Alaiyna B. Designs

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

2012-01-19T09:07:00.005-06:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I have some great products that make wonderful gifts for yourself or others. Inspirational message jewelry, jewelry accented with hearts and even my new soaps from my bath and body shop. Here are a few ideas.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88915309/fused-dichroic-glass-pendant-necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63058349/inspirational-double-sided-sterling

http://www.etsy.com/listing/90717983/lampwork-bead-and-sterling-hearts

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63059085/hand-stamped-sterling-heart-washer

http://www.etsy.com/listing/89499219/pink-glitter-hearts-layered-glycerin

Plus many other great ideas in both of these shops.

My Summer Gardening Pleasure

2011-07-25T09:10:00.000-05:00

The joys of summer gardens. Here in the Chicago area we have a limited number of months in which to enjoying the warm outdoors. I am pretty much a homebody so I like my surroundings to be enjoyable and find gardening helps to achieve that goal. I have a fairly wooded backyard so am limited to the variety of plants that will grow in the shade. The conditions change every year too as the canopy of maples, oaks and walnut trees thickens or thins out to expose more windows of sunlight onto the woodland floor. Containers of annual plants and impatiens in the ground are a great way to add color all summer long, especially in areas that are more shaded.

Here are some pictures of what the garden looks like this summer.

15% off All Orders over $25.00 in my Zibbet.com Shop!

2011-07-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

I am really loving my newest selling venue on Zibbet and to celebrate, I am offering 15% off all orders over $25.00 in this shop only. Lots of new personalized designs to choose from in addition to ready to ship inspirational jewelry and handcrafted artisan glass, metal and gemstone jewelry. Use coupon code: HMFDW2 at checkout. Limit one coupon per customer. Coupon expires 7/10/2011.

Great Graduation Gift Ideas

2011-05-09T07:20:00.002-05:00

Graduating from high school or college is such a huge accomplishment and all of the hard work of our our students put forth should be acknowledged as they move into the next phase in their lives. For some that means entering the work force in their chosen field, for others moving on to college to advance their education and for some taking time off to figure out what that next step is going to be. There are many ways to acknowledge, congratulate and offer well wished to these young adults and often personalized, heartfelt ones are the way to go. Check out some of these custom, personalized or ready to ship gifts.

These great gifts can be found in any of my online shops: Etsy, Zibbet or Artfire.

The First Winter's Snow

2010-12-07T06:59:00.000-06:00

Here in the Chicago area we are no stranger to snow. Some years it just buries us and others I wonder if it really is winter in Chicago - very flakes to be found. Living in this area all of my life, I spent many childhood years in snowball fights, building snow forts and snowmen, ice skating, hot chocolate with marshmallows and, of course, shoveling the driveway. Oh, and the ever present prayers for a snow day from school. Sometimes we got lucky, other times just another school day.

I love to watch the snow coming down at night through the glimmer of the streetlights. It is always so peaceful at that time. Waking up to a blanket of fresh snow, undisturbed but by a few animal tracks here and there makes for a morning of quiet moments of peace and wonder.

Of course, these feelings never last as the snowplows barrel through to clear the streets as the morning progresses. Snow mixed with dirt piles up at the edges of the curbs. Tracks from people and animals make the blanket all roughed up and messy - but for those few moment or hours it is just beautiful. But reality hits, got to get the kids up for school - to their disappointment, no snow day.

The Newest Addition to our Family

2010-09-15T06:57:00.002-05:00

October is Adopt-A-Dog Month and even though it is only September, we added a new 4 legged friend to our family.

Saturday we adopted, Leo, an adorable shelter puppy. His is estimated to be about 8 or 9 weeks old and is about 12 lbs. We have no idea what breeds he is made up of and everyone thinks something different from shepherd to lab, doberman, rottweiler and miniature pinscher. All six puppies from this litter look completely different.

Leo and his siblings were an abandoned litter from Kentucky that were taken in by 4 Paws 4 U 4 Ever Puppy Rescue in West Chicago, Illinois.

My older dogs, two yellow labs, are slowly adjusting tho this new family member but so far so good and everyone seems to be getting along great. He is a great little pup and fitting right in. He is sociable, not aggressive, loves to be held but is not a submissive pushover.

All the kids promised to help out and care for this one, let's see how long that will last.

If you are considering adding a dog or cat to your family, consider adoption.

