Victoria

I love the look of these medallion connectors from AD Adornments  and I wanted to pair them with something sweet and delicate so I chose Czech glass pansy beads in a lovely shade of lavender. I used Irish waxed linen cording to tie it all together.

 Picture found on Indigo Dreams on Tumblr.

You can find these earrings here on my website.

Thanks for stopping by! Would love a comment from you. 

Kristy Abner

Kristy's Kreations

Big Sky Blues

I picked up two pairs of Kristen Steven's awesome beaded links when I saw her at Bead Fest in August.  I actually haven't made very much jewelry in the month since then.  My focus has been on learning more about ceramics.  But I can't go too long without feeling the tug of of my love of jewelry design.

Beaded Links by Beadwork By KAS

So for these earrings, I dangled some semi-translucent, sapphire colored, Czech glass beads from Kristen's beaded links.

I discovered that my Montana Blue Swarovski crystals were a perfect match with the beaded links, so when I made the ear wires, I added bit of sparkle to them with the matching crystals.

 In my dreams, I'd love to wear these earrings with this outfit-

But realistically, I think these earrings would be stunning with something like this-

The Big Sky Blues earrings can be seen in my shop now.

-Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

Persimmon Blooms

Even though it's officially Autumn, these flower beads really inspired me to stop what I was doing when I received them in the mail and head into the studio. They are a gorgeous color! I always love opening my packages from Karen at Arte Bella Surplus! I'm never disappointed. If you haven't checked out her Etsy store, you should!

Persimmon by Hayami Gyoshū found on Windy Poplars Room on Tumblr

You will find these earrings here on my website. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Kristy Abner

Kristy's Kreations

Subtlety in textures and color

I'm attracted to the textural subtlety that my "silk" Fretz hammer produces when I hammer metal with it... I wasn't sure about it when I first ordered it a few years ago, but I always love the results when I use it. My inspiration this week is Subtlety in Textures and Colors:

One of my very favorite "subtle" gemstone to use is Labradorite. See the hint of purple on the top left gemstone? And the hint of green flash on the top right one? (seen in both the picture above and just below)... the purple (especially) makes me go ga-ga lol

I love to chase the "flash" of Labradorite, depending on the direction that the stones are cut, and how the light hits it, you get these gorgeous colors, it's like opening a present on your birthday :)

 

You can also see some beautiful flashes of blue in the larger bottom gemstones... yummy!

And look at the "Silk" texture on the bottom hoops... I love how the look changes depending on the angle and how the light hits the copper (above and below):

 

This is the hammer that I've used. 

It looks funky a bit, and it's not a cheap tool, 

but the results are subtle and pretty darn cool, if you ask me :)

Silk Texture Fretz Hammer at RioGrande

Of course, I had to mix my metals again... I've left the copper and sterling silver au naturel, because so many love their metals bright, but I can oxidize them if a buyer prefers the antique look.

The rich warm hues in the copper are perfect for Fall.

These earrings are listed HERE on my NatLJ.com website :)

So, what about you??

Do you have a favorite subtle touch that you like to use when you make

(or 'see' when you buy) jewelry?

Do you have favorite textures that you tend to be more attracted to?

I'd love to hear about it!

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!

Nathalie Lesage

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

http://www.NathalieLesageJewelry.com

At The Beach Earrings

I named these At The Beach because I am (as this is being posted) at the beach! Probably the last of our 90 degree weather here in WA and we decided to go to the ocean where it's in the mid 60's. That's fine with me! I love the beach and I love camping. 

We are headed to a spot that is also near the Hoh Rainforest. I am hoping to re-charge my creative batteries and gain inspiration. I have never come home from a trip to the forest or to the ocean feeling uninspired. So, I am really looking forward to it! 

My inspiration for these? The beach of course! See my Washington State Pinterest board for more of where my inspiration comes from. 

However, I actually collected these beach glass (or sea-glass) pieces while visiting California. I have very fond memories of that vacation and still draw inspiration from it. 

The bright and shimmering Kyanite seem to fit very comfortably with the frosty white glass. Our Pacific Ocean  (like I own it?) *usually does not look *that blue. But it still reminds me of water and of the ocean, non the less. 

