Well it took us a while to get it all organized but after asking my customers what they really wanted most, as a change for Julleen Jewels on Etsy, before Christmas this year, it was to go “Free Shopping Globally”.
My Aussie customers have had this little luxury for a few months now and so with exciting news, from the best couriers around, Sendle! delivering Internationally, this was exactly the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.
Here’s to fun shopping on Julleen Jewels on Etsy with totally free Shipping!
Happy is the girl who wears a pearl. No argument here, most girls prefer a pearl earring to any other earring on the planet. It is the most popular organic gem in the world besides diamonds. Pearls highlight the skin and suit just about anyone who wears them. A pearl stud earring immediately adds style, grace and class to anyone wearing it and it makes you feel and look fabulous every minute of the day.
Besides the white pearl stud earring we have some stunning colours including pink, black, bronze and aqua! for someone who wants a variation of the look.
One of my favourite models Nikki, wears a pearl stud to perfection, seen here making us all feel the happiness.
Bronze Pearl Jewellery has always been quite rare but I find when I make it people just love it. Over many years there has been a real following for this charming colour pearl. It really is from the black pearl variety yet also has gold tones to it, that are so vibrant and alive you would swear it comes from gold based pearls. As with most of the unusual colours, it has a mixture of hues that create a rich Copper and Bronze pearl.
They seem to have a type of renaissance feel to them and I find many artists and those who appreciate art, just adore the warm glows that bronze freshwater pearls create. As an designer I love adding a contrasting gemstone Bead like the Blue of Lapis or the Green in Jade and orange of Coral and the bright blue of Turquoise – just to be a little different from the rest!
The mabe or blister pearl is an ancient method of pearl harvesting. The stunning effect created, looks like half a huge pearl. However it is a blister created by the oyster with the help of man (cultured pearling).
Mabe
mabes
Pearl Oyster Mantle
Pearl Lab Girl
To form a Mabe or blister pearl, a small base usually a dome or in some instances, tiny figures like the above Buddhas, are placed delicately on the shell of the oyster or mussel, rather than within the fleshy part, of the shell creature, as in cultivating or even finding natural full pearls. The irritation acts exactly the same as that of the creation of solid pearl. The intruder soon gathers nacreous layers, (pearl surface). The result is the nacre produced looks like a blister. The blisters are painstakingly removed and delicately mounted on half domes with backs hidden and then sheathed with a Mother of Pearl base for it to sit before adding to jewellery. This cultured pearl dome or the Buddhas are complete. Voila! the Mabe is BORN.
There are nautilus mabes, seen in the ring and green oval pendant below and mabes left in their own bezel. There are colourful mabes, pink, golds, greens and blues, sometimes a grey one if you can find it and of course white mabes and even blacks, that I have set over many years.
If you are on the look out for some two tone pearl earrings in Black and White I think you’ll be pleased to see my new collection on my Etsy Store. Not only do these pearl earrings look completely different from the average online or shopping Mall jewellery stores, the quality of each earring is just top drawer and the shelf life for them is ongoing. These beauties are made to last for as long as you want to wear them and that could mean a mighty long time.
I just love making pieces for special people and Maggie Dent is pretty special to many Aussie families who love her approach to bringing up children, author of Some Things About Boys and many others, Maggie loves her pearl jewellery and when commissioned to make a white pearl necklace with bright blue I hopped to it. Maggie wanted a piece she could wear often. Here is the result.
If you would like a Julleen mabe necklace – follow this link
As an artist I can get quite messy with components spread across my work bench as I try to create a design that I see in my head. Finding that all important component or detail, can be quite the driving force. This energy for me is used, to perfect my craft and therefore the design. Someone asked me today how did you even think of that design? We were talking about the Julleen Pearled Egg. This isn’t the first time I have been asked this but the answer is, at some point I have been shown something that inspires me. It can be anything. A Fried Egg perhaps?
At one time I just couldn't source any Mabe Bezel Pearls, (see left pic below). I found this so frustrating and so here is a prime example how "necessity can turn into invention" and can help an artist create! Going back to the egg, I must have fried thousands of eggs in my life time but I can't recollect that it was a trigger, it was just that I saw my new design in my head one day, which pushed me to mount a Mabe Pearl into a Sterling Silver base which seemingly looked like a fried egg. I began drawing my Julleen jewelled egg and from there more detail was required to make it stand out from the crowd.(there's that 2018 term again) I wanted a hand beaten base and made a variegated bail to support the pendant and then I easily created the matching earring. It's over a decade later and someone today fell completely in love with my pearled Mabe Egg design all over again. This isn't then end - oh no! After my designer pendants were produced by my wonderful silver smiths, I then had to set them onto a necklace. Building a pearl and gemstone necklace around the Pendant is the next step in the overall creation and then choosing what components to be placed where, along the neckline. Choosing the long spacers so the neck looks slimmer is another detail that is often forgotten and getting the balance just "so-so" and then deciding on the right clasp, is all part of the designer process. Much thought and many details can make something very special.
It's all in the details folks and those details will pay off in the end.It may take people a while to catch up but if you make something creative and unique someone at some stage will recognise your hard work and passion.
For nearly twenty years I have been saying that original pearl jewellery designs matter. I have been making the “one of” pearl jewellery pieces, for as long as I have designing and manufacturing. It seems that finally individuals are looking for more ways to stand out from the crowd. Everyone wants to be unique and so at last we seem to be getting braver and want to wear things that are not mass produced. This idea sits well with me. The beauty of having a custom made item of jewellery, shows you are as unique as the design you are wearing. My slogan for Julleen Pearl Jewellery is “As Individual as You”! It actually means so much.
The luckiest clients I have are on Etsy right now as that’s my e-store that showcases my one’s of. I may repeat a design once it’s sold but you can definitely be sure that what you buy in my Etsy store is unique and the quality will be top notch. https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/JulleenJewels
A client returned a necklace for service today. Some of the components had been lost after it had broken. Luckily for my client she knows the designer and so she asked me for help to mend the item she loved so much. See if you can spot the difference.
Just love the TV series, “Who Do You Think You Are” which traces your family’s ancestry and I discovered a real treat yesterday, Noni Hazlehurst, one of Australia’s best loved actors, wearing a Julleen style Black Triple Layer Pearl Earring in Sterling Silver. You will find the actual earring on my store on Etsy. To purchase this gorgeous style- click the link below.
Recently I went on holiday to Amsterdam with my mother and we are both lovers of pearl jewellery. You may see here my mother’s natural creamy pink pearls. She wears them every single day. I on the other hand wear a pearl bracelet and pearl earrings and ring every single day. Thought this a lovely shot to share.
Just in case you are on the hunt for some pretty pink pearl jewellery. I have just the place ….
