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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Bold, Brown and Boho

Lately I've been making an effort to work through my mound of UFOs (Unfinished Objects). I have an embarrassing number of jewelry projects that I've never finished or pieces that I no longer like or which aren't in fashion anymore.  I'm determined to either finish them, rework them or cut them apart and use the beads for something else. Today I'm going to share a pair of earrings I made a long time ago, for Earrings Everyday, but which I never liked much.  In fact I never even listed them on my website, because I wasn't satisfied with them.  Here's the original version.
The dangly beads on the waxed linen always looked too bulky with the fat ceramic drops, and the waxed linen caused them to stick out awkwardly over the rounded drops. Also the drops have a beautiful glaze on them, which the beads pretty much covered up. The earrings look OK in the photo, but in real life - not so much.
Sooo...I cut them apart and tried a bunch of variations till I got what I liked. I love the colors of those little barbell shaped beads in combination with the ceramic drops, so I wanted to keep them. Here's what I came up with.
The new version was hard to photograph because the little dangles fall off to the side when the earrings are horizontal, but you can see how there are beautiful shades of caramel, chocolate and coffee in the glaze, (sounds like a restaurant menu!).  Here's how they hang when worn.


The mother of pearl hoops used to be part of a necklace that I also took apart and re-purposed. The earrings look so much more airy and uncluttered in their new form. Unlike the first version of these earrings, I have listed this remake in my shop.

9 comments:

  1. They’re beautiful Linda, love the worked version. I also have tonnes of UFOs that I need to go through.

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  2. I didn’t think your first attempt was bad at all, but wow! You really nailed it on the second rendition. Gorgeous!

    I, too, have a pile of jewelry that needs to be taken apart and reworked. So far, mine is just a pile. Good for you for tackling yours!

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  3. I didn't think the first attempt was bad at all. It had lots of movement. But I have to agree with you, your reworked version is the perfect combination of beads, colors and movement. The ceramic drops are perfectly complemented and not overshadowed.
    Oh boy...UFO's. I so know what you mean.

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  4. Well, don't we all.....the number of single earrings I have, waiting for their partners. It's the fun of experimentation I like, not the mundane task of making up the pair! These are lovely Linda.

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  6. Linda, your remade earrings are lean and lovely! Making and remaking is actually part of the creative process for me. I rarely stay with the first design that I put together...they always seem to end up taken apart and re-made.

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  7. Great job! And an inspiration for all those UFOs in my own collection...

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  8. I like the idea of a UFO challenge...hmmmm...that might be something we should do! I love the rich caramel drops that look good enough to eat! (I must be hungry!) You have inspired me! Enjoy the day. Erin

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