I've gathered my components around hand-forged, fine silver hoops and hammered dangle charms. Hand stamped with little star-fishes. Oxidized and hand polished on the high spots to show off their character. 

Available at ArtAndSoulJewelry.com 
☮ Cindy

Autumn Flower Garden

Inspired by all the pretty, colorful autumn flowers I've been seeing in the garden shops and a few in my own garden, I created this pair of copper, lampwork, and Czech glass earrings.

They feature my own new copper metal clay discs, gorgeous orange lampwork beads from Sue Kennedy of SueBeads, pretty teal Czech glass beads, and my hand-wrought sterling and copper earwires.

Sue's beads are perfect for autumn...the orange glass is embellished with all that gorgeous raku frit that look like tiny impressionistic flowers on their own!  The bits of teal really pop with the addition of the teal Czech glass, I think.

It was really hard to photograph these, since the lampwork is round and my metal clay discs are so flat...they kept rolling around!  I don't usually like to include my hands in photos, but sometimes this is a good way to get a good shot.

My favorite late summer, early fall flower...zinnias!  My past blog name was PinkZinnias! via Pinterest

These will be up in my Melismatic Art Jewelry shop later today or tomorrow!

Ears To You

My friend and fellow contributor on the Art Jewelry Elements Blog Susan Kennedy of SueBeads gave me permission to share this with all of you Earrings Peeps.

Thank you Sue!

In my last post, I wrote about the 7000 Bracelets For Hope charity.  This time I'm going to tell you about Ears to You, in case you haven't heard about them!

Ears to You is a charity that accepts earring donations to give to people who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatment.  Their mission is to lift the spirits of cancer patients by providing a moment of joy and hope.

I first heard of this charity from Amy Freeland from Copper Diem blog.   She has been donating earrings to this charity for several years, and these were two of her donations. 

I have also personally donated earrings to this cause, and you can too! Here are some guidelines from their web page and their address as well.  Here's the link!  I just found out you can donate hats as well! 

Earrings

1. All earrings must be lead and nickel-free.  Anything that touches the ear must not have these metals in them.
2. Earrings can be any style, size, color, design, etc.  There are women and girls of all ages and preferences so the more variety we have, the better we can serve the patients who receive the earrings!
3. If you are local to the Medina, Ohio area, we often host groups at the Potomac Bead Company to make earrings for Ears To You.  It could be a make one, take one night- you pay a flat fee per person (around $10) and you make one pair of earrings to keep and one to donate to Ears To You.  If you are out of this area you could do this at your local bead store too!  Use our contact form to find out how to schedule this event.
4. Please put earrings into a padded envelope or box and mail all donations to Ears To You, PO Box 190, Hinckley, OH  44233.

We're All Ears :: September Reveal

My color palette for this month was very earthy shades of moss green, brown and tan, with touches of a light aqua and copper and brass metals. I wanted to honor the spirit of the forest and the wonder that these tiny worlds hold, the forest that is teeming with life. There is a softness in these furry mosses, a curve to the landscape of these tree trunks, an organic patina to these miniature peaks and valleys.

A seed pod holds within it all the makings of a plant or a tree. What a marvel those tiny seeds are! There is so much potential within.

Seedling Springs Forth
polymer clay fractured beads - JKD Studio
pearl head pins, hand painted bead caps
Vintaj wire, brass ear wires

Like a seed bringing forth new life, these silken roots reach deep down as if seeking a place to take hold and push their way through the crowded forest floor.

Deep Roots 

polymer clay - Humblebeads
wood plank beads
silken Japanese knotting cords on Vintaj brass wires

 Once the seed takes root and beats the odds of growing tall and strong toward the light, the leaves provide the shelter and the wings to make this regal beauty flutter.

Breathe Out The Sky

 hand patinaed flower bead caps and leaves
glass peanut beads
copper ear wires

What inspired you about the Macro World photography? Do share!

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Leave kind, encouraging comments.
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An InLinkz Link-up

Collective

It's been a little while since I posted here, with one thing and another, but I'm back today with another asymmetrical pair of earrings.

I love these washed out blues. I've teamed a deep blue Scorched Earth drop with a ceramic feather that I made. Then I added a beautiful streaked czech glass rectangle and a sodalite hoop. I also mixed in some more czech glass and some teeny moonstone wheels. 

They're available here in my Etsy shop.

