Little Windows Photo Jewelry

Donut you love this?!

Fran — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:57:40 +0000

I know - a pitiful pun, but here’s a gorgeous new look! This is one of my new designs for Spring, using the Doming technique to create a spinning inset within gorgeous shell donut beads. This is all done with a simple wire-wrapping technique.

Little Windows 2-faced Spinner Heart

The tricky part is finding donuts that fit within one another. So don’t feel like you have to stick with shell beads, you can try those cool resin donuts, metal ones, anything you can find, really. And the inside one doesn’t even have to be a donut, it can be a flat bead too. You can get these beads online, and they may have them at your local craft store or bead shop, just be sure the holes are drilled straight. I’ve made my domed pieces a bit smaller than the inner bead so the pink of the shell will show, but it can cover the whole bead too. There are lots of ways to customize this design, from the type of chain to the accent beads and the charm you use at the bottom. Detailed instructions are coming to the website soon!

Hello Retro!

Fran — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:52:28 +0000

Turn the past into presents! Lately we’ve had a slew of old images come in that were pulled out of old memory albums and shoeboxes, scanned, and turned into outstanding photo gifts. With a little bit of restorative retouching, each pendant shines with a happy memory. I especially love pix from the 70’s - the colors, the clothes, the hair - it’s all quite awesome. Here are a few I hope will inspire you…

Dig through your old photos and see which memories make you giggle, laugh or cringe - those are the best!

Thank you, Moms

Fran — Sun, 25 May 2008 20:28:48 +0000

This last month has been a whirlwind at Little Windows, and while I didn’t get much sleep, I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to be involved in so many Mother’s Day gifts. Each one the essence of love between a mother and daughter, husband and wife, grandmother and grandchild, sisters and brothers. Here are just a few of my favorite from the many custom-made treasures we created this Mother’s Day.

The first one because it shows a lovely girl in her element, the reflections of the tulips around the edges of this Little Window are spectacular. The second one captures sibling love, what a treasure for this mom! The center one is excellent - each of these kid’s personalities shines. I love the 4th one for 2 reasons: 1) this is a great example for moms with older children, and 2) because the pretty young girl in the photo had this made for her mom for Mother’s Day, and I hope my girls will be that thoughtful as they grow up! The last one is just a beautiful moment showing a near-silhouette of a girl at the beach, which seems timeless. Hope this inspires you!

cool press!

Fran — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:52:41 +0000

I feel like a new mom! Real Simple Magazine selected Little Windows as one of only 4 items in their Mother’s Day Gift Guide this year. Check it out…

Thanks to all you Real Simple readers across the country for making Little Windows your favorite Mother’s Day giftable! Don’t forget, we’ve got gift certificates too in case you just can’t choose from among the many brilliant designs!

“Gabby” Long Necklace

Fran — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:16:16 +0000

So I’ve finally figured out how to explain how this one’s made. It’ll take a few more jewelry supplies than usual, but it’s such a beautiful and stylish design. You’ll be joining all the pieces together with a wire-wrapping technique, which is how we make the Little Windows pendants in the kit. It takes a bit of work, but you’ll be amazed how these longer necklaces come together - each unique and beautiful. There are two variations shown in the howto guide, but the possibilities are endless!

You’ll need to select 3 or 6 photos to make the three double-sided photo domes. And before you head out to shop, dig through your old jewelry to see what you have that can be made-over.

Click to download a materials list and instructions: “Gabby” HowTo Guide

Have fun, and let me know how yours turn out!

hello everybody!

Fran — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:55:38 +0000

I’m Fran, creator of Little Windows, and I love what I do. Here’s how this all came to be: If you’re anything like me, you’ve got tons of digital pix on your hard drive just looking for a way out. I loved the idea of photo jewelry, and tried to find something that really showcased my photos and fit my style, which is not vintage. I’ve been working with resins for years, and in 2006 started making photo pendants for myself.

You would not believe the response I got just wearing them out on the town. Not only moms, but trendy store clerks, cool dads, even the cute guys behind the counter at the Hollywood Arclight wanted to know where I got them. So I started crafting custom pieces and Little Windows was born.

After many months of research, and a ho-lotta experiments gone awry, I got to a point where it became easy because I had the right components, tools, and techniques. My friends and I were having so much fun making Little Windows, that creating a Kit (so you could too) seemed like an obvious next step.

With a helpful background in product development and graphic design, and the support of my creative family, I’ve been able to develop something wonderful and fulfilling that I hope you’ll love! The purpose of this blog is to bring you fun ideas, cool projects, extra information, to answer common (and not so common) questions, and give you a peek inside Little Windows.

If you’re already making Little Windows, keep going! If you’ve ordered custom pieces, I hope you’re thrilled with them.Thanks to all of you, and also to my professional photographer partners who make Little Windows even more beautiful!

Lots of fun to come!