How I Improved My Jewelry Photos

2010-09-06T13:43:00.003-05:00

After creating and selling jewelry for over 4 years, I have come to the conclusion that photography is one of my greatest challenges when selling online. Getting great close-ups, images without shadows, showcasing the jewelry without too much else in the image to create a distraction yet still make the photo eye catching and on and on - we all know a great jewelry photo when we see it. I have overcome many of these common obstacles through continued practice and experimentation with new lighting, backgrounds and camera angles yet the one issue I was never able to get a handle on was reflections on the metal. Flat pieces came out great but dimensional pieces that were photographed at an angle (rings, bracelets, anything with a curve) still gave me problems. Most of these reflections came from the camera itself, the tripod and/or me.

I thought I had everything I needed to take great photos. I use a Canon 50D digital SLR camera with a Canon Macro Lens, use the AV setting and set the aperture to 22 - 29 depending on how much background blur I want, set the white balance on auto, I use a lightbox, I use a tripod and the camera timer; however, none of these will help with the reflections I was getting in the metals.

Well, the light bulb finally turned on and I came to conclusion that the only way to get rid of the reflections was to somehow remove the offending item(s) that were creating them. How would that work? I could not remove the camera or the tripod. I do use a timer so I could easily move to the side and remove myself, but I still had to deal with the camera and tripod.

Then it hit me - how or why I do not know, but it did. I had a piece of leftover white foam board (one of many from numerous school projects) sitting off to the side of my photo set up. The piece was just slightly larger than the opening to my lightbox. Hmmm, if positioned over the opening of the lightbox, the foam board might hide the physical elements that were creating the reflections.

I proceeded to carve out a square (probably should have done a circle) from the foam board for the camera lens and played around with this new setup for a single photo session and could not believe the difference it made. This setup did not remove every single reflection (the hole still had to be big enough for the camera lens and for shots from a bit of a distance) but the difference was amazing and I was thrilled with the results. I made the cutout such that I could flip the foam board several different ways depending on what angle I was trying to shoot from.

Check out my before and after pictures above.

I am sure that this is probably common sense for the many photographers out there, but for someone like me - this is HUGE!

Check out my simple photography setup without the board, with it and with the tripod.

~ Faith

New Sterling Silver Layered and Spinner Rings

2010-09-03T08:08:00.000-05:00

These new layered and spinner rings feature two individual bands of sterling silver combined into a single ring. Both styles feature an inner band that measures from 5mm - 10mm wide (approximately 3/16" - 3/8") and an outer decorative band. Some of these have raised pattern designs or hand stamped inspirational words or short phrases. The individual bands in the layered rings are secured together while the spinner rings combine the two individual rings in such a way that the outer band moves freely and independently of the inner band yet the two bands do not come apart.

Spinner rings are also referred to as worry rings, anxiety rings, swivel rings, or motion rings.

Introductory pricing for these rings starts at $58.00 and up, are offered in the current styles and sizing and are ready to ship. I have rings with both decorative outer bands and hand stamped message outer bands. These rings cannot be resized so accurate sizing is important. Wide band rings will fit snugger than thinner band rings and oftentimes one must go up 1/4 - 1/2 a size when purchasing a wide band ring. The sizes listed will reflect the size as measured on a ring mandrel in the center of the band width.

Coming soon custom sized, personalized and mixed metal spinner and layered rings.......

Introducing my New Newsletter

2010-08-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

I just started a new (hopefully monthly) newsletter via email subscription that I hope many of you will find interesting. The first issue was just released yesterday and can be seen online here:

August Newsletter from Alaiyna B. Designs

Each issue will focus on something new and interesting from the studio or my life, the current special product deal for subscribers and an awesome recipe (with pictures) from my collection of tried and true family favorites. I'm kind of known for my baking around here.

If you would like to subscribe to my mailing list to receive this newsletter via email, just fill out the information below.

Learning and Applying New Techniques to Expand Your Business

2010-06-20T18:23:00.000-05:00

A while back I wrote about adding new materials and techniques to expand my line of jewelry in order to compete in the ever expanding world of online sales. There are several reasons why I think it is important to do this. In a growing online marketplace, the competition amongst sellers for the same audience becomes greater and greater. Many new sellers are entering into extremely saturated markets and without a corresponding increase in demand for that product, the product will just sit there generating very little in sales. Business that want to succeed in these markets become challenged to find ways to continue to generate revenue. Some will try to compete on price, some will increase their marketing and promotion efforts to reach a larger, more receptive audience and some will just give up and go home.

