Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design

I actually fused these pieces together about a month ago, but didn’t get around to doing anything more with them until today. I used sterling silver to create a unique wire wrap for each one.  These are listed in Etsy and in my store.

I found these really pretty fossilized coral beads about 2 months ago, and have been just letting them sit around on my beading table until I had some sort of idea. This morning I decided to use copper wire, some small copper beads, and Swarovski crystals and came up with this design. I think I will also do another one, with a different design, using silver wire.  This piece is also in my store.

I recently bought some gorgeous Suchow jade beads, and finally got around to making some new pieces. I’m not really sure what Suchow jade really is, but I got the idea (from googling around) that it might not be real jade. Well, whatever it is, it sure is pretty. Reminds me of raspberry ice and limeade…..

Suchow jade and ruby bracelet

Suchow jade necklace

Here is the wire wrapped pendant:

  These pieces are also in my store

I was recently at a special education conference in Anchorage (in my spare time, I’m an occupational therapist in the school system—oh wait—that’s my real job…jewelry is in my spare time…I forgot)

Well, anyway, at this conference I met Casey Wade Bitz who, along with his family, collects beach glass in southeast Alaska. I love beach glass and immediately had to buy a small bag of it. Here is a pendant that I made from one of the pieces.

I love stone pendants, and will purposely seek them out when I’m at a bead store, or (heaven forbid) a rock and gemstone show. This is a jasper pendant that has swirls of gray, rust, and cream. I liked the idea of using a copper wire decorative wrap, and added a few crystals and copper beads as well.