I finally got pictures taken of my latest necklace..it seems that morning time is very sunny up here on the volcano..too sunny for pics..then the clouds collect up at the top and start inching their way over. As they cover the sun that is the best difused light for me to take pics. Then they get too thick and dark and it often rains and is foggy up here for the rest of the day..so I've got a little window and really need to pay attention better.
This beauty is made with dark olive green peacock coin pearls and colorful paua abalone shell on tan silk cord. It will be priced and put up in my shop Jonara Blu Maui soon!
Aloha everyone....I'm just checking in to let you all know that I have not disappeared. We are going through some medical issues in the family right now so I do not have as much time to be online as I did before. I put my shops on vacation for about a week and as of this morning I have opened them up again as things start to calm down a little. I am online for a bit each morning and more as time allows. I am able to take orders and will hopefully be creating more jewelry soon..jewelry making has always been great therapy!
Getting hit with a couple of life's whammys kinda knocked me on my butt and out of my usual routine for a while..but I'm hoping to recover soon and get back to a normal routine.
For now here are a couple of pictures..my first morning of getting back to work here at our new house. My beading room is not organized enough to work out of yet..so I had two custom orders to do and set myself up at our dinning room table to do them. 
The view is so pretty..it was a nice place to get some work done. The bush with the yellow flowers you see is a pin cushion protea plant. It's blooming like crazy right now.
Here is a pic from our front deck..in the evening. We were above the clouds! This volcano I live on gives us such a spectacular view..I just hope it stays dormant!
My recent experience with a lovely beach bride customer reminded me of how I really need to grab unusual pearl colors when I see them available. Just get them because they are there, not because I neccesarily like them or need them..or even think I will ever need them..because you just never know what you will come across in this business.
Pearls are especially difficult at times to get in certain colors. The most common seems to be white and peacock. But once you get into other colors you never know whats available so it's best to stock up. Also it's basically a one time shot. Pearls are dyed in lots..so the next lot can turn out completely different. So get what you need and even more if you can when you find something available.
Now I never thought much about yellow pearls, I'm not a yellow person..as in it looks really bad on me so I don't think of this sweet little color much. But I love yellow sunflowers, yellow chicks, yellow houses are cool..now yellow cars - not so much..but yellow pearls..I found out that they are beautiful!
Here is the dress I needed to find yellow pearls to match this dress from David's Bridal. This is stlye number F12899 incase you see this and are intersted. (Doesn't the model look like Jan, Michaels X on The Office?)
So in my search I could not find any yellow coin pearls which was the first choice because my customer wanted to copy some earrings that I carry in my shop only in her colors. We only had a couple of choices..but I purchased both just to have them in stock after I saw how it's a very rare color. Thankfully they were a yellow that blends well with the dress..which looks like it's a bit darker yellow.
Here are the earrings..I took pictures of them with different backgrounds to show the color changes of the Aurora Borialis Swarovski Crystals. They, while being a clear crystal color, actually pick up a lot of yellow color which is a bonus because the yellow pearls look very light on their own and around darker backgrouns. You can see though, how they really truly are a true yellow when they are on the white and next to a bunch of other of the same pearls.
And here are the 6 pairs she ordered ready to go. The quality and light of this photo isn't the best as I was packing it up at night and needed to get it out in a hurry. This bride was so calm and cool about it all and she had less then a month to get this all together. I prefer to have a month to work with at least when dealing with a special order where I have to order supplies..esp from different places. But we went for it and got them out to her ASAP on a Saturday when I don't usually ship/work. 
My sweet little yellow pearls are so shimmery and happy and I can't wait to figure out what else to use them in ;)
