Janine's Jewels

Salvation for All who Believe

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:53:00 +0000

I started making these Salvation Bracelets after a short-term mission trip to Brazil. While there I made Salvation Bracelets with the Brazilian children using leather straps and plastic beads. They loved them! And they loved hearing about Jesus' great love for them.

After returning home, I kept wearing my bracelet as a memento of the trip. But I decided to find out if it was possible to make a pretty Salvation bracelet. This is what I came up with. It is Sterling Silver and Swarovski crystals. (Available in small, medium or large for $63) It is a Salvation Bracelet that I can wear and feel pretty at the same time.

It serves as a reminder of God's great love for us. Each crystal color stands for a part of the Salvation message:

Black: sin. Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Red: Jesus’ blood. Rom 5:8&9 “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Clear: clean. 1 Cor 6:11 “…you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ…”

Blue: baptism. Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Green: growth. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.”

Yellow: heaven. Rev 21:21 “…The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.”

If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, pray and ask for His forgiveness. He loves you and gives Salvation to all who believe in Him.

Anya Handbag

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:18:00 +0000

I haven't sewn anything for 7 months. But I needed something to do that would take my mind off of waiting for my first grandchild to be born! So, I decided to make another handbag.

This is a pattern that I have wanted to make for months. I love the design. The pattern is called "Sandra Sue's Purse-O-Nality" by Palm Harbor Patterns. I bought some cotton fabric that is coffee themed. The fabric is really fun, and I'll have to use it in a purse soon.

But I really wanted to make a handbag out of the cheetah print microsuede again. The first one I made was too small for me and found a new home.

Here is the new Cheetah bag. The microsuede seemed a little easier for me to use this time since I had sewn with it before. This was the first time that I have used a satiny fabric for the lining. I love it. The whole bag has a gleem to it, and it also feels so soft!

I've named it the "Anya Handbag" after my granddaughter that is yet to be born.

Ok, Anya, now that I've finished the handbag, you'd better come soon. If you don't, I may have to begin another project!

Maryland Autumn

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:19:00 +0000

What a fabulous show we had this Autumn. I so enjoyed the colorful leaves, especially since I had a goal of capturing them with my camera.

It is sad to see the leaves on the ground now. But I have so much to look forward to! My first grandchild is due at any moment. In fact, the due date is today! I can't wait to meet that sweet, little one and to hold her.

And Christmas is right around the corner! What a joy to know Jesus and to be able to worship Him. I will love celebrating His arrival.

So, even though the leaves are just about gone, there is much anticipation in my soul!

Dream Big

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:27:00 +0000

I dream about things I want to do. Then I think, no, I should just be content. But I think it's good to dream, as long as you are also content. lol.

So, I made this pendant from fine silver. To me it says, "It's okay to dream. Go ahead and dream big. And while you are at it, go for it. Maybe you'll actually see those dreams fulfilled."

That's how I feel about being a jewelry artist. I always dreamed about being able to sell my work and see others enjoying it, and it has become a reality! I'm so grateful to those around me that allowed me to dream and go for it.

The beautiful, lustrous pearl just adds beauty to an already lovely thought. Enjoy dreaming!

If you are interested in this item, please email me at janine@gentlespiritcreations.com. You can also see more of my work on Facebook.

Photography

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:54:00 +0000

Wow! It's been a long time since I updated my blog. Sorry!

I've taken up a new/old hobby. It's new because I've renewed my interest in it. I've loved photography ever since I was a child. My parents bought me a really little camera as a girl and then a Nikon EM as a teenager. Oh, I had fun with that Nikon. I even took a Black and White photography course in college. Got an "A" in the class too!! lol

But then life got busy with marriage and kids. And most of my photos were of the babies!! Developing the film was expensive.

Then came digital cameras. I hated the first ones! The photos from them looked awful!! But they have sure improved. I could only afford the point and shoot versions and I enjoyed them.

But, this summer I was able to get a Nikon D90. What an amazing camera!!!! My interest in photography has been renewed with a passion. And there is no expense of film development.

Mostly, I seem to be drawn to nature photography. I'm learning so much about God's creativity and his attention to detail. He is amazing!!

If you would like to see more of my photos, check out my Flickr page. I'll try to do better keeping up the blog too!

Solar Quartz

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:22:00 +0000

When I saw these big, round beads at the gem show, I just knew that I had to buy them. And then I looked at the tag and saw the name. They are called Solar Quartz! Isn't it gorgeous?! My husband, Matt, is an amateur astronomer. He often has me look through the telescope at deep sky objects that he has found. And this stone DOES remind me of several of them. Here's a photo that I found online that looks like these stones. You can find it here.

Then the challenge was to make this stone into a pendant and necklace. These crackle quartz beads look great with it! And I added some white jade and sterling silver beads. But it still needed something to bring out the color in the nucleus of the pendant. I tried several stones, but they just didn't work. Finally I thought of trying some of the pearls that I have on hand. They are absolutely perfect!

This made into a lovely necklace. The stone pendant is so intriguing. Really a great piece. Of course, I made a bracelet and earrings to match.

Show-stopper Earrings

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:08:00 +0000

Black Shell, Swarovski Crystal and Pearl, and Sterling Silver Earrings.

These lovely earrings are a real show stopper! The black shell oval beads really reflect the light as do the crystals. I made these from Sterling Silver wire that I shaped and hammered. Then I used extra fine Sterling wire to wrap each bead to the frame. Lots of work, but so worth the results! A real touch of class. One-of-a-kind. Item # 1230. $95

Swarovski Crystal, Pearl and Sterling Silver Earrings
Item # 1229 $38

Daylily Pendants

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:41:00 +0000

I have a dear friend, Chris, who loves daylilies! It is such a joy to watch her speak of them. Her eyes sparkle and she gets so animated. And her daylilies are beautiful! Last year I enjoyed strolling through her garden and admiring the precious flowers that God created and she tended. I decided to capture daylilies in a pendant. But I couldn't do it in one. I made two, but even so, I think this is a concept that I could explore for a very long time! Such beauty in those flowers!

She described her daylilies like this, "Adam Eaton is a creamy white that sparkles with 'diamond dust' when the sun hits it. And Derrick Carr is a purple so rich and deep it is almost black." The pendant shapes signify a petal from a daylily.

In the first pendant, which I named Daylily Delight, I chose to use gold-filled wire swirls and the sparkly gold-filled bead to represent the diamond dust. There are some daylilies that have lovely creamy petals that become purple and then yellow inside called Doodle Bug. I included a black pearl bead to represent the dark ends of the stamens and a green crystal for the leaves of the plants. The Sterling has a beautiful patina that makes this pendant look like an antique treasure. The gold-filled wire is bright and sparkly. Amethyst, Pearl, Swarovski crytals and pearls, Gold-filled beads and wire, and Sterling Silver wire and bail. 52mm long. Item # 1219 $105

The second pendant, Divine Daylily, was inspired by another of my friend's daylilies called Derrick Carr. This divine pendant features deep garnets and onyx. Crystals too, so it is very sparkly. This is a dense 3-dimensional pendant that looks very rich. Garnets, Onyx, Pearls, Swarovski crystals and pearls, Sterling Silver. 45mm long. Item # 1218 $98

These are photos of Chris' daylilies. Aren't they gorgeous? I can't wait to see them this year. And, of course, I really love to see her too!!

Thanks, Chris, for the inspiration!

Family Bracelet

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:10:00 +0000

What a lovely way to celebrate a family. This bracelet features large (8mm) Swarovski crystals for each family member's birth month. Gorgeous Sterling silver beads and 14K Gold-filled beads make up the rest of the bracelet. The toggle is a heart to show the love you feel for the family. Complete with a "Family" charm and a hand stamped Gentle Spirit Creations tag.

These bracelets make great gifts for those special women in our lives. But it's also a wonderful way to celebrate our own families. I love wearing mine. I included crystals to represent Matt and me, as well as our boys, in my bracelet.

This design shows 5 birthstone crystals. Designs will vary for each family. Will need wrist measurement. Please allow 4 weeks for special orders. Item # 1189 $125

My Ode to Spring

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:50:00 +0000

I'm so thrilled that Spring is here! Today we went for a walk and enjoyed sunny, warm weather. I saw signs of Spring.....crocuses, daffodils, trees budding and little flowers in the grass.

I made the above pendant and named it, Flower Song. The amethyst reminds me of the crocuses and the rose quartz, crystals and pearls make me think of tulips. Oh, I love the tulips!

I've enjoyed making pendants that incorporate wirework and stones. I plan ahead what I'm doing, but as I make it, each piece takes on a life of it's own. This Flower Song Pendant, I didn't antique but left it bright silver. It's a bright, sunny Spring day.

