A Little Piece of Paradise

Kareen Kjelstrom currently living in Paris, France, spent summers in Tahiti (where her mother is from) while growing up in LA. Many of her pieces of jewelry include blues and greens, influenced by the intensity of the ocean colors in that tropical paradise.

She creates her own beads with a high temperature propane/oxygen torch and fine Italian (Effetre) glass, then uses them in hand created sterling silver pieces. All her beads are made free-hand, without a mold and are kiln fired for strength and durability.

Kareen’s triangular SeaSide Swankier Earrings with rounded corners include hand-formed and hammered sterling wire, with chain dangling glass beads, Labradorite and Aquamarine accents, and a special by Kareen hallmark tag. They have a lovely modern shape.

Her Purple Haze Bracelet looks almost like hard candy; flat oval lentil beads with swirls of purple and creamy white streaks giving the piece depth and dimension.

Many of the bands of color used in her handmade beads swirl around and around, creating the effect of movement almost like the winding of cotton candy around the center in one direction, or like a subtle cyclone, soft and billowy, sometimes breaking up in wisps which stop and start, at other times in wide continuous patches.

Prior to leaving Santa Monica, Kareen’s jewelry was featured on HGTV's Crafters Coast to Coast.

Since moving to Paris she has also exhibited her work at the Louvre and is trying to break into the scene and make a name for herself there.

You will find these a delight to the senses. To see her full collection go to
http://kbykareen.etsy.com/
and if you’d like to know more check out her blog at:
http://kbykareen.blogspot.com/