New Necklace Style!

I am loving this new style of necklace I am offering. I've made myself a few different ones and I've really enjoyed how they work into my jewelry wardrobe. I love to layer and these fit in perfectly!

I wanted to post about them because I can take custom orders on these and create something especially for you.  These are a really simple design and will go with many different outfits. I'll be making more of these so stay tuned!

The style is 3 to 4 inches of beading work on wire and then I attach chain to complete the necklace. Each necklace is about 16 inches but I can make it any length for you.  If you'd like to order a custom necklace, just message me thru my Etsy site and we can start the process!

Here are a few I've made so far:

Cape Necklace

The Cape Necklace contains 9 glass pearls or Swarovski beads in either 6mm or 8mm, or a mix of the two, depending on your preference.

In between each glass pearl is your choice of twisted jump ring in silver tone. antiqued brass or gunmetal.


I can make you one with any variety of the beads shown or I may have other colors available! Cape Necklaces retail for $20 each


Click the links to see the ones in stock now ....
Autumn
Jewel
Jade & Coral

Black, gray & red was a custom order.

Other custom colors I've done:

Tahitian blue & light green
Dark brown & red
Turquoise blue & blue goldstone
Mixed blues & grey



Donna Necklace

The Donna Necklace uses genuine iolites and faceted silver toned beads for a bit of sparkle! The design possibilities are really endless here with the variety of size and shape of the available gemstones. Prices will vary on this style due to the prices of gemstones. They start at $20 each










Martha Jones I Necklace

I love me some Doctor Who and I've been obsessed with the necklace that the character of Martha Jones wears during her time as a companion. I've never been able to get a decent close up shot of it in order to properly copy the design so I've decided to make a few that reflect a similar design. This is the first one.

It combines 4mm shiny black hemalyke (like Hematite) beads, silver tone rondelle beads and some double sided diamond motif beads. I also used a double rope chain on this one to make it a bit dressier.

As you can imagine, the design possibilities here are endless as well! I have thousands of beads and sources for more... so message me if you want to collaborate on creating your own unique design!

Prices on this style start at $20

How To Layer Necklaces & Bracelets

Necklaces

If you know me in person, you know I love to layer necklaces! I really enjoy wearing multiples and it's fun to be creative and let your personality shine through by wearing a variety of pieces. It's also fun to just be able to wear more than one because you love them! Of course, the main point of layering is to bring an outfit together or to just make it pop!

The key to layering successfully is to have a point to your layering. However, your point can change. Then, you can mix up the texture and style while maintaining one thing they all have in common. For example, you can decide to wear all silver tone, all gold tone, all gunmetal or mixed metals.

You can decide to wear pieces that all have a specific color in common or a specific finish. I have a variety of pieces that are all matte sterling silver and even tho they are very different, they work together simply because they all have a matte finish. You can pull a layered look together using a shared color, style or shape.

Layering obviously means varying lengths so it's good to have a variety of plain chains in your jewelry wardrobe so you can switch simple charms around. It's also good to think about adding extenders to certain pieces or making sure you buy pieces of varying lengths.

Long necklaces, like 30 inches and longer can be worn long or short by doubling or tripling them around the neck a few times. In fact, one long necklace can actually become a layered look all on it's own!

Take into consideration your neckline and where you want the eye to fall when someone looks at you. If you are wearing a V-neck and want people to see your pretty face, then bring the layers closer to your face. If you want to accent your bust area, then make sure you have a charm piece that falls right above your bust. If you want to elongate the look then wear longer layers.

Bracelets

Layering bracelets is always a hot trend. I personally think you can get away with more in layering bracelets than you can with necklaces. Sometimes an attempt can go horribly wrong and instead of accessorizing and enhancing your outfit, the jewelry ends up wearing you instead of the other way around!

for a clean look - go for bracelets all in the same color.

for a pop of color - choose bracelets with colors that contrast or accent one another. Like red & black, turquoise & brown, grey & blue, pink & grey, black & green.

for a feminine look - pile on thin and delicate bracelets to give them maximum impact.

for a bohemian look - anything goes! choose unique and interesting pieces.

for a dressy look - choose all chain type bracelets.

for a professional work look- pair up a couple bracelets with your watch.

for an edgy look - pair up a color with a metal like silver tone and black.

for an industrial look - silvertone, black, and grey

Here at Lavoro Designs, I have traditional chain bracelets but I also have fun memory wire coil bracelets that create the look of multiple bracelets in one single piece! I have single 6 coils and I offer sets of two or three 3 wire bracelets to wear together or singly.

