Good Earth Challenge...Reveal Time!

Looking for my Bead Soup Reveal...click here.

While my jewelry design muse has been madly creative lately...my writing muse has completely deserted me! and all I can say to that is WTH! Did she not get the memo that we'd have blogs to write for all these fabulous design challenges I've signed us up for? I mean really I have been so inspired to create lately...uncharacteristically ahead of schedule with my finished pieces and cranking out tons of designs...then I sit down to write and nothing...no whitty quips...just blah, blah, blah! So for now I'll just apologize for not being quite so entertaining and remind myself you've really come to look at the pretties anyway...hopefully I'm dazzling you with that and you don't even notice my sudden lack of writing. But enough about that!

Andrew Thornton has put together another fantastic design kit and I was lucky enough to grab one up! I love his kits. They are FULL of all kinds of pretties and always a wonderful mystery component...we don't know what it is until we receive our package and it's always something wonderful! I have participated many times and I am always inspired. This time was no exception...now on the the Good Earth Reveal...

I love how this necklace came together. I used one of my new ephemera tiles created from the new boho images by Calico Collage. Similar tiles are available in my supply shop Asbury Avenue Designs. This image was perfect with the large brass feather included in the kit. The gold waxed linen and all beads are also from the kit. Vintaj brass clasp and jump rings complete the design. Next is a close up of the entire necklace.

Next the entire necklace laid out...it's a long style with mismatched beads on each side.

Next up another necklace using one of the mystery components...

I fell in love with this polymer pendant as soon as I saw it! It coordinated perfectly with a strand of the czech beads included in the kit. Everything is brought together with sage waxed linen.
This design has no clasp...another long style, easily slipped over the head.

I wore this necklace layered with the next necklace and another from my own collection a few weeks ago and received several compliments on the grouping.

This one is another no clasp design...for some reason lately I'm loving the long, slip over the head layer lots of them on style. This one has the luster glass beads and square seed beads from the kit. Everything strung on natural, undyed  waxed linen. It's a double strand and the seed beads move freely between their knotted spaces just for fun.

Next up...bracelets and yes...they are perfect for layering!

The glass in this bracelet didn't photograph well for me...it has more yellow than the picture shows and to me looks much prettier in person. Anyhoo...I don't work with gold findings much but the kit included this gold clasp and it was too perfect with this design not to use it. Everything is from the kit except the waxed linen and the gold jump rings, handmade by me, some of my first!

and another bracelet...remember the theme is layered...

I picked through the premium blend for this kit for enough red and metallic coated rondelles to fill out this design...they really complimented the amber colored acrylic chips...luckily I managed to find enough of them! A combination of my large and small handmade jump rings provided the additional length needed. The asymmetry of this bracelet layered with the symmetrical bracelet is a very nice contrast.

and now some earrings...

There were only 2 of these little beads in my kit but I was really drawn to the blue hue on them like streaks on a window. I know weird but they had to be earrings...with blue waxed linen to match the streaks :)

and last but not least...

These were actually the first thing I made when the kit arrived. They are acrylic so very lightweight and there were only these 6 in the kit...so they had to be graduated earrings, right? I am very behind on listing items for sale but I am hoping to have these listed this weekend. So if you are interested in purchasing stop back then and hit the shop tab at the top of my blog. If you would like to purchase something before I get it listed feel free to email me or message me on Facebook so we can work out the details.

I hope you enjoyed your stop here today. I love to read your comments. I also hope you will take some time and visit the other participants. I'm sure there will be lots of pretties you won't want to miss! 

A big THANK YOU to Andrew! I love all the inspiration and beady goodness you manage to pack into these design kits!

Carolyn Lawson http://www.carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Christy Porter http://queenbeedesignsny.com/?page_id=62

Kay Mallery http://kaymreflections.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Tammy Bowman http://innermusejewelry.blogspot.com/

Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/

Karin Grosset Grange http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr

Ann Schroeder http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com/

Marybeth Rich http://forestofjewels.blogspot.com/

Christina Hickman http://vintagetreasuresjewelry.blogspot.com/ 

Andrew Thornton, Alison Herrington, Laurel Ross, Kim Griggs, Deb Floros http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Sneak Peak Collaboration with Calico Collage!

About a week ago my lovely friend, Ella from Calico Collage offered me the opportunity to have a sneak peak of a new collage sheet she was preparing. I was even more honored when she asked if I'd like to make a few items before it was listed in her shop. This sheet is extra special since it features artwork from Ella's personal creations. Now that I've had a few days to create with it, she will be listing it in her shop sometime this week.

The images are fantastic! The tiles above will be listed in my supply shop, Asbury Avenue Designs. I only have a limited selection of these beautiful images so if you see something you like grab it before someone else does!

 

 

 I also made a few pendants to use in my own designs. I loved this image, so reminiscent of my inner flower child. I kept the design simple with Lucite flowers clustered into dangles and Vintaj brass chain.

I like the striking colors in this image...hot pink meets rocker chick! I really love how well the ribbon colors matched the image and again wanted to keep overall style simple so the image remains the center of attention. Hand dyed silk ribbon and wire wraps seemed perfect. I finished it all off with one of my handmade clasps. The wire used for the wraps and clasp are from Fallen Angel Brass, it's a beautiful darkened, almost black brass again perfect with this image.

 

Now for the sexy red baby doll image... Something about this image just says create with me! I had some boro beads from Firelily that matched the shades of red and the holes were big enough to go over the bronze chain. Originally I wanted to do a wire wrap or coil around the chain to hold the bead in place but that proved to be too much of a challenge...in the end I decided on a trio of red stone dangles to create a "stopper" so the bead will slide up the chain but stop at the bead cluster. I think it works :)

And the beautiful fan lady...this was actually the first piece I finished. I think this one is a favorite for several reasons...most of all because I'm not really a pink person but I love the way all these shades of pink came together to show off this gorgeous image. I also don't make a lot of symmetrical designs, so this one was out of my design comfort in several ways. I used a hand dyed silk ribbon called "sweet tart", along with ceramic beads from Gaea and some pink enamel flowered bead caps I've been hoarding from Sue Beads. The chain, filigree and wire are darkened brass from Fallen Angel Brass.

Last but not least...these are the creations I am still working on. I am thinking to branch out on my wire working skills but feel I still have a ways to go...