A Quick and Classic, Blue Jewelry DIY
Color forecasts and trends help all facets of the art industry to be inspired, create, and design. This year Pantone announced their new color of the year, “Classic Blue”. A color that to me brings to mind the deep rich hues of lapis lazuli stone, twilight sky and dark blue iris blooms. Being that dark and intense blues are some of my favorite colors to work with, I was inspired into incorporating this color into a beginner jewelry project.
Supplies:
1 Silver plated round cable chain necklace, 16 inch
2 Fishhook earwires
10 Eye pins, silver-plated brass, 1 inch
2 Head pins, silver-plated brass, 1 inch
13 Silver Plated 4mm jumprings
12 Deep Blue 8x6mm faceted crystal rondelles
2 chain nose pliers
1 round nose pliers
1 wire cutter
Starting with the earrings first, carefully thread one Deep Blue 8x6mm faceted crystal rondelle on a 1-inch silver plate head pin. Using the jewelry wire cutters, trim off the excess wire of the head pin.
Using round-nose pliers carefully bend the head pin wire slightly towards you before starting the loop. This will ensure you have a more rounded and centered loop.
Curl over the wire into a complete loop with the round-nose pliers by rotating your wrist forward. Close the loop, snug to the bead.
Using two pairs of chain nose pliers start twisting* the jump ring until the required opening is achieved. Thread both the head pin with bead and the fish hook earring wire on the open jump ring and close the jump ring with the two pairs of flat nose pliers by twisting the jump ring closed.
*Do not pull open jump rings as this will distort them.
Once the jumpring is closed you should have one earring finished. Repeat this process to create the second earring.
Now onto the necklace. Carefully thread one Deep Blue 8x6mm faceted crystal rondelle on a 1-inch silver plate eye pin. Using the jewelry wire cutters, trim off the excess wire of the head pin.
Using round-nose pliers carefully bend the head pin wire slightly towards you before starting the loop.
Curl over the wire into a complete loop with the round-nose pliers by rotating your wrist forward. Close the loop, snug to the bead. Repeat this process for the 9 other Deep Blue 8x6mm faceted crystal rondelles.
Using two pairs of chain nose pliers start twist the jump ring until the required opening is achieved. Thread both two crystal beads on finished eye pins on the open jump ring and close the jump ring with the two pairs of flat nose pliers by twisting the jump ring closed.
By attaching these two eye pins with beads together you have created your first two segments of your necklace.
Repeat the process of connecting each crystal bead on a eye pin to the next until you have used all 10 beads to create a length of chain.
Lay the 16 inch Silver plated round cable chain necklace flat and carefully cut one segment, with wire cutters, to separate the necklace into two pieces.
Using two pairs of chain nose pliers open one jump ring and thread both crystal bead chain to end of one of the chain pieces. Close the jump ring with the two pairs of flat nose pliers by twisting the jump ring closed.
Repeat this process on the other side of the crystal chain.
This quick and easy, yet in style and on trend jewelry makes a perfect addition to any wardrobe.
Until Next Time, Safe Travels!A Magical Mystery Bead Box Journey
Monthly subscription mystery boxes seem to be all the rage these days, with many arts and crafts companies getting in this fun way to introduce their products to the masses. When I found out Jesse James Beads was doing a monthly Magical Mystery Bead Box, well I just had to try! As I noted in in a previous post I am fast becoming a fan of Jesse James Beads so starting a subscription was a no-brainer for me.
Each month Jesse James Beads picks a theme, with a matching color pallet of beads, charms, findings and a surprise project. For September they had “Into the Woods”. A lovely earthy color pallet of greens, golds, browns, teal and silver. I wouldn’t normally have picked this color assortment but I found it a wonderful push to go outside my comfort zone.
This selection of stunning goodies made me think of time long ago. When I saw the owl pendents included in the box what came to mind was Athena, Greek Goddess of wisdom, inspiration, warfare, mathematics and art.
Now you might wonder why I had Greek mythology on the mind. Recently I had the chance to see The Getty Villa‘s Buried by Vesuvius Treasures from the Villa dei Papiri exhibit. So many lovely sculptures, paintings, literature and delicate treasures, it was a site to behold. One statue in particular caught my attention and my imagination, Athena Promachos (First in Battle), Roman, first century BC–first century AD.
Using that amazing statue of the goddess as my inspiration I created a necklace from the Magical Mystery Bead Box. Athena’s symbol of the olive tree is represented by leaf charms from a Jesse James Beads Goddess mix, her owl from charms from my bead stash, and the multi strand pattern represents her snake fringed aegis (protective cloak). The pendant is a replica of an ancient Athenian coin, with a image of the goddess herself stamped on the front. The majority of the beads and all of the tassels come from the Into the Woods box. With a few Czech glass beads and metal components from my collection.
Even though I used a lot from beads from the subscription box I still have so many more left over to create many more projects. When the October box arrived I was so happy with the new assortment I knew I had to sign up for a longer subscription.
