A Challenging Earring Gone Pendant Design!

I do love a good challenge, and Beadwork Magazine Designer of the Year, Penny Dixon, does not disappoint.  She is an incredible jewelry designer.  I wanted to start a new project, and her "Pergola" earring design, just one of her many mathematical equations, called out to me from the pages of the magazine!  So, I gathered the beads that I needed and started... and I struggled, let me tell you.  But, onward I kept weaving each and every little stitch.  For this trial run earring (yes, I have made only one at this writing!!!) I used the colors I could put my hands on in my stash, so this might not be what I would have put together if I had had all colors (!), but I thought it worked and I really quite like the way it turned out.  Some red/green, but not too much.  I used a combination of metals for the Czech bars (I originally thought my Czech bricks were the Czech bars called for in the pattern, but they are too thick so I had to start once again with the proper bead to get the spacing just right) and Penny's pattern used the quadra lentils and I used quadra tiles, which seemed to work just fine.  I feel pretty dang thrilled with myself having finished this ONE earring.  On to the next one...

THANKSGIVING INSPIRATIONS.

A very wonderful Thanksgiving to those of you who follow me, or occasionally check my blog!  I wish you (and me!!) joyful time with family or friends or whomever you love to be around.  That's what it's all about - being with those who bring us joy, appreciate us, accept us, love us, and to whom we can bring the same.  

I've made some last minute Thanksgiving inspired adornments.  I am loving the fall colors so much, I hate to see this season end, but these are probably my last creations before Christmas designs begin.

The earrings above are my design using some darling art tiles by J-Lynn Jewels.  Janice does lots of different shapes and styles for Holidays and everything inbetween. 

The earrings above are also my latest brick stitch around a component design (thank you Sue at Bead Street for getting me started on these components!) adding some table cut Czech glass flowers and etched leaves, wrapped with patinaed copper wire in 22 and 24 gauge, with earring wires in 20 gauge.  These are so gorgeous in the light, as the second level of beads around the circle are translucent. 

And above, a darling pumpkin pendant by Humblebeads.  I wired in the leaves and added some curly q's for fun.  Also added a different color of the table cut Czech flowers from the earrings.  I do love these beads, which are hard to find.

A COMPILATION POST!

A few new items I've recently completed that I'll combine into this one post - bits and pieces of fun!  A darling necklace using peanut beads, which I think is so wonderfully colorful, coupled with two beautiful artisan beads from Humblebeads - Heather's birds are legendary, and this detailed bon bon flower bead so unusual and beautifully detailed.  

 Second, is a slightly altered version of Eileen Barker's French garden cuff design, from my October 20, 2015 post "Spooky Halloween".  In this bracelet I tried a mixture of small and large drops in differing colors, which gave the top flowers a different look.  The crystal montees are also alternated for a slightly different sheen.  This color combo is really warm and rich!

And last, but never least, some beaded bead earrings I made in a class taught by Sandy Taylor, using a pattern designed by Vezsuzsi.

THE GIFT OF BEADS!

My friend Aimee brought me back some wonderful ceramic artisan beads (African Kazuri beads) from her vacation on the Oregon coast (what's a better vacation destination than that I ask!) and I've been saving them for just the right artistic moment.  Well, I had the moment and here's how it turned out.  I made the beaded necklace first, using superduos and 11 sbs, (thank you Sandy!) and went from there.  The colors in the necklace are slightly different, but really melded with the beads!  Then I did a little wire wrapping to attach the pendant (thank you Beth for helping me to remember I can [I think I can... I think I can...] work with heavier wire).  I added a few butterfly charms, swarovski crystals and a wonderful czech flower, and here it is...one of my new favs. 

ANOTHER FALL COMBINATION!

The variation in color in these beautiful Indian Agate beads is pretty incredible.  I saw the strand and loved it immediately, especially the shape of the beads!  And, then when complimented with the wine-ish variegated czech glass round druks, antique bronze 8 sbs and the adorable bee pendant from Bo Hulley, oh so fun.  The one of a kind pieces I make really do speak to me as I gather my particular beads and components and come up with a design, and this one was no exception.  This set was made from the heart for my dear girl, Lonette!  Hope she loves it as much as I do.

TURNING TO FALL WITH METALLIC FLAIR!

This set almost didn't make it to it's intended!  Ha.  It's a piece made for a dear girl - that girl who was so instrumental in helping me get started on this incredible beading journey.  Happy birthday Aimee!  This project all started with the earrings, and I chose the colors specifically for Aimee - the combo and sheen go with just about anything black/brown (or any combination thereof) and Aimee does love those colors.  And, then the pendant, well, that incredible sun/moon pendant, from none other than Tracee Dock of The Classic Bead was just too perfect!  

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