15th Wedding Anniversary Present - Crystal

I made these up for a husband to give to his wife for their 15th Wedding Anniversary. Fifteen years is the gift of crystal.

A Pearl multi-strand necklace in the making

New Beads

I picked up some new beads yesterday to make some bracelets with. The teardrop are for adults and the round glass are for little girls. There are some pearls in there aswell for some necklaces to wrap around as bracelets.

In My Shells - Carnelian

I added some large teardrop shaped carnelian beads to this necklace to add some extra zing.

In my frame - Stainless Steel Cake Stand

Thanks for stopping by everyone. Happy Weekend.

Inspiration Thursday - Whites and Creams

What can I say feathers, shells and beaded things!

I have had this picture for a long time like many years. I am seeing it used in a few magazines of late.

I remember a long time ago once thinking that I would never work with pearls. Now I seek out freshwater pearls in all different colours and shapes. Almost every SoniaM Designs piece have freshwater pearls in them. I especially love the cream and off white pearls. I love to put them back with clear crystal quartz and clear swarovski crystals in plain and AB. I always have plenty of supply in my drawers.
I love pleats and lots of fabrics that float.

Monday Madness

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  Mine was full of huge sculptures on the beach and a discovery of a couple of new shops on the Gold Coast. (will post photos later today hopefully)

Now I know I haven't been making much jewellery lately as my focus has been on my feather capes and collars. My mind just hasn't been with jewellery.  However I was thinking of some new pieces over the weekend. This came about because I was wearing my 5 strand pearl and clear swarovski crystal necklace with the 2 cream tulle and silk flower brooches on them. I thought when the weather warms up it may be too hot to wear such a full piece with the 5 strands. So I thought why not make 2 strands and in Summer colours. I thought maybe 2 small fabric flower brooches to pin on the necklace in a different shade to the colour of the Swarovski crystals.

 These are a few things I put together with the pearls and different colour crystals.

Chocolate Choc Chip Macadamia Brownies

Chocolate Choc Chip Macadamia Brownies

BEWARE! These are delicious and are moorish.

Ingredients
250g unsalted butter
180g dark chocolate coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups castor sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
100g roasted macadamias coarsely chopped
100g dark chocolate chopped
icing sugar to dust

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Butter 23cm square cake tin and line with baking paper
then butter the paper.
2. Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan over very low heat. Stir occasionally until
just before butter has melted, stir until smooth and set aside for 8 minutes.
3. Add sugar and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture and mix with a whisk. Add
eggs one at a time, beating well before adding next egg. Add flour and stir until
well combined.(don't overmix or brownies will toughen as it cooks.
4. Gently fold in macadamias and chopped chocolate.
5. Scrape batter into prepare tin and shake to level.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out with very moist
but not wet crumbs.
7. Cool brownies in tin. If middle sinks gently press down the sides to make it
more even.
8. Once cool chill the brownie in fridge for 30 minutes. Pull brownie out of tin
and cut with a hot, dry knife.
9. Dust the bars with icing sugar to serve.
10.Brownies can be stored in airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature,
1 week in fridge, 3 weeks in freezer.

Enjoy!

In my frame

Beaded Trim Necklaces

These are a two of my favourite necklaces at the moment. The trim is a beautiful French beaded ribbon and the bottom is a mixture of clear crystal quartz and black onyx with swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls.

I also use the trims for the feather collars and capes.

The earth's jewels

I had a play around yesterday with the shells I bought on the Gold Coast on the weekend.
I am going to make a hanging shell necklace with some pearls, swarovski crystal chain and clear quartz.