More work with Sterling wire

Recently i mentioned that i am doing a series of brooches in sterling wire, with vintage pearls, and unique beads that have that cracked ice appearance.  The challenge came from Diane Seskes of the Log Cabin Gallery.  A majority of my submissions for her winter exhibit titled Winter White Out should be white…. and the combination of old pearls and sterling wire is a magical one.  I am slowly introducing some colored beads to the mix, but the primary palate is silver wire, silver beads and vintage white/off white pearls.

I have been doing a great deal of research and reading to find Victorian concepts to bring into the work.  One thing I have fallen in love with is the addition of an outstretched hand.  Victorians used this as a symbol of strong friendship, and it was common to give a brooch or necklace that incorporated a hand as a special blessing and sign of friendship between two people.  I searched until i found a source for such hands, and one of the brooches below is my first use of the hands in a brooch.  I also introduced a bit of color with the czech glass leaves on a brooch that is white and green… to finish it off there is a silver charm of acorns… this can dangle with the green shell as a background, or flip it upside down and the acorns dangle below the brooch.  All of these pins have a magnetic pin back.

Here are some more brooches: