Happy 2nd Birthday My Dear Blog!

My Dear Blog,
Wish you a very Happy 2nd Birthday!


Thanks a ton for giving me a chance to express myself to this world through you, to write my feelings behind my jewelry creation and beyond; and to connect with very creative people out there. You have been a loyal friend since last two years though I don't visit you that often as I should be but I know you are always there for me.

This year you have grown much bigger as compared to the first year with readers from many parts of the world. You have helped me reach more and more people as friends and followers, learn from their experiences and motivate myself to keep going with their encouraging comments.

As your birthday gift my friend, I promise to visit you at least once a week going forward. Happy Birthday once again!

Mamma can I design an earring for you?

While I was working on my computer selecting pictures for my bead soup reveal on Saturday, my 8 yr old son who was standing next to me got fascinated by a crystal separator I had used in the pendant for the soup necklace. He very innocently asked me, "Mamma, can I make an earring for you with the crystal bead you have used? Will you finish them today and wear them so that I can see how they look?" He loves to bead with me and in the past have made very nice designs for me as mothers day gift and otherwise too. It was almost 10pm and I had not started writing the blog yet. He was totally thrilled when I agreed. He ran to choose matching beads from his own stash. Yes, he has a whole collection of glass and plastic beads of his own. So he picked the multicolored glass bead from there and I let him pick few Swarovski crystals from mine. I completed the earrings and wore them right away. The happiness and satisfaction on his face was priceless.

Bead soup I cooked for my partner

Doing anything for the first time has its own flavors of excitement, enthusiasm and fear. When I was choosing the beads for my first bead soup, I was wondering what will be exciting for my partner Francy. I choose different shades of pink with a blend of Rose Quartz, Agate, coral and Swarovski along with Silver giving her variety of beads to play with. I was waiting for her reaction on the soup before I revealed it here. And as she has already received it and found it very yummy specially the Swarovski, here it is...




Eagerly waiting to see what Francy makes with her soup!

My Bead Soup has arrived

Past week I have been eagerly checking my postal mail and the package I was waiting for did arrive on Saturday...bead soup from my partner Francy Inman from 8 Second Studio.


I am so excited to see the beads I got as the bead mix looks quite interesting. I haven't used brass in my jewelry so far so it will challenge me to think out of my comfort zone and try something new. Thanks a ton Francy!!

The beautiful focal bead is made by Julianna Cannon an awesome bead maker. I really liked the color combination and pattern on the bead and looking forward to design a double strand necklace using the brass clasp.



I am so glad that Francy has received the bead soup I sent her and liked the beadie goodness of the soup :)

The bead soup blog party is only twenty days away and I can't wait to see what each participant is making. Thanks to Lori Anderson, the organizer of this party that I am getting to know all these wonderful Artists.

How to make different earrings with same beads

As changing couple of ingredients or spices can give you a new taste in the same recipe, playing with same primary bead but changing the findings or using different complimentary beads can give you new designs for your earrings (and necklaces). That's what I tried when I was playing with different shades of Amazonite recently.

The earrings below have same circular Amazonite bead as the main bead. I have used a blue Swarovski bicone, a crystal studded separator and leverback earwire in one, and small round Amazonites with silver beadcaps and flat fishhook earwire in second. As you can see in the picture, one is elegant and the second one looks more rustic.



In the earrings below, I have used Aquamarine irregular rectangles as the main beads and accentuated them with different color and shapes of Amazonite. In the first earrings, using four Aquamarine rectangles together with round Amazonite at the end gives it a shorter look but in the second earrings, separating the rectangles with small round Amazonite beads and using Amazonite briolettes give it a taller look perfect for a long neck wearer. As you can see, changing the pattern in which you use the same beads can give you a unique design.

My first Bead Soup Blog Party

Bead Soup Blog Party...interesting name, isn't it? Last week I came across a tweet about an upcoming such party. I read the blog of the organizer - a very talented bead artist Lori Anderson and found the concept very interesting. Always looking forward to connect to more and more talented beaders out there and inspired by one of my favorite artist TheBeadDreamer I signed up for the party.


This is how it works...the organizer announces the date of the party on her blog, invites sign ups, pairs the participants who then send a bead soup mainly consisting of a focal bead, some coordinating beads and a nice clasp, to each other. The participants show the beads they got on their blog, make something out of it, take a picture and post it on their blog on the party day. Every participant hops around to see as many party blogs as possible to see what everybody made on the party day. The whole purpose of the party is challenge the creativity of the participants and connect creative people together.

With more than 200 beading artists as participants, the party is sure going to be an amazing one. A big thanks to Lori for putting all the hard work to make it happen. My partner for the party is Francy Inman an Oklahoma crafter. Looking forward to have a tasty bead soup with her :)

Picture courtesy Lori Anderson

Silver and Chains

Couple of months back, while I was thinking of new designs for the Winter Art & Crafts Fair I invited my best friend for a dinner at my house first time after her wedding. I was very sure that I would gift her my handmade jewelry and wanted to make something special for her. As she wears very simple jewelry the question was should I gift her what I wanted her to wear ;) or what I knew she will wear for sure. After thinking for a while, I went with the latter. So I made a simple necklace set with Silver chain and Lemon Topaz. I was very glad that she not only loved the set, but she in fact gave me the inspiration for my new designs for the fair. I humbly dedicate my new collection to her :)

In the new collection, I have emphasized on chains and different shapes of Silver more than the gemstones which resulted in simple but elegant pieces. Here is a glimpse of some of them.

From Menka's Jewelry

The necklace set above has a crazy Jasper square as the pendant with Pyrite gemstone. The grey color of Pyrite enhances the grey yellow pattern of the Jasper. Different shapes of the gemstones used in the necklace adds to its beauty.

From Menka's Jewelry

The second necklace set has Amethyst drops with Swarovski crystals. Laser cut oblong Silver pendant compliments the pattern of the chain.