HALLOWEEN & FALL PROJECTS

Some of my spooky Halloween projects, the day after Halloween!  :)  I'll start by showcasing this incredible Staci Louise Day of the Dead pendant.  I used 16 gauge copper wire for the outside frame, hammered it flat and then molded it around the pendant with my free form wire wrapping.  The finish is siri ribbon, in three different colors to add some pizazz.  I truly love this unusual pendant.  I've been holding onto it for awhile ... it took me this long to determine how to do it justice.  These colors are not the "norm" for this time of year, and I think that's what I love about it, along with the beauty of Staci's creativity.

Pumpkins and more pumpkins... the colors speak for themselves don't they?  F A L L harvest.  I love using good quality lucite too -- when I can find it.  It's so light and sometimes you really can't tell what it's made out of.  I found pumpkins, leaves, copper spacers and other quality beads on Etsy at Lula Beads.  She's fast at shipping too. 

The top green pumpkins are Czech glass, but the two below are both lucite.  The larger pumpkin truly looks like glass, but without the weight.

The earrings below are Czech glass on top, w/lucite caps and translucent rounds below, and then fire polish rondelle dangles.  Such a fun combo.  Luckily I have a husband who lets me spread LOTS of beads around the table as I create, so I can see what I have to choose from as I go.  . it's not always a very pretty site, but lets my artistic juices flow a bit smoother... :)  Thanks, Noah!

These pumpkins are hand blown glass from Heart Beads in Murray, UT.  So darling, but glass can be heavy, so I was careful not to add too many other beads, to keep the weight doable. 
  

Now for a few darlin' witches.  Using good quality anything -- gemstones or Czech glass or whatever - always raises the level of any finished product in my opinion.  And, these are not the normal colors of Halloween so can be worn throughout the fall.  I think these came together so adorbs!  The copper spacers add some real interest and some fun to the overall look! Scroll on down for a few different options.

Some unusual bone skulls added for fun with crystal inlaid pear drops.  I purchased these at that incredible store I mentioned above -- Heart Beads.  They are not on-line, unfortunately.  But, its certainly well worth a trip just to walk in that store.  Wonderful selection and nice people too.

CONTINUING ON THE CATCH UP TRAIN...

Each of my creations truly does begin with a tiny flicker of a vision, and many come from pieces or parts I have purchased from other creators.  If you follow this blog, I'm repeating myself here, but I have my favorite artists - those who never disappoint.  Their work provides me with so much positive energy, and joy through the process.  The necklace below started with an incredible pendant from Staci Louise originals, which I then wire wrapped so I could layer on one of her incredible bronze pieces.  I also painted a metal leaf to dangle off the bottom, with a Czech glass flower, rondelle and round.  This piece feels like it has a lot to say... if I listen carefully.  LaShell Wyskochil sari silk for a soft drape of a necklace.

I also wire wrapped around the ribbon just above the pendant to keep it close to the focus.  I really liked the dimension it added without being too much.

And, below, some earrings I put together to go with.  The beads all jumped out at me as I was piecing together the design.  The light purple color of each is hard to see in this photo, but you get the idea -- they are truly yummy!  Czech glass and some swarovski crystals with some enameled C-Koop heart locks I'd been saving for just the right project.  Ahhhhhh, really beautiful together with the copper.

And then... one more raku pendant shot below with the gorgeous earrings, making it a set.  These are a design by Michelle McEn, from a 2015 Beadwork magazine.  Good thing I keep ALL these magazines chalk full of inspiration.  I was thumbing back through my stack... and came upon this pattern using pellet beads.  So many fun shapes of beads anymore... I can't keep up, but always love trying new beads and designs.

RAKU MEDALLION AND OTHER WRAPPINGS!

I purchased a couple Raku medallions a few years ago from one of my favorite locally owned stores Dragonfly.  I absolutely loved the size and coloration!  Fast forward to now, and in searching my rather large stash of "special" pendants and other beads, they popped up and yelled... me, me, me!  Ha.  So, I was feeling the creativity and decided I'd do some wire wrapping, which doesn't always go perfectly!  But, on this particular day, the force was with me. :) I started by shaping and hammering some patinaed 16 gauge wire for the outer round and then used that as my base for attaching the pendant with 18 gauge wraps.  On a really great day, as we all know, creativity can flow with such positive force.  So... here are the wire wraps from that day.  I hadn't determined what I would do for a necklace on either one, but eventually did make a leather strap for the horse medallion, which was perfect.  Unfortunately, that beauty has galloped off to a very happy new home, so no picture available to show the leather.  Also, some earrings to match below.

The coloration and coating on the drops in the earrings below (from Fusion Beads) are so gorgeous and really pick up some of the same tones from the Raku medallion.  I also used some 1-hole lentils for a bit of add'l design.

And for my next wrapping, an incredible Staci Louise Originals Day of the Dead pendant.  The design of this piece, along with the colors, is so unique!  Love it and I must say, I'm thrilled with my wrapping ability on that ONE GIVEN day.  :) 

MORE HAMMERING!

The creative juices are flowing from the end of a hammer...another hammered wire design, using a favorite "go to" artist's pendant, Staci Louise Originals.  There are some truly talented artisans whose work is incredible -- they never disappoint, and you will see their beads and pendants, etc. in my work over and over again.  And, as each artist's view is unique, it helps me change gears to incorporate their style and quality into my own creation.  This hammering art (thanks again, Heather Powers) could not have come into my consciousness at a better time, I tell ya!  Timing is everything and I am really enjoying it. I also incorporated a Golem yellow round in the bottom charm. 

POLYMER CLAY MEETS PEYOTE!

An unlikely pairing you might think!  Peyote stitch around a wonderful polymer clay Day of the Dead pendant?  I think the contrast works great, but getting to just the right contrast was a challenge.  It took me two very long attempts to get it right.  I spent several hours on the first version, which just wasn't coming together - hate it when that happens.  But, finally, my "aha" moment - also love that reverse side of things when it happens!  The polymer pendant is from one of my go to favs, Staci Louise Originals, and it has an incredible reverse side as well.  Staci makes her pendants wearable on either side, which I love, and this set, for the fall, Halloween and the Day of the Dead celebration, is just plain fun!  The earrings came first, and were in my last post, with the hope that a necklace would follow and be a compliment.  I think I accomplished that...

 

 

Sugar Skull Fun

A new Artisan widening my horizons.  Very exciting to do something different - and I have discovered a new found appreciation for Sugar Skulls!  This Skull by Staci Louise Originals.  She is so creative  and inspiring on many levels, and I'm excited to have made my first purchase from her, and now my first original necklace design, using none other than a couple of her polymer clay designs.  Just in time for Halloween and the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations.  Visit Staci's page and see what I'm talking about.  It's a new view for me...kind of out of my comfort zone.., and that's exactly where I need to be!

There's another of Staci's Artisan polymer beads on the right hand side with the wheel design.



I have had these ancient brass/copper beads (I think they are tribal handmade beads from long ago) just waiting for that right project, and here it is!  They were perfect, together with the rough cut Czech beads and the colorful new lucite feathers I've purchased from Eileen at Bead Street.  Quite a cross over of worlds in this one piece!

FUN FUN FUN!!!