Follow Elena Adams on her jewelry adventures. www.elena-adams.com
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jul 6th, 2010
If you’ve been keeping up with my chain maille videos, you will have seen the double helix chain instructions. It’s one of my favorites, and when you wind two strands together they form a thick rope. When I was teaching classes at The Bead Shop one of my popular sessions was hand-making small amounts of [...]
Posted in How To Make Jewelry Video, Jewelry News on Jun 29th, 2010
It’s time for a more challenging weave! Full Persian is a really tricky one to start – a higher aspect ratio leaves lots of room at first, making it harder to tell how to hold it and where to connect your rings. It’s a good idea to develop a collection of “starter sets” – keep [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jun 18th, 2010
This long-strand necklace was really therapeutic to make. Normally making chain is a lot like knitting, in that I can just sit down and go for hours, but I always need to pay a little attention here and there, counting rings, checking symmetries and so on. This necklace formed very organically. Most jump ring lovers [...]
Posted in How To Make Jewelry Video, Jewelry News on May 28th, 2010
I find the easiest way to learn anything new is to figure out how it relates to something you already know and then learn the differences. It applies to a lot of things, but especially so to chain making. If you’ve had a chance to look at my Byzantine tutorial, you’re going to find Queen’s [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on May 7th, 2010
When I first learned how to make full Persian chain maille, I could not get over how flexible it was. The chain can easily make tight coils, and it feel spectacularly fluid. Of course my first response to learning a new weave is seeing how tiny or delicate I can get away with designing in, [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Apr 9th, 2010
It has been HOT in California during the last couple of week. There’s no longer any doubt that spring is here, and it feel like we might even be in for a very long summer. I’ve already started digging through the back of my closet looking for last summer’s outfits and can’t wait to get [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Mar 20th, 2010
Each summer, one look reappears without fail: the all white outfit. This crisp look just screams hot days by the ocean and has always been associated with affluence. Think back and the upper classes have always had the luxury of wearing white – workers were unable to keep it clean, so it has come to [...]
Posted in How To Make Jewelry Video, Jewelry News on Mar 9th, 2010
I have a brand new video for you. Learn how to make the beautiful spiral chain maille, which makes a gorgeous accessory for any jewelry lover. Once you get the trick of this weave, it’s simple and fast to make, and can be modified and added to lots of different jewelry designs. Get the ingredients [...]
Posted in Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News, Other Announcements on Mar 5th, 2010
Enter coupon code shop20 on the first page of the shopping cart and get 20% off until Monday, March 8th 12pm pst. Start shopping at Elena Adams Designs for 20% off the entire range of jewelry, including brand new necklaces and earrings, as well as pieces from the Signature Collection. Getting married? Get 20% off [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Feb 13th, 2010
Black and white is one of those hot color combinations that will always be in style. Strong, graphic prints and rock & roll edges will be a show-stopper every time.In a fashion world of color, sometimes stripping down to the strong lines and mixed textures of this color duo can be a real surprise. Pleats [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jan 2nd, 2010
Believe it or not, this necklace started life as a bracelet. I’d been playing with a new chain maille bracelet design a while back, but I was unsatisfied with how open the 4-1 European weave turned out. After working on the charity necklace, which used a more densely packed 6-1 version, I thought I’d just [...]
Posted in Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News, Marketing and Web Design on Dec 7th, 2009
Help a child this season, by contributing to Child’s Play. Created by the writers of Penny Arcade, Child’s Play aims to improve the lives of sick children by providing toys and games to hospitals. With nearly 70 partner hospitals, it’s a wonderfully direct way to spread some cheer. Make the holidays a little brighter for [...]
Posted in Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Aug 31st, 2009
The auction has begun! Head over to eBay for product details of the Sterling Silver Chain Maille Necklace, inspired by Melissa Mercier. Bidding closes September 7th. All proceeds go to NARSAD for depression and schizophrenia research.
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Aug 24th, 2009
I think I’m done! I’m going to start photographing and spend some time looking at it. It’s one of those projects that’s gone on long enough that I’m never entirely sure it’s done. I’ve made quite a few changes to what I had initially thought I would. I’ve stripped it down a lot, which I [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Aug 2nd, 2009
Life has a terrible habit of getting in the way of things. I’ve finally had a chance to make some more progress on the charity project. I figured out a way to attach the chain maille segment to the sterling silver plate. My main concern way being able to attach it in such a way [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Jul 25th, 2009
I’m feeling a little stuck on the design. I now have most of the base chain done. Not all the beads are on, because I still may modify the overall shape. I have some ideas for attaching the silver plate to the chain discretely: I think I can punch some holes and overlap the two [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Jul 20th, 2009
Nasty, hot and sweaty days can make the idea of wearing a bracelet or necklace sound quite uncomfortable – textured chains can irritate already unhappy skin, and big metal cuffs trap the heat. What are some things you can do to cut down on summer discomfort, without losing your fashionable edge? Avoid really heavy necklaces [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Jul 12th, 2009
Here are some early design notes. I’m using European 6-1 because I think the heavy density of the chain reflects to mood of the image well. Laying everything out like this is something I do regularly when I’m getting into a design. I start by gathering or creating some of the core design components, then [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jul 6th, 2009
Here’s the first set of my notes. As you may know, I tend to design as I go, so plotting the piece out in advance is an exciting challenge for me. The first thing I’ve done is identified the important features of the image that I want to capture in the jewelry design. I’m still [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jun 29th, 2009
This is one of my all time best sellers. I tend to create one-off pieces but everyone loves this necklace, and I adore the raw garnet. Having sold one recently, I’m remaking it and thought I’d show off some of the process. The stones always vary so I create it from the center out to [...]