Some are all one color while some are different colors or a variety of colors and bead types.

If you've never had memory wire, it's comfortable and affordable. You should pick a few up. They are so perfect for summer!


In Closing

If you're going to load up on the bracelets and/or necklaces.. just remember to keep your earrings and rings understated. You don't want too much going on all over! If you want to wear a striking pair of earrings then layer light around your neck by choosing thin and delicate chains. Keep rings to one per hand if you are going for a bracelet stacked arm.

A Word on Matching

Do you or don't you? I think it depends. I think there are certain places you can get away with the matchy-matchy, perhaps court or a professional function, but I think it depends on your personality. In most cases I prefer to bring the look together using pieces that are similar but different. If you have a chain with a circle link, find an earring with a circle in it but not one that is exactly a match. If you want to wear turquoise, mix pieces that all contain turquoise but don't actually match one another. Match the finish on the pieces rather than the exact style themselves.

Spring 2012 Trends

Lavoro Designs will have what you're looking for each season! I'll do the research and you do the shopping!


On the Lavoro Etsy site you can search under the New Stuff/Trends section for all the latest designs! 


Lavoro Designs will offer trendy designs that are affordable and wearable. Check out what you'll be seeing this spring and summer:

Colors – orange, sorbet colors, intense rose, gray-beige, royal purple, turquoise, spring green, pink-lilac, bright yellow, warm neutral brown, navy blue and designs that incorporate cream, white and light colors like pale turquoise.

Gems & Metals – labradorite, moonstone, orange and yellow gems like citrine and fire opal, pyrite (fool’s gold) and geodes. Yellow gold is making a showing this year.

Styles – geometric, tribal, nature, art deco. 

Types - bangle, cuff and chunky bracelets, interchangeable earrings and pendants, stud and button earrings, long necklaces, statement necklaces, long earrings and small chandelier earrings.


Shown here, Lasya, featuring a gorgeous coral and turquoise Tibetan bead.


stay tuned for more spring trends from Lavoro!

Spring 2012 Trends - Orange is HOT!

I was excited and a little scared when I found out that orange was a hot color for this spring! Orange is a color I haven't worked with much outside of Halloween! It's a fun, bright color that is actually very wearable with certain colors. Orange looks great with brown, blue, yellow and white. Using small pops of color is a great way to usher in the spring!

I'll be listing more orange items in the next couple weeks but in the meantime, check out Maya, a pair of pretty brass earrings with sweet pops of orange!

Spring 2012 Trends - Interchangeable Sets

I've always offered necklace and earring wardrobes but in 2012 they are actually on trend! I guess Lavoro was ahead! 


Wardrobes give you a variety of options in one affordable package. The necklaces come with individual charms and gems that can be mixed and matched on the chain and the earrings come with various drops that can be used on a single pair of ear wires. The wardrobes are great for travel. You can also use the earring charms on the necklaces as well!


Shown to the right is the crystal rondelle and blue teardrop earring wardrobe.




My best selling necklace is my custom Vegan/Raw necklace shown to the left. 


It comes with hand stamped disks in your choice of VEGAN or RAW and then LOVE or a 4 digit YEAR along with a pretty bead in your choice of color. 

Lavoro also offers custom birthstone necklaces!

This earring set, called Kenora, is one of my favorites. 


It comes with sterling silver star charms that are reversible, a pair of grey Swarovski round beads for sparkle and a pair of Czech glass beads in a mottled red and black. The charms slip easily onto the sterling silver hoops.




Click HERE to see more wardrobe sets available from Lavoro Designs

Simple. Timeless. Easy.

 Back in the fall of 2009, I started making earrings. My main motivation was that I couldn't find the  type of earrings that I wanted to wear in the retail marketplace. I wanted designs that were wearable without being too trendy and smaller in size than many of the pieces I was seeing in the stores and online. I wanted pieces that would work for play as well as work and designs that were timeless in style. I wanted unique and interesting earrings that would invite comment and be different from what other people were wearing.

Soon, I began making memory wire bracelets and chain necklaces and then my work expanded as my customers began asking for specific types of jewelry, like bigger and longer earrings and chain bracelets. I took on custom work for personalized pieces and weddings.

My designs reflect the mosaic of a personality. We all have a variety of traits within us and we need accessories that work on different levels according to what we are doing, where we are going, who we are with, the image we want to convey and what mood we are in.  We are all unique, fun, elegant, quiet, simple, interesting, crazy and a little bit goth at times.

I wanted to create a blog so that I could discuss my work beyond what the customer sees on my Etsy site. It's fun to hear about inspiration and creativity and how pieces come together.