ArtFire

These fun handmade earrings, TIMELESS MEDLEY, definitely have a rustic appeal to them! Created with acid etched agate beads, amber nuggets, copper and sterling silver, they were made to complement the necklace of the same name. But these earrings are so fabulous, they definitely can be worn on their own. They are perfect pair of earrings for the discerning woman who loves one of a kind (OOAK) jewelry. Looking as if they had been uncovered in an ancient archaeological site, the TIMELESS MEDLEY earrings were carefully handcrafted by Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.

The etching of agate by various methods goes back thousands of years, at least to the 3rd millenium BC in Mesopotamia, if not before. Back then, etched agate was used for pitchers, vases, caskets and for jewelry and other adornments. Today, as you can see, etched agate beads are still used to create beautiful jewelry. The outer skin of the agate is a rich grayish brown color, shading from darker to lighter in places. Acid was used to etch "windows", revealing a warm mustard-orange color for a wonderful contrast. The "windows" are outlined with black, a perfect highlight to make the colors pop even more. The semi-matte finish of the agate beads seems to emanate an even more ancient feel to the earrings, as if they were buried under sand or baked by the sun for eons. Copper daisy spacers and 2mm beads, which add even more glow, frame the top and bottom of the etched agate beads.

To bring out the color of the agate windows and to add radiance to the TIMELESS MEDLEY earrings, rich, honey-colored Baltic amber nuggets were chosen . When the light flows through the amber, they virtually glow! I hand picked the nuggets to try to match them as closely as possible. One nugget was used for each earrings, separated by the agate beads by copper daisy spacers and 2mm copper beads. A copper 2mm bead tops each amber nugget.

The main body of the earrings were strung on handmade (by me) copper headpins. A loop was hand hammered at the end of the headpins to add more texture and interest. The headpins were then carefully wire-wrapped to a pair of sterling silver French hook earwires. I added copper 3mm beads to the earwires to tie the two metals together for a perfect finish.

For a better understanding of the relative size of earrings, please be sure to check out photo #6 for a size comparison with a dime.

Agate is used to help ease stressful situations, protect against danger and promote strength and healing. Amber is used as a good luck and protective stone; it is said to bring romantic love, wisdom, energy and balance. Copper is believed to allow the wearer to recognize the barriers which are in the path of personal development. Silver is the metal of love and healing.


Here is the important information for the TIMELESS MEDLEY earrings:

Etched agate rounds: app. 12mm
Amber nuggets: app. 10mm x 4mm
Metal: copper and sterling silver
Earwires: French hooks; sterling silver with copper bead accent
Length: app. 1.75"/4.4 cm from top of earwire curve


The TIMELESS MEDLEY earrings are such gorgeous beauties which seem to scream out their ancient look, even though the beads are modern. Perfect when worn with the TIMELESS MEDLEY necklace, they also are perfect when worn on their own!

***Please be aware that not all monitors show colors exactly the same. The colors of the items used to create my jewelry are extremely close to the actual color on my monitor. The colors may appear lighter or darker on your monitor.

Shadow Dog Designs
Unique Handmade Jewelry
for the Discriminating Woman

The etched agate beads just cried out to me. I love beads that look ancient, like they were part of an archaeological excavation. The agate beads had to come home with me to make into a necklace and earrings (:

Etched agate rounds; amber nuggets; copper daisy spacers, 2mm beads and hand hammered headpins; sterling silver earwires with copper bead accents

Carefully handmade in a pet friendly, smoke free studio (: