NEW We're All Ears Inspiration Challenge (+ a giveaway!)

<<Giveaway is closed. Winners announced on this post!>>

To kick off the new year, we have been making some changes around here at Earrings Everyday (have you noticed?). We have new contributors and an updated look, but we still have that love of making, wearing and sharing earrings. One of the things that is missing is you. We know that we are not the only ones who love earrings and are making them, and we want to see what you are making. So we are starting a brand new monthly challenge called We're All Ears. This is your opportunity to shine!

On the first Friday of every month, I will share with you an inspiration. It could be a photo, a painting, a textile, a place, a person or a song. Or maybe it will be a poem, a movie, interior decorating, or architecture. 

Then you are invited to bust your stash and whip out some earrings based on the inspiration and write a blog post about it. You can chose what to be inspired by - the colors, theme, subject, mood, etc. Our contributors will hopefully be playing along as well. 

And we will all meet up here, on the 3rd Friday of the month, with a blog hop using InLinkz. Just load up your blog URL for the post and hop around to see what others have made. It will be fun!

Yes, it is a quick turnaround. But that is what is so great about earrings. They can be whipped up in a matter of minutes using just the leftovers from all your other beading projects. We know you can do it! You don't need to purchase anything new (unless you want to!), you get to show off your creativity and draw more people to your blog, and you will also have at least one pretty pair of earrings for yourself or for someone else. I think that sounds like a win-win!

So are you interested in getting inspired? Here is the February We're All Ears inspiration:

Damselflies in Love
Photo credit: National Geographic, Yeo Weng Sang

To participate in the We're All Ears creative challenge:

Make earrings inspired by this picture.

Write a post on your blog.

Add your link to the InLinkz on Friday, February 21st.

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But wait! There's more!

What's a party without presents?

A few years ago, we did something we called the

 EARRING LOVE FEST 

Our editors offered some of their best baubles to you, our faithful readers. And we thought it was high time to do it again. Because we love earrings. And we love...YOU!

Some of our editors have graciously offered some of their finest creations for some lucky winners. Yes, there will be multiple winners - a total of 9! - selected at random from all comments on this post. Winners will be announced on Sunday, February 21st at our first ever We're All Ears hop.

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Giveaway #1::Claire Lockwood, Something to Do with Your Hands

Ocean Drops
The ceramic drops were made by Petra Carpreau, Scorched Earth with vintage acrylic patinated caps. Like raindrops with their own umbrellas!

See more of Claire's whimsical wonders

blog - www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com

Etsy - www.somethingtodo.etsy.com

 

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Giveaway #2::Keirsten Giles, Lune Artisan Designs

A mix of sterling silver and copper, Keirsten makes her own handmade earwires, headpins, beadcaps and jump rings (I know...I am pretty impressed, too!). Amber glass rings, faceted dark red AB finish Czech glass heishi, amber seed beads, "black cherry" pearls, sterling silver donut spacers, and "raspberry magic" Czech glass flowers from Stinky Dog Beads.

See more of Keirsten's fantastically detailed designs 

blog - http://cerebraldilettante.blogspot.com
Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/lunedesigns
http://www.facebook.com/lune.artisan.jewelry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunestudio/

 
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Giveaway #3::Linda Landig Jewelry

 Sweet little wire wrapped hearts and lampwork glass from Vedas Beads. Purple passion!

See more of Linda's lively lovelies
Blog - http://lindalandig.wordpress.com/
Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/LindaLandigJewelry
Shop - http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/LindaLandigJewelry

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Giveaway #4::Cindy Pack, Cindy's Art & Soul Jewelry

Miss Cindy is an accomplished metalsmith. These are her large fine silver stud earrings. Simple. Tasteful. And goes with everything!

See more of Cindy's simply awesome metalwork
Blog - http://cindypack.blogspot.com/
Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtandSoulJewelry

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Giveaway #5 + #6::Kristi Bowman Design

Two separate winners!
First is for the polymer clay Hibiscus charms. Perfect for your tropical themed earrings!
Second is for the Copper Paisley Shard pair. A great tribal feel!
Let these unique components be the star in your next design!

