These little guys are the result of experimenting with Aspect Ratio, which is what determines which rings you can use for certain patterns. Some sizes and thickness are completely unsuitable for some patterns, but we still like to play. One day we were trying to make a Helm flower using completely incompatible rings just to see what would happen. The result was a bowed cone instead of a flat flower, and as we studied this bowed cone we couldn’t help but imagine it as a Jellyfish. So we whipped up some European 4-in-1 in an increasing pattern around a center ring, draped it over the bowed cone, and a Jellyfish was born! All it needed were Jelly-tendrils and a little chain in the center for hanging. This school happens to adorn a little cubby decorated with some Kraken run, seashells, a pirate treasure chest and some gold coins, but they are equally adorable swimming from the rear view mirror of a car, over your desk or dresser, or just about anywhere they can chill and hang around.
The Long and Short of it
Just like people, earrings come in all different shapes and sizes. We’ll let these pictures speak for themselves!
Free Shipping!
Now through February 14th, enjoy Free Shipping, anywhere in the US from our store: The Velvet Zebra. Who doesn’t deserve some color in the midst of this Winter’s doldrums?
Valentines Day!
Why wait for someone else to do it – tell yourself how special you are with a new pair of Valentines earrings, or maybe our brand new Blackheart Valentine necklace. Now featured in our online store www.Squareup.com/store/the-velvet-zebra and soon to be available to purchase directly from our Facebook store (once they get that figured out!).
Winter Wonderland
Made with Frost Anodized Aluminum and Colors that remind us of Holly Berries, Evergreen Trees and long, dark winter nights, these necklaces and earrings are the perfect accessory to that Winter Holiday outfit.
Playing with it
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Our love of the Japanese style knows no bounds, and once you master the general idea, it’s impossible not to want to play with it. First up we used copper 3/16″ rings and connected them with 1/8″ Anodized Aluminum, then used the little rings to make swoops connecting each triangle. Then we decided to go purple with an all-Aluminum version. And following that up is a Fall combo in Brown and Green. These designs are now available in the shop: https://squareup.com/store/the-velvet-zebra |
You complete me!
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No outfit is complete without a good pair of earrings – whether you’re dressing up or being causual, a pair of these hanging from your ears is the perfect finishing touch. Our French loops (the part that goes through your ear) are made of Surgical Steel, and we finish them all with a little rubber back, so they won’t take a walk out of your lobe. The rings and scales are all Anodized Aluminum, ensuring each pair – no matter how long or elaborate – remain so light weight you’ll forget you have them on. It’s impossible for us to show off each and every pair we make because we have more than we can count, so every month we will post a “seasonal” collection, starting off here with our October/Fall colors. Nothing says Fall like some good old fashioned Orange, Green, and Purples! |
The Leaves are Falling
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The Leaves are Falling! Technically these “leaves” are called Scales, and they’re used to make Scalemaille – which is just what it sounds like, chainmaille with scales. While it is generally used to enhance or decorate maille outfits, we also like to use it for jewelry, as in these necklaces (and the earrings we will post next week). In Black and Red, we created several of what we call Dragon Tails, hanging down from a necklace of Helm design. In Blue and Silver, we again hung different sizes of Scales from a Helm necklace. In Pink and Silver, we went a different route and wove the scales in a Dragon Heart pattern, using a frosted silver scale against Pink and Frost rings. And finally in Red and Silver we hung a small section of scale armor from another Helm necklace. All of the rings and scales are Anodized Aluminum and all are now available in the shop: https://squareup.com/store/the-velvet-zebra |
We’ve gone Batty!
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These little guys are fun and interesting – they’re made of EPDM, which is a fancy sort of rubber, and 1/8″ 20 gauge Anodized Aluminum, which is a tiny, very light weight ring holding the rubber rings together. It’s a complicated pattern, because the rubber rings do not open or close, they’re simply round rings, so you have to think three steps ahead. It’s a form of Japanese 8-in-2, with the rubber rings being the 2 and the 1/8″ aluminum the 8. They are the perfect companion for amy dark and stormy night. They each weight only 1 ounce and have magnetic clasps keeping them from flying away. They are all now available in the shop: https://squareup.com/store/the-velvet-zebra |
Variety is the spice of life!
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These necklaces all use a variant of a style interestingly named Rondo a’la Byzantine. That’s a fancy way of saying they’re Helm with a few added twists that we played twister with. First up, in the Seahawk colors, we used different sizes than you’re supposed to, for a fun look. The second picture in red and silver we simply took the helm portion and let it drop down as well as around. In the Rose and Black Ice we took twisted to a new level, and used twisted rings – if you look closely you can see each Black Ice ring is made from twisted wire. The Frost and Red necklace we call Winter Wonderland – it’s “almost” standard, we just used different sizes. And finally in Rose and brown, we have your just-about-basic Rondo a’la Byzantine. We just finished it a little differently to add movement. They are all now available in the shop: https://squareup.com/store/the-velvet-zebra |
The Velvet Zebra 