Get the Look - Zoe Saldana's Oscar Earrings

Zoe Saldana's Gorgeous Neil Lane Earrings

I've admitted before that I never watch the Oscars.  I'm only interested in what everybody wore, and I can find all of that online after the event.  So maybe that's my excuse for why I'm writing a post about the Oscars this far after the occasion...

At any rate, I did do my annual web-crawl to check out all the lovely gowns and gorgeous jewelry, and I was entirely taken with Zoe Saldana's shoulder-duster earrings by Neil Lane.  Yes, please!  I love dangley earrings, and the diamonds and pearls were so classic!  So, as is post-Oscar tradition, I have made my own version of my favorite piece of jewelry.  In fact, I've done them in two colors.

Much Ado Earrings in Down the Aisle

Much Ado Earrings in After Party

These are my Much Ado Earrings in Down the Aisle (bridal-appropriate white and crystal) and After Party (out-on-the-town-appropriate gunmetal and black diamond).  I used SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal channel chain and lovely faux pear shaped pearls in my earrings.  I got a very similar look to Zoe's original earrings, and they're actually quite simple to make - bonus!

-Megan

Get the Look - Anna Paquin's Oscar Earrings!

Did you watch the Oscars last weekend?  I have to admit, I didn't.  In fact, I never do.  But I do go online and check out what everyone was wearing the next day quite faithfully.  The gowns and jewelry are the best part!

Out of all of the amazing things I saw when I looked through the style boards this week, my favorite piece of jewelry was easily Anna Paquin's art deco style earrings.

Hers are gorgeous and glittery, set with what must surely be precious stones.  But, I thought to myself, a similar look could easily be achieved with bead weaving.  Miyuki delica seed beads come in some of the most amazing colors.  Julie and I drool over them on a regular basis.  What better way to showcase some of these beads than by weaving them into bold color blocks?  The result will be just as colorful, and will still have a great shine and sparkle!

I've just started working on my take on these earrings.  I can't wait to see how they turn out.  I'll be sure to update this post when they're finished.  Keep an eye out for them on our free projects page!

*UPDATE*
Here are my Deco Darling Earrings, which were inspired by Anna's beautiful earrings.  You can find the supplies and instructions here.


-Megan

Get the Look - Shambhala Bracelets

Diamond encrusted bracelet by Shamballa Jewels

Have you been seeing shambhala bracelets everywhere? I know I have!

On Princess Mary of Denmark! (Source)

On Celebrities Like Paris Hilton (Source)

Shambhala bracelets were originally inspired by ancient Tibetan prayer bracelets, but they have come a long way.  The basic style is a cord bracelet with macrame knotting and features some type of bead tied into the knot work.  From the inexpensive gift shop variety made out of plastic to top of the line luxury versions made with diamond encrusted beads, this style of bracelet is certainly hot.


The high end shambhala bracelets, like this one by Shamballa Jewels, available at London Jewelers, are gorgeous but can come with a hefty price tag.  If, like me, you'd prefer to reserve your life savings for, oh, a nice condominium somewhere, you can get this look for much less.  Follow our step-by-step Shambhala Bracelet Project tutorial to make your own!

Make this Bracelet!

Beadelle crystal pave beads are a great substitution for diamond encrusted orbs, and still look fantastic.  I used them in my version of a shambhala bracelet, which is made with macrame square knots.  This bracelet is so easy to make - but don't tell your friends that when they beg you to make them one!  Unsure how to make a square knot?  Check out this video!   You will also need to know how to finish off a macrame knotting project, which you can learn about here.

And finally, here is our video on How to Make a Sliding Knot Clasp to close your bracelet.

You'll be thrilled with how your shambhala bracelet turns out!  I love to wear accessories that sparkle, and this piece definitely fits the bill! 

Get The Look: Wrapped Bracelet

We designers are constantly on the lookout for hot new trends in the world of jewelry. We are often trolling the blogosphere, trying to spot that piece that screams for its own Beadaholique version.  Web sites that feature "Young Hollywood" and street styles are always a great place to start looking.

source

While perusing these sources, I came to the conclusion that the wrap bracelet is still going strong-- although it is morphing into something slightly different.  The bracelets that are oh-so-now only wrap around once, but you layer the heck out of them, wearing upwards of a dozen at a time.  There are many that are knotted, in a micro-macrame fashion.  We settled upon one style that we wanted to try out for you, and here it is:

Shashi version found here for $62

Our version features a segments (the connectors) from this chain, Swarovski flatbacks, and our new waxed Irish linen cord .  It uses the knotting technique found in the tutorial "How to make a knotted waxed lined wrapped bracelet":

And here are our results!

So next time you see a celebrity wearing something you love and the thought occurs to you "I can do that" - go out and do it! It's a fun challenge to take on and very rewarding.

- Andrea