Autumn Leaves

A couple of weeks ago, my friend, Kristi Bowman Gruel, of Kristi Bowman Designs, sent me these delightful copper connectors that she colored and sealed with ice resin. I love how vivid her colors always are. I added polymer clay leaves, little ceramic flower shaped bead caps, agates and glass, along with my handmade copper ear wires.

 I'm in love with these! They are perfect for fall - but I'd wear them throughout the winter too, because these are my favorite colors to wear! You can find these earrings in my shop now. 

Linda Landig Jewelry

oh yeah. . . here it comes

Hello! I do hope this day finds everyone healthy and well and simply enjoying the day.

When I sat down on Sunday to make a pair of earrings for today, it had been a rough few days out there in the world, for all of us. As much as I say that creating is the time I am able to shut off my mind from the world and simply let myself "be," I don't always sit down and flick the switch and the thoughts stop. This was definitely one of those times. . . . . so much running through my mind. And it all felt so dark. . .

I didn't have a plan; I often have at least a vague idea, or I have them made in advance. I have different ways I use to inspire myself. Sometimes I don't need any; other times absolutely nothing will spark me. This day I decided to pull out, or bring closer, pieces from all of my favorite artisans. . . well, most of them, and only one pair each. I know that often simply going through my treasures will lighten my mood. After I lined up a whole lotta pairs, I realized I had selected all colorful pieces. It was a great assortment of styles and materials, ceramics, lampwork, pewter, copper, etc., but all of them colorful. It was an interesting exercise because it was not at all planned. The other interesting thing is that most of them were -- oh yeah. . . here it comes. . . . Autumn like! 😁

I don't mean to bring it up too early! At least I hope it doesn't offend. I know that summer is all too short in so many places, including here in Michigan, but these years, I don't at all feel sad that summer is ending. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. I won't go into another whole slew of emotional things but in a nutshell I find it soothing, invigorating, melancholic, joyful, peaceful, all those things and more rolled into one.

And the winner of my rows of Artisan Beads were these gorgeous ceramic leaves by Petra Carpreau, ScorchedEarthOnEtsy. In person they have a beautiful glossy shine.

Earrings Available Here

I realized late last night as I was uploading the photos here that I had not photographed these to reveal their best. There are lovely areas of metallic coppery pink on the leaves, not revealed due to angle, light and the placement of the "berries." They were made so that they are situated more to the yellow/green side of the leaves when hanging. They aren't real floppy either so as I was handling them, I must've pushed them over a bit and ruined the pictures! lol I apologize. heavy sigh. . . it's always something. 😉

I used Czech glass beads of Gilded Whiskey, Coral Picasso, and Turquoise Picasso Tube Beads on waxed Irish linen, oxidized copper wire, 6mm flat, square Turquoise stones, a beautiful shade of Green Turquoise Picasso glass and the same coral, no metal except for the wire. 

As always, I sincerely thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoy the remainder of the summer. I'll be back just after Labor Day. 

Tomorrow you will be meeting and totally enjoying, I'm sure, another new regular contributor to the Earrings Everyday Blog. I know you will love her!

Norbel

She Flies Again                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Purple Fall Leaves

One of the fun things about having a new house is that you get to discover what you have in your garden as each new season unfolds.  We have a maple tree in our new front yard whose leaves are turning purple as the cooler fall weather is arriving.  Sure the leaves have tinges of the expected red, especially along the veins, but they are mostly an amazing and beautiful purple. In the morning the dew drops sparkle like jewels on the leaves and once more I am left in awe at the beauty of mother nature.

I've been making a lot of ceramic earring components for fall Bead Fest, which is only a week away! I've been inspired by the fall colors around me and so I decided to glaze these leaf charms purple.  Admittedly, they are not maple leaves, but we'll just chalk that up to artistic imagination.

The links the leaves are hanging from, came from some chain I got on sale.  The price was deeply reduced, probably because the chain is too large for most designs.  But I took all the links apart and they are awesome for use as components!

I dangled etched glass lampwork beads (Beads and Botanicals) from the links, along with some lime green seed beads. The earrings have a nice movement and are fun to wear. I love the traditional Autumn oranges, reds and browns, but its also fun to mix it up a bit with some purple!

The Purple Leaf Earrings are available in my shop.

Linda Landig Jewelry

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 Flora

Your saying to yourself- Autumn again? Oh yes, Autumn again. Here in SW Washington is such a glorious spectacle of color I think we all get a little caught up in it. Pumpkin spice flavored everything... sweaters, boots and hats come out of hiding. It's just a wonderful time of year and I love it!

Speaking of sweaters... I have this long gray sweater that I wore the heck out of last year. Nothing special. No designer tags on it, but It's my favorite. I know these earrings would go great! 

(sorry no picture of the sweater) Actually, my sweater looks just like this one, but it's long... https://www.pinterest.com/pin/269230883949700299/

The colors in the glaze are only from two jars but they produce a lovely array. The brick red speckles are just enough to set off that golden caramel and lift the blue gray.

Pinterest inspiration photo: 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/269230883949700243/

Happy Autumn! 

Cindy ~ Cindy's Art & Soul Jewelry

http://www.artandsouljewelry.com/

October Maize

The colors in this gorgeous Purple Artistic Stone remind me of Indian corn, sun dried to warm rich gold, red and purple. This is my new favorite stone, similar to Red Creek Jasper and mined in the same area of China; I can't get enough of it! The colors are even more saturated than Creek Jasper making the patterns more dramatic. I have echoed the rectangular shape of the stones with these tribal copper charms from Kristi Bowman, that are the perfect complement to the stones.

Artistic Stone Earrings
Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire