2015 Jewellery Trend Predictions

Clockwise from top left.... examples of - rainbow and geometric (multi sapphire earrings) , layered necklace (lapis, Peruvian amazonite & iolite necklace) , wrap bracelet (prehnite, rose quartz and pearl wrap bracelet), geometric (onyx frame earrings), coloured stone and slim rings (peridot ring),  multistrand necklace (hematite necklace), vintage inspired and geometric clasp on a multistrand red hued necklace (red coral and garnet necklace), geometric, yellow gold and pink hues (rose quartz earrings).

Professional jewellery organisations around the world have been full of chatter about what will be “in” in 2015….to save you the time, I’ve summarised the most  predicted trends for you…

Statement necklaces -   whilst earrings once again reigned supreme in 2014, necklaces will finally take back their spot as a statement piece for 2015.   Yay! Don’t be held back by fashion rules for necklaces … if you like it, wear it!

Necklaces that you can layer – either multistrand necklaces that give you the layered look instantly – or multiple single necklaces worn together.  

Wrap bracelets for that layered look – with an emphasis on charms, gemstone, metal and leather. 

Statement cuffs – particularly embellished metals.

Rings that stack – the layering look continues to the hand – particularly multiple slim styles creating a big ring look.

Coloured stones – whilst coloured diamonds are the province of the rich and famous, coloured gemstones of all type will appeal to those whose wallets aren’t quite that large!

Motifs from the 1960s and 70s.   With the runways heavily inspired by these two decades, accessories featuring geometric shapes (circles, squares, zigzags) and bohemian themes (owls, beads, feathers, fringes) will go with these fashions.

Rainbows – a personal favourite of mine, rainbows will continue to be popular this year with  colourful patterns, trios of hues and multiple colours with one particular colour brought to the forefront.

Vintage designs.  Whilst they don’t have to be vintage themselves, designs that are inspired by vintage themes and shapes will continue to be popular in new jewellery.

Yellow Gold – with a drop in price (somewhat!) making the metal more affordable over the last year or so, and a trend on the runways for yellow… this mellow metal is set to become more popular in 2015.  

Pantone’s colour of the year, Marsala, is a kind of soft wine gravy colour … not that inspiring for jewellery lol, however on the colour wheel, the colours surrounding Marsala are appealing – think soft pinks, lavenders, purples and reds.  

Are you looking forward to any of these trends making an appearance?

Bright red bamboo coral

I was thrilled to receive some bright red bamboo coral this week in a variety of cuts - chunks like above, slices and tubes. Red is such a hard colour to find in a gemstone - mineral or organic - yet so many people want it! But I can see why - it is a great accent colour - it will add some punch to a plain outfit and is suitable for all seasons. Think of the wow factor of a bright red necklace with a white sundress in summer and a black or chocolate fine knit sweater in winter.

Naturally, when I receive something that grabs my attention I just have to make some of it up immediately! So I now have three red necklaces in stock - all in bamboo coral, but all completely different.

Coral is one of the earliest used jewellery materials - Neolithic amulets have been found in Switzerland dating back to 8000 BC! Almost every cilivization since then, which had access to warm seas or traded with someone who did, has used coral for ornamentation.

What is termed 'coral' are the structures of generations of tiny invertebrates, built out of calcium carbonate and/or protein. Bamboo coral is a branch-like structure interspersed with joint-like areas. As the structure no longer has living coral in it, when it is harvested the colour is creamy white with brown or black markings. The porous nature of the coral means that it takes a dye well - so the result is a lovely bright red colour. Although soft by mineral gemstone standards (a 3-4 on the hardness scale), bamboo coral is reasonably tough and will take a high polish.

As it is an organic gemstone, it is susceptible to damage from chemicals and heat. It is best to wipe over with a soft cloth regularly and you can clean coral in a weak solution of cool water and mild detergent.

:)

I haven't had a lot of time this week for perusing the web, especially as I have been getting ready to exhibit my wares at the Dunedoo Show this Saturday, 4 April at the Dunedoo Showgrounds (I'll be in the ladies pavillion - if you're attending come and say hello!) but I always find time for a little web surfing and came across these lovelies that I wanted to share:

* If you're feeling nostalgic and want a taste of yesteryear, then check out the showroom at EP Designs;

* For a cute, whimsical critter to sit on your desk or shelf and make you smile, check out this little guy from Alexia of ARRRT! on Etsy. Isn't he adorable!? Alexia also makes journals and other fun 'stuff'!

Till next :)

Some feminine teamwork

I'm feeling a little behind this week. I seem to have my hayfever back in full swing (darn those 10 cedar trees along my fence that are flowering!!) and it's so tiring! Add to that children who have still got a cough after weeks and I'm fondly remembering what a sound night's sleep used to be like LOL!

Thank goodness the children are old enough to help me do some basic things these days. Langdon has become quite good at mowing and as he is my ONLY child that doesn't get hayfever, he does ALL the outside jobs at the moment! The girls are suffering like me but they're not adverse to helping me tidy and clean and they absolutely love helping me with my work. I wish they were old enough and skilled enough to help making jewellery - but they're not. So, I often get them to help me with more 'chore-like' jobs such as refilling my packaging.

I had a little factory going the other day - just before the Spring Gardens Festival my packaging drawers were empty so I had them making up boxes, cutting ribbon, lining boxes with tissue, putting care cards in organza bags, making up bonus partner bags, putting labels on bags... you get the picture. It was a huge help. The job that would have taken me a good half a day by myself was all done in just over an hour. Great teamwork girls!

I was recently reading on the Business Mums Magazine Blog how work at home mums manage to blend family and work. If you find yourself in the same position as me - of getting the kids to help out with your work, why not leave a comment to share your story on the Business Mums Blog.

I've seen notices of it everywhere but was still startled to see my whole local town looking decidedly PINK over the last couple of weeks. Even the men working in the rural supplies were wearing pink shirts when I ventured into town on Monday! Of course this month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there are lots of fundraisers going on worldwide for this cause. One of my great blogfriends is Michelle of Michabella Creations. She has got a pink theme going as well with a good portion of all her sales going towards this charity. She has done some very pretty pink and sparkly jewellery too of course! Do check it out!

I haven't made much in the last week it seems, but one new piece is pictured above. Red seems to be an eternally appealing colour for jewellery and I often get requests for something in red. Now, barring rubies and very expensive large garnets, rubelite and so on, the best red impact at a reasonable cost is often found by using coral.

The necklace above is sponge coral (treated of course, as coral will bleach when removed from the water) in a lovely brick-red colour. This type of coral usually only has a very low sheen or is even matte, due to its fibrous structure, so it is really lifted with the addition of some fantastically gleaming white keshi pearls as I've done above. The red and white presents a classic look, however the top drilled keshi petals give it just that extra touch so it looks modern and of course, eminently wearable!

OK, off to rub my eyes, try to clear my blocked nose and wish those cedar flowers would all blow OFF!

Till next :)