Hand Stamped Monogrammed Tie Clips and Initial Bracelets

Posted on June 14, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

It’s wedding season! I haven’t posted in awhile because I haven’t had many new items to share- most of my efforts have gone toward completing orders from brides and grooms with weddings on the horizon for their bridesmaids and groomsmen. Since the hand stamped initial bracelets and men’s monogrammed tie bars have been so popular with the brides and grooms, I thought that I would start selling them in groups instead of only individually, to give a bit of a discount on bulk orders. Hand stamped items like the sterling silver initial bracelets and the monogrammed tie clips below make great gifts for a group of people- especially for those people to whom you want to say thanks for supporting you on your way to and on your special day- whether that special day be your wedding, your graduation, or some other accomplishment for which you want to thank people for their support. Elegant yet versatile, both the tie clips and the bracelets will accessorize any outfit, whether it be formal or daily wear, and are a great personalized memento of whatever occasion you choose.

The Tie Clips feature the slightly larger Arial font for the initial of the surname, which in the traditional monogram style is the center letter, with a slightly smaller 2mm Typewriter Font for the initial of the first and middle names. I bend and cut the tie clips myself, so the size and length is totally up to the customer! These were made to fit the skinny ties of 6 groomsmen and a groom- I’ve requested pictures from the wedding, so hopefully I’ll be able to post them soon!

I’ve also started offering FREE gift packaging with each order- customers can choose what ribbon color they’d like or can choose twine. This one below is what one of the grooms chose for his gift packaging.

The hand stamped sterling silver initial bracelets are done with a 6 mm font called Seymour, which is a type of monogram font. I can’t wait to see (and post) the pictures from this wedding as well!

And here is the gift packaging that one of the brides chose for her bracelets:

Thanks for reading & I hope you like my new additions to the lakeshore lavaliere collection!

To access the listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just click the pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Hand Stamped Pieces- Music Lyrics, Birthstones, and of Course, Something for Mom

Posted on May 8, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Although the countdown to finals (and having to come up with a 30 page paper on the meaning of justice…ahhhh) is less than a week away, I have gotten a chance in my free time (the time I have cut out of my sleeping schedule) to experiment with some more hand stamped pieces as well as some more bohemian pieces (WHICH I WILL POST TOMORROW…or the next day), which I haven’t been doing as much, and plan to do more of as soon as I have time to breathe again. So, since I haven’t posted in awhile, I thought I would post a few of my newer pieces below, and get back to studying/having writer’s block.

‘Let it Be’ Beatles Necklace

This first necklace is one that I’ve been meaning to make for a long time-Let it Be is one of my favorite songs! I have really wanted to start branching out into song lyrics and more actual words and quotes in the hand stamped category, so, if anyone has any suggestions for words or lyrics to hand stamp into a necklace, ring, bracelet, or even keychain, I’m listening! -and I’ll give you a discount for the idea ; ) .

Monogrammed Necklaces w/ Swarovski Birthstones

The next two necklaces are monogrammed brass and sterling silver, respectively. The brass necklace hangs on a satin finish 16-inch brass chain with a gold-filled trigger clasp, and the sterling silver necklace hangs on a 16 inch sterling silver chain with a sterling silver clasp. I know I have done the monogrammed necklaces and other pieces before, but I just finally got in Swarovski Crystal of each month’s birthstone, and I’m excited to say that although these were only listed for a day, I already was commissioned to do 2 sets of them (one in brass and one in sterling silver) as gifts from two brides-to-be to their bridesmaids, with each of their birthstones along with the monogram. (Of course I get the big orders during finals! Buttt… I am NOT complaining!). Also, in case you were wondering, these are both February birthdays with a Swarovski amethyst crystal.

Mother’s Day Hand Stamped Necklace

Finally, I realized that I am not only a terrible daughter because I won’t be able to make it to Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, a family tradition, but also because I hadn’t gotten my mom anything yet. So, I decided to make her a necklace. The necklace below is a solid brass wavy heart pendant hanging on a 16 inch satin finish brass chain. On the heart, I stamped a symbol of a mother and child- the mother is bending over and hugging the child, and a heart is created in the space between them. I saw the metal stamp and HAD to have it- I loved it, and I knew my mom would too. Bam. the perfect sentimental gift for Mom. Now I have to get back to studying ; (

Hope you like them & thanks for reading!

