Romantic Christmas Jewels

by Tamara Summers.
(Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)

I wanted to share some of my recent creations for the Christmas season.

I found this piece of red “hairy-looking” trim in my stash this week and decided I wanted to make a Christmas necklace with it. I thought it would attract attention at my table for my sales this season.

I started by gluing red seed beads along the trim. Then I found the lightweight pendant casings which wouldn’t pull down the trim when being worn. I filled them with seed beads as well, then crystals in beautiful jewel tones.

As well as Christmas, this necklace reminded me of the type and colour of jewellery Indian women often wear, which I think is beautiful.

The necklace and earring set was made from lace I cut from a camisole, then I embellished them in magenta jewels, crystals and pearls. I decided on a very simple memory wire to hold the lace pendant beautifully at choker length.

I showed this jewellery to a man who is working with me on my business, and who is quickly becoming a close friend as well. He commented on how beautiful it was, and how he especially loved the necklace made from the trim. But he said his mind didn’t go to Christmas when he saw it, but to the romantic nature of the jewellery. (Interesting sometimes to get a man’s opinion of our jewellery :))

We had just been starting to converse about that – my use of lace and textures, often derived from lingerie, to create a romantic style of jewellery.

We both decided that that is my primary niche, my uniqueness, and my heart for jewellery, and how that could really be a marketable line in many ways. So it’s interesting how when you think you’re just making a fun seasonal piece (I didn’t want it to be limited to the Christmas season of course), it often ends up representing more than that.

Tamara Summers
Pink Pearls by Tamara