A little help from my friends...

If you've been reading my blog this week, you know that I shared these on Wednesday as an in process post.  Actually I had planned something different with the silver frill, but I had just bought these heart cabs and had them on my bench.  When I set them next to the frills.....it was magic!

I most often get requests from friends and clients for gifts in the price range of $ 25-$ 30.  I really struggle with coming up with something fabulous that doesn't have big dough in either materials or time.  So my initial intention was to make a pair of earrings in that price range.

I started knowing I wanted to do the scalloped edge, and the size is about as far as I could push the silver for that price range.  But of course I thought a plain piece of silver scalloped edge or no scalloped edge was too boring.

And so then I spent about 2 hours stamping a 2x3" sheet of sterling hoping to get 3 pairs of frills out of it.  And then I still wasn't happy.  I had to go and add sterling granulation all the way around the frills.  And that still wasn't enough.  They needed Turquoise Heart cabs!  Oh yes...

But when I had them all geared up, I thought they needed a little something else.... and that's where my friends came in!

I was absolutely stuck on what color I wanted to add to compliment the turquoise.  My initial thought was red coral.  And don't get me wrong, I love that color combination!  But I thought, maybe something different.....

So I asked my peeps on FaceBook, and I got the best responses!  Red coral, orange, yellow, mustard colors, purple, peridot, brown, purple, I'm probably even forgetting some!  It was so cool.  And kinda proves what I've always said.  Turquoise goes with everything!!!

What I really wanted was Carnelian.  But I didn't have any beads that small.  What I did have was some really gorgeous Citrine and I used those.  But you better believe I ordered some Carnelian rondelles because I am going to do Turquoise and Orange next!

But back to that elusive price range...I'm going to wrack my brains and come up with something that works.  It's just that it's soooo hard not to keep adding detail.... :-)

Have a fabulous weekend all!  My girls and hubby are going to the Daddy Daughter dance on Saturday!  They love going, and have so much fun together.  I'll share pictures next week!