Cresting Wave Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

I started off wanting to create another pair of blue earrings. So, I thought about what I have seen that was blue and beautiful. The ocean! Have you ever seen a beautiful blue wave cresting into a magnificent splash of white? Gorgeous!


My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open!  www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Flower on a Vine Earrings

Design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

When I saw these peridot acrylic flowers, they reminded me of those beautiful green vines with delicate tendrils curling around the dainty flowers that bloomed off the vine.  Since the flower was already green, I paired it with cream Swarovski pearls as the vine that curves around the jawline.  The sterling silver wire spirals around to add another delicate tendril.  I hung a short fern green Swarovski crystal vine to add more dimension while staying within the color palette.  And, to balance out the top with the fullness of the flower at the bottom, I hung from the top another tendril with a peridot green Swarovski crystal bicone.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Night Sky Necklace

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Gerrard Brereton

Sometimes, I plan out an entire piece of jewelry before I start making it.  But in this case, I spent a couple of late nights designing as I bent wire to make this Christmas gift for my mother.  As soon as I looked at these Swarovski crystals in Montana blue, I knew I wanted to create the night sky.  The color is perfect for a clear night.  I brought out the myriad of stars you would see on such a clear night with the little silver, diamond charms, the twinkling crystals, the diamond links, and the bicone-shaped beads.  And, of course, the crescent moon hangs down from the blanket of stars.

Aside: On the red background, it makes me think of the saying: Red sky at night, sailor's delight!

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Amethyst Drop Bracelet

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

Branching out into the bracelets!  While working on several earring designs, I've been creating this bracelet in my mind.  I knew I didn't want a simple chain or stringed bracelet, so I made my own links.  The pink wire and light sapphire blue Swarovski bicones both play off the color of the amethysts while giving more dimension to the color of the bracelet.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Ice Cream Sundae Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

Another cousin of mine put in her request for ice cream earrings.  I think this family has an obsession with desserts!  :)  But I had a lot of fun designing these earrings.  I had a few different ways I thought I could go and it took some time to pick one.  In the end, I decided to make an ice cream sundae.  You know one of those big bowls with huge scoops of ice cream, swirls of sauce, blobs of whipped cream and a yummy piece of waffle cone stuck in on top?   I used rounded, faceted glass beads like scoops of ice cream with swirls of sterling silver wire.  Then, I topped it with clear Swarovski bicones like whipped cream and a triangular citrine bead stuck in for the waffle.  Enjoy!  ;)

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : ) 

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

In honor of my cousin's request for a cheesecake-inspired pair of earrings!

These earrings are my favorite so far. The main bead is a raspberry colored glass rondelle bead. I framed it with clear Swarovski crystal bicone beads on pale pink wire.  Some of the wire curves and flows in fancy swirls, while some wire sleekly contrasts.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Chandelier Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

For my mother's birthday gift, I wanted to make something a little more classic. These earrings fall in the more classic chandelier design. The deeper colors are a little more mature, but I added some copper to brighten it up a bit and add some interest.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Earrings Inspired By Eyes

Design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

I find myself (maybe like most artists) discovering interesting or beautiful things in everyday life. Sometimes, I immediately have an idea for something I want to make. At other times, I won't even have any ideas right away, but that color palette, shape, or impression tucks itself away for another time.

These earrings were inspired by the color of my sister's eyes. Her eyes turn more brown when she wears green and they'll turn more green when she's wearing brown. I remember growing up it was interesting to see how a certain outfit would change her eyes. Or what color would this eyeshadow make them? They're always moving along that spectrum between brown and green. So, I chose the 2 different brown wires with the green main bead. The shape and construction of the wire elements expresses the flow from very brown to green and the intertwining of the colors along the way.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Pale Gold and Pink Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

I'm pretty proud of my first attempt at jewelry in years. I tend to be attracted to shiny and sparkly things. Hence, the satiny cloth and swarovski crystal beads. Even the pale pink wire is shiny. I unraveled the ends of the cloth to give it the fringe for more texture and some contrast to all the shiny elements. The swirled wire in the center adds more gracefulness to the bow. The diamond-shaped link connects the bow to the hook while playing on the angles of the top of the bow. A little gold bead and pale pink wire so there's not too much plain wire.

Have you ever seen a beautifully wrapped gift and just wanted to keep it like that forever? It's like I can do that with these earrings!

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )