What’s Crafty on Etsy This Week: Precious Jewels

Last week, we gave you some ideas about how to spice up even the simplest of outfits with our favorite picks from Etsy’s handbag sellers. Of course, any woman knows that a handbag is not her only choice when it comes to accenting an outfit — there’s also shoes, hairpieces, and of course, one of our very favorites, jewelry. Do you like precious stones? Handcrafted metals? Whimsical designs? We’ve got you covered. Follow me this way for some choice picks from the talented crafters of Etsy’s ranks.

Pearl_and_Rosepetal

Many women will agree that Swarovski crystals & beads can produce a stunning variety of wearable collectibles. Etsy sellerĀ Candybead uses them to great advantage, capturing all the brilliance of the rainbow in pieces both bold and delicate. All items are made by hand come in an organza drawstring pouch, so they would make ideal gifts. We liked the soft cream rose pearl bracelet above, but the orange bracelet that kicks off the post is also from the same crafter, showing off a wide range of style and color options. She also indicates that she loves custom orders on her profile page, so don’t be shy — ask for any combo you want!

Greens_and_Branches

Just a string of pearls is always classy, but why not throw some eye-catching objects into the mix as well? Chicago-based crafter BeadsStory makes beautiful, vintage-inspired pieces such as the Bliss Bracelet shown above, as well as earrings, rings and more. We simply fell head over heels for her acorn earrings, which are just the right mix of delicate and organic (and I think they’d actually look really good paired with the bracelet shown above, too!)

Stones_of_Blue

Delicate pieces are always wonderful to wear, but I admit I am often drawn to stronger necklaces and rings because I love the contrast of a striking piece against a delicate backdrop, such as a slender wrist or neckline. Handheldheart‘s necklaces, made from goods such as crystal, turquoise, silver and Japanese beads, will certainly make a strong statement. They can be worn alone or with a matching pair of small earrings as not to detract from the larger piece. Her shop has a variety of beautifully colored pieces such as the one shown above. We also adored this white shell and pearl necklace, which struck me as a gorgeous choice for a bride.

The_Faded_Flowers

Naturally, a bold piece is not something everyone wants to wear. If you are attracted to jewelry that relies on accents rather than making a loud statement, you might find something you like in LyBly‘s shop. This seller combines found objects with long chains and handsewn rosettes for pieces with a sweet, vintage feel that would look lovely worn with long, floaty blouses. The Day of the Dead necklace really tickled our fancy, but check out the Green and Bronze Brooch necklace as well.

Pop_Art

Maybe all these pieces are pretty, but not so much your style. Say you’re more into something funky. How about a customized pendant made from a Scrabble piece? Sweetlittlethings4u makes these by hand, sealing each piece with a resin finish so the design stays crisp. The Georgia-based designer makes these in a wide variety of cute and colorful patterns, and will give you one for free if you buy three. You could wear one solo, or load a bunch of them onto a necklace for a fun, pop art kind of look.

Let’s hope this week’s choices help to keep you feeling fashionable! As always, there’s tons more to be found under Etsy’s jewelry channel. Enjoy your browsing and we’ll see you next week!

Colette has written for a number of video game websites including Gamasutra, Kotaku, and Destructoid and co-hosted one hundred episodes of gaming podcast RetroforceGo! She also founded her own collectible toy culture blog in 2008, Tomopop.com, which has since served the needs of over 2 million plastic-obsessed readers.