But this blue set, is darker, like a rich evening. These pieces I didn't plan entirely in advance. I just went with it and saw where it would lead me. When I look at it, it just seems like it is joyous in wild abandon! I've named it Unbridled Joy. This set is mine. It signifies the joy that Jesus has put in my heart. And if I let Him reign supreme in my life...it's an Unbridled Joy!

I'm so grateful for Spring. And I love that God has put this creativity in my heart. I hope you enjoy it too.

Wild Safari Bag

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:50:00 +0000

I'm ready to go on a safari! Well, at least I have a stylish bag for it. I fell in love with this fabric. I used to keep a nature journal and this fabric looks like a journal from a safari. Can you imagine what it must be like to go on a safari and see these majestic animals in their natural habitat?

And I used to have a bag when I was a teen that was a basic canvas bag with a large giraffe printed on it. I loved and used that bag until it needed to be thrown away! So, I really enjoyed using the giraffe print fabric too. The lining fabric has lots of giraffes on it.

This is yet another different pattern. It has the drawstring effect as a design element, but the real closure method is a magnetic snap. I had to learn to install eyelets. Matt helped me figure it out. Took quite awhile to install all 24 of them, but it was worth the effect.

I was hoping to find a giraffe charm to embellish with, but couldn't find any. But isn't that a great elephant? I wanted to do more embellishments, maybe some Swarovski crystals, but they just didn't seem to go. Sometimes I just have to leave well enough alone.

So, what do you think, too wild?

Black and Shiny!

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:18:00 +0000

This is one set that is indispensable! It would go with almost everything. You'd reach for it to go with that little black dress, but also to go with a black tee shirt and jeans and so much more!

Onyx, Hematite and Sterling Silver. I hand wired the Onyx pendant. I hammered the wire and it sparkles. The Onyx is shiny and the Hematite sparkles! Very pretty.

Necklace is $95, Bracelet is $68, Earrings are $35.

Flying Jewels From Heaven

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:47:00 +0000

Here is my Spring bag. I decided to feature butterflies, which I think of as jewels from heaven...that fly! I found most of the vintage artwork on the Graphics Fair y blog. I made the collage in my publisher program. Then I printed it on the printable fabric an appliqued it. My sweet mother-in-law had given me some vintage buttons. They look great with it! Of course I had to add some sparkle with Swarovski crystals.

One the other side I used embroidery done by my new machine. It is an amazing thing to watch. And I am so pleased with the results.

I redesigned my tag to include a butterfly. And then I copied my niece, Tiffany's, idea of putting a surprise picture inside the bag. I love extra details and embellishment.

And this pattern is just the best! I love it. I think it is stylish and yet very functional. Many pockets. It's called the Brentwood Bag.

So.....today I bought jungle fabric! I'm in a quandary. I love this pattern, but feel like I should make a different one. Still deciding.

My New Machine

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Well, I had another birthday. Can't believe how time is flying. And it seems that the older I get, the less I know!

Anyway, my sweet husband, Matt, blessed me with an amazing new sewing machine for this birthday. I've been using my mom's old Kenmore circa 1972. It worked great. But once my friend, Jennifer, showed me all the cool things that machines now do, I was hooked! One great feature is the automatic needle threader. My aging eyes were having difficulty with that, and now it is a breeze!

And this machine, Husqvarna Viking Platinum 955E, also does embroidery! I love to embellish things, so this feature will be so much fun.

Thanks, Matt! What a wonderful gift for me.

Merry Christmas!

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:55:00 +0000

I found a book of Vintage Christmas cards. These girls called out saying they wanted to be on the side of a handbag! I had heard of printable fabric, but had never tried it. It works great! It is actual fabric that works in an inkjet printer. Amazing! I had also never appliqued, but decided to try that too. Used fusible web and satin stitch with metallic thread. This project was a stretch for me with so many new techniques! But the sales lady at Patches (Mt Airy) was so helpful. I think her advice saved me from disaster in many instances. I still need to go and show her the finished product.

Look at the fabric that I used for the lining. It is absolutely gorgeous. What a sweet surprise when you open the bag! I made a label for inside the bag too. Just having fun!