My first approach is to offer something new, something that my current customer based has not seen from me before, something that might take an existing product and make it better - make it the next "must have" item without abandoning my current successful product line. This allows me to not only expand my line, but to continue to learn and grow as a jewelry designer leaving my competition behind, scratching their head wondering how to make more sales.

The newest technique/material that I have added to my line is the incorporation of faceted gemstones into existing designs or in creating entirely new ones. I have been creating and selling personalized jewelry for over 2 years and have watched that market dramatically expand during that time. The challenge to set my self apart from all the other sellers is always present. By adding 2mm flush set gemstones to some of these products in addition to creating brand new offerings that incorporate these set gemstones, I am able to offer an enhanced and/or new product that very few of my competitors currently sell - entering into a portion of that market that is currently not saturated.

I have also been including some larger gemstones in a bezel setting into some new designs I have not offered before. Keep a look out for my newest rings and pendants shown in these images.

How can you expand your product line to grow your business?

Learning and Applying New Techniques to Your Designs

2010-01-16T22:47:00.000-06:00

So much goes into designing and creating a piece of jewelry and there seems to be a never ending list of materials and techniques I am interested in learning and incorporating into my designs. Like most people who create jewelry, I started out small, creating a few pieces for myself and as gifts to others and soon found myself immersed into the wonderful world of gemstones, artisan lampwork beads, metals, wirework, metalsmithing, stone setting, metal clay, glass fusing and on and on, always finding something new to learn and incorporate into my designs.

My newest experiments center around copper and the use of heat to create a colorful patina on the metal. You can get some amazing colors on the surface of the copper without the use of chemical patinas - Blues, greens, pinks, reds, orange and purples.

Apply the heat using a simple butane torch on a heat safe soldering surface. Remove the heat and watch the colors develop. What you see while the heat is being applied is not what you will get as the metal cools. Apply the heat again to change the colors up. Continue to experiment until you are happy with the colors you get. If you are unhappy with the colors and want to just start over, immerse the piece in your pickle solution to remove all the oxidation and get the piece back to a bright shiny finish. Rinse well with water, dry and start again. With a lot of practice you can even create designs or "paint" with the flame.

Copper is an inexpensive metal to experiment with and the results can be just gorgeous.

The "Campfire"

2009-10-14T21:55:00.023-05:00

It's fall here in Chicago and the weather is definitely turning, leaves changing colors overnight and the wonderful cool crisp Autumn evenings are upon us. Every year one of the schools my kid's attend holds their annual Fall Festival full of food, games and fun for families. Five years ago, I started the ever so popular "Cake Walk" to these festivities. If you are not familiar with a Cake Walk, numbers from 1 - the number of your choice are placed on a large circle on the floor.

Participants each stand on a number as the music starts they walk around in a circle on the numbers until the music stops. Once the music stops, all participants are standing on a number. A container holds all of the numbers and a single number is pulled as the winning number. The person standing on that number is declared the winner and gets to choose a cake to take home. These prize cakes are donated by teachers, staff and families and are usually homemade and very seasonal and whimsical in nature which is why the kids go ga-ga for this activity. The donated cakes are all lined up on a table and the kids ooh and ahh over them all day long picking and choosing which one they hope to win.

Being a lifelong baker, I throw myself into this activity with great enthusiasm. These pictures are of one of my donations (check out the toasted marshmallows!) to today's Fall Festival Cake Walk at Da Vinci Academy.

My Personal Guidelines for "Forum Etiquette"

2009-08-10T15:32:00.006-05:00

Forums. They exist all over the internet in many online communities and about as many different subject matters as one could imagine. They can be wondeful places to share information, discuss ideas, problems and solutions, and express opinions freely. Some forums are highly moderated while others are quite a bit looser in which users are expected to know and abide by a TOU's (Terms of Use) without each and every post being moderated for content.

After several years of lurking and participating in several forums, I have asked myself "Is there such a thing as Forum Etiquette?" or "Are there general rules and guidelines one should follow when participating in an online forum?" I believe that while nothing exists to force proper forum etiquette so that posts are always appropriate and acceptable, I do abide my own personal set of guidelines to be a positive contributor to forum discussions.

1. First and foremost, never, ever post personal, demeaning or degrading information about another user or anybody else for that matter. It not only makes you look bad and immature, it is so wrong on multiple levels and in some instances may even bring on legal consequences for the poster and safety issues for the other party. Don't post full names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. Don't attack people or their comments (including grammar and spelling errors).

