Some of my favorite beads, part 1

I love gemstone rough (the form in which the gemstones are found in nature) - I thought I'd share a few of my favorite beads, along with pics of their rough:

Aventurine:

aventurine beads

aventurine rough

Fire agate:

fire agate focal bead

fire agate rough

Kyanite:

kyanite beads

kyanite rough

Hope you enjoy! I'll be back tomorrow with Part 2 of my Favorite Beads.

The matching earrings...

I also made some matching earrings for my BSBP ensemble, to go with my new bracelet.

These earrings are made with faceted aventurine and Vintaj Natural Brass findings.

Sometimes it takes me awhile to get a project completed, since something always seems to be interfering with my jewelry designing - but I eventually get there!

A Matching Bracelet for my long ago BSBP necklace

Remember all the way back to last year's BSBP (Bead Soup Blog Party)?

This is the necklace I created with my bead soup:

I like this necklace, but I almost feel naked if I don't wear bracelets, so I finally got around to making a bracelet to go with this piece:

This bracelet has the keishe pearls and glass from the necklace, button pearls, more faceted aventurine plus some faceted green fire agate, some brown freshwater pearls, and more of the turquoise-colored seed beads from the bead soup. I used Vintaj Natural Brass findings, chain, etc. and wound some green sari ribbon through the larger chain. I love this bracelet!

I hand-forged the toggle from Vintaj Natural Brass wire.

And that's not all I made to go with the necklace....