Vacation Specials !

After 4 years, I'm back in Madras on vacation. Super excited to be here but still jetlagged and tired.
I'm looking forward to adding many exotic, Indian inspired designs to the Whole Gifts collection !!
 Photos will be updated regularly.
If any of you see anything you love or want anyting specific, do please drop a line and I'll be more than happy to accomodate your requests.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha Handpainted on Glass.

Of all the Gods in the Hindu pantheon, my all time favorite is Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Like my mother and aunt, I collect Ganeshas in various shapes, sizes and materials.

During enforced bed rest while pregnant with our daughter and boredom driving me out of my mind, I started tinkering with clay. To my wonderful surprise, I was able to sculpt Ganeshas!! My joy was boundless.








Here are some of the different styles of Ganeshas hand sculpted, oven fired and painted by yours truly.

Neel Ganesh

This blue Ganesha is one of the first ones to be fired and painted.

Orange Ganesha

This Orange Ganesha is my humble homage to the famous Ganesha of Mumbai.

Baby Ganesha

And one of my favorites, Baby Ganesha !

Mandapam Ganesha

Here are two Ganeshas complete with pedestals.

This year, Ganesh Charturthi falls on Sep 1. May Ganesha fill our lives with prosperity, peace and happiness.
Ganapathy Bappa Moriya !!

Whole Gifts Back in Action !

Hello to all my wonderful blog readers. You must be wondering if I'd disappeared from the face of the earth. Ah..no, I'm still here. A lot of things have been happenning on the home front. We moved into our new home. We had some remodelling to do before that and running around with contractors, choosing tiles and paint colors and coordinating the move took up most of my time.

While Whole Gifts continued to create new and exciting jewelry designs, there simply was not enough time to adequately photograph and the pieces and post them in the blog. However, things are a little bit settled now and you can all look forward to new posts.

Thanks to all of you who continued to check the blog and write to me, I appreciate each and every one of you.
To paraphrase the Governator "We're bach" !

Sparkles

Its been a while since my last posting. When you are responsible for designing, creating, photographing, posting and selling, things get a little hectic at times. But never fear, more posts are here !

Goldstone and Silver Necklace

This is a necklace I created a while back but haven't found the time to showcase online.

I have always loved goldstone...something about the tiny flecks of sparkles embedded inside makes it special.

Goldstone usually calls for gold or brown tone accents, but for a different look I went with silver for this necklace.

It does not detract from the shine of the beads, but adds a certain something,  je ne sais quoi !

Mothers' Day Rings

Multicolor Wire Ring

I love rings...always have... and at any given time, I can be found wearing atleast two in each hand.

One of my really sad moments in recent past was when I had to take my rings off because my fingers were swollen in pregnancy. Thankfully that episode is behind me and I'm back to flaunting my rings !

My mother loves rings too, wears many of them and loves to coordinate them to her outfits. I got my love of rings from her, so its only fair that I make some special Mothers' Day rings.
Last week while at the craft store, I saw these vintage style buttons and knew they'd make very catchy cocktail rings. These large, chunky rings are all the rage right now.

Bluebutton Wire Ring

They make the perfect little shiny, sparkly catchy gifts !

Mothers' Day Earring Bonanza

We are just a few days away from Mothers' Day and I am on my way to a Mothers' Day party.
Want to know what I'm carrying with me.....earrings, earrings and more earrings, a veritable treasure trove of them !
Here is a sampling from my box.

Rosy Cheek Earrings

These earrings are pretty in pink, perfect for the new mom...to match the rosy glow in her baby's chubby cheeks !

They are made with sparkly Swarovsky crystals and iridescent Toho spacers.

Green & Gold Earrings

For the mom who wants versatility, these two pairs of earrings fit the bill. They are simple enough to wear to work and dressy enough to go out for a special evening.


The first pair is made of emerald green Czech glass beads with gold Toho spacers....

Jasper & Gold Earrings

 ...and this pair is made of  a dark red poppy Jasper with gold Toho spacers.

Both are attractive, tasteful and eminently wearble.

