Empty Nest

For whatever reason (I’ve yet to discover a definitive one), I don’t tend to design earrings with my own enamels. But being a brand new year in the midst of a very strange season, I decided it was time to mix things up a bit and change all that…at least for today!

I recently designed a flurry of bird enamels (or maybe that should be a flock?) for a themed show and tried my hand at some enamels that were more like portraits than my typical outlined “cartoon” style pieces. Much to my surprise, the process of making small translucent strokes, firing, adding another layer of strokes, firing (repeat ad infinitum), was somehow mesmerizing. However, having no painting background, my poor birds, although changing appearance with each layer, were not looking at all like what I had intended after even after a half dozen firings! Perhaps they were better kept for my own designs, where I could take my time figuring out how to bring them to life. Which brings me (finally!) to today’s earrings…

Here’s how my birds started their journey after cutting copper sheet and laying down the first base coats (the poor things would have a quite a journey of color ahead of them before they left the nest):

 

If you are familiar with my earrings, you know that I don’t tend to do anything simple – I guess it’s just not how I am wired. But I wanted beads that would complement the birds without distracting from them (after all, they had already been forced through quite a metamorphosis). I think I found the perfect match in a beautiful etched pair from Regis Teixera, and added some leather flowers (how cool is that?) to keep in line with a more rustic vibe, rich amber-hued Czech glass flowers and rings, and an assortment of brass caps. I really like how these turned out, but I also am aware of just how much I have to learn (I would greatly appreciate any painting tips you might have)! It’s difficult to know just when to stop...

Who knows? Maybe I’ll have a few more pairs of bird earrings to add to the flock by next time. But for now, these will be available in my etsy shop, TwinklingOfAnEye later today

You can regularly find other new earrings in my fb group.

Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. See you in a few weeks! :-)

Sugar Skulls

Who doesn't like them?! Well I never did, but they've grown on me now. For today's post I used a pair of my painted resin skulls. I kept them simple as there is so much going on already...(the honest truth is I had no idea what to do with these 😅).  Hope you like my matchmaking. 

Ceramic beads are from Perlayo on Etsy.

It's a short and sweet one from me today.  I'm listing the earrings on Etsy shortly.  See you soon <3

Suhana xx

My Etsy shop: Suhana Hart Jewellery

Which colourway?

I painted the brass frames and leaves separately with no idea what would become of them. Hope you like how I've put them together.  Let me know in comments which pair speaks to you (if any does at all :D)

First pair in ruby pink, jade, red, purple and blue

Second pair in metallic colours 

and the third pair in ruby pink, yellow, turquoise, silver, rose gold.

These will be available in my upcoming show in The Earrings Show FB group on Monday.  Hope you can stop by.  

Have a lovely weekend and I will see you in a couple of weeks time.

Suhana <3

Etsy shop: Suhana Hart Jewellery

The Little Flapper Girls

Now the Flapper was my kind of woman;  Light-hearted, nonconformists who eagerly tried new clothing styles not to mention challenging traditional ideas of behavior by wearing make-up, publicly drinking, smoking & acting unladylike.  

They sported a short bobbed do, wore lipstick, rouge and short fringed skirts, giving the title, "It Girl".

That is exactly what this fun, free spirited design reminds me of. These have become a huge hit.  I wasn't sure how they were going to be perceived, but I sold 4 pair, 2 to the same customer; one for her and the other a gift.  Who would not love to fashion these little gals!!

The hand painted wood heads are so darn cute, each one slightly different.  I bought the brass flower beads off ETSY and hand painted them in girly pink, of course, folded over some soft copper flower caps and finished them with copper findings.  Ball end headpins strung with rounds of cream Howlite serve as tiny swinging feet.

I was provided a little gift with my next head order, Its a BOY!! 

OMG, how cute is he? Now you have it, a Flapper Couple ♥

These are totally out of my design style, but I had such a great time working with them, I hope the trend continues.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, share a comment or two if you can and we will see you again July 6th.  

My ETSY Shop- Y.u.c.c.a. B.l.o.o.m.

Nothing Ventured- Nothing Gained

Do you ever get the urge to go out on a limb and try something new? Oh if only I had a torch!!! I can only imagine the possibilities at my finger tips.  Unfortunately my living space does not accommodate this venture, but someday I hope.  Nevertheless, I fall back on what I can do, and that's paint.  I was trying to come up with a cool finish on the surface of metal.  Really loving the crackled look, I Googled how to achieve this.  Turns out you can do it with Elmer's glue, dang...that sounds easy!!  Doesn't it???

I applied enamel paint over the surface of copper, adding two different colors, one over the other.  After drying, I applied crackling gel, ( I did not use Elmer's this first go around).  The results were not as I expected so I tried to sand it off thinking I could start from scratch- NOT!!
As you can see, this removed the shiny crackle and brought out both colors of the paint as I sanded through the finish deeper. I kept going until I reached an affect I was okay with.  

They were looking a little plain, so I jazzed them up with a strip of stamped copper and some tiny copper rounds.

Not quite sure how these were going to be perceived in my shop, but I thought what the heck. Nothing ventured, nothing Gained, right?.  To my surprise they both sold right away ☺

Thanks for taking a peek and would love to hear which finish resonates with you most. 
Bye for now!  Lynn

My ETSY Shop

Yucca Bloom on ETSY

Holiday Hoops ♪♫♪♫♪♫

I would have to say hoops are my favorite earrings, perhaps it shows my age, I don't know, it's what I wore wore back in the 70's and 80's, and the bigger the better.  

These colorful lovelies are no exception.  

I purchase the brass blanks and do all of the painting myself.  It's not really that hard since the pattern is already there for you, a little time consuming, but I've done enough pairs to have the process pretty much nailed down. After paint and seal, I bend them to shape, punch holes and apply the ear wires.

I think these could pass as holiday Poinsettia's don"t you?

I've painted many summer bouquet's as well, the fun part is, I never know where the process is going end up, I just keep adding color on top of color ♥


So go buy some brass blanks you admire,  acrylic paints and a fine paint brush and let that inner artist glow!!!

♪♫♪♫ Thanks for looking friends ♪♫♪♫
See you again in two weeks ☺

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