Konichiwa to the Land of the Rising Sun

And so the countdown nears its goal, another 6 more days and the hubs and I will be in the land of the rising sun! This long awaited holiday is finally coming and we are so looking forward to stuffing our faces silly with OISHI! Osaka and Kyoto cuisine. Not to mention all the fabulous sightseeing and shopping that awaits!

Of course I'll be taking this opportunity to visit the bead shops there. I can't wait! *rubbing hands in glee* There is much more variety for bead stuff in Japan and the stuff sold there is really pretty (but with even more beautiful price tags! ;p)

Sayonara for now....

Allure Necklace

Allure - that was what I felt when I first laid eyes on these quirky yet pretty semi-precious Cherry Quartz stones. These unique nugget shaped stones are so interesting as they are not flat but wavy in texture (see 2nd picture which shows the waves more clearly). In addition, the colours and texture of each stone is different and all these combine to make them so special and give it some character. Isn't Nature simply amazing to create something like that?

The necklace design is kept simple to allow the Cherry Quartz to take centerstage. The different colours as well as the different tones of the hues come together beautifully to contrast well with the 14k plated gold chain that is stringing them together for that classy and chic look.

Shades of Grey Bracelet

These glass beads are quite interesting - they are sort of half "shaded" in a blackish-grey colour (these bit reflect quite a bit of light as seen above) with the other half transparent like a crystal. The effect of different tones in black/grey makes it look really striking especially when paired with the 14k gold plated hoops. The dual strand effect gives it more "weight", without being too chunky. A touch of glam, perfect for that night out on the town!

Charmed by Shells

Charmed by Shells Necklace - this simple Red Agate shell shaped semi-precious stone hangs as a simple solitary pendant on a 14k gold plated chain. Simple yet stylish! Notice the subtle wave-like layering effect on the shell, how pretty and unique!


Charmed by Shells Bracelet - Red Agate shell shaped semi-precious stone hangs as a charm from a 14k gold plated chain. Accompanied by a 14k gold plated cute butterfly charm and Swarovski Crystal pearl.

I took a real liking to these lovely semi-precious Red Agate shells. Aren't they simply beautiful? They have such a lovely texture, no two are the same (thank you Mother Nature!) and its so interesting how you can actually see the different layers and colours caused by the different areas in which these semi-precious stones are mined. Apparently those ones with visible "layering" are formed under sea/water, and the pressure over time has resulted in the beautiful layers of different colours in the stones. I only wish the pictures did them more justice!