Humming Bird Earrings

And finally, the pièce de résistance and my personal favorite....the beautiful, elegant and exquisitely detailed humming bird earrings. Any mom is going to be over the moon when she receives this !

Pretty pewter humming bird beads pair up with vintage glass flowers and leaves to create a pair that is full of natural splendor.


Get your mom a great pair of earrings this mothers' day...or get her all of them....after all she has given all her love to you !

Mothers' Day Anklets

Mothers' Day is almost here. I am sure all of us can agree that we owe a lot to our moms. From kissing away our boo-boos to forming a one woman encouragement squad to keep us going,  for driving us all over town   and for putting dinner on the table no matter what.....the list is endless and the thanks we owe our moms infinite.

This Mothers' Day treat her to a luxurious spa day, with a wonderfully relaxing manicure/pedicure and then present her with any one of these beautiful anklets.

Also, just in time for Mothers' Day, Whole Gifts now offers the added convenience of buying online. Just use the options posted under the "Custom Order/Buy Now" link on the right of the page. We accept Paypal, the safer way to shop online.

Summer Sea Anklet

If your mom is a beach goddess, she is sure to love this anklet in shades of the summer sea.


This anklet is made with faceted glass bicone beads interspersed with white Toho spacers and finished with an antique style toggle clasp.

Flower Charm Anklet

If she is more of the nature gal, she is sure to like this classic black and white anklet with a lovely plumeria charm.

Whimsical Whale Anklet

And finally for the mom who spent endless hours playing patty-cake and drinking numerous cups of tea with your dolls, here is a simple silver chain anklet with a playful whale charm.


Stay tuned for more wonderful gifts for Mothers' Day !

Easter

Easter is right around the corner. It represents a time of  resurrection, of renewal, a new beginning. It is also a time for deep metaphysical contemplation and an awakening of faith.
For the spiritually minded, a beautiful, handcrafted Rosary makes a very novel gift.

Green Aventurine Rosary




This Rosary is made with green Aventurine beads interspersed with silver Toho spacers.

The silver mesh wrapped peridot Pater beads add the right amount of sparkle.

The center link is antique pewter, in the image of Our Lady and the Cross is glittery with Swarovski crystals.

Crystal Rosary

This Rosary is made with white quartz crystal.
The Spacer beads are gold Toho.

Brilliant white Swarovski crystals form the Pater beads.

 Both the center link, in the form of Our Lady and the Fleur Cross are antique gold plated pewter.

This Easter, gladden somone's  heart with a thoughful, unique gift. Give a handcrafted Rosary.

Spring Suite--Cameo Flowers

I love cameos...they have a timeless, old world elegance. They are versatile and can be used in a variety of designs.
Traditionally, cameos were carved out of gemstones like onyx or agate. These days we get cameos in a wide range of materials like glass, shell or even resin.



Cameo Flower Pendant




Look at this lovely, red rose cameo.
It it made of resin. The detailing is meticulous and life like.


I did not want anything to detract from the beauty of the cameo, so this is set very simply on a gold base.

Swarovski Earrings

Pair it up with these lovely swarovski dangle earrings and you have a set that is an instant classic.

Spring Suite--Flowers !

The sun is shining, birds are chirping and flowers are blooming....spring is here ! What better way to celebrate spring than with some flower themed jewelry.

Flower Earrings

Take a look at this pretty flower earrings made of light weight resin.The detailing is exquisite.


The translucence of the resin lets light shine through, giving it a glow.

Flower Pendant

Pair it with the matching pendant strung on a simple silver chain, and you have a set that is casual enough for everyday wear and elegant enough for an evening out.

Flower Jewelry Set

Spring Suite-- Colors !

Spring Colors Bracelet

Last week was a wash out in the bay area, it rained pretty much all the time.

It was also a little girl's birthday.
She wanted to have her birthday party outdoors, in the park with the flowers blooming and birds singing. But the weather here did not cooperate.

This set was created for her in color tones reminiscent of spring flowers....so she could have spring with her even when it rained.

The bracelet is made with amethyst, aquamarine, citrine and peridot beads interspersed with gold Toho spacers.

Spring Colors Earrings

The matching earrings are strung with gold wire
for a little bit of shine and sparkle.