Until Next Time, Safe TravelsNew Beading Journey with Jesse James Beads
For a couple of years now I have had friends and clients tell me I needed to start working with supplies from Jesse James Beads. In particular their online exclusive collections of beads and supplies. So in July I started ordering from them, and after I received the first package, I was hooked. Their color and style selection was just what I needed to break my inspiration block! All the beads were packed well, shipping was fast and they even included some free tassels!
Mauna Loa Bead Mix What caught my eye was their limited edition Destination Hawaii bead mixes and strands. I bought several packs for gifts and the Mauna Loa 2-Tier Bead Mix for myself. It contained a lovely collection of metal, acrylic, crystal, glass, fiber and semi precious stones. The colors brought to mind the island of Mauna Loa, which is home to one of the five volcanoes that make up the Hawaiian islands. Vibrant red and oranges for lava and stunning sunsets. Black and grey for the volcanic rocks and smoke from the volcano. Metallics and tassels reminiscent of the Polynesian regalia and pageantry.
*If you hurry you might still be able to get one of these lovely bead mixes before they sell out.
Gold Assortment Starting with my personal collection of gold findings I selected beads that brought to mind the warmth of sunsets and bonfires by the beaches. In most, if not all Jesse James Beads mixes you will find two to even six beads of the same type, making earrings and symmetrical jewelry making a breeze.
Silver Assortment I felt certain beads lent themselves to the cooler tone of silver, thinking of cooling breezes among the palms with bright glow of lava at night. Digging through my collection of crystals, fire glass and silver findings I found just the right combinations to go with the bead mix.
Lava Flower There was a selection of black matte beads in the mix that immediately reminded me of cooled lava flow. I thought of ʻōhiʻa lehua, a species of evergreen myrtle found in Hawaii, that often is the first plants to grow on new lava flows. With some additional matte beads, Swarovski crystals and silver findings I created this earring and necklace set.
Last Dance Queen Liliʻuokalani was the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a woman of talent, tolerance and intelligence who advocated for a free Hawaii until her death in 1917 at the age of 79.
In honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani I created a vintage design using the deep red crystals from the Maua Loa bead mix, one Ruby Red JJB Chain Reaction, and vintage findings.
Hawaiian Crow Last but not least I created a set highlighting the Hawaiian Crow, extinct in the wild, with reintroduction programs being started. Culturally significant to Hawaiian mythology this beneficial omnivore known to both prey on pest animals and spread seeds of native plants.
In hopes this wonderful creature has a brighter future, that from death there might be life, I designed this set with crystals from the bead mix, a raven skull pendant and supplies from my personal collection.
More bead goodness.. Even after all of those creations I still have beads left over to use.
The quality and diversity of the beads Jesse James Beads offer, along with their ever changing color pallets of the limited editions has made me a fan!
Until Next Time, Safe Travels!Spring Bo-Ho Fire-Polished Earrings
With Spring cleaning in full swing in my household, pulling out beads and findings I might have forgotten is a yearly ritual. This time I found one of my favorite types of beads, Czech Fire-Polished!
Here is a quick way to use up some of your jewelry supplies sitting around to make a fun, yet elegant pair of earrings.
Supplies:
2 Silver Plated Fish Hook Earring Wires 19mm
4 Silver plated 5mm Jump Rings
2 1 1/2 inch Silver Plate Eye Pins 22 gauge
2 2 inch Silver Plate Paddle Pins 22 gauge
8 Czech Fire-Polished Beads in Pale Purple 6mm
2 Silver Plated Lantern Beads 4x6mm
2 Rhinestone Metal Ball Beads 6mm
1 Pair of Jewelry Wire Cutters
2 Pairs of Chain-Nose Pliers
1 Pair of Round-Nose Pliers
Carefully thread two Czech fire-polished beads and one rhinestone metal ball bead on each 1 1/2 inch silver plate eye pins.
Thread onto each 2 inch silver plate paddle pins two Czech fire-polished beads and one silver plated lantern bead.
Using the jewelry wire cutters, trim off the excess wire of the eye pin with two fire-polished beads and rhinestone metal ball bead. Using the
round-nose pliers, curl over wire into complete loop by rotating your wrist forward. Close the loop, snug to the bead and repeat these steps with the second eye pin.
Using the jewelry wire cutters, trim off the excess wire of the
silver plate paddle pin with two fire-polished beads and one silver plated lantern bead. Making sure the flat side of the paddle pin is facing you curl over the wire into complete loop with the
round-nose pliers by rotating your wrist forward. Close the loop, snug to the bead and repeat these steps with the second paddle pin.
Both of the eye pins and paddle pins should look like the photo above.
Using two pairs of chain nose pliers start twisting the jump ring until the required opening is achieved.
*Do not pull open jump rings as this will distort them.
