Follow Elena Adams on her jewelry adventures. www.elena-adams.com
Posted in Jewelry News on Jul 27th, 2010
Crisp, fresh green peridot is so pretty, which works beautifully with lots of other colors. It easily transitions from spring to fall palette and is the birthstone for August. Pronounced “peh-ree-doh”, it is widely mined throughout the world, including in USA, Australia, Brazil, China, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. It is a variety of Olivine, and [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Jul 13th, 2010
For those of you that don’t know it, Polyvore is a site for creating fashion-themed collages. Brands, designers and users can bookmark clothing, shoes and accessories from the internet, and then users can create little showcases for blogs and other media. I’ve used it a few times to show how to wear some of my [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Jul 2nd, 2010
It seems that the better you know someone the more trouble you have finding just the right gift. I get into a ball of stress every year trying to find something meaningful for my sister, but every now and then I hit on an idea that works out beautifully, if I do say so myself. [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Jun 25th, 2010
I love that one of my all-time favorite gemstones is my birthstone! Ruby, the red version of blue sapphire, is one of the top precious stones, along with sapphire, diamond and emerald. An incredibly popular stone, beading-grade ruby is nearly always dyed, to produced a stunning, but opaque, finish. Natural rubies are commonly mined in [...]
Posted in Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News on Jun 21st, 2010
On Saturday I hit San Francisco for the Thread indie designer showcase. There was such a spectacular range of creators, super high energy, great music and even a central fashion show. I thought I’d post a handful of photos I snapped throughout the day. You know how addicted to chain I am, so of course [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Mar 7th, 2010
I don’t often use carnelian. I love the color, but I rarely wear anything that works with orange so it doesn’t occur to me to try it. These slave earrings were simple, but fun to make. I haven’t made any slave earrings in a while, so I started digging through my component container for ideas, [...]
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 Feb 4th, 2010
Every designer hits a creative road block from time to time. It’s common to look back and realize you’ve created four pairs of earrings with essentially the same design in mind, and looking for new ideas seems almost impossible. I love making jewelry, but I’m no different. Here are some things I do to get [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Jan 15th, 2010
Feeling like your accessories need a refresher? Try these tips to breathe new life into necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Try Your Necklaces as Chunky, Multi-Strand Bracelets Choose necklaces with lobster clasps and extender chains for easier latching. Wear your new “bracelet” a little loose to avoid tight bunching where the strands cross over to clasp, [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News, Other Announcements on Jan 9th, 2010
Every summer, the whole world gets excited about the color of turquoise, and this year, Pantone has announced that it expects it to be the hot color for 2010. It’s always fresh and pairs perfectly with both silver and gold, and works to brighten up almost any color palette. In fine jewelry, untreated turquoise is [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on Oct 19th, 2009
As much as I love summer weather, fall and winter have so much more to offer in the fashion department. Unless you’re a size 0, or can still cute in a baby doll dress, summer can be a harsh mistress. Bring on winter, with hefty, tailored coats, structured skirts, and full-impact boots. This year make [...]
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 News on May 25th, 2009
Slave earrings are one of my favorite pieces of jewelry to wear and design, but just how are they worn? Slave earrings are sold as a pair – one stud or regular-looking earring, and a similar earring with a slave cuff or post. The long piece attaches at the top of the ear as pictured. [...]
Posted in Jewelry News on May 25th, 2009
Earrings come in all lengths, shapes and sizes. A big trend in the 80′s that resurfaced during the 90′s was wearing “shoulder dusters” that hung so far pass the shoulder, the wearer was at risk of losing an ear to a passing bus. Thankfully that look has subsided for now and earrings are back to [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Apr 13th, 2009
I love these flower charms! Delicate etching and a slight patina add great depth to them. I found these large amethyst briolettes over the weekend: they have great color and beautiful fractures inside the stones reflect the light. I wanted to make earrings with a cluster of gems, so I laid out the charms and [...]
Posted in Jewelry & Design Events, Jewelry News, Other Announcements on Mar 16th, 2009
Never lose another earring again. We’ve all done it at some point: you’re out for the day when a helpful friend or sales assistant points out you’re an earring short. On the best days, it’s caught in your hair or collar, but more than likely it’s gone for good. Heavy earrings, posts and leverback stay [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Mar 8th, 2009
Multiple strands of mismatched chain are always a fun start to an earring design. They add a lot of texture and length, without too much bulk. Gemstones can easily be wrapped to them to add splashes of color, so that the silver still takes center stage. To these earrings I added my “jewelry signature”: a [...]
Posted in Designing Jewelry, Jewelry News on Mar 2nd, 2009
I’ve been building up a good slave earring collection in the last few months. “Slave Earrings” is one of my most successful keyword searches on Google and they’re definitely my best sellers. I’ve been adding a lot of single strand earrings like these Sterling Silver Malachite Slave Earrings with Butterfly Charms, so I thought it [...]
Posted in Jewelry News, Marketing and Web Design on Feb 23rd, 2009
What happens between the time you make a purchase and it arrives at your door? Firstly, I send you an email thanking you for the sale and giving an estimate of when your order will ship. You should also receive a notice from PayPal telling you you sent money, but I think a personal touch [...]
