Keep On Haunting Me

 October Greetings, Beady Ghouls! 

Rustic, spooky, yet hauntingly glamorous with their golden touches are these wonderful enamel houses by Anne Gardanne.   

I used a sweet little mix of vintage bobbles:  AB faceted crystals and peeled vintage faux pearls.

Darkly oxidized metal bead caps with soft lightweight rattling chains - a must for every haunted house.

👻

Garden spirits of a summer gone by.  

Lightweight polymer leaves by Heather Powers, etched lampwork glass with touches of autumn color by Kimberly Rogers and carved bone spirited little folk.

Boo! From, Luna!

Thank you, as always, for popping in and having a look at what I've been up to.  I love hearing from you and appreciate your time!  Wishing you all the best of this glorious season!  I'll be back in a couple of weeks with some bold spooky designs!

Loralee xo

Loralee Kolton ~ artful in beads.  

P.S. I haven't had time to list these earrings but feel free to message me!

Center Of Attention

Have you heard about the Muffin Tin Challenge on Heather Powers' Humble Beads blog?  It's a way of kick-starting your creative juices at the start of the new year. I decided to participate, for the 2nd time, this year.  You gather up all you need to complete 6-12 projects and place all the project components in each cup of the muffin tin.  Then whenever you have a moment, all you have to do is start creating, because you've already gathered up all the "ingredients" needed for your design.

My muffin tin.

Unfortunately a bout of bronchitis got in the way of completing the challenge in time.  However I did get 3 projects completed before the bronchial bug bit.  The earrings I ended up making kind of hopped from one muffin cup to another.  See the turquoise spikes (Suburban Girl Studio) on the top left?  They ended up getting paired with the beaded beads (Sue Beads) in the next muffin cup.

At 3 inches long, these guys are kind of drama queens!  This pair of earrings will be perfect for someone who has the confidence and poise to be the center of attention.  They're not gaudy and the narrow profile gives them a flattering line. But they definitely command attention - which I totally love about them.

What about you?  Do you prefer long or short earrings - or some of each?

 The Center Of Attention Earrings are now available in my shop.

 

 

 

 

Linda Landig Jewelry

Swaying Branches Earrings

I'm ready for spring and all those sweet colors that come with the blooms, buds and tiny robin's eggs. I created the birch bark sticks from copper, paired them peanut seed beads and check out those tiny bugle beads that look like bark! Swoony. Yes, swoony. (That's swoon-worthy.)

I layered them with a tiny nest charm from Vintaj that I added a touch of color with Vintaj Patinas. I paired them up with two polymer clay Humblebeads, one in a birch pattern and a lilac spacer.

Hurry up earth, start blooming!

Fairy Pod Earrings

Sometimes you just have to let the beads speak and keep the design simple. Such was the case with these pod headpins that I created. That magical teal color with its variations and depth needed space to sing. 

I paired them up with butterfly wing spacers and copper plated hematite. 

Simple but intriguing. Sometimes you have to let those beads do the talking! 

Earrings without a name

This must sound very silly. But for me the most challenging part of the process from picking beads to finally selling a piece of jewelry are naming a finished piece and taking beautiful pictures.

As you can see here. My deepest apologies for these pictures. Normally I am able to make slightly better ones, but I’m in the Netherlands right now. Without my camera. So I tried to take pictures with the best available option at my mum's house; an Ipad.
And for the name…well, the title says it all. I certainly could use your help in this department, so your suggestions are more than welcome.

These earrings are made with beautiful olive green glass disc beads made by Debbie Sanders, handmade polymer clay disc beads in shades of green and purple by Heather Powers and handmade ear wires from my friend Lucy Haslam.
Available in my shop once I’m back in Greece (and able to make better pictures).
Thanks for looking.

Janine

Esfera Jewelry

My etsy shop

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Leaves of Fangorn

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas.
At the moment it is still wonderful weather where we live (the Peloponnese, Greece), 25 degrees Celsius during the day. On Christmas day we went for a walk in the hills and had a lovely late lunch with friends. And I finally had time to dive into my stash to play with some long hoarded beads.

   I must have had these beautiful polymer clay beads from Heather Powers (Humblebeads) for quite some years now. And noticed how good the colors combine with the leaf head pins made by Karin Hruza (The Bead fairy).

 Together with the copper handmade ear wires from Lucy Haslam (Faerystones) they make simple yet very cute earrings.

Thanks for looking!

Wishing you a wonderful day,

Janine

Esfera Jewelry

My etsy shop

My website/blog

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Earthy Trio

Sometimes it's okay to keep things simple. The ceramic charms by White Clover Kiln were perfectly paired with Humblebeads polymer clay disks in the same colors. Nothing fancy, but quite charming.

These are the kinds of earrings I love to give as gifts, a tiny collection of art beads that guarantee the wearer will be given a compliment or two when she sports them.

Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas today!

Copper Owl Earrings

I've had these owls in mind for a while and finally sat down to create them this week. I treated myself to some fancy metal stamps last weekend at my local bead store, a flower stamp and leaves. I thought they were perfect for the owl's eyes and feathers. I paired the copper owls with beads that I created from polymer clay in shade of purple and olive green. They hit all my favorite woodland notes.