What a lovely way to carry some of the charm of spring with you all the time !

Neelakshi's Pendant

Its ready...Neelakshi's unique peace pendant is finished ! It took a little bit of work, what with the weather being so rainy in the San francisco bay area. Resin I find, can be temperamental if there is a lot of humidity in the air. Thankfully this came out well.

First Cast of Pendant

This is after the resin was cast and set. While the pendant is pretty, I could see that it lacked something....maybe some beads or crystals around the edge of the pendant.

Nope, the beads or crystals seemed to make the pendant feminine and soft...not something Neelakshi might find appealing.

Peace Pendant

After racking my brains and raiding my supplies box, this is what caught my eye....hexagon shaped spacer beads that look like grommets.

They add the right amount of detailing to the pendant and make it more edgy and tough...surely Neelakshi will approve !

This peace symbol is distinctive....three swords have crossed to declare peace. It shows that there is hope for a conflict free resolution of all differences.

The grommets have been placed at the hilts and points of the swords to draw further attention to the uniqueness of this symbol.

And finally, the pendant is strung on to a leather cord necklace.....its tough, stylish and different, like Neelakshi herself.



You can read more about
Neelakshi: The Quest for Amrit here

Neelakshi

Whole Gifts Logo

Remember the collaboration I mentioned a couple of posts ago......here are the details.

I have a very talented graphic designer friend, we go back a long way......right up to our school days in Madras. He very generously created this beautiful logo for Whole Gifts.

His name is Asvin and when he is not creating lovely web pages, logos and designs, he is also a graphic novelist.

Neelakshi wearing her pendant

Neelakshi

His latest project in collaboration with Ashok Rajagopalan is "Neelakshi : The Quest for Amrit". Art work is by Judit Tondora and colors by Roland Pilcz.

It is a visual treat, a lot of very talented folks are working together on it and when it comes out, its definitely going to create a splash !



Now, Whole Gifts has been commissioned to create the unique, one of a kind pendant worn by the heroine of the novel, Neelakshi herself.
The pendant and many other cool prizes are being offered to all those who contribute to make this novel a possibility.

You can read all about it and view the prizes here

Whole Gifts sure is excited, the pendant process has started and should be ready in a a few days' time. Stay tuned for pictures of the finished pendant !

Jewelry Party !

Last week, Whole Gifts had a jewelry party for a baby shower. It was great fun.
All those who attended could choose one jewelry item that was custom created for them, on the spot, as door prizes. Talk about instant gratification !

Black & Silver Necklace

Obviously because of time constraints, elaborate designs could not be created on the spot, like this necklace for the mom to be.


This necklace is made with black onyx beads intersperced with sterling silver roundel beads.


The pendant is a beautiful resin cast set in a silver bezel (Whole Gifts is working on a whole new set of resin pendants for spring, more on that soon) !

Blue-Green wire ring

One lovely lady chose this wire wrapped ring as her take home prize.
This is made with a translucent blue-green glass bead wrapped in anti tarnish silver wire.










And of course, all the little kids who were in attendance received colorful, beautiful bracelets to wear home. All baby bracelets at Whole Gifts are always created with 100% sterling silver or 14KT gold components.....because nothing but the best will do for the precious gems in our lives !



White Cats' Eye beads with Gold TOHO Spacers



Multi-Color Agate



Black Bicone Crystal with White TOHO spacers

Blue-Green Coin Cut Glass with Clear TOHO Spacers

Pink Bamboo Coral with Gold Spacers

Needless to say the party was a huge success and everyone went home happy.
If you want to do something different for your next party, do plese contact Whole Gifts...we have a wide variety of packages to suit all your requirments. As always...."we strive for perfection" !

News

It has been a while since the last post....but lots of  things are happening at Whole Gifts !


Spring themed jewelry is being designed in full swing


Requests for jewelry parties have come in....very thrilled about that.


Also, a very special collaboration is in the works. More on that later.





Thanks to all the loyal readers who keep coming back. Just wait for a couple more days. Exciting new jewelry designs are coming your way !

