AJE Earring Challenge

So Sunday is week 29 and 30 of the Art Jewelry Elements year long earring challenge. I'm posting early as I won't be able to show up this weekend and I can't rely on the blogger schedule tool anymore. Today I'm featuring beads from Heather Powers. She makes wonderful polymer pieces but my favorite are the smaller round beads which are so versatile.

'Soon Autumn Comes' made with Heather's brick red polymer beads, Czech beads from ArteBella Surplus, and Vintaj components.

'Persian Tea House' made with patina-ted sticks, and patina-ted metal beads from MissFicklemedia, Heather's gold patterned beads along with Vintaj components. Please visit the Art Jewelry Elements blog to see more goodies. And don't forget to check Art Jewelry Elements Pinterest board for even more goodies!

An Experiment in Patina

I know many of you have experimented with Patina so this might be a 'done that' post to you. But for me it's something new and exciting. I'm using instructions from Denise Yezbak Moore in the February 2011 Issue of Bead Trends.  Yes it takes me that long to put things in to action. 

I'm using Vintaj 25 mm copper circles. The process takes three days or more depending on the level of patina you want. I was so excited  about how well this worked that I forgot to take a photo of the first day results.

Day two, very nice patina. Even the paper plate shines with color and salt crystals.

Day three.  I'm not happy with the results as they are more crusty than I wanted.  It's my own fault as I purchased coarse sea salt rather than fine by mistake.This is the convex side.

Concave side. I finished them with a little buffing and a light coat of Ren Wax.

'St Croix' with Scorched Earth drops.

AJE Earring Challenge

 

       Today is the reveal for weeks 17 and 18 of the year long Art Jewelry Earring Challenge.

Last time I featured beads from Heather Powers, which was fun.

So this time I'm featuring earrings made with handmade components from Kristi Bowman. 'Ancient History' made with Kristi Bowman's textured copper shard charms, rustic brass components from Fegin's Daughter, and tiny lampwork beads from Pebble Dreams, and Vintaj brass components.     'Medicine Woman' made with Kristi Bowmans textured copper shields, tiny lampwork spacer beads by Silvertwisted, and Vintaj chain and earwires.   I had so much fun featuring these wonderful artists, and I hope to be able to keep that trend going for a while.  Thank you for stopping by. Please check out the Art Jewelry Elements blog to see more earrings.    

Art Jewely Elements Earring Challenge

  It's weeks 15 and 16 of the year-long earring challenge at the Art Jewelry Elements Blog.    

'Edge of the Woods' made with sweet polymer beads from Heather Powers and Vintaj components.

'Dream Catcher' made with polymer beads from Heather Powers and gold-filled chain and earwires.   Check out all the other wonderful earrings at the AJE Blog.   Thank you for stopping by!! I hope you enjoy your Sunday.  

AJE Earring Challenge Weeks 9 and 10

If You're looking for the 52 photos please click here.     At the beginning of the year I signed up for the Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge. I missed more than a few of the reveal dates but now I'm back in the game.   The first pair is made with sweet little bronze daisy flowers from Cathy Daily, patinated 'seagrass' copper bars from Miss Ficklemedia, tiny dark coral swarvoski crystals and Vintaj components.  

'Bloom Where You're Planted'

The second pair is made with ivory gold lampwork beads from Something New 4 You, enameled beads I got from the Art Bead Love Tour Chain, Czech beads from Arte Bella Surplus and Vintaj.

'Sage Meadow'

Check out the AJE Blog to see what others made.

Snow on Snow and a Winner

This photo is from the previous snow last week. You can see the snow is up to the porch.

Here are photos from the snow that started yesterday and is still going strong.

Our Japanese Bloodgood covered in snow.

One of our Pin Oaks with the branches drooping to the ground.

The deck.

 

From inside.....

In the middle of January I hosted a giveaway of a pair of earring made by Mary Jane Dodd.  Then I got sick and the contest completely slipped my mind.  The lucky winner is.......

Gale!!!

Gale Please email me with your mailing address and I'll get the earrings out to you.  Congratulations!!!

If you're looking for my Focusing on Life 52 Photos Week Three post click here.     I'm so excited for the first reveal date of Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge!  Our goal is to make a pair of earrings each week for thirteen weeks.  Each pair must include at least one artisan-made component. I love making earrings (instant gratification) and actually have to force myself to make something else. The reveal dates are every two weeks, so there will be two pair of earrings at each reveal.     My first pair includes 'spicy mustard' lampwork beads by PD Lampwork. I purchased these many years ago and unfortunately I have lost track of this artist. Also included are earwires from Fire Mountain Gems, plated spacers form Rio Grande, and silver filled wire from Artbeads.  I love this stuff! 

'Grindstone'

My second pair includes lovely polymer beads from Heather Powers, wonderful Czech beads from
Arte Bella Surplus, and Vintaj brass branch dangles and earwires. 

'Meandering'

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Please visit the Art Jewelry Elements Blog to see what the other participants have created.

Lorelei's Headpin Challenge-Blog Hop

When I was young my father took us arrowhead hunting with him. He knew the best time to look according to when the fields were plowed or disked.  He could tell if a field was good hunting ground based on the slope of the land and the proximity to water.  Even when we went on vacation he could spot a good field from the highway, and we would stop to check it out (though mom did not always appreciate this interruption).It was so exciting to us kids to find even the smallest piece of flint and pull it out of the just-turned earth, and we thought we were in heaven when we actually found an arrowhead or knife. 

Dad is 82 now, and still hunts the fields on occasion.  His basement is filled with thousands of arrowheads, tomahawks, knifes, pottery shards, grinding stones, and many other Native American artifacts that he has found over the years.  And he instilled in us kids a love for the land and the Native Americans that once roamed here.

I played around with copper practice wire trying to find the right design. I was leaning towards something summery, but somehow it turned into earrings that reminded me of Native American colors and design. 

'Southern Plains' Earrings

'Southern Plains' ~ Made with Red Jasper beads, tiny lampwork spacers, and Vintaj components. The lovely headpins are from  Gardanne Beads; 

The blog hop is Thursday April 7th.  Please visit the other participants to see what they created.

http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/
http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com/
http://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/
http://Lorelei1141.blogspot.com
http://songbeads.blogspot.com/
http://beads2die4.blogspot.com/
http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com/  That's mehttp://acreativechelle.blogspot.com/
http://stargirlshop.blogspot.com/
http://www.re-maker.blogspot.com/



Little Jewels

I haven't had much time to make jewelry but I did manage to make these sweet earrings as a request by a customer. Currently they are my best sellers, and can be easily customized by the color, shape, and style of the bead. They are so easy to make, and my customers love the look and feel of the modern 'ear strings'. Click on the photo for a larger image.

From left to right: 'Overcast', 'Azure Sea', 'Copper Sky', 'Denim Days'



And speaking of earrings, I won these wonderful earrings from Marina Rios quite a while ago. I just love the color and texture! I apologize for not getting a photo of these up earlier. Check out Marina's blog to see more of her fantastic creations. Marina has a fun blog and I'm positive you'll come away with a smile on your face.



And I recently won these earrings from Janet Loomis. They include citrine nuggets, tiny glass beads, and copper. Don't you just love the patina on the copper pieces?! Check out Janet's Blog to see more of her creations. Thank you Janet, for the lovely earrings!



What is new with you? I hope you have a productive week!