Fall Mood

I have to admit, October is a spectacular month.   It's the shift of seasons, the change in the light, crisp air and damp smells all preparing us for change and opportunity of letting go.

It puts me in the mood of creating fall colors, something different, earthy, rustic and organic.  I have two designs this week that I'm really excited to share.  

This first design is a collaboration of bone, wood, chain, glass, gemstones and leaves all capturing what I call Flourishing Fall.  

Are they not screaming EARTHY party of one!

My second design holds a more festive look for Halloween with the help of Kristi Bowman-Gruel, she sells these wonderful little pumpkin ghouls and if you're needing a pair to create with, you can get them from her website ►, Kristi Bowman Design.  She should be well stocked because we all told her to make more ☺, so don't wait, not sure how much longer she's going to offer them. I know I need to order more myself.

  Are they not just the cutest things ever!!!

I made two different designs utilizing different bead caps complimented with wiggly wires on the sides serving as the pumpkin vine.

Thanks for stopping by, share a few words if you can and remember to enjoy the season, embrace the change and don't forget to let things go, ♥

Lynn Ferro aka Yucca Bloom

Yearning for India

When I think of India I can see bright colors popping up everywhere, I can feel the soft fabric of saris, I can smell and taste the delicious Indian food. And I yearn. I long. I want to go back.
Instead I browse through my pictures of India and try to capture a bit of India in my jewelry.

These handmade copper dangles from Kristi Bowman have just the right colors, shape and texture for that purpose. Together with lampwork glass beads in matching teal from Lampwork by Amy, vintage Lucite beads and enameled bead caps, Swarovski crystal and handmade ear wires from Faerystones, and voila, a bit of Bollywood bling. I can pretend I’m back.

Now available in my etsy shop 

Thanks for looking!

Wishing you a wonderful day,

Janine

Esfera Jewelry

My etsy shop

My website/blog

My facebook page

Snakeskin Swivel

This is not the first pair of "Swivel" earrings I've made and in fact these took a long time to come together. I've had the copper pieces on my work table for some time and nothing I put together worked for me. 

But I sat down today and spied some of my all time favorite Lampwork Beads by Karin Hruza of Beadfairy and Fireworks went off in my brain. I put them with more Lampwork Beads on top by Paradise Beads that match Karin's beads perfectly and a couple of complimenting Czech Glass Beads and these worked!

These babies are mechanical, they swivel all over the place, so much so that I had to make a little video to show you exactly how they move.

My little girl Shasta is telling you all about it in the background!

These Earrings have been sold.

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.com

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

Kristi Bowman Design on Facebook

Here Comes the Sun

Copper Sun Earrings

I am hearing the old Beatles song in my head right now, and I will be hearing it all day. I tested a couple of different color combinations before committing to this blue, green and yellow ochre combination that just happens to match a necklace I recently finished. The copper clay suns I am sure you recognize as the work of Kristi Bowman. My thought was to have the accompanying beads showering down casually from the focal pieces, so I chose beading cord in blue and teal green for stringing the seed beads.

These fun earrings would work well with anything casual, perfect for your warm weather winter vacation wardrobe, or if you're betting that the little rodent was wrong (Punxsutawney Phil) and spring is really right around the corner.

Gloria Ewing
Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire

Fulcrum Goddess

Kind of a crazy name I know but both names sort of fit and I couldn't choose one over the other. But I hope you think they are beautiful even though they have an identity crisis.

Beautiful Lampwork headpins from Lori Bergmann Design that I snatched up so fast at the NW Society Bead show last weekend. Go HERE to read more about it.

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

Texture

Blue Zircon Earrings

Mixing and layering textures is one of the more fascinating elements of designing jewelry. It may be a little tricky, but definitely worth the effort to add so much more interest to any piece. 

Blue zircon briolettes, neon apatite rondelles and rubies pick up the pink and blue highlights in these heat patinaed copper teardrop earrings. These delightful metal clay components, with their rich brocade texture, were made by Kristi Bowman. 

Texture by bohobeader featuring anna fields

More rustic copper earrings from Gloria Ewing on Etsy and Artfire.

Bohemian?

Bohemian See Glass Earrings with Copper


"To take the world as one finds it, the bad with the good, making the best of the present moment—to laugh at Fortune alike whether she be generous or unkind—to spend freely when one has money, and to hope gaily when one has none—to fleet the time carelessly, living for love and art—this is the temper and spirit of the modern Bohemian in his outward and visible aspect. It is a light and graceful philosophy, but it is the Gospel of the Moment, this exoteric phase of the Bohemian religion; and if, in some noble natures, it rises to a bold simplicity and naturalness, it may also lend its butterfly precepts to some very pretty vices and lovable faults, for in Bohemia one may find almost every sin save that of Hypocrisy. ..."

"His faults are more commonly those of self-indulgence, thoughtlessness, vanity and procrastination, and these usually go hand-in-hand with generosity, love and charity; for it is not enough to be one’s self in Bohemia, one must allow others to be themselves, as well. ...
What, then, is it that makes this mystical empire of Bohemia unique, and what is the charm of its mental fairyland? It is this: there are no roads in all Bohemia! One must choose and find one’s own path, be one’s own self, live one’s own life."

Gelette Burgess

Bohemian - are you a little, a lot,or not at all?





Copper clay arrowhead components by Kristi Bowman.

To see more of my Bohemian earrings, click here or here.

My Yellow Phase

Do you find yourself mezmerized by a particular color or combination of colors when creating? I guess if Picasso had his blue period, then it's ok to spend some time exploring different ways to use one color. It's funny, because I never really liked yellow much. But now I've discovered this rich golden yellow sometimes called saffron, butterscotch, mustard, curry, or ochre that goes so well with some blues and greens that I am using it all the time.

This pair of earrings features components from two of the Earrings Everyday designers. Gorgeous polymer clay beads from Heather Powers and copper clay heart drops from Kristi Bowman.

Yellow Sweater with Jeans by bohobeader featuring low rise jeans

Rodebjer wrap top, $130 / BKE low rise jeans / H by Hudson tan leather boots, $225 / Red bag / Lala Berlin , $400

To see more of my rustic earrings click here or here.

Sahara Meets Southwest

If you are familiar with my work, then you already know that I am a huge fan of Kristi Bowman and regularly use her handmade copper components. I put the copper pieces on the table and stare at them for days thinking about different approaches before deciding on a design that will suit them.

These copper components are a symbol called tanfouk, used by the nomadic Taureg tribes of North Africa. It is a fertility symbol, but it is the shape that appeals to me. My goal was to embellish the shapes without distracting from them. They are already quite large, so I did not want to add length to them unless it was necessary. The beaded wires were my solution and then I added some color with the dangling Czech glass beads.

The Perfect Leather Jacket by bohobeader featuring theory

Theory , $140 / Donna Karan belted jacket / 7 For All Mankind super skinny jeans / rag & bone stacked heel / Big Buddha hobo shoulder bag / Vintage scarve / American Apparel vintage sunglasses

Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire
Chrysalis for the Curious Blog