2. Refrain from typing in all caps as that comes across as if you are yelling or raising your voice.

3. Agree to disagree. We live in a wonderful world were everyone has different perspectives on issues, different life experiences, different priorities and ways in how we live and go about our lives and businesses. Some of us are right brained, big picture thinkers - some of us are left brained, sequential, individual step thinkers and everyone and everything in between. Appreciate the fact that we all come to the table with such differences and keep an open mind to listening to the ideas and experiences of others. This does not mean you will change your mind or opinion about an issue, but you should repsectfully keep an open mind during dicsussions. Do not prevent people from posting because you may not agree with their opinion or don't want to hear what they have to say. Take what you want and need from the discussion.

4. No matter how someone's opinions differ from yours, never react negatively towards those individuals because you disagree with them. Calling someone an idiot, moron or ignorant is just low and again, makes you look bad. You can never go wrong with remaining civil at all times.

5. Do not start a thread luring potentail participants into the thread just to try to figure out what the thread is about. Example "What do I do if.......?" Don't, just don't.

6. Do not "hijack" a thread with your own topic or questions that are unrelated to the opening post. Start a new thread with a new topic. It is normal for a thread to meander around as discussion ensues and questions are asked and answered, but if your question or post is unrelated to the topic at hand, refrain from posting in that thread.

7. If you are unsure whether or not you should post your question or if your comments are appropriate, ask yourself this "Would I say this to this group of people face to face?" If the answer is no, then rethink your post. Actually you should ask yourself this with all your posts.

8. Never take forum posts or comments personally or out of context even if you feel that they are directed at you. Most often they are not. We are all represented by only an avatar and a screen name not the real person sitting at their computer. Our written words carry no emotion or tone so be cautious when reading too much into a post. Perceived negativity is usually just a reaction to somethiing you either disagaree with or do not want to hear. A thick skin can come in handy.

9. Don't post anything that you don't want the world to see. Even if it is a private forum, it is still public in many ways.

10. If you find yourself getting all worked up over a thread to the point that it negatively affects you - Walk Away.

Well, I am sure that others have their own set of guidelines that they abide by when participating in forums. I would love to hear some "Etiquette Rules" that other have to offer.

Getting Your Work Published in a National Magazine

2009-07-05T07:22:00.008-05:00

Yes, it is possible to get your work published in national magazines ~ and get paid for it too. I have just had my second jewelry making tutorial published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry and it is such a cool and uplifting feeling to see your work in print.

The image in my avatar shows part of a bracelet that is featured in the current issue (Summer 2009) of this publication and I am happily dancing through my 15 minutes of fame. How did this come about you ask.....well, every magazine has a column from the editor and usually included at the end of that column is an email address. I sent an email to the editor of this magazine with an image of a wire worked piece I was especially happy with to be considered for inclusion in the gallery of readers' work page. Not only was it well received for inclusion, I was asked at that time if I would ever consider submitting a tutorial for publication. Since then, I have written and had publilshed two tutorials and received national exposure that cost me nothing but my time and I got paid in return. I am also left with a beautiful piece of jewelry (well, at least I think so) to sell or keep for my own personal collection. I also get my contact and website information in print for all to see - not too shabby a deal.

Give it a try. Contact the editor of a magazine you think would be a great place to showcase your product or skills and go for it. Like you have probably heard many times since you were a child "What is the worst that could happen ~ they could say no." You never know what could materialize unless you put yourself out there.

"In Your Own Words" the Beauty of Personalization

2009-03-16T07:24:00.007-05:00

There is something really satisfying about creating jewelry that you know will become a cherished keepsake to the one who receives it. Whether putting family names and birthdates, words of wisdom or inspiration, wedding proposals, secret messages, favorite quotes, in memory of....oh the list goes on and on and the possibilities are endless, but no matter what words are used, the end result is a special keepsake to cherish forever.

Wearing personalized jewelry keeps these names, thoughts, prayers close to you and as gentle reminders as you go about your day. I myself have two special pieces that I wear everyday. A bangle bracelet with my favorite quote "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." This means different things to different people, but for me, it reminds me to find the beauty within, appreciate the wonderful things and people that I have in my life, to not let the little frustrations of daily life get me down, and to find the good in as much as I can. Not an easy task these days. For every frustration, every dissapointment, every failure, there is an upside ~ a lesson learned, a different perspective found, a new way to accomplish something or a newfound appreciation for what is right in the world and my life. Find those moments that "take your breath away" every day and in the little things too.

I also wear a small pendant with the words "Always in my heart" on the front and my 4 childrens' names on the back. No matter where I am and where they are (my first "baby" is now a college freshman) they are always with me, close to my heart.

Here on 1000 Markets we have a specialized market dedicated to creating such special, personalized keepsakes. The Personally Yours market offers a wide variety of products that are personalized by the artist using your special words, photos, names and quotes. From jewelry, to wall hangings, stationary, invitations, birth announcements and more, you can create your own unique keepsake to cherish forever.

A Taste of Spring

2009-03-01T07:25:00.004-06:00

Well, we always get small tastes of spring here in Chicago as we get closer to March, April and May. Just this past week we had heavy rain, mid 50 temperatures and thunderstorms yet by evening we were back to snow flurries and bitter cold temperatures. It is so true what they say about weather in Chicago "If you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes and it will change." We have been known to get snow accumulation in April and occasionally in early May too. But no matter, the first signs of those spring bulb (crocus, tulips and daffodils) that start peeking out of the gound as the weather warms. Every taste of warm temperatures brings out the basketballs, bicycles, scooters and muddy kids and dogs tracking through the house.

No matter the weather outside, I am thinking spring with some new jewerly designs combining sterling silver accented with colorful gemstone rondelles that remind me of the beauty of spring and summer soon to come. I have combined some stamped design pieces with these gemstones too for some totally unique one of a kind pieces.

NOW OPEN - Alaiyna B. Designs on 1000 Markets

2008-12-27T09:03:00.004-06:00

I have just opened a new shop on 1000markets.com (AlaiynaBDesigns.1000markets.com). This is an absolutly wonderful venue for high quality artisan products from jewelry to fine art, ceramics, photography and so on. Here you will find my finished jewelry pieces plus my hand stamped personalized necklaces and bracelets. My lampwork beads can still be purchased on my webiste and in my Etsy Shop.

1000markets.com is a new selling venue that has enormous potential for both artists and those looking for high quality artisan products. Payments are made via amazon payments which is quick and easy. From the 1000 Markets website:

"Our markets are more than just collections of products;they are full of people and stories. They have voices and personalities.

Our merchants are small, independent, artisan businesses built by people who love their craft. They make and sell unique products, based on their own vision, personality and story. Working together, these artisans create marketplace communities - gathering places where merchants can exchange ideas, and customers can browse and talk.

Our markets are large and small, broad and narrow. Some have themes, like food, crafts, or art. Others cultivate a sense of place around a region. And some exist simply because the people in them share friendship or common values. Each market fosters its own one-of-a-kind community, always unique and interesting. "

Come in and check out the quality merchandise offered through 1000markets.com.

Holiday Shopping

2008-11-12T09:41:00.022-06:00

I've found some great holiday gift ideas that you might consider for this upcoming gift giving season. These handmade items make great gifts for those special people you will be thinking of in the coming months.

Happy Whosits is a friend & family adventure where delightful items are "handmade with heart". Sue, Eileen, and their friends & families bring you a variety of toys, baby items, decorations, and wearables. We have been working together for many years, and we complement each other well.

I have purchased several gifts from Sue and Eileen for loved ones ranging in age from newborn babies through college age. I highly recommend these one-of-a-kind items.

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Designs By Who makes unique and quite detailed polymer clay beads and figurines. I am totally amazed at the amount of detail and work that go into theses little pieces of art. Please check out this shop. These make great embellishments to any of your holiday projects from children's hair bows and jewelry to ornaments and so, so reasonably priced.

New Font for Custom Stamped Jewelry Now Available - Thank You Infinity Stamps

2008-08-27T15:46:00.009-05:00

Great big shout out to Infinity Stamps for creating my amazing new stamp set in my own hand selected font. Billie was wonderful to work with and the customer service was more than exceptional. I am so pleased with the size of the finished font and the overall quality of the stamp sets I just had to share. Take a look at my newest designs using my new stamp sets.

If you are looking to create a one-of-a-kind piece of inspirational or message jewelry please check out my shops. These pieces make great gifts!

New Custom Stamped Jewelry Designs

2008-07-01T07:59:00.009-05:00

I have been spending several weeks creating new designs for my line of custom stamped jewelry. The newest item in this line are vertical link pendants that allow from 1 to 3 separate stamped links accented with a sterling silver charm and gemstone briolette. I can stamp each of these pendant links with any name or word on one or both sides.

Pendants include an attached sterling silver bail and are ready to hang from your sterling chain, leather cord or ribbon necklace. I do have sterling silver chains available in 16", 18" and 20" lengths and leather cord necklaces that adjust from 16" - 18" long. Please contact me if you are interested in adding a chain or leather cord.

