Yup, its been FOREVER!

Life and health ran over me...

• I am back UP and creating new designs!
• I WILL be adding a section for you to purchase new strands that I am creating.  This will be up and running as soon as I get a chance.  Hilarious since I'm a stay-at-home Mom to 6 and 4 year old little (beautiful) girls.  Be patient with me please.
• I am proud to announce a partnership with Calla Lily Boutique and Designs (http://www.callalilyboutiqueanddesigns.com) to provide chic boutique clothing with custom created strands at incredibly affordable prices.  

I am so very excited!  I hope that you'll love what is yet to come...Stay Tuned!

* Currently I am not taking orders for custom strands.

Happy Birthday Jody!

I am perpetually shocked about my success with Makings By Bee!

I don't say that (and continue to repeat) for sympathy or encouragement...I am sincerely shocked!

This accidental business continues to be one of the biggest surprises in my life! 

If someone told me 10+ years ago that I'd start my own small business, design jewelry and have some success - I would have laughed my face off!

I have always liked jewelry but I've never been a girly girl.

I had different dreams and ambitions for my career, God had another plan.

Makings By Bee has been more fulfilling than any career ambitions I had planned for myself.

After Makings By Bee was up and running, I started (and continue) to donate strands to groups and organizations to assist with fundraisers.  Using my talent, time and supplies to "give back" is one small way to show my gratitude for this blessing while "paying it forward."

I donated the necklace pictured below to "The Women of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Franklin TN" group for a December 2014 fundraiser.  The St. Paul's parishioner who won/purchased the necklace gifted it to her daughter-in-law.

5 months later, I received an e-mail inquiry from Jody about how to purchase a necklace from Makings By Bee.  Jody is friends with the family who bought (and gifted) my donated necklace.  Once Jody saw the necklace in person, she wanted to own a Makings By Bee original strand for herself.  The part of this story that surprises me is that Jody asked for a necklace for her birthday .  For someone who talks A LOT, this rendered me speechless.  

Jody was interested in a piece that had similar elements to the donation necklace, pictured above.  As I tout, each piece is 100% unique due to the vintage and antique elements that I incorporate into every necklace so I couldn't replicate initial necklace.  Two elements that Jody wanted were: a section of pearl chain and a ring in the front.  I could fulfill that request!  The final result of Jody's unique strand is pictured and described below.

Thank you Jody for including me in the celebration of your birthday, I am truly honored!

• 28” combination chain.  9” 1950s Japanese glass “pearl” chain.  14” vintage, silver, twisted link chain.  5” antique silver rolo chain.  Chain is completed with a large lobster clasp in the back. 
• Rare, signed, vintage (1950-1970) Tacoa brooch attached to antique bronze hammered ring.  Circles in jewelry, especially rings, symbolize eternity, which means there is no end.   A circle is often worn to symbolize eternal love. Just as you cannot find the beginning and ending of the circle in a pendant, love has no beginning or end. 
•  Antique skeleton key.  “Keys have always been endowed with a certain sort of magic.  They have the power to reveal things that were unknown or obscured before.  Even the word ‘key’ means a tool that opens physical, intellectual, or spiritual barriers.  A key can give access to riches and treasure, or it might keep safe closely guarded secrets, as in the legend of Pandora’s Box.  Locks and keys can also be used to protect one’s most valued belongings or to secure the gates of a walled city, so having a key is both a symbol of trust and conquest. Back in the day, keys were used as a means to flaunt your wealth, as they indicated you had something worth stealing. Metaphorically, a key can expand knowledge.”  Keys in jewelry are also used to symbolize ideas such as the “KEY to one's heart”, the “KEY of life”, hard work is the “KEY of success”, etc. 
• Vintage brass dog charm with a Southwest Indian design.
• Silver toned metal guitar pendant. 
  

