More Last Minute Accessories!

John Tenniel Illustration for MacMillan Co.
1898 edition of Alice in Wonderland
copyright expired

Yesterday you got to see the quick ensemble I made to go with the Toolbox Treasures necklace. Today I'm going to share the quick ensembles I made to go with the lanyards I picked for my Tuesday and Wednesday work outfits.

On Tuesday I wore a gray suit with a light aqua pinstripe and a light aqua cashmere cable-knit turtleneck sweater (had a celebration lunch to go to and felt like dressing up a bit). I decided to wear this lanayard:

It's made with iridescent (aka: AB) finished faceted glass cubes (Bead Gallery at Michael's), glass seed beads, little silver beads and TierraCast silver plated pewter beadcaps (from Artbeads).

Again, I didn't have any other jewelry to go with it that I wanted to wear that day. I've got a lovely London-blue topaz set, that's on the aqua side of that shade, in very ornamental sterling silver filigree, Edwardian style, I guess, but I didn't want to wear it - I wanted something a bit more modern.

Now, I need to note here that I didn't decide on what to wear until the morning, but I'd gotten up pretty early so I had some time. The whole thing probably took more than half an hour to make, but I would pick it up and put it down between my other getting ready for work chores and made it into the office with time to spare.

I pulled out the blue cube beads and some silver 22g Artistic wire I picked up at my local bead store, Global Beads, to start but I didn't want it to be all linked beads, I was looking for a modern, minimalist type of design using just a few of the cubes. So I pulled out some Beadalon large oval Quick Links (see item "H") and connected them with the blue beads and simple wire loops.

I didn't have enough Quick Links to go all the way around my neck (especially since I was holding back two of them for earrings) for the right length to wear with a turtleneck sweater, so I grabbed about 6 or 8 inches of bulk silver plate curb chain I purchased from Rings & Things* to make it long enough. I think it probably lies down better on the neckline that way, anyway.

*a while back I stocked up on a few different metal types of the Rings & Things bulk chain spools and it's been very handy to have it when I need to whip up a fast necklace extender

I noticed during the day that sometimes the middle link at the bottom would swivel from horizontal to vertical and dangle from the blue cube links, so when I got home I just added a dangle from two cubes on a head pin to see how that looked. Still debating on whether or not that's going to be a permanent addition.

Made a pair of earrings using a Quick Link and a blue bead on a head pin and fastened the Quick Link directly through the loop on a lever-back ear wire.

Now, what to do about a bracelet? I grabbed my Beadalon bracelet-size silver-plated memory wire and filled up 3 layers, finished the ends with Beadalon Memory Wire Ends Scrimps (Item "Q"). Using the Scrimps means no waiting for glue to set and dry before I'm sure the ends are secure and no just leaving a turned loop to finish the ends, either. I think you can see the Scrimp end pretty well in this picture.

Here's the set:

I planned ahead for Wednesday, though, so the next set isn't really 'last minute' but you could make them pretty quickly. (I hear you all saying "Amazing! - she didn't procrastinate!" Don't worry, it's a rarity...)

I knew on Tuesday night that I was going to wear a brown/gold/garnet paisley print turtleneck and some brown slacks to work the next day. I also knew that a particular lanyard I've had for a couple years (at least since early 2007) was a very good match with the turtleneck since the big beads are bold enough not to get lost in all the busy design behind them.

It's made with oval glass beads with an AB finish on one side (I'm not sure where I found them and I didn't save the tag),some little pink/gold short tubular shaped beads and topaz colored India glass beads with irregular sizes and finishes that I picked up at Michael's once upon a time.

I used the same beads and pattern as the lanyard to "string" a Beadalon gold-plated bracelet-size memory wire for three turns and finished it with two memory wire scrimps like on the Tuesday bracelet, above.

For earrings I used square knot connectors (thank you, Great Craft Works for stocking them!) the larger glass bead, a 9mm jump ring and some beaded dangles using the same complementary beads as the lanyard and bracelet.

Here's the set:

I really love being able to wear something one of a kind, and different, almost every day. That's one of the main reasons I keep doing this. Isn't the money or any kind of fame, that's for sure! However, speaking of money, if you ever see anything you want on this blog, just email me (my contact link is right under my profile at the top right hand side of the page) - it's probably for sale. Chances are I just haven't gotten around to listing it on Art Fire yet.

Tomorrow I'm going to show you a different kind of Friday Pick than usual. I'm going to share the items I just received from a supplier I ordered from for the first time this week, as well as items from a different one whom I've ordered from before, but this time they were having a fabulous sale I couldn't pass up, with items available in gunmetal finish I hadn't seen elsewhere. Curious? Be here tomorrow, then!

FTC disclosure of material connection: By the way, Beadalon provided the Quick Links I used, as a gift for promotional consideration. All other items mentioned here were personally purchased by me.