COLORS ADORN!

A smaller sized earring of less weight for our earlobes.  Instead of longer, free-flowing fringe off the bottom of brickstitch, I wrapped these around for loops.  I've seen different versions of this idea out there... not really sure who came up with it, but I loved the idea when I saw it.  I used 11.0 sb with 6mm fire polish on the earring wire.  These are puuuurrrfffeeect for summer and the colors -- mamma mia!  :)  Darlin' little stars add a bit of pop.  Adorbs.

Similar colors as above, but the longer dangle look.  Again, on FB and on Pinterest, so many different versions of these brickstitch with dangle designs out there.  The sky's the limit on how long or what you add to them - I added some tiny myuki drop beads to both the earring wires and the bottom of the dangles for my own JDreams flair, and I'm lovin me some blue right now!!  Some people like shorter, and some people like longer.  Always good to have a choice, depending on your hair length too, or if you are wearing your hair up or down.  No reason to wear darlin' earrings if no one can see them, right?

A flash idea, as I played with some different beads on my mat, grew into these darlin loose flower earrings.  Rizzo's, 8.0 sb and some fire polish wrapped around a pounded brass round link.  I've kind of been in a wire wrapping state of mind and there's that blue again.  These are more delicate than what they show here, and there is movement with the rizzos, which adds a bit of life to the design.

An idea I saw on Instagram at #seedbeadjewelry. CindyKinersonjewelry posted a pair she had created using brickstitch attached to some engraved or stamped natural leather, as the lower portion of the earring - they were really fantastic!  I loved the idea and my head started spinning about what I could come up with that followed the basic idea but was different.  So, I went through my own leather stash and came up with this combo.  Cutting very small pieces of leather in a shape is not as easy as it looks, so don't look too close!  Best part is how light they are.   Even with the 11.0 seed beads, the czech glass and 8mm round, these are light as a feather.  FUN!

MORE EARRING DESIGNS!

I like having several different projects underway, or at least a twinkle in my eye of a new idea that's just ahead.  I think most beaders are that way... to keep the momentum of creativity moving.  I do try to finish MOST projects before bouncing back to another, but it doesn't always work that way.  For the summer, earrings are such a fun, non-ending creative outlet, so here are those I've been bouncing back and forth from.... and to... 

My latest design... started out totally different than this finished product.  I love the meshing of the different tones with the copper chain, wire and filigre beads.  These do have a bit of weight to them due to my choice of beads, but oh so gorgeous in the light.

More of my leather weightless creations.  So many different choices of leather colors and then dangles to attach.

STITCHIN' EARRINGS!

It's a great time of year (especially since we seem to be experiencing more wintery weather now than we have all season!!) for bead stitching, which translates to fun/colorful earrings and dangles.  Peyote and brick stitch are a nice change of pace, and so versatile - large, small or somewhere inbetween, with just about any design.  Add some fringe to finish the project off, and oh my my... Well, give these a look see and let me know what you think.  A variety of color and size, and all very light on the lobes.

The next two earring designs are my own -- but there are so many variations out there on many different sites or in magazines, the ideas are only as narrow as your own imagination.  I'm especially proud of the first pair - the turquoise and copper.  I started stitching and came up with the design as I went, so it's a JDreams original!  The fringe really makes the design.  The purple color combination is hard to miss, a bit less dramatic design and smaller size, but still gives an incredible pop of bright.

A side by side shot to provide sizing perspective.

 And, below, I thought this view from the end of the fringe was a cool shot!  The turquoise earrings have Super Unos at end of fringe, and the purple earrings have small drops.  I love the change in look by altering one thing (or a few!).

Next, earrings using instruction and design from Jill Wiseman called Russian Leaf.  I struggled with this design at first - it called for 6 lb fireline, but the earrings would not hold any shape - very flimsy - so I ended up cutting up the first earring and redoing it using 10 lb fireline, which was much better and held the dome shape.   

I make all my own earring wires, mostly using copper wire.  Copper is my metal of choice.  And, the wires below are fun with a bead wrapped on top for a bit of extra, and to coordinate with the 6 mm fp in the earring design.

And, last, but certainly not least, this beautiful design from Robin Smith and Linda's Crafty Inspirations blog.  I didn't even notice there was a heart in the original design, but I added a few seed beads here and there to shore up the tension and there it was... one of my most favorite things - hearts!  These are so dang fun.  I added the raku looking rounds with the 4mm marbled fire polish and I think they truly make the combination stand out.