Mom’s designs have come a long way since she started out, and last weekend she designed one of the best pieces I’ve seen so far.

She went all out on this one:

• 8mm Square cut smoky quartz Swarovski crystal centrepiece
• 4mm Square cut aurora Swarovski crystal accents
• Deep brown Swarovski pearls
• Gold toho hexagonal cut seed beads
• Sterling silver magnetic slide clasp
• 6mm Swarovski bicone crystals

Here it is showing the 4 strands separated.

One of my favourite things about the way mom and I make jewellery is that we never use plastic thread, fireline or stretchy cord (except in my woven bracelets, where I need the flexibility). Bracelets such as this one are made using light gauge steel cable. They’re reinforced with steel crimps at each end and the strand is doubled throughout. There is always a clasp, since we don’t use stretch cord, and the clasps are always silver, reinforced sometimes with magnets. In short, these bracelets will survive for many, many years without fear of wearing out, or breaking.

For Christmas this year, one of the things I gave mom were her own business cards, and website at last!

What cards would be complete without a snazzy little card holder?

You can check out mom’s work at http://shireen-n.com/sandra/ I’m hoping to get her set up with her own Etsy site soon as well!