The one that I was most drawn to is the Hemispheric. This structure looks like a glowing eyeball with the retractable lid and the reflecting pool.
I knew right away that I wanted to play with that shape. And what better way than to use a herringbone wire wrap. I tried using multiple colors of wire so it sort of had a peacock feather effect, but I only had 20 gauge wire, and it became too thick to work with (I needed to use something like 24 gauge). So I scaled it back and just used one color, this peridot green that brought out the color in these mystery beads. I have no idea what they are. They are sort of a milky white with tiny facets all over and peeking through the stone are these translucent dots of green. [If you know what it is, please give a shout out in the comments!]
I simply added a little green briolette to the bottom and finished with gold filled ear wires. I could see making them in all sorts of colors, and I found a lot of beads of similar size that I might test that out that idea.
The second pair of earrings I managed to make are vastly different. I was inspired by the Umbracle gateway with the steel wire arches and the El Museo de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe that was built to resemble a whale skeleton. Even the L'Oceanogràfic has this same arched whale shape!
I sketched out a design for wishbone shaped pieces of dark annealed steel wire. I simply wrapped the 18 gauge wire to make a sort of spring and then flattened the ends to finish them. For the ear wires, I used a 19 gauge wire to mimic the shape as if it were the spine of the beast.
They are super light weight and an interesting shape. I might experiment with adding more bone shapes, or beads in between. A larger one would make a really cool pendant. Maybe these miniature whale wish bones (is that an oxymoron?) will bring me three times the luck!
So...which architectural marvel were you most inspired by? Can't wait to see what you did with this month's We're All Ears inspiration!
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Let's see what you created!
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Let's see what you created!
Please take the time to hop around to the participants.
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Visit their shops. Make new friends!
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I always love what you make and both of these are super cool designs!
ReplyDeleteBoth beautiful, I do love the second pair the best! My little opinion ~ I miss having all the entries on the Reveal post. I like to see the inspiration with the participants and being able to easily flip back and forth.
ReplyDeleteGAH! I think technology hates me sometimes! I set this up in advance the way I always do and today it didn't show the thumbnails. So sorry about that! I like to see them all together as well! I re-posted the code (incidentally, the exact same code!) and now it seems to be working. Off to check out your gorgeous interpretations! Enjoy the day! Erin
DeleteIt's working wonderfully now, thank you! And thank you for this amazing challenge!
DeleteLovely designs, I am drawn to the second pair in particular as my friend and I were just watching a pod of pilot whales yesterday. I hope they do bring you luck! xx
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on in creating earrings that resemble the inspiration pieces. Great designs!
ReplyDeleteOh, Erin. You are so brilliant, The herringbone wrap! Why didn't I think of that? I've been dong a lot of those lately, but it never occurred to me to use that for the eye shape. Duh! That one of the reasons why I love this monthly challenge. Makes me think and shows me how others think. That's so important. I love, love, love the wishbone shapes in graduated sizes. Three of them are perfect. You've got a winning design there. Bravo! Thanks again for another inspiring challenge!
ReplyDeleteThanks for yet another wonderful inspiration, for change I was ready with my designs this month :D
ReplyDeleteLove love love the whale wishbones.
ReplyDeleteI was going to make the herringbone wrap too, exactly the way you did but didn't have time to participate. Too much going on! So that would make your first pair my favourites. I am very impressed with your second interpretation too. What a great idea! I kept looking at that photo but couldn't figure out how to make the arches the emphasis. Yours are great and 3 is good but 5 would probably work too. Don't know about adding beads but you never know until you try right?
ReplyDeleteLove both pairs. I sketched something very similar to the second pair except I was going to punch a hole at the peak of each arch for a jump ring. And then I forgot that the third Friday of the month comes exactly two weekends after the first one and didn't make them.
ReplyDeleteWould it help you to know that at 8pmThursday I was sitting in my comfy spot relaxing when I sat bolt upright, realizing what day it was and raced downstairs to get started on this? GAH! It did help that I had an idea in mind. Sometimes the short time frame really forces me to have a 'make it work' moment. ;-) And I didn't want to disappoint all of you with nothing to share!
DeleteBoth pairs are beautiful and unique. An interesting coincidence: I wanted to make a hearringbone wire wrap too, but changed my mind at the last minute :) You did a really wonderful job! Thank you for the challenge!
ReplyDeleteBoth pairs are super cool! I'm in love with the whale bone pair and agree that a larger scale would be amazing for a pendant... Do it! Thanks for coming up with amazing inspiration for us once again!
ReplyDeleteI love both pairs of earrings - great interpretations from the inspirations. Also very inspiring to me. I've just been branching out into buying colored and also steel and other dark wires and seeing how great they looks here will inspire me to start using them.
ReplyDeleteErin , as always your work is such an inspiration to me and i'm sure all your other readers. I didn't have time to participate this month I HAVE to learn to make time .
ReplyDeletein answer to your question about the mystery beads, they look like some we had for sale at the local bead shop where i used to work, and they were listed as mother of pearl chips reconstituted within molded resin; the sparkle comes from the many swirlicious colours in the mother of pearl.
perhaps this is what your beads are.
Well it looks like I wasn't the only one that had some timing complications this month. So wanted to do the herring bone weave...I still can for myself and if I get my act together I will post it. Love both pair that you did Erin! Thanks for another great challenge!
ReplyDeleteWow - that second pair: awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love your inspirations and your designs.... and the second pair of earrings, WOW... just wow. LOVE!
ReplyDelete