By now everyone has read the books or seen the movie.  The story of Katniss, Gale, Peeta and the world of Panem is captivating and unforgettable.  And since a few jewelry items figure in the books, it seemed only natural for Hunger Games jewelry to come along next.

The Mockingjay Pendant necklace is by far the most recognizable piece.  Long arrow earrings in silver or antique bronze capture Katniss’ spirit.  The more delicate silver bow and arrow necklace or bronze lariat are a bit more romantic.  Rings, pins, lockets, necklaces, bracelets, earrings – the choice is yours!  All are in stock now – but going fast!

How to Make Chamilia Earrings

Chamilia’s newest earrings are great to look at but how do they come up with the designs?  We must admit with all those separate parts it can be confusing.

So here’s a primer on how to make two very different earring styles.

1. Choose your hoop earring. Small or large:

2. Choose a bead holder. There are many varieties including Swarovski crystal drops in 4 colors.  We chose a dramatic chain dangle and a more conservative silver drop.

 

3. Then choose your bead.  This is the hard part!  We thought Fuchsia Blaze would pair nicely with the dangle.  Urban links in Chrome or Asphalt gives your earrings an urban edge.

 

 

Voila!

Silver Seasons Collection by Michael Michaud

The beautiful botanical designs of Michael Michaud have become a favorite for many jewelry collectors.  Michael’s talent lies in the re-creation of nature’s wonders by the use of a process similar to lost-wax casting.  Instead of using a traditional hand-carved model of wax, Michael uses an actual botanical element such as a flower, branch or leaf as the model.  A mold is created around the plant and as it is heated, the plant burns away and leaves a detailed imprint of itself.  The pieces are cast in bronze and finished with a beautiful patina.

New to his collection is a line of botanicals finished in silver.  Each piece is airbrushed, resulting in finely detailed designs.  All Silver Seasons jewelry is handmade in Bellmore, New York.

We’ve just received an order of Silver Seasons jewelry, including silver peapod necklaces and earrings, the Dogwood necklace (shown) and three different styles of Pussy Willow necklaces with matching earrings.

New pins from Liztech have arrived!

These colorful pins are “handmade with love” in East Stroudsburg, PA. There are whimsical themes like “When Pigs Fly”, “Mustang Sally” and “Shooting Stars” as well as a lovely selection of Sisters pins.

Each treasure is adorned with tiny beads, crystals, stones and wire and are signed and dated on the back.

Attach one of these to your spring jacket and you will get noticed for sure!

Chamilia has over 600 beads. It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with the possibilities. Here’s the first of  several posts we’ll be doing to help you make sense of it all.

Design a Chamilia necklace or bracelet around a particular outfit.

Anne wanted to add a feminine touch to her trendy menswear look. The Tassel Necklace and Flex Bangle add just enough glitter to soften the masculine edges. Notice she designed the bangle to be worn with the ends on the outside of the wrist for a whole new look.

To start designing your own unique Chamilia necklace or bracelet, visit our website or stop by our store in Freeport.
 
 
 

As promised, here is part 2 of our series “Sneak Peek from NYC”, featuring some of the great collections seen at the New York International Gift Fair last month:

Charm It!

We’re very excited about this new line! It is a charm bracelet made especially for girls ages 6-10. Each individual charm is painted and embellished with lots of detail and plenty of color. Click on any of the photos below to see the charms in more detail.

The selection is endless – from cute little animals to Disney Princesses. A great way for a young girl to get into the beaded bracelet craze without spending a crazy amount of money.

Noon Jewelry:

These simple yet elegant designs caught our eye right away.  Sterling or gold filled hoops are embellished with gorgeous Swarovski crystals that glimmer in the light.  They’re made in the USA and very affordable.

Susan Rifkin Collection:

The iPhone photos don’t do this line justice at all!  Susan makes each piece of jewelry by hand in her Philadelphia studio.  The stones she chooses are outstanding and the color combinations are inspired.  Her designs are very simple and light and she has an extensive bridal collection.

There were lots of great finds at the New York International Gift Fair and we are excited to share with you some of the beautiful pieces we saw.  Here is part 1 of our 2 part blog series highlighting these new pieces. These four collections will be arriving early June – July:

Be True Collection by Heidi Roland:

Heidi combines colorful feathers, deerskin, suede and chain to make these earthy creations.  Great summer-time fun.

Nilson Collection:

We are excited to re-introduce this fabulous line of jewelry!  The rough – cut stones are amazing.  Out of the ordinary and sure to be a conversation piece.  Amethyst, aquamarine, and citrine necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets.  Can’t wait until July when these arrive!

