Gemstone Friendship Pendants

I've had a rough couple of months, and two dear friends have really been there for me throughout them.  I wanted to make them each a little something to thank them for all their love and kindness. 
The first is a pendant, made from a kit from Candie Cooper.  It includes a double point of quartz crystal, along with rose quartz, rose glass, and gold beads from TierraCast, on a base from Beadalon.  It's been wrapped in thin gold wire, and suspended from a burnt orange cord with sliding knots, so it can be worn as a long pendant, or a short choker.

I was drawn to the kit because the rose quartz is representative of caring, kindness, and friendship, while the quartz crystal is said to enhance the properties of the stones around it.  I also knew the recipient would like the deep orange color of the cord. 

The second pendant was for a friend who is trying to get pregnant.  So this is my little fertility 'good wish' for her & her partner.  It contains amethyst, rose quartz, aventurine, aquamarine, clear quartz, and two charms, a heart, and a little goddess figure.

The chain is sterling, and the findings are all either sterling, or sterling filled.  The charm of the goddess is from TierraCast.  The amethyst is for clarity, balance and protection; rose quartz is for unconditional love; aventurine for lighthearted sexuality and luck; aquamarine for calming, and clear quartz to enhance the properties of the stones around it. 

I hope it brings her some luck, and lets her know there's someone on her side, as she embarks on this journey. 

Layered Coordinating Pendants

Last week I had the great good fortune to attend the Adornments Retreat sponsored by Vintaj and Art Bead Scene.  It was 4 days of classes, make-and-take projects, and crafting fun.  One of the events on the first day, as a way to get to know one another, was a pendant exchange.  We were invited to bring a pendant we had made, strung on a simple cord or ribbon, all wrapped up. 

The base is Vintaj arte metal.  The middle layer is a piece of Vintaj brass that I hit with a little of their patina paint in a few shades of pink.  The top piece is an antiqued gold charm star charm with an opal pink stone in the center.  I popped some holes in the base art metal piece, and added drops made from rosewater opal Swarovski crystals.

Since I wasn't sure if we would be truly exchanging between two people, or if we would all place our pendants on a table, and randomly take another, or if we'd be able to meet up with one another in some way later, I decided to make myself a coordinating pendant, so my partner could find me later if need be, and so we would always have something to link us together after the event.

The base is the same arte metal, and the middle layer is the same Vintaj brass that I hit with patina paint in shades of green instead of pink.  The top piece is an antiqued gold charm compass rose.  I added drops made from chrysolite opal Swarovski crystals to go with the brass patina. 

I'm glad to say the recipient loved her pendant and was wearing it throughout the event.  :D

Antique Key Necklace

This was made for LeapFeetFirst in the Asheville Adventure Swap.  The swap had partners who had not 'met' or didn't know one another well here on Craftster, get to know each other by exchanging a letter, and later a medium crafted item as well as a craft supply that your partner could use and some sort of local treat.  The final portion of the swap was optional, and allowed for partners to bring a final small crafted item to give their partner in person. 

The pendant base is an antique key.  It was decorated with a glass Christmas light bulb, stone beads, freshwater pearls, antiqued charms, a paper bead, bits of ribbon, and anything else I could find.