To access the listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Hand Stamped Monogrammed & Initial Bracelets

Posted on April 12, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

The lakeshore lavaliere hand stamped brass initial/monogrammed ring, hand stamped sterling silver initial ring, & the hand stamped nickel & stainless steel initial/monogrammed ring are the two most popular items in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, so I decided to make them in bangle form! I wanted to make a bangle that was different from most I’ve had in the past in 2 ways. First, I wanted it to be a better fit to the wrist in terms of shape, which was a problem easily solved by purchasing an oval bracelet mandrel, one that sizes bracelets to fit the actual shape of your wrist instead of just a circle. I’m so happy I bought the oval one because from the feedback I’ve gotten, the bracelets actually fit the wrist perfectly, because they are tailored to right size and shape. Second, I wanted to make a bangle that didn’t have to slip over the hand because in my experience, those usually end up completely upside down with the monogrammed/initialed disc on the bottom of my wrist. This happens because when there is no clasp, bangles have to be bigger to fit over your hand, and then they slip around on your wrist when you wear them. This is fine if the bangle has a uniform design, but if there is one part that is supposed to be on top, it’s a real pain. So I decided to create my bangles with a clasp on the bottom to avoid this problem. I designed a clasp that keeps the bracelet on your wrist while wearing it and that makes it easier to put the bracelet on and take it off. And, since the first bangle pictured below is mine and I’ve been wearing it pretty much daily, I’m happy to say that the clasp does exactly what I wanted- it keeps the bangle clasped (obvi), allows for the bangle to be the right size for my wrist, and keeps the monogrammed part in place on top of my wrist where it belongs. The lakeshore lavaliere monogrammed bangle also comes in both a brass and sterling silver bangle with a simple initial.

Hope you like them & thanks for reading!

To access the listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Monogrammed Tie Bars

Posted on April 11, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Since school has started to pick up as finals near, I haven’t got a chance to post in awhile. Between scrambling to get everything together for finals, having nightmares about the bar exam (which I don’t even take for another year…I guess while I may procrastinate, my subconscious and the nightmares it produces do not), and filling orders, my internet and social media presence for lakeshore lavaliere has been lacking. I also realized that the lakeshore lavaliere men’s section is a little barren, and since the monogrammed tie clips with the spring have been so popular, I’ve decided to offer another style of tie clip, or rather, a tie bar. I have to give credit where credit is due, however, because the first (the ones with a spring will heretofore be referred to as tie clips, and the ones without springs will be tie bars… maybe that’s what it is supposed to be, but I’ve seen both referred to by both names online and it’s confusing…so…there.) tie bar came to me as a custom order from my friend and [lakeshore lavaliere spokesmodel 😉 ] Erik Kabe. It looked so sharp (yep, I’m 90) on him, that I decided that I should continue to offer the monogrammed tie bar as an option!

Erik’s is in the traditional monogram style (which I love here), and I used Arial font for his first and middle initials (E & A), and the larger Seymour font for the K. There are also other font and style options by request!

To access the listing for the lakeshore lavaliere monogrammed tie bar in my online shop, just click the pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the other items and shop sections

For Questions/Inquiries/Requests, you can:

email me at lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Etsy Convo me by going to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere, and click ‘Contact’ in the tool bar on the lefthand side of the screen OR go to a specific listing and click ‘Contact Shop Owner’ at the bottom of the listing where it says ‘Have Questions?”

Thanks for reading!

Warm Weather Jewelry

Posted on March 22, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Despite being a solid 18 degrees outside in lovely Chicago, 2 days ago was the first official day of spring. So, in order to keep my sanity in a city that more closely resembles a tundra than any beautiful image of greenery and flowers and growth that the word ‘spring’ conjures up in the mind, I have chosen to engage in something called ‘reality control’ (George Orwell’s 1984, anyone?) and try to force myself to see the beautiful reds of the flowers, green of the trees, blues of the lovely ever frigid lake Michigan (which I maintain looks just gray when it’s cold outside, but, okay, reality control). In order to maintain that mindset during this period where the trees look like something out of a bombed out post-Apocalyptic world and the only green I see while running down the lake shore path is provided by Whole Foods bags caught on the spidery branch fingers of the very barren trees, I have decided to surround myself with the warm weather colors by infusing my outfits-and especially my accessories, with them like these coral, turquoise, and green jade necklaces below. If the red, turquoise, and green weren’t bright enough to help me think warm weather thoughts, I complete each of them using sunny bright yellow gold brass chains and findings with a satin gold finish.

