After years of being a collector of any thing with a bit of sparkle (beads, earrings ,vintage brooches etc), I decided to put my bits and pieces together to create fun and funky jewelry for myself! Watercolour, encaustic (painting with wax), cardmaking and pottery are some of the courses I have taken in the past years, but for some reason the appeal of "playing" with beads and wire has gotten hold of me...and the time is right for me to share my creations!!
I make each piece by hand, using recycled and vintage beads along with bits and pieces of found items as well as new materials. You will find many different types of beads in my pieces> glass, lampwork, crystal, pearl, metal, wood, plastic, stone, shell, buttons, rhinestones, chain.... basically anything that suits my fancy, all created with a "go with the flow" vibe, reflecting my mood at the moment. No two pieces will be alike, each one is as individual as a snowflake! I love to combine different colours and textures and no symmetry! My signature on each piece (except earrings) is a pale green seed bead.
All pendants and swags come on a 42cm. wire necklace with a screw clasp in an appropriate colour. The bale is designed large enough that you can easily slip the piece onto your own chain, cord or ribbon. Wire is either nickel free or silver. The pieces can be manipulated gently if they get out of shape and most pieces have a front and back side.
Earrings are all approximately 4-6cm long.
The name Thornbush Designs is in honour of my heritage.... it is the English derivative of my father's Dutch surname!!
My hope is that you have as much fun wearing my creations as I do making them!
Nancy Doornbos-Ferwerda
Thornbush Designs