Now I am really festive, every time I leave the house with my handbag. Such a wonderful time of year....remembering how much God loves us! So much that He left heaven to come as a baby to a poor couple. All so that He could show His infinite love by dying on the cross for us. What an absolutely amazing thought! Thank you, Jesus!

Speculaas Cookies

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:54:00 +0000

Lovely, lovely cookies! Thanksgiving weekend we went to a craft show and a man was selling these cookie molds. They came with a recipe for Springerle cookies, which I had never heard of. But I was fascinated and just had to try it.

Well, the recipe calls for oil of anise, which I can't find anywhere. So I ordered it online at a really cool site that has these molds. But in the meantime, I found another recipe that uses these molds and it's called Speculaas. I modified the recipe slightly. Used nutmeg instead of mace and orange peel instead of lemon.

Speculaas originated in Holland, which is where my ancestors are from. So, making these really seemed special. And then I read more about them online and found out that they are traditionally eaten during the Feast of Saint Nicholas, which, get this, is on December 6th! I actually made the cookies on the right day! That just made the whole experience even more fun. And we all really like the flavor too!

One-of-a-kind Pendant

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:25:00 +0000

So many stones so little time...... I have a weakness for pretty stones. It is so much fun to take a slab of stone and cut and polish until a gem appears. I'm never sure how a stone will turn out because as I cut it, the stone changes. In the picture below I am using my lapidary machine. As you can see, I hold the stone by hand onto the rotating laps. The laps start out very coarse and I continually change them to finer grits until there is a shiny polish.

I do enjoy having my hand in each part of the jewelry making process. I wasn't content to buy pendants and then incorporate them into necklaces. No... I had to learn lapidary and wirewrapping. Each process is quite time consuming, but there is such satisfaction in holding a completed necklace and knowing that I worked at each step!

The stone pictured above is Sage Amethyst. It has a bluish cast to it. It reminds me of a snowy winter day. It would look lovely with so many outfits. Very versatile. The pendant and heavy sterling chain is $109.00.

When you look at my jewelry, you can be sure that I have enjoyed each process and have done it to the best of my ability. It's a joy to share my creations with you!

Mom and Me

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:13:00 +0000

My wonderful mom just recently found this picture. Don't I look happy? I guess I've loved jewelry all my life! I'm laughing and my little hand is a blur as I reach for Mom's lovely necklace. I must say that I have come to my love of jewelry honestly. My mom has always been a classy dresser and she wears just the right jewelry for each outfit.

Now she wears jewelry that I have made for her. (I just hadn't made any yet in the first picture or I'm sure she would have been wearing it!) The second picture was taken at my son's wedding. Mom is lovingly wearing the jewelry that I made for her for the event. She has always been such an inspiration to me. She is my biggest fan and loves the jewelry I make.

But, she inspires me in so many ways. She loves Jesus with her whole heart and lives each moment for Him. She loves her family and makes sure that we know it. And on top of all that, she keeps herself healthy and beautiful! What more could I ask for in a mom? Nothing...she's the best!

Thanks, Mom, for being you. And thanks for letting me play with your necklace!

Felting Fun

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:07:00 +0000

I've just discovered felting! I've seen felted purses and just didn't get it. So I read about it and found it fascinating. So, I had to try it.

This called for a simple project since I am not an accomplished knitter. I found a great book (photo below) in the library that explained the process well and had several simple projects. So, off to Wal-Mart I went for yarn. For felting to work, wool yarn must be used. Well, Wal-Mart was almost completely sold out of wool yarn! This was almost my only choice. Thankfully I like it!

So, I began knitting. I experienced several droppped stitches and had to start over twice. And then, the flap didn't turn out right. I'm still not sure what the directions meant there. But I'm thinking of that mistake as an interesting design element. : )

Felting happens when you wash the knit item in hot water and allow it to agitate. The fibers begin to tangle together. Then you rinse it in ice cold water and the fibers shrink and become very dense. The result is a thicker fuzzy fabric that is intriguing.

Matt usually finds my endeavors interesting. His reaction to my excitement over the felting process was, "Huh." Oh, well, I think it's cool. Have any of you done felting?

More Rings

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:10:00 +0000

I've been working on more rings. Still learning the technique. I'm almost ready to make some to sell. They seem to hold up really well and I think they are beautiful!

The blue ring's main stone is Dumortierite like the stones in the bracelet that I featured earlier. The ring is also Swarovski pearls and crystals. And of course Sterling Silver.