To access the above listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop ***THE GREEN JADE NECKLACE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE LATER TODAY ….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page

For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

New Bohemian Wrap Bracelets

Posted on March 18, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

I don’t know what it is about tropical climates that makes me want to make wrap bracelets, but last week I was in Florida, and since there is nothing to do at night for people under 100 years old, several of my nights were spent making new wrap bracelets. I decided to make a few of them longer than the 3 wraps that I previously had done, and with the others, I decided to play around with the boilerplate version of the wrap bracelet by alternating between different sizes and shapes of the beads from wrap to wrap. I know that wrap bracelets are fairly popular, and I wanted to make the lakeshore lavaliere wrap bracelets completely unique– different than the other ones out there!

50 Shades of Green 5x Wrap Bracelet

This bracelet alternates between a variety of different gemstones (jasper, agate, aventurine, jade, unakite), fading from sequence to sequence with different shades of greens. There is also some brown tiger’s eye gemstone and red jasper threaded in to break up the greens and add a pop of color. This is the longest wrap bracelet I have ever made, and because of its length, it doubles as an long beaded necklace that looks awesome paired with a simpler gold chain necklace.

Obsidian & Purple Jade Triple Wrap Bracelet

This bracelet has 3 wraps, the 1st and 3rd of which are divided equally in half between two colors. The first wrap is divided between a sequence of faceted white jasper beads and a sequence of violet jasper beads. The third wrap is 1/2 faceted deep purple jade and 1/2 light purple jade. These two layers add a shock of color, and frame a solid layer of larger deep black obsidian cube beads. I love the purple black and white color combination- this bracelet really stands out!

Elephant Blue Jade Gemstone Double Wrap Bracelet

Here I used a larger size bead (8mm) for both wraps than what I usually use (~6mm), and is a great simple piece for when you don’t want a wider bracelet on your wrist. Woven in amongst the sky blue jade beads, is a pattern of beautiful silver pewter pewter beads culminating in the adorable silver pewter elephant button closure, that both highlights the blue of the gemstones, and adds unique variation to break up the continuous stream of blue.
Style Tip: Wear a double wrap bracelet stacked with other bangles to add that extra pop of color!

Green Lemon Jade & Jasper Gemstone 4x Wrap Bracelet

This quadruple wrap bracelet features 4 layers of green lemon jade gemstone beads between layers of black greek leather cord, the first and 4th of which are 6mm, and the 2nd and 3rd of which are 8mm gemstone beads. The vivid combination of silver and lemon jade green beads starkly contrast with the shock of black provided by the leather cord.When worn, the 1st and 4th layers frame the 2nd and 3rd layers and place the focus on those center two wraps, which are raised due to being slightly larger in size. When looking at the bracelet on your wrist, the combination of 6mm and 8mm beads makes the bracelet seem like an autostereogram (one of those optical illusion pictures that once you stare at for a while, creates the illusion that it is 3D), even though it really is 3D to begin with. The lemon jade beads are accented by patterns of different silver pewter spacer beads, ending with a silver tree of life button closure. It is the 2nd longest wrap bracelet I have ever made!

Turquoise Tube Bead & Faceted Tiger’s Eye Gemstone 3x Wrap Bracelet

This triple wrap bracelet features two layers of faceted tiger’s eye gemstone beads framing an eye catching & contrasting layer framing a bold turquoise tube bead center wrap. I love how the brown faceted tiger’s eye round beads frame & accent the turquoise tube beads, it really causes the turquoise to stand out (which I love because turquoise is my favorite gemstone to work with and my favorite color.)

To access the above listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Initial Ring

Posted on February 28, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

The hand stamped brass initial ring and the hand stamped nickel & stainless steel initial ring are the two most popular items in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop. Recently I received a message from a prospective customer asking if I made the ring in sterling silver. I already had the discs, and had actually just ordered sterling silver 18 gauge and 26 gauge wire for jewelry making with this exact idea in mind. I love sterling silver jewelry, and I love working with sterling silver in making my own jewelry. Sterling silver is an alloy made of no less than 92.5% silver, and the remaining ~7.5% is usually made up of copper with sometimes trace amounts of other metals. It’s easy to work with, and because it is composed of more than 90% silver, it is an ideal metal to use in jewelry because it is great for people with sensitive skin. When I was a kid, I couldn’t wear any nickel earrings without getting a nasty reaction because my ears were so sensitive. The doctor told me that less than 15% of the population had metal allergies or sensitivity (lucky me to make the cut….), and that most of those people were sensitive to jewelry with high amounts of nickel, although mostly on their hands and in their ears (which is why I use a stainless steel 18 gauge wire base in my rings that are stamped on nickel preventing skin contact with the nickel disc, even though nickel doesn’t bother most people). So, he suggested that I try sterling silver, which is slightly more expensive than the base metals, but is still an affordable alternative. I’ve been wearing sterling silver ever since, and now I love working with it in the pieces that I create. Not only is it great for people with sensitive skin, it withstands the test of time much better than even pure silver because pure silver is too soft to create durable pieces with. The copper infusion in sterling silver makes it strong and durable (which is why sterling silver is so commonly used in silverware), which makes it perfect for jewelry.

***I hope you’ve enjoyed my tangent on base metals, sterling silver alloy composition, and precious metals. Feel free to skip my lecture above on why I love sterling silver and it’s comparison with base and precious metals. To sum it all up, sterling silver is awesome, great for sensitive skin, and stronger and more durable than fine silver. Therefore, I love using it in my different pieces, and I now offer the popular lakeshore lavaliere hand stamped initial ring in sterling silver:

To access the listing in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Ombre 50 Shades of Green 3x Wrap Bracelet

Posted on February 26, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Soooo I couldn’t resist making an Ombre Wrap Bracelet with all of the different shades of green gemstone beads that I have in stock. I thought the different greens of the jade, aventurine, and unakite, gemstone beads would look great and give this bracelet a unique look as they faded into each other. Each set of 9 gemstone beads flows into the next set getting increasingly lighter like the ombre look. This lakeshore lavaliere ombre wrap bracelet is a great unique & bohemian accessory to add to any look.

To access the listing in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

United We Love Hand Stamped Linked Heart Ring

Posted on February 7, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching-and by request I decided to make a Valentine’s themed ring. The design features the iconic image of the symbol for love and all things sweet- perfect for Valentine’s Day, the heart. Hand stamped on a brass disc which I then soldered to the brass ring base with two blown glass red beads and 4 brass spacer beads, this ring has a romantic and cute little image of two linked hearts,

Simple and sweet, this ring is a great accessory or gift for Valentine’s Day!

To access the listing in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!

Turquoise & Brass Graduated Pendant Necklace

Posted on February 2, 2013 by lakeshorelavaliere

Oversized pieces of jewelry are great when you need to accessorize a boring outfit, feel like making a bold statement (and for a multitude of other reasons) but, sometimes a smaller more delicate looking piece is better suited for your outfit or look. I wanted to make a necklace that was smaller in size, but still had a bohemian vibe and of course, made a statement. Since there are not too many lakeshore lavaliere necklaces that are delicate yet bohemian, I decided to make this turquoise and brass graduated pendant necklace. This turquoise & brass graduated pendant necklace is the perfect accessory when you want to make a statement but don’t want to wear a large piece of jewelry to do it. Elegant and simple, the necklace still has a bohemian feel and catches the eye with the beautiful turquoise color of the 13 pendants and the way they contrast with the simple satin brass chain:

To access the listing in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections/ inquire about a custom order:

If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere online shop, Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’on the left hand side of the page
For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

Follow lakeshore lavaliere here or on Twitter & Pinterest for more information about upcoming events, tutorials, & new pieces!