A Special Birthday Necklace

Red Fish Necklace

Today is the birthday of a very special  girl.

She might be small but has a large personality and loves things that are bold. No wonder she chose a red frock for her birthday !

This necklace matches both her dress and attitude perfectly.



Fire polished glass beads in red are strung together with TOHO bead spacers, also in red.

The lovely sterling silver and red enamel fish pendant adds a touch of playfulness.


This necklace is bold and effervescent.
It made the little diva happy....thus making the Mama happy !












Whole Gifts has many such lovely ideas for the little (BIG) persons in your life. Do drop us a line and we will be sure to oblige !

Elegant Sophestication

Last week, I was commissioned to create a jewelry set to match a dress. The wearer of the dress was going to a special dinner and wanted something simple yet stunning to wear.

The dress is brown with just a touch of gold in the neckline and sleeves. The material is silk so it changed shades depending on how the light caught it.

Brown is not an easy color palette to work with. It can appear dull and lifeless if not treated well. What...oh what can I do...??





Then inspiration struck....mother of pearl beads in a brown shade to match the opaline glow of the dress and instead of using gold beads as accents, how about gold wire to loop the beads together.


Here is the complete set.......

Mother of Pearl Necklace and Earrings



 Hooray....it worked. ! This brown is definitely not dull.
The soft shine of the beads is offset beautifully by the gold wire.
 Mother of pearl complements all skin tones and creates a magical glow making it perfect for evening wear.

Needless to say, it made for one special night out !











Rainy Day Cheer

Its been raining here in the bay area for the past few days. Its gloomy and foggy and cold.
 Something had to be done to made the mood lighter and here we have the results.....cheery and colorful necklaces to dispel the weather blues !


 

Vivacity Carnelian Necklace

This necklace is made with carnelian beads.

Traditionally carnelian is believed to enhance energy and remove bad vibrations and I can tell you that I did feel a renewed burst of energy after I finished string this necklace together !

The roundel shape of the beads has been enhanced by stringing two of them together, end to end.

The spacers are antique style sterling silver beads from India.

Look carefully and you can see the center spacer is flower shaped, a little reminder that spring is on its way and very soon the flowers will explode in a riot of color and cheer.

The gleam of the silver, the bright color of the beads say "gloom and fog go away ".








All Things Good necklace

Need more help in dispersing  the blues...never fear, more help is here !

This necklace is not only pretty and colorful, but it has all the positive energies of the gemstones working for you too.

It has orange carnelian for energy, rose quartz for love, amethyst for protection and crystal quartz to enhance the qualities of all the other stones.

Here too, the spacers are shaped like little silver flowers promising of good things that are right around the corner.

Alexander Pope said, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast ;"

Let us adorn ourselves with some good cheer and ride out the blues.

Happy Valentines Day !

Vintage Heart Cabochon Pendant

A heartfelt Valentines Day wish to all my wonderful readers. 


Thanks to all those who post their comments and suggestions, do keep them coming.

 Many thanks to all who chose Whole Gifts as their Valentine gift central....we love you very much and look forward to your continued patronage.

Stay tuned for our spring themed jewelry !

Purple Passions

Amethyst is the birth stone for February. It ranges in color from a light lilac shade to a dark purple.

Throughout history, amethyst is believed to make the wearer gentle and amiable. Its other powers include dreams, love, peace, healing and protection.
The ancient Greeks believed amethyst protected against drunkeness...how is that for a reason to get some amethyst jewelery ?

If you are a february born gal or know someone who is, here are some great choices.

Amethyst Cabochon Necklace

For a bold statement, try this necklace.

Deep, dark purple beads are intersperced with antique style silver spacers. The pendant is an amethyst cabochon set in a silver bezel.

Wear it to your next party and feel your spirits uplift !

Lilac Amethyst necklace

For the sweet, gentle and charming part of you, here is a necklace made of lilac colored amethyst beads.


The beads are faceted and catch the light and glint. The silver spacers add even more sparkle.

What a beautiful way to to inspire some love and feel enveloped in peace.










Whether you feel bold and courageous or sweet and lovely, amethyst is sure to suit your mood. Give or get some today !