Bye for now, Claire 

www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com

www.somethingtodo.etsy.com

www.somethingtodobeads.etsy.com

You're Alright, Kid

Sometimes in life you just need someone to tell you:

...you're alright, kid...
...you done good...
...you're a superstar...

Go ahead, laugh, but I'm serious! Think about it. As children, we're rewarded all the time when we ace a spelling test, or draw a pretty (read: hot mess) picture, or build a wonky sandcastle on the beach. 

As adults, we're lucky if we get some garbled recognition from our boss on a job well done, or if our tired spouse mumbles that the dinner you cooked was good, or if a neighbor stops to comment on how nice your flower garden looks. We just don't get the positive reinforcement that we became accustomed to as kids. 



Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing worse than an inflated ego, but when we're typically our own worst critics, it can be really refreshing to hear someone else appreciate our hard work.


Well, I'm here to tell you that you're awesome. You get a gold star...or at least a couple rusty patina-ed ones. 
 



These cute little spiky stacked earrings feature ceramic horns from Marsha Neal along with some prized African bauxite, old Neolithic quartz trade beads, and crusty metal spacers. I love the verdigris-meets-terracotta color palette, and I love the subtle faded military theme with the little star charms. 

So the next time you're feeling a little beaten up, take a second to pat your own back and realize how hard you really do work. 

Happy Wednesday!
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Boho Navajo

You may have noticed that I have an attraction to southwestern and native American themes. The Navajo stand out among the native tribes for their skills in weaving, pottery, basketry and maybe most of all for their luscious turquoise and silver jewelry. I have always admired Navajo art, and purchased my first piece of authentic Navajo silver jewelry in 1984. You can probably see native American influence in much of my work.

For this design, I decided to keep the focus on the verdigris brass conchos from Dime Store Emporium on Etsy. The weight of these brass components is perfect and I absolutely love the rustic look of the verdigris patina. The conchos are stamped but not flimsy. Their weight is substantial but not overly heavy for use in earrings. I arranged tribal looking Czech seed beads in colorful columns to coordinate with the verdigris patina, and added copper and bronze accents.

Gloria Ewing




Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire

Dragonfly Earrings

I created these dragonfly earrings as a gift for my mom.  She always wears a pair of Humblebeads earrings when she wants to feel close to me since we live on opposite ends of the country. I love that a pair of earrings can make someone feel like they have a little hug from you whenever they need it!

The dragonfly charms are from White Clover Kiln and paired up with a Humblebeads leafy disk beads. I kept the design simple with brass accents that pull in the color from the branches.

I couldn't help but think handmade scarves are another beautiful gift that feel like a hug from the giver. I found two that would go perfectly with the dragonfly fly earrings. This minty knitted creation is from Jamie Sierra Knits.

And for those Southern girls, like my mom in New Orleans, here is a scarf that is a piece of art! I love these hand-painted creations from D*E Silks.

Humblebeads Jewelry

Autumn Blossoms

I'm getting so excited about Autumn...I just can't wait to decorate my house inside and out...white pumpkins, orange pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, gourds, Indian Corn...and the list goes on and on. I guess for now I will just have to be satisfied making Autumnal jewelry because I won't be decorating for another week or so. I made these copper teardrop pieces with Copper Clay and I used Irish waxed linen cording and some gorgeous Czech glass beads.

Here's a peek at some of my Fall decor last year...(and yes, I know that I go a bit crazy with it)

And here's a better look at my Autumn Blossom earrings which you can find for sale here.

You will find more Autumnal pieces on my website here.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!

Kristy Abner

Kristy's Kreations

Beaded Bead Earrings

Sue Kennedy of Sue Beads is well known for her beautiful lampwork glass beads and headpins.  But did you know that she also makes amazing beaded beads in the coolest color combos?  As of this writing, she doesn't have any of her beaded beads in her shop, but she had a nice selection of them in her booth at Bead Fest. I made sure to snag a pair and now that I am back home, I wish I had gotten several additional pairs.

Sue Kennedy and Jason Moninger, Sue's boyfriend/booth assistant, at Bead Fest.

These earrings were the very first thing that I made from my Bead Fest stash! They didn't need much additional embellishment, because the beaded beads were already so intricate. All I did was add an antiqued brass bead at the bottom and then topped them with a brass colored glass disc and an amethyst.  Squee!  I just love them!  You can find them in my Etsy shop.

-Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

Flower Drop Earrings with Kyanite Gemstones

These little flower charms were created from fine silver wire. Hammered out and then stamped with the flower images. I love these Kyanite stones for their pale blue, kind of rustic color with that little bit of shimmer. A really pretty stone. I think this shade of blue can match with so many other colors too. Which makes it nice... The hammered head-pins are also fine silver. Originally little balls, I decided to hammer them out for a little added character. Ear wires are sterling silver, handcrafted.

These earrings, along with a matching necklace are available at Art and Soul Jewelry. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Cindy

Cedar Cove Spices it up with NatLJ

In one of my previous posts, I had mentioned that I sometimes submit jewelry designs to stylists of TV shows for consideration to be used on the series that they are working on...

Well, I'm very happy to say that Hallmark's Cedar Cove ended up adding some Nathalie Lesage Jewelry 'spice' to their episode which aired on August 23rd 2014 (View the episode here: Season 2, Episode 6, Trials and Tribulations)!!

The beautiful character, Grace as seen here, is wearing my Turquoise Spice Earrings:

I love mixed metals and the color turquoise, so these earrings had all my favorite things all wrapped up into one bundle :) Textured Copper, Sterling Silver and pretty glass drops in a lovely shade of turquoise.

You can see more pictures and details for these earrings HERE on my website :)

It's very exciting and fun to see my earrings (they used them for a good portion of the episode) in action on TV! It's a great TV show... if you're in Canada, you can catch it on the W Network, in the States, on the Hallmark Channel.

My hubby and I were away to be part of our oldest son's wedding (the wedding was on the Friday, Aug. 22nd), and I had very little Internet access where we were, and I found out they were used on the show, I was so thrilled! It made for a great weekend all around :)

Have a great week!

Nathalie Lesage

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

http://www.NatLJ.com

We're All Ears :: September Inspiration

Macro photography fascinates me. I love to see the up close and personal worlds that talented macro artists can capture. The inner workings of a flower... The secret life of bees... The unexpected textures of metal... Thankfully, with the advent of DSLR cameras and all the fun gadgets that you can buy, the world of macro photography is more accessible than ever.

I went looking for amazing macro nature shots and stumbled on a very gifted artist named Damon Clarke. His macro shots of the forest are what I wanted to share with you today, but given the fact that his work is copyrighted, I couldn't very well use them, even in good faith. But you really should check out his work at www.macrophotography.com.

Inspired by the beautiful worlds Clarke's Forest Collection, I remembered that a few years ago I took a macro photo safari of my own at Pfiffner Park on the banks of the Wisconsin River. That was to test out a set of macro filters (similar to these) for my DSLR camera. Unfortunately, my regular DSLR lens bit the dust when I decided to drop it on my studio floor (and it didn't bounce...imagine!), but I still have those macro filters and one day I will get another lens that will work with it. You just screw these filters onto the front of the lens and turn it into a macro. Of course, to replace, I did buy a more fancy macro lens, but I really loved being able to swap out the filters, and even layer them for enhanced detail. 

Now I mostly take pictures with my iPhone and I did purchase a set of Photojojo magnet snap lens, including a macro/wide angle (but it requires an extreme close up, so it is more suited to flowers and lichen than to jewelry). So this series of pictures made me pine for my damaged lens.

What I love about each of these pictures is the way they all feel like tiny worlds to me. As if I could just shrink down and fall into one to explore the terrain, like an ant scouting a location, charting a course for a brave new world. The one on the left makes me think of the banks of a wide river, like the Amazon, with its twists and turns and coursing currents. The one on the top right makes me think of aerial views of farmlands with crops planted. The one in the middle - my very favorite - feels so alien to me, as if these are dwelling places for some other interstellar race built on the top of a verdant mountain.

So, since there is a shift in the seasons upon us, I thought that these would be a fitting inspiration for September. I am really looking forward to seeing how this inspires your designs!

What inspires you about this world within a world?

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To participate in the We're All Ears creative challenge:

Make earrings inspired by this picture.

Write a post on your blog.

Add your exact blog post URL link to the
InLinkz code right here on 

Friday, September 19th.

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