Thread both the eye pin and paddle pins on the open jump ring and close the jump ring with the two pairs of chain nose pliers by twisting the jump ring closed. Repeat this process for the second set of pins.
Open another jump ring and add a fish hook earring wire and close the jump ring. Repeat this process for the second earring.
Now you have the perfect pair of earrings for a casual or dressy occasion.
Until Next Time, Safe Travels!Feather Inspired Boho Necklace with Sculpey Soufflé
In January I traveled to the Creativation Trade show, in Phoenix, Arizona. Held by Association For Creative Industries or AFCI, during the show I was invited to the 6th annual Prime Networking Event. At this event, bloggers, designers, authors and brands in the craft industry came together to network, make new partnerships, and learn about new product information. The event was Educational, informative, had great food and drinks and free product samples provided by this year’s sponsors. After the event attendees were encouraged to try out and create art for the Favecrafts Best Blogger Craft Event.
One of the sponsors was Polyform Products, who supplied a wonderful kit including a Sculpey® Bead Making Kit and three half bricks of Sculpey® Soufflé™ in Igloo, Pistachio and Poppy Seed.
The Souffle clay colors of the kit reminded me of the feathers of the Great Green Macaw. In particular the neck and chest feathers, in tones of green, black and fluffy white, that many Macaws can be seen preening while relaxing. This color inspiration helped me visualize a Boho necklace, faux leather in style, since Souffle Clay once baked in an oven has a matte finish, somewhat like leather.
Supplies:
Sculpey® Soufflé™ in Igloo, Pistachio and Poppy Seed
Sculpey® Bead Making Kit
Ceramic tiles
1 Coffee Straw
Pasta Machine
Paper Towels
Metal Spacer Beads
Cone Tin Beads
Toothbrush
Darice 100% Natural Hemp Cord, 20 lb. Assorted Brights
Cord Faux Suede Olive-Brown 3MM
Working with the Sculpey Soufflé I quickly learned it is softer than most polymer clay, requiring little to no conditioning. Using the cutting blade, included in the bead making kit, I cut each brick in half, saving half of each clay brick for the second part of the project. I rolled out each half brick of clay with a pasta machine (devoted to craft use only) set on the thickest setting.
Using the Skinner Blend technique, which creates beautiful gradients in clay, I blended two of each color of clay. Now having pieces of clay with blends of green with black, white with black, green with white, I cut out 14 feather shapes using the cutting blade. I didn’t need to use a template because I wanted the organic look of naturally fallen feathers. Using a coffee straw I punched out a hole on the top of each feather. To give detail to the clay feathers I used the needle tool, included in the bead making kit, to draw on the clay, not going too deep but just enough to get create lines as shown in the photo above.
I placed a paper towel on a ceramic tile and carefully put my detailed feather pieces on top. I bent and curved the feather to give them a more natural flow. I baked the clay feathers on the tile as per the manufacturers instructions.
To condition and roll out polymer clay easier I use a Pasta Machine I got at a kitchen supply store. It also happens to have two noodle cutting rollers, that normally I ignore when using for clay. However the Fettuccine noodle roller was about to become very handy for the next part in my project.
*The use of a pasta machine with noodle cutting rollers is not necessary if you rather cut each strip out by hand.
I rolled out the reserved half bricks of clay with the pasta machine on the thickest setting. Then I ran each portion of clay through the Fettuccine cutting roller, making sure to run the white, then green and black clay last to avoid color transfer of clay. Each strip of clay was easily textured with a tooth brush to emulate the appearance of leather. Using a coffee straw I punched out a hole on the top of each strip of clay.
I crumpled two paper towels into rolls and placed a third paper towel on top of a ceramic tile. I carefully placed my strips of clay on the paper towels. I baked the clay strips on the tile as per the manufacturers instructions. Sculpey Soufflé once baked is more flexible than traditional polymer clay allowing for long and/or large art pieces to be created, yet be still resistant to cracking and breaking.
I cut a 24 inch portion of Faux Suede Olive-Brown Cord to be the start of my necklace. I cut a 10 inch portion of green Natural Hemp Cord and attached it to the suede cord using a Lark’s head (Cow Hitch) knot.
I slid a metal bead onto the hemp cord and did a overhand knot at the end of the cord. I repeated this on the second portion of the cord.
I added an additional 10 inch hemp cord length to the suede using a Lark’s Head knot, adding metal beads and securing them with overhand knots. Adding another hemp cord length I slid metal bead further down the cord, towards the Lark’s head knot. I did an overhand knot, slid on a strip of baked polymer Souffle clay and secured it with a overhand knot. I repeated this process for all of the other cured clay pieces.
I slid on three Cone Tin Beads on each side of the suede and did a simple slide knot to finish the necklace.
I am now a huge fan of Sculpey Soufflé, with its flexibility and matte finish it allows this cascade of cord, clay and metal beads to be lightweight, durable and fashionable!Until Next Time, Safe Travels!
Ancient and Contemporary Inspired Artistry