The aqua ring is all Swarovski crystals and Sterling Silver. Boy, does it sparkle. And I really like the composition.

Labradorite is the stone in the next ring. Do you see the flash of color, the iridescensce? It's one of my favorite stones. The stone seems to glow. Love it!

Smokey Quartz is the main stone in the last ring. I added a touch of Tigers Eye and Swarovski Pearls and Crystals.

I am so enjoying these rings. They are difficult to photograph. But I found those lovely roses hold them up pretty well!

So, which ring do you like best?

Surprise Flowers

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Yesterday the UPS man brought my package. Only it wasn't the package of jewelry making supplies that I expected. Instead it was a box from ProFlowers. It wasn't my birthday or any special day. I had no clue who it could have been from. In fact, my first thought was that it was delivered to the wrong house.

But no, my name was actually on the box! So I opened the package to find 24 beautiful roses. Oh they are lovely!

What was even better was the note. It was from my son, Jonathan. He just wanted to say that he loves me and looks forward to seeing me soon! Isn't that wonderful?!

Oh, the Lord has blessed me in so many ways. And one of them is my son. Thank you, Jonathan, and thank you Lord, for blessing me this way!

Colored Leaves

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:21:00 +0000

I love this pattern! And I fell in love with this fabric when I found it. It is a Robert Kaufman fabric. Glorious colored leaves with surprises of blue! And then the brown has gazelles and leopards. How fun is that? And this purse just begged for a lot of bling.

This pattern includes so many nice features. It has a zippered top that opens nice and wide. It also has an inside zippered pocket and a pocket designed for a cell phone. I added two more pockets and a hook for my keys. It's just right for me and I love using it this fall! The pattern is designed by Monica Poole and is her "Sophia" pattern.

Matt took some pictures of me with my fabulous handbag. My friends' sweet baby was with us at the time. She just couldn't resist crawling up to me and touching the bag. We kept putting her close to Matt and he would begin to take the picture again and she'd scoot back up the hill. She's in most of the pictures. Oh, how cute she is. Totally loveable.

I suppose it just won't work for me to carry this during the winter. Oh no... guess I'll have to use some of the gorgeous Christmas fabric out there! LOL.

Blue Jean Bracelet

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Aren't these gorgeous stones? I love the blue color...it would look great with jeans, but is so lovely that it can be dressy too. The ovals are Dumortierite. This stone was named for Eugene Dumortier (1803-1873) who was a French paleontologist. It was first found in the mountains of France. Now it is mined in several parts of the world, even Nevada.

I have paired the dumortierite with lustrous blue pearls. The sterling silver beads and toggle complete the bracelet.

Yet another creation that I would love to keep. I make each piece of jewelry to be the quality that I would want and I think, in so doing, I become attached. But, I must admit, I so enjoy seeing others wearing my labors of love!

Mt Airy Festival

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:33:00 +0000

What a beautiful day we had on Saturday for displaying at the Mt Airy Festival! Here are photos of our display. My wonderful husband and I had the joy of working together all day. It was great to meet the lovely people of Mt Airy. And we made some sales! Lots of brochures were handed out. All in all it was a successful day.

Special thanks to the great people at Patches Quilting and Sewing shop for allowing us to set up on their front lawn! These are really sweet people and it's a fantastic shop. If you haven't been there before, you should stop by.

If all outdoor festivals had weather this nice, I think we would do a lot of them! But, we still enjoy the home showings the most. If you would like to have a private showing in your home, just let me know!

Cheetah Handbag

janine@gentlespiritcreations.com (Janine) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Someone told me that once you make one handbag, you become addicted and you can't stop. I'm beginning to believe it!

I decided to try making a bag out of microsuede. It feels so soft and looks like leather. It's a little harder to sew, but it wasn't too bad. The animal print has a subtle metallic gold running through it. And the black part is shiny. I like the way it turned out.

Except the bag is a little too small for all the stuff that I carry. This seems to be a problem of mine. I guess I need to try carrying less stuff. But its like throwing things away. Every time I get into a cleaning fit and toss things, I want them later! So, I try to carry less in my bag, but....

Matt said this bag looks like something I could have bought in a store. I think he meant it as a compliment, but I want the bags I make to be more special than something I could buy at Target. Maybe if I add rhinestones or something.

Well, I'm already cutting out another purse. Help...I'm addicted!