• Vintage blue mother-of-pearl disk.  “Mother of Pearl is a stone of protection and brings the gentle healing power of the sea.  It is a stress relieving stone; relaxing, soothing and calming to the emotions.  Mother of Pearl stimulates our intuition, imagination, sensitivity and adaptability.  It helps our emotions become more harmonious and balanced and enables you to more easily express feelings of love.  Mother of Pearl is also known to provide clarity in decision making and is helpful for endurance, organization and for home life.” 
• Vintage Cloisonné pendant.  Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects.  The earliest surviving examples are six 13th-century BC Mycenaean rings. The technique reached its peak in the West during the Byzantine Empire. 
• 2 Vintage freshwater pearls.  Pearls are the “stone of sincerity,” known to alleviate emotional imbalances, enhance personal integrity, wisdom and assist emotional expression.  Specifically, white pearls are a symbol faith, innocence and of a pure heart and mind. 
• Vintage quartz crystal bead.  Quartz crystal is the most common stone on the planet.  Quartz is a power stone and known to some as the “universal stone.”  Quartz is a stone of clarity which dispels negativity and clears away negative energy. It can be used to purify and clarify on the spiritual, mental, and physical planes. 
• Hammered antique copper heart pendant.  Copper is elemental in nature and is said to promote love, sensuality, friendship, negotiations and peace.  Copper is known to Shamans and Healers as a metal that balances the body’s polarities, thereby removing blockages which are responsible for illness or imbalance. Copper is healing for the mind, body and spirit. 
• Blue quartz, Swarovski-type, faceted bead.  This rich blue coloring is used to represent a sapphire, September’s birthstone.
• Vintage 925 sterling silver heart charm with rhinestones.  Silver, elemental in nature, is a symbol of strength.  It fosters hope, meditation and unconditional love.  The rhinestones on the heart stand in representation of diamonds, April’s birthstone.

 

Floral Statement Necklace--now on Etsy!

The Floral Statement Necklace is now on Etsy! Snag it before someone else does!

This Cream and Gold 5 Chain Necklace is stunning and elegant. Bonus? The brooch is removeable, so you can add in other favorite pins for more looks!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/221677620/cream-and-gold-5-chain-flower-brooch

Unique and Elegant Christmas Beauties

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind Christmas present for a loved one, here are 6 options available for purchase.  
Grab them before they are gone!

Send me a message at: makingsbybee@gmail.com for purchase information.

Floral Statement

The ultimate statement piece!  Sheer elegance in every possible way!  This necklace perfectly dresses up a plain shirt and looks stunning with a little black dress.  In addition to elegance, this necklace is dripping with a rich history by using lots of vintage and antique elements.

·          Layers of cream sheer fabric layered together to create a flower.  This “flower” was created by a Franklin TN resident and purchased in a Downtown Franklin boutique.  I added a layer of vintage looking lace and burned silk to top off the flower.  The final adornment is a gold-tone brooch from the 1950s with an aurora borealis glass rhinestone in the center.  This brooch was purchased at The Factory Antiques store in Franklin TN.

·          Extending from the flower are 5 chains:

o    12” petite gold metal chain.

o    14” vintage 1950s Japanese glass pearl chain.  The glass pearls each have a unique look due to the aging process along with nicks that mark the passage of time.  I have treated the strand to slow and protect the aging process, 17” vintage leather cord, 20” antique bronze rolo chain, 23” Vintage 1960s gold chain and 5” vintage gold metal flat chain.

·          The chains are connected to a divider bar on the back of the flower to the clasp at the end to prevent tangles.  The necklace is completed with a gold toggle clasp in the back.
AVAILABLE - SEE ETSY LISTING

I Love Glass…and Class

This simple, yet complex necklace delivers a promise to match everything.  “Fix it and forget it” said the infomercial.  The same goes with this necklace, fasten and forget.  The short chain creates a romantic look with surprising asymmetrical features.

·         Vintage petite 17” Figaro silver chain completed with a traditional lobster clasp in the back.

·         Antique 1950s or earlier chandelier glass marquise-cut crystal.   The crystal has been wired to the chain to prevent sliding.  Quartz crystal is the most common stone on the planet.  Quartz is a power stone and known to some as the “universal stone.”  Quartz is a stone of clarity which dispels negativity and clears away negative energy. It can be used to purify and clarify on the spiritual, mental, and physical planes. It is powerfully protective because of these properties.

·         Hung asymmetrically on the right side:

·         Vintage rhinestone and silver earring turned pendant.

o    Cluster created using vintage sterling silver beads, rectangular freshwater pearl in a pink hue, “peacock” colored small glass pearl and 3 tiny freshwater pearls.  Pearls are a symbol faith, innocence and of a pure heart and mind.  Silver is an elemental metal said to foster hope, meditation and unconditional love.
$50.00 

SOLD

                                                       I can make another one that is similar

Antique Bronze and Pearls²

Antique bronze is a soft colored, trendy metal that mixes and matches with most anything.  This elegantly simple, double strand necklace is a perfect wardrobe accessory for all seasons and occasions.  Removable tassel allows wearer to customize necklace for specific occasions.

