etsy.me/1S9bLMN

romantic dried roses in polymer

My latest experiments in polymer were these dried roses; thin ruffled petals and lots of color layers for a dusty dried rose look. I thought they deserved something special so I imbedded them into these rustic Turkish silver bezels and probably will use them in necklaces. Maybe with pearls?

Love how they turned out.

What's happening at RocksandPaperSwans today?

Susan Swan on The Creative Finder

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variations on a theme

 Just look at the wonderful rich grundgy colors and texture! My new favorites!!!

Polymer clay formed, textured, painted and crackled.

 

♥

 http://etsy.me/1D1uMd9

 And a little play time with patina and metal leaf.

♥

http://etsy.me/1CpgPe5