These pendants start at $37.00 for stamping on one side with one link and $39.00 for stamping on both sides with one link. The pendants below are stamped on both sides - names on front and birthdates on the back.

These pendants are custom made to your specifications and are a great way to keep those you love and care for close to your heart or as an inspirational reminder or thought. These pendants are available in all three of my online shops. More pendant and bracelet designs will be coming in the next few weeks in addition to another font choice. Check back for more details.

Girls Donate Hair to "Pantene Beautiful Lengths" Hair Donation Campaign

2008-04-15T11:17:00.011-05:00

My 15 year old daughter and 7 year old niece have been growing their for several years to donate it to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Hair Donation Campaign. The day finally came on Saturday, April 12 to complete the process. Both girls said goodbye to their long locks and hello to great new hairstyles courtesy of Traci and Platinum Salon and Spa in Bloomingdale, Illinois.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths was created to bring people together to share their strength and donate their beautiful, healthy hair to create free wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. More information about the program and "Million Inch Chain" can be found on the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Website.

Here are the before, during and after pictures.

The Cuts

Afterwards - 2 happy donors

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Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine

2008-03-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

If you are looking to start making jewelry with wire, improve or learn new wire working techniques then check out Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine. This is an excellent publication featuring a good number of wire working tutorials in each issue. Each tutorial features detailed instructions, a list of materials and images to go along with each step. See how the manipulation of wire including wrapping, hammering, twisting and forming, and the addition of other components such as beads and stones come together to create some unique and beautiful jewelry. I highly recommend this magazine for beginners and experienced wire workers alike.

The bracelet below is a sample of what you can make using wire. This bracelet is currently featured in the Spring 2008 issue of the magazine.

This bracelet features my handmade lampwork beads and 18 gauge sterling silver wire that has been twisted, wrapped and coiled to create this one-of-a-kind designs. Clasp handcrafted from 14 gauge sterling silver wire.

New Jewelry Designs for Spring

2008-03-21T08:09:00.002-05:00

Take a look at two of my newest jewelry designs for spring. I highlight these to show the great lampwork of artist Deanna Chase of Chase Designs. Deanna makes the most amazing floral beads and I love to incorporate them into my jewerly. Oh I long for the day I can create florals as beautiful as hers. You can find more of Deanna's great work at Chase Designs.
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GARDEN GLORY BRACELET

Beautiful flowers in two shades of orange decorate these 19mm beads with a black base with dichroic and fine silver accents. These beads are just stunning. Each lampwork bead has been wire wrapped to Karen Hill Tribe (often referred to as "Thai") hammered sterling silver links and accented with Thai sterling silver floral charms.This one of a kind bracelet is finished with a matching hammered toggle clasp.

This bracelet measures 8" long and will best fit a wrist up to 6 3/4 inches around.

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GARDEN GLORY EARRINGS

These one of a king earrings match the bracelet above.

Each lampwork beads has been wire wrapped to a 15mm Karen Hill Tribe (often referred to as "Thai") hammered sterling silver link.

These earrings dangle from sterling silver hoop earwires and measure 1 5/8 inches long from the base of the earwire.

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New Custom Sterling Silver Inspirational/Message Bracelets

2008-02-16T20:46:00.000-06:00

Where your special message on your wrist. These two new designs can be custom ordered to say almost anything you want.

The first design is a 5mm wide sterling silver cuff that is hand letter stamped to your specifications. The piece is oxidized and then polished to really make your message stand out. This cuff braclet is then formed and lampwork crystal or sterling silver charms/dangles are added to complete this special design. This design has an introductory price of $36.00 through the month of February. Please contact me or check out my website for purchasing information.

The second design features 3 hand stamped message links and handmade lampwork beads in any color accented with bali silver beads. Each link measures approximately 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" (28mm) long and is 5mm wide. These links are hand cut and shaped and individually letter stamped to create these words. I oxidized the silver to really bring out the depth of the letters. Finally, each link is slightly curved for a comfortable fit on the wrist. Finished with a sterling silver toggle clasp. This design is priced from $45.oo. Please contact me for more information.

Welcome to my Blog!

2008-02-07T18:28:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Alaiyna B. Designs. My name is Faith Oriold and I create one of a kind wearable art jewelry and lampwork beads in my studio outside of Chicago, Illinois. You can purchase my beads and jewelry on my website: Alaiyna B. Designs my Etsy Shop and my Ruby Lane Shop. I will be featuring several different artists on this blog in the near future. Thanks for stopping by!