·          26” Japanese vintage glass pearl and petite antique bronze chain.  This authentic chain was created in Japan in 1950s.  The age of the chain allows for an elegant vintage look complete with patina and inconsistent wear.  The shorter chain is handcrafted combining vintage antique bronze rings with sections of antique brass oval chain.  Necklace is completed with a traditional lobster clasp in the back.  Pearls are a symbol faith, innocence and of a pure heart and mind.

·          Hanging from the longer chain is a custom created tassel.

·          The tassel is attached to the necklace using a lobster clasp so it can be removed for a simpler look.

o    The tassel begins with an antique bronze decorated bead cap.

o    Within the bead cap are 12 petite antique bronze chains.  The petite chains create an elegant look with beautiful movement.

$70.00  $60.00

SOLD

     I can make another one that is similar

Softer, Silver Statement

The “softer” statement piece.  This is a throw-back concept for me, I miss the days when women wore corsages.  Elegant works of nature carefully propped on the left side of a woman’s Sunday finest.   This necklace easily, delicately and artfully fits the bill. 

 Do not wait until Sunday to wear this beauty, you’ll be amazed at how it compliments any attire. 

·          Layers of burned cream silk and vintage looking lace, sewn together to create a “flower.”  At center of each flower is a rhinestone beauty.  The upper flower uses a vintage earring made of silver metal, rhinestones and pearl.  A lovely and unique piece.  The lower flower contains an antique 1950s rhinestone earring. The combined flowers create a unique, feminine look with a rich history.

·          Extending from the flower are 3 chains:

o    18” vintage sterling silver petite box chain.  Silver is an elemental metal. It fosters hope, meditation and unconditional love.

o    15” antique silver carved chain.

o    12” hand crafted chain using petite silver chain with vintage freshwater pearls.  Pearls are the “stone of sincerity,” known to alleviate emotional imbalances, enhance personal integrity, wisdom and assist emotional expression.  White pearls are a symbol faith, innocence and of a pure heart and mind.

·          The chains are connected to a divider bar on the back of the flower to the clasp at the end to prevent tangles.  The necklace is completed with a vintage silver magnetic clasp.
$85.00   $80.00

SOLD

     I can make another one that is similar

Purely Eternal 

A combination of a “pure” quartz pendant surrounded by a large asymmetrical ring completed with smaller rings and pearls produces “Purely Eternal,” an elegant necklace that looks great with everything and delivers a steady stream of compliments.

 

·  28” chain: 24” of delicate and feminine raw antique bronze chain.  4’ comprised of two sizes of vintage antique bronze circles.  Two circles contain vintage Swarovski crystals and one contains a vintage freshwater pearl.  Chain finished with toggle clasp.

·          Large asymmetrical antique bronze ring. 

Represents the unbroken circle of eternity.

·          Large Quartz pendant.  Quartz crystals are said to be the most versatile and multipurpose healing stone.  It is known as the "power stone" or "universal crystal" due to its many uses.

·          Hanging asymmetrically, my signature style, is a grouping of: 3 vintage glass pearls and 3 champagne colored glass pearls.  Pearls are the “stone of sincerity,” known to alleviate emotional imbalances, enhance personal integrity, signifies faith and assist emotional expression.  Pearl is June’s birthstone.

$65.00   $60.00 - SOLD

“Give me some tassel!”

This double strand black and silver necklace is a stunning beauty!  The removable tassel allows the wearer to have a custom necklace for all occasions.

·         28” handcrafted chain comprised of sections of antique silver chain with hand wired vintage black glass beads with vintage silver beads.  Hanging loosely from the sections of chain are vintage gunmetal glass beads.  The shorter chain is 25” of vintage black chain.  Necklace is completed with a toggle clasp in the back.

·         Hanging from the longer chain is a custom created tassel.

o    The tassel is attached to the necklace using a lobster clasp so it can be removed for a softer look.

o    The tassel begins with a vintage gray glass rhinestone on top of a vintage tulip bead cap.

o    Within the bead cap are 18 chains in vintage black and hammered silver chain.  A very full and elegant look with beautiful movement.
$75.00  $65.00