Red and Black Beaded Necklace and Earring Set

I recently picked these necklaces up at a thrift shop. You may recognise the bottom one- I got another one like it at a junk shop last year and made it into a Venetian necklace-brooch set: http://broidermebethan.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/venetian-necklace-and-brooch-set.html

I planned to do a similar thing, and replace the tiger eye stone with another gemstone. No luck though; I couldn't remove the tiger eye without ruining the setting. Instead I painted the stone with red nail enamel.

 I had these red cut glass and black gemstone beads in stash, and I threaded them onto tiger tail with some gold crimps as spacers.

 I removed the chain from the pendant, and hot glued a brooch back to it. I added a jump ring at the bottom to attach the ends of the necklace to.

The completed set.

The necklace is meant to be worn in this style:

Paolo Caliari Veronese - Portrait of a Woman

Image from: http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/Venetian2.htm

I am considering adding a drop pearl at the bottom of the brooch where the ends of the necklace join it.

I also picked these earrings up at a thrift shop last year. The black stone matched the necklace, so I painted the diamante with red and black nail enamel to make a dark red accent.

Venetian necklace and brooch set

You might remember this little gem that I found in a thrift store last year.

Since then I have removed the chain and made a necklace out of Baroque freshwater pearls and small tiger-eye gemstones. I also glued a brooch back onto the back of the pendant. I made a second, shorter matching necklace as well. These will be great with front lacing Italian style gowns.

Paolo Caliari Veronese - Portrait of a Woman circa 1555
Image from: http://www.starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/Venetian2.htm


 Leandro Bassano - Portrait of a Female Singer with a Lute
Image from: http://www.starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/openbodice1.htm