Stephanie A. Wells
Random House
The fetching pair of earrings on the cover of this book
pulled at my creative sensitivities. My
husband and I had recently returned from California. We spent a beautiful sun-filled day at Laguna
Beach. There
were many young and old people strolling the boardwalk, exercising their pets
and doing all kinds of calisthenics to help keep fit and trim. Several groups were playing sand
volleyball. Their sleek bodies
glistened. Most noticeable to me were
the wonderful earrings that dangled back and forth as the players streaked
across the warm sand to score their points.
The multitude of earring styles could have been inspired by
this book. All types of metal and gemstones were incorporated into the
designs. "Penelope" featured
on page 88 is a wonderful example of stones cleverly integrated. As the author states, "the design
creates a wall of color across the frame."
Chains, coiled wire, twisted wire, fabric, etc. were utilized. The various techniques were well laid out and
easy to understand. All necessary tools
and materials were listed. Also, the
author shared the approximate amount of time, ranging from 15 to 45 minutes, to
construct each pair of earrings.
I would definitely recommend this book to any aspiring
designer. Who knows, maybe you will spy
your creation framing a lovely face on a Laguna Beach
sand volleyball court.
