Las Joyas de Jana

In my mind I had planned this blog for a while. And the post.
As always, the plan is not working how I wanted it to.

If you're here, you are probably looking for the Very Merry Unbirthday Party, right?
So since it's a party, put on your party hats, grab a drink of your choice and enjoy!

My partner in this blog hop was Susie Harris, from http://www.jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com.

She made the most awesome necklace for me, in purple. And I love purple!

Want me to unwrap?

Ok! Here's a sneek peak, but I encourage you to check her blog out, as she has posted many pics and tells the story of its making. That is: as I'm the last to post this up, you more than likely have already seen it :)

But: she also sent some gorgeous summery beads for me to play with!

And a poem on a card! I felt so special unwrapping the gift!

This year my birthday wasn't a glorious day and my presents got sent back due to post office problems, so this was double special. Thank you, Susie! You made my birthday! :)

I'm sure you all want to know what I made for her. What a way to build up anticipation, huh?

Ok, ok, I won't delay it anymore!

Susie's birthday is in July, and the birthstone is ruby. What a gorgeous stone. Such a rich red color, with so much lore associated to it.

I did not know much about Susie, but we exchanged a few emails. I asked right away what type of jewelry she preferred and if she had any metal sensitivities, just in case.

She answered she liked earrings ("the danglier the better") and necklaces ("lots of necklaces in layers"). I immediately knew what I was going to make:

Well, at least the earring part. They are dangly, very dangly!

And they kind of remind me of 1001 nights, and as Susie was living in the UAE that seemed fitting. I work mainly with wire wrap, so that's what I did. The wires I used were silver plated wires except for the earwire part, as I was worried about posible sensitivities.

Let me tell you, I had to dive deep into my stash to find the ruby red Chzech glass drops and all the matching red beads. But I did it.

While searching the stash I also found these gorgeous "ruby quartz" glass beads I had bought some time ago and decided to make her a pendant piece she can layer with her other pieces. That's one thing she told me in the emails, she likes to wear her necklaces layered.

Then the packaging began: I had made this box some weeks ago, added some lace tape and put the earrings inside. There is a little card inside explaining what materials I used.

The earrings moved inside the box a lot, so I taped them down (hoping the tape would not leave too much gunky residue), the pendant got put into a different box and I also found some candy I had been saving up for parcels going out. Of course, I couldn't fit much more inside of the envelope, so Susie, I hope you aren't much of a sweet tooth! :)

Of course, I forgot to take pics of the card I drew to wish Susie a very merry unbirthday, so please, use your imagination, I drew some party hats and a cake in gold over a blue background.

Want to see what others have created in the swap? Check them out, there is so much eye candy to see:

Ali McCarthy - www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com

Alicia Marinache - www.allprettythings.ca

Anzia Parks - www.anzipanzisworkshoppe.blogspot.com

Audrey Belanger- www.esperianterra.blogspot.ca

Cheri Reed - www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Cheryl Dunham - www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg - www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Christine Schlicht - http://www.marshellswaps.blogspot.com/p/visiting-bloggers-reveal-day.html

Cynthia Machata - www.antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

D Lynne Bowland - www.islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell - www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com