A bouquet of new listings for Valentine's Day, or any day

Valentine's day is coming! time to get something special for your sweeties! I've been a busy little critter around here. Finishing 6 new sets since January has left me with a LOT of make-up postings to do. I'll try to post two a day, and dare myself to stay ahead. Gotta continue to create, so the inventory doesn't get stale. To get a sneak peek at what's coming up on my blog, check out my Etsy shop, here, or click on my mini in the right column...

Eeney-meeney-miney-moe, which to pick first? Here's a new favorite design, one I created with labradorite slices and blue aventurine.

Were they dyed? probably, but these are semi-precious stones, and not gems. They're put together in these combinations for their beauty as they are, as part of an overall design. So, hope you enjoy what you see! I think this one looks surprisingly light and airy, in spite of the chunkiness of the stones! If you're familiar with Labradorite, it's a rather plain-looking stone until natural light shines on it and BANG! Blue lightning seems to flash from within the stone! Gorgeous! I paired it with the blue aventurine, which exactly matches the glimmering highlights in the Labradorite. Antiqued brass findings harmonize the piece, and the tiny swinging blue pendants that adorn the set add playfulness and fun. I might make one of these for myself!

The next set features a combination of stones I've had in my drawer for a couple months. I kept looking at them, putting them back, looking at them, then I just started "feeling it" one day and this set is the result. Ever have that kind of experience? These beautiful Tourmalinated Quartz beads and pendant look drop-dead gorgeous when paired with silver, foil-lined "e" beads and onyx. Also known as Black Rutilated Quartz, this quartz stone contains "rutiles", or needle-like inclusions, of black tourmaline.

What do you think? I think it's a keeper! I especially like the small donuts that were so easily filled with onyx. I can't stand it when I see donut beads with wire running through them -- might as well NOT even use those if you're not going to highlight them somehow. OR, use headpins with flat bottoms and leave the donuts empty. That gives the eye a little to consider. Anyway, like I was talking to a fellow jewelry designer the other day -- the elements can be beautiful, but if you screw up the design, that's all anyone will notice anyway. Design will always be just as important as materials.