I love owls in all shapes and sizes! I'd pair up these earrings with this ceramic owl pendant. Wearing owls always makes me feel just a wee bit wiser. 

Copper Owl Earrings

Have a great weekend!

Forest Floor Earrings

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." - Henry David Thoreau

Isn't it true! There is so much beauty that we trod over. Take a moment to notice the small, the forgotten, the overlooked, the mundane. There is untold charm and inspiration there.

These ceramic components from Firefly Studio Designs are the perfect background for these copper leaves and golden Humblebeads disks. 

And why not make a second variation? These ones capture the forest a few weeks later when the leaves have blown away, stark branches and dried leaves have lost their color but not their intrigue.

Soaking in each day of November and not rushing a moment.

-Heather
www.humblebeadsjewelry.com 

Landslide

The seasons are changing again. It's not quite fall-ish here yet but give it a week or two and all my favorites of the season will return. I love symbols of change in my jewelry. As I've gone through the season of my life transitions from raising children to see them grow into young women and soon they will be leaving home, I found myself needing to celebrate that life doesn't stand still and the changes are part of the process and should be embraced. 

My favorite song is Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. It rings more true every year.

"Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Oh oh I don't know, oh I don't know

Well, I've been afraid of changing

'Cause I've built my life around you

But time makes you bolder

Children get older I'm getting older too

Yes I'm getting older too...

 So I sneak leaves into my jewelry, and butterflies and flowers that fade. 

Here I paired pewter leaves by Green Girl Studios with lampwork glass by Julie Miller, a birch bark Humblebeads, sari silk and ceramic rounds from White Clover Kiln. Steel wire and brass findings unify the collection.

Fall is two worlds, one exploding with color, the other stark branches against grey skies. This one is the explosion of color, where every leaf turns into a bloom.

 I started with enamel leaves from Gardanne and paired them up with dotty glass beads, Humblebeads disks and a tiny Czech glass.

And a little sweet melancholy for your Friday afternoon:

Autumn Wanderings

I don't know why these little fellows caught my eye this week. I guess I was feeling playful and thinking about walking in the woods when I get some free time this weekend. I'm so ready for sweater weather and pumpkin everything. We had a little tease of fall weather all week but it was short-lived. Autumn is my jam, let's get on with it! 

I paired up the baby hedgies with Czech glass flowers, leaves, brass bead caps and tiny Humblebeads wobbles.

Autumn Wanderings by humblebeads 

I created a Polyvore outfit to match my earrings - wish I could sport little boots like that but it's too much heel, I'm such a clutz! But the rest, they are so me. I need some brown jeans now. (Click on the little icons to see the info for each item.)

You can find the baby Hedgie beads here. The earrings can be found here.

Fall Finery

Do you feel it? We've all seen the back-to-school promos and pencil-notebook-crayon-eraser-filled aisles. The cooler mornings and shorter days are a sure sign. We are even seeing hints of colors dappling the trees. No doubt about it, autumn is slowly creeping her way on to the landscape. 

And I'm super cool with that. If heaven were a season, it would be fall. So I took a few minutes to whip up some earrings to celebrate!

These long dangles feature Humblebeads disk beads in birch and leafy patterns. (Grab them at Bead Fest next week!) It's a little hard to see the bronze and copper glass o-beads that are working hard as spacers, but they are there! Czech glass leaves in a mustard yellow remind me of my favorite knitted scarf. 

Yep, I'm ready for sweater weather, autumn colors and everything pumpkin spice! How about you? 

Actual autumnal evidence from my front yard! 

Have a great weekend!!!

-Heather

www.humblebeads.com

Poppy Pod Earrings

These poppy seed pod inspired earrings seem quite magical, like something fashioned by tiny woodland fairies. 

The polymer clay pod headpins are paired up with Czech glass beads, copper seed beads and sterling silver wire. 

These are alternative project samples for my fall retreat in October. 

Guest Post: Crabby Earrings from Humblebeads

Summer flies by so quickly, a snapshot here and there capture the fun loving and lazy days that slip through my fingers.

The etched farfalle beads look like foamy waves hitting the shore. The playful crab charms were inspired by some New England inspirations earlier this year.

I'm ready to hit the beach - nautical tote needed, comfy sandals, striped shirt, sunscreen, a big blanket and tasteless book. Add in a pina colada and I'm all set! I'd like a day to beach comb, walk along the shore, wade in the water, and watch the sunset. Who's ready to go with me?

Crab charms can be found at Humblebeads.com.

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

Birch Twig Earrings

I needed a simple pair of earrings for my fall/winter 2014 collection that I'm currently designing. My heart relishes in autumn inspirations so I don't mind mentally wandering through birch forests in the middle of summer. It's sort of my happy place!

These were inspired by Gustav Klimt's Birch Grove painting.

The earrings have hand-forged twigs: copper that is hammered and darkened with patina, accented by tiny Czech glass beads and hung on natural brass earwires. 

I made the earrings to go with these Woodland Butterfly Bracelets,  the birch forest reflected in the mixed colors of glass beads. These have tiny polymer clay butterfly wing charms. I love their earthy bohemian style. I kept two of these for myself and have been wearing them everyday. Love stacking them together!

Humblebeads Jewelry