Adventures in Pearl Knotting

I have always been a lover of pearls and have wanted to try pearl knotting for years. So, when a longtime friend asked if I could make her three long pearl necklaces, to wear separately or together, I thought, "This could be fun..."

The request was for three 40" pearl necklaces, 1 black, 1 gray, 1 white.

My first challenge was finding the right pearls. And, as chance would have it, once I found the black, the gray and white just came to me. Undeniably divine appointment. ;)

The next challenge was finding the right accents. I couldn't see 3 long strands of boring pearls, they needed a little bling. But not too much, since they would be worn together. Again, divine provision was made and I just happened to have the perfect beads on hand.

And, lastly, a pair of black and white pearl earrings...

I must say, I've enjoyed my pearl knotting adventure and look forward to my next project. If you'd like to order a custom hand knotted pearl necklace, please message me through my Belle West FB page and I will be happy to discuss that with you. Or, comment below with your email and I will contact you for a consultation.

I hope my friend enjoys her new treasures, and I hope you enjoyed sharing this adventure with me. Thank you for visiting Belle West and I hope you'll come see us again!

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You can visit Belle West at~

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My Funny Valentine...

I am in Love. Unabashedly. Unashamedly. Head over Heels. In L.O.V.E. She's 12 weeks old today (February 14th), and Oh, So, FLUFFY!! Her name is Annabel and she's an American Eskimo. This is her at about 8 weeks, when we first brought her home. Look how tiny she is, at 3.5 pounds!

Her first snow, doing her white fox impression. *BIG Hearts!* It was so bright outside that my daughter could barely see the phone to take a pic... poor thing. : )

Annabel doing her polar bear impression. She is the cutest thing when she sleeps! 

She's taken over the cat perch on the landing where Elsa used to sit... poor kitties. They're still trying to adjust. : (

And, as you can imagine, I'm not getting a lot done these days. Seems I'm taking her out about every 30 minutes. Playing with her, so she won't feel ignored. And, sometimes I just have to stop everything and hold her in my arms. These are the times I just cruise the newsfeed on FB, or Pinterest, because as you can imagine, it's really hard to make jewelry with one hand... *sighs* ... The challenges of trying to run a business with a 'newborn' in the house... what is a girl to do...

Well, I did get a few things online this week and although they're a bit late for Valentine's Day, they're still a great deal. Liquidating my old sterling silver inventory, so I've got a few charms, bracelets, necklaces, and sweet little pill boxes left at some really great prices. AND, if you buy this weekend, I'll give you an additional 25% off your entire order. I have very limited quantities, so get it while you can. When it's gone, it's gone. No Moe. To receive the 25% discount, use Code "LoveAnnabel" at checkout. 

So, Happy Valentine's Day to all my family, friends, fans and followers. You all mean so much to me. Hope you have a great day and remember to count your blessings. We can all find something to be thankful for, even if it's just chocolate... : )

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You can visit Belle West at~

Belle West on Etsy 

Belle West on FB 

Belle West Gems on Etsy

Belle West Gems on FB

On Pinterest... 

On Tumblr...

On Twitter...

Frost Holiday Fashion Market, Denver

Just a quick post to let you know what I've been working on, and where you'll find me this month... Fashion Denver is having a Holiday Fashion Market at the Grant-Humphrey's Mansion December 16th, from 10 am to 6 pm, and yours truly, Belle West, will be in attendance.

The event is called 'Frost'. Inspired by the wintery colors in their logo, and the grand, historic mansion where it's being held, I decided to make some holiday jewelry to add some romance to the event...

So, here's just a few things coming your way~ rainbow moonstones and pearls...

This sparkling druzy necklace is called, 'Frost', in honor of the Holiday Market~

The labradorite stones under the chalcedony have a nice fire to them...

I love the little 'skirt' on this Tanzanite colored stone. Maybe she's a flower fairy? And those are real rubies below her...

These are feeling like "Her Royal Highness" and "The Snow Queen"...

So, that's it for now. There will be more at the show, of course, but I don't think I'll have time to post again before next year... making jewelry, and trying to decorate for Christmas... we have the tree up with lights, but no ornaments. Hopefully, this weekend we can finish that up. After the show, my daughter and I are heading to Disney World for a week, Dec. 18-24, then back home in time for Christmas with the family {er, my husband, aka, the Dad Unit}, and then my friend, Ana, will be here from Dec. 26 - Dec. 30.

Would anyone like to decorate my home for me? Maybe make some jewelry? Maybe have a nervous breakdown? Just meet me under the table, where you'll find me sucking my thumb. LOL :}

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! If you make it to the Frost Holiday Fashion Market, be sure to stop by and say hello. I'd love to meet you. XOX {Belle West, aka, Donna}

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You can visit Belle West at~

Belle West on Etsy 

Belle West on FB 

Belle West Gems on Etsy

Belle West Gems on FB

On Pinterest... 

On Tumblr...

On Twitter...

A Peruvian Blue Birthday

I wanted to give you a peek at my newest creation, a custom order for a sweet client of mine. Her mother's birthday is next week and in lieu of fire opals, we opted for Peruvian Blue Opal, and this is what came pouring out of my heart...

Hand wrapped in sterling silver, with Amazonite and sparkling aqua blue crystals that really set off the blue-green color of the opals. So, what do you think? Is this dainty, delicate and feminine enough for an 85 year young lady? Not too trendy? The earrings are a simple dangle on posts which is a classic look, well suited to a young woman of this age. I hope she likes it.

In honor of this very special day, I thought we should have some cake. {Do we need a reason to have cake?} My husband's birthday is February 12th, and back in the ole days it was a tradition that I baked him a heart shaped cake every year for his birthday, since it was, technically, almost Valentine's Day. Made sense to me. I imagine this beauty to be an Italian Cream Cake with buttercream frosting. It's from an Italian bakery, so that makes sense, right? Well, imagine it to be whatever flavor you desire and grab a piece and let's celebrate.

Once again, thank you for stopping by and visiting with us today. Wishing this sweet mother a very Happy Birthday and hope she enjoys her very special gift. xox

You can see more of my charming creations at Belle West and Legacy 925 on Facebook. I'd love for you to join me on my adventures by following my blog and 'Liking' my pages, as we have some wonderful giveaways coming up, and much more beautiful jewelry on the way. 

For additional inspiration and beauty, you can follow me on Pinterest... I'm Belle West. xox

Diana Frey Twisted Sistah Giveaway

I have loved and admired the creations of Diana Frey for years through publications like Belle Armoire Jewelry, and was lucky enough to see her work in person at the Old Glory Antiques Faire in Denver, where I had the pleasure of meeting Jo Packham (Where Women Create). She just happened to be wearing a fabulous bracelet (cuff) made by Diana Frey that just twisted my mind. If you've never seen her work, here's a little teaser, and you'll find many more beauties to drool over on her blog. She's been doing jewelry workshops around the country for years, and is now beginning to offer classes online. Yay for us!! 

In celebration of her first online jewelry tutorial workshop she is giving away a "Twisted Sistah" DVD~ a full, 3-hour double disc set, complete with all the information you need to create your own Twisted Sistah choker or cuff. Supply lists and resource lists are included. *my heart is pounding* How sweet is that??   

So, here's how it works~

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1.  leave a comment on her blog post

2.  if you have a blog, please post about Twisted Sistah and link back to her page

3. become a follower of her blog

She will be announcing the winner on September 10th.  So, spread the word and sign-up for the give-away....a $125 value

Good luck to you all! I look forward to this workshop since I haven't had the opportunity to attend one in person. To learn more about this class, click here.