#Cre8time Jewelry Creations Inspired by Art History
Hello! With Spring in full swing I have been cleaning the plethora of crafting supplies I seem to always have. While I destash I can’t help but notice I seem to add to the collection without noticing! So this time I set myself the goal of using my more coveted supplies to create jewelry on a more regular basis. Today I wanted to show with you some of those jewelry creations inspired by Art History.
“Imhotep’s Gift”, vintage gold plated beads, Lapis Lazuli beads and vintage gold plated findings.
I have a serious love of Lapis Lazuli; the tiny highlights of naturally occurring Iron Pyrite always gives it a wonderful sparkle. Taking my inspiration from ancient Egypt, a matching set of chandler earrings and necklace was born.
“Roman villa”, gold foil and turquoise colored lamp-worked beads, Bead Gallery® gold rondelle beads, vintage gold plated findings and Blue Moon Beads® gold lantern focals from JoAnns.
The gold foil lamp-worked beads immediately reminded me of how ancient Roman glass looks when unearthed at archaeology digs. Using surviving Roman necklaces as a guide I used a link and drop design to create this necklace. I felt using the same beads would look a bit much for earrings so I went with lantern focal drops instead.
“Nepal Spring”, Sterling Silver Fair Trade beads from Nepal, vintage Sterling Silver spacer beads, Fiona Accessories black glass beads, Bead Gallery® turquoise tone Magnesite beads and vintage Sterling Silver findings.
I had bought the Nepal Fair Trade beads some years ago but could never think of what to do with them. I realized putting all the beads on one strand would be too heavy, so using only one bead as my focal I created a simple but stylish layout. The two additional beads from Nepal had their intricate details highlighted as earrings.
“Uranium Ball”, Neon green crystal beads (a discontinued line of crystals from Bead Gallery®?), vintage crystal and gold plated links, vintage gold plated spacer beads and vintage gold plated findings.
Once again the beads were my starting point of the design, the odd, almost glowing hue of the crystal beads made me think of Uranium glass. Uranium glass (also known as Vaseline glass), was glass tinted with Uranium to striking tones of green, was made into tableware and household items in the 1800 and early 1900s. Taking inspiration from the jewelry styles of the 1910-20s I created this set using mostly broken vintage jewelry pieces I have collected over the years.What type of wearable art could you create with a Spring destash of supplies?
Until Next Time, Safe Travels!
Summer Jewelry fun…
It is a very warm and dry summer here in sunny California, which means I am trying to spend as much time indoors trying to stay cool with the critters. I have been cleaning house, donating a lot to local thrift stores and our local senior center. Now that I am making more room I am finding art supplies I had forgotten about. What I did not give away I am now making some great new summer jewelry pieces.
First on my list is my recent obsession with fruit polymer clay canes. I found several blocks of lovely orange polymer clay, I just had to make some orange slice pendants and beads! At first I wasn’t sure what beads to place with them, but after sorting through a “Boss Bag” from Fire Mountain Gems, I found the perfect findings. After some rummaging through my stash of beads I was able to make up some really cute and summer time necklaces.
Handmade polymer clay orange slice beads, glass beads, gold toned findings and bead caps.
Handmade polymer clay orange slice beads, glass beads and gold toned findings.
Handmade polymer clay orange slice beads, glass beads, gold toned findings and bead caps. I used beads caps to simulate orange blossoms. 🙂
Next in my series of summer jewelry is my “Ice Cubes” set. I live off of ice water in the summer so anything that makes me think of cool water and relaxing makes me a happy camper. I found these lovely irregular lamp worked beads, no two were alike but they all had a silver foil on the inside that reminded me of ice. Add some silver chain, more findings from a “Boss Bag” from Fire Mountain Gems and voilà!
“Ice cubes”, silver chain, findings and lamp worded glass beads.
Next clear glass beads and findings (again “Boss Bag” from Fire Mountain Gems) make a piece that I call “Blue water, golden sun”. I wanted to make a piece that would be reminiscent of the beach of clear blue waters with a gold sun in the sky.
“Blue water, golden sun” pressed blue glass, gold beads and gold findings.
Last but not least, “Cobra tears”. I always keep an eye out for hand crafted artwork and love to support artisans in their craft. The lovely hand carved coconut focal piece is made by artisans in Sri Lanaka. The carving is of Mucalinda, a snake-like being in the form of a cobra, who protected Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment. I buy these lovely hand carved pendants from my friend Kim McWhorter who makes sure the artisans get 100% of all money from the sale of the lovely creations. Kim is the the Associate Executive Director of Animal Venom Research International an organization that’s goal is to alleviate world-wide suffering caused by animal envenomation by bringing the technology of antivenom development to countries in need.
Crystals, carved coconut cobra, silver chain and findings.
Stay cool in the heat and keep crafting!
Until next time safe travels!
Ancient and Contemporary Inspired Artistry