Tokyo Bay Collection:

Everyday Artifacts:

These pendants are an easy pick for every day wear or as a gift.  A design for every taste too, from birds, trees and sea life to whimsical words and phrases.

Many people suffer from allergies, but did you know that jewelry can also cause allergic reactions? We have many customers who come into our store with questions about allergies to earrings—what causes them and what they can do about them. Here are some answers to those questions:

What causes my allergic reaction to jewelry?

Symptoms of an allergy or sensitivity include redness, swelling or soreness. In many cases, nickel is the culprit. Nickel is a common metal used as an alloy in jewelry making. It makes silver and gold stronger so they will hold their shape.

How do I know if a piece of jewelry has nickel in it?

It is more common these days to find jewelry labeled “nickel free”. But what if it isn’t labeled?

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver and other metals, usually copper. To be called sterling, it must contain 92.5% silver. The US does not require silver to be marked as to its quality. However, if a quality mark is used, it must be accompanied by a “hallmark”, which is a registered trademark or name of the manufacturer. Many artisans are not able to have this registered trademark on their pieces, either because it is cost prohibitive or because the size or design of the piece makes it impossible to include a trademark.

14k gold is an alloy of gold (58.3%) and other metals such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc. A marking will tell you the amount of gold in the metal.

So is there anything I can do if I have a nickel allergy?

There are lots of options even if you have a nickel allergy. One option is to purchase your jewelry from a store that has information about all of their products. For example, at Earrings & Company we have relationships with all of our artisans and know which products are made specifically for those with sensitivities and allergies. If you often buy jewelry directly from an artist, at a craft or art fair for example, talk to the artist about your allergy and find out how they make their pieces. Many artisans will also advertise their pieces as Nickel-Free or Hypoallergenic.

Jewelry made of the rare metal niobium is a good choice for those with nickel allergies. Surgical steel may work as well although it does contain trace amounts of nickel and can cause problems for those who are exceptionally sensitive.

Many of our customers have had success using a polish-type product used to coat earring wires for short term wear. We always have this in stock.

Finally, come in and talk to us! We are happy to show you some options.

Some Products We Carry that are Hypoallergenic:

For those of you with nickel allergies and sensitivities, here is a partial list of lines we carry that are hypoallergenic:

Crown Fine Enamels – post and wire earrings, pins:

Anne Koplik Designs – post and wire earrings, pins, necklaces

TK Connor – niobium wire earrings

Danforth Pewterers – post and wire earrings, pins, necklaces

Silver Forest – wire earrings and necklaces

Q3 Art – post and wire earrings

Simply Whispers – post, wire and clip earrings

As promised here is Part 2 of our “Sneak Peek from Orlando!”

The Group of Friends Vases by Jill Henrietta Davis:

Need gifts for a group of friends and you want them to be “the same but different’ for each one? These glass vases could be the answer. Each vase has a color coordinated ribbon tag that has a different friend quality and description on the back. For example, the cobalt blue vase has Loyalty as the friend quality. The vase opening is shaped like a heart too–such a nice detail.  The picture to the right is the owner/glassblower Jill Henrietta Davis in front of her ornament display.

The Group of Friends vases just arrived in the store so come in soon to see them in person!

The Michael Vincent Michaud collection:

The spring collection from newcomer Michael Vincent Michaud is absolutely gorgeous.  Soft shades of teal, violet and pink glass set in brushed gold make this line a standout.  I was surprised at the reasonable prices too.

Whimsical Wall Art:

Sun catchers, sandpipers and dragonflies…I couldn’t resist these unique pieces.

We hope everyone has enjoyed getting this sneak peek from the Florida trade show. Now it’s time to head off to the NYC tradeshow! Look for another blog post next week with more photos of what’s to come.

We found wonderful new work from American artisans at the ACRE show in Florida this weekend. And we are so excited to be able to give you a sneak peek of some of these wonderful collections that you’ll be able to find at Earrings & Company this spring and summer. There were so many wonderful items that we couldn’t even fit it in one blog post. So this is Part 1 of “Sneak Peek from Orlando”:

Headbands are big right now. These “headache-free” headbands by a Florida artisan are embellished with semi precious stones, Swarovski crystals and beads (and they fit little girls too).

Here are some new designs by XoVivo, from the DC area. Lightweight recycled aluminum cuffs, necklaces and earrings are funky, fun and inexpensive.

Cuffs cuffs and more cuffs! These are brand new from Elaine Coyne Designs and feature the most gorgeous Swarovski crystals.

Stay tuned for more beautiful finds in our “Part 2″ post…