Labor Day Weekend Activities

It is a holiday and usually we are at the beach. My husband and I both came down with a cold, it's been rainy and cool and didn't want to spend a cold rainy weekend miserable at the beach, so we stayed home. Today was lovey, turned on the fireplace and watched a movie this afternoon and then went to my mother's for dinner. No cooking, my kind of dinner. I did manage to make a couple of pair of earrings and a pendant yesterday.

I made two pair of earrings since I wasn't sure I liked the first pair. The bottom drop is a faceted black onyx with freshwater pearl and black sapphires and then a smooth round black onyx. The second pair I added small black tourmaline drops with the other stones. The pendant is a design I made up with just 14 gauge silver wire and then wrapped sterling silver wire around it with the gemstones. The bottom of the pendant also has a faceted black onyx.

I wore the set to my mother's tonight and as I thought, she wanted a set for herself. The design of the earrings is a take off one of my gem tree branches. Very simple to make a very flashy. The pendant and at least one pair of the earrings will be available in my ArtFire shop soon, but I need to take some better pictures, this one doesn't do it justice.

With the holidays coming up, I have been trying to decide on packing materials for items that are purchased at some of my upcoming craft shows. I finally decided to make origami boxes out of some of my old greeting cards. I'll just have them out in a basket and when a purchase is made they can pick out their own little gift box. It will be perfect for a pendant or earrings. I'll post pictures of the little boxes later and if you really want the instructions, I'll post those also.

Have a great Labor Day and don't work too hard...oh wait you aren't supposed to work at all on that day. Dana