See more of Kristi's unique components and finished jewelry

Etsy - http://KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy.com

Shop - http://www.artfire.com/users/KristiBowmanDesign

Blog - http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreamsomedesigns/

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Giveaway #7::Kristy Abner, Kristy's Kreations

This design was featured in an issue of Step by Step Wire magazine!

These seem to sing... is that because I see a treble clef in the design? Gorgeous!

See more of Kristy's boho chic creations
Shop - http://kristyskreations.com/
Blog - http://kristyskreationsjewelry.
Facebook Page http://Kristys-Kreations-Jewelry

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Giveaway #8 + #9::Erin Prais-Hintz, Tesori Trovati Jewelry

Two giveaways!

First is for a hand painted earring holder that I created in the Pantone color of the year: Radiant Orchid.
(Did you know that you can find the Pantone colors at Lowe's? And you can buy a small jar of that paint already to go? How cool is that? I'm keeping this paint chip on the wall in my studio to remind me of this color all year long.)
This one of a kind display looks great on a wall, hanging from a pretty ribbon or propped up on a decorative easel.

Second is for a pair of earrings featuring etched and patinated dapped copper disks from Lisa Liddy at Metal Me This with sparkling Swarovski crystals. This is a riff on my recent creation Wild Blackberry Cordial.

See more of Erin's eclectic components and jewelry
Etsy - www.TesoriTrovati.Etsy.com
Shop - www.TesoriTrovati.com
Blog - http://treasures-found.blogspot.com

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 What do you have to do to win?

1::Become a follower of Earrings Everyday and write a comment telling us that you are already a follower or a new follower. (Invite your friends!)

2::Share the love about the giveaway by your favorite means: Facebook your friends who love earrings (not just designers but anyone with earlobes ;-), Twitter about your excitement at how cool this giveaway is, take out a billboard that is larger than life (okay, I'm kidding about this one ;-), blog about your {not-so-secret} earring addiction (go ahead, we won't judge ;-), or whatever else you can think of to share the love. But be sure to link to this post and then come back and leave a comment letting us know what you did.

3::Or just answer the following question... this is truly the simplest way to enter (and it only takes one entry to win ;-)...

Describe a favorite pair of earrings you wear and why you love them!

That's it. That's three comments each. Three times the chance to win!
What are you waiting for? Join us in the
EARRING LOVE FEST!

(Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries
and announced here on February 21st. All prizes will be mailed from the individual designer. Please have your email address turned on in your profile, or included in your entry to win. You won't win if we can't contact you!)

Beach Finds

I'm loving beach pottery at the moment.

As each piece is unique, every one holds different design possibilities. I was particularly pleased with this pair (am I allowed to say that?!), so much so, I've kept them for myself and I'm wearing them right now!  Of course, you can go out and try to find your own beach pottery if you're by the coast, but if you're not, there are some lovely selections that are available on Etsy, like this bundle from Tideline Designs.

And here's another pretty selection, from Borealis Sea Glass.

I hope this post might have enticed you to try out some beach pottery in your designs.

Farewell for now, Claire
(something to do with your hands)

A Walk In The Woods

I went to the woods

 because I wished to live 

deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life, 

and see if I could not learn

 what it had to teach,

 and not, 

when I came to die, 

discover that I had not lived. 

~ Henry David Thoreau

A Walk In The Woods

Inspired by my love for the blue/brown color combination. 
These earrings feature a mix of glass, stone and pure silver 
with a brushed-matte finish. 
Long Czech glass beads have EARTHY variegated colors. 
The pale blue Amazonite stone nuggets swing at the center of
RUSTIC brushed, pure silver hoops with a stamped design.

Available at 
CindysArtandSoul.com
Updates Friday 2/7

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

Forest Dew Drops

Forest Dew

by Thenevah

Sparkling nymphs play at dawn

With the fae laddies they find fair

To dance many a dance in airs

Above the ground or on lea's green lawns

Betwixt forests mystery where bluebells pair.

Beneath canopy even falls violet

Upon branch and nest lay its breast

Awaiting morns sweet suffuse wet

Cooling the heat of noon's bright protest

In honor of Summers sonata in ultraviolet.

Copper Leaf Shield Components, little Chalcedony beads and Headpins by HavanaBeads.

Forest Dew Drops available HERE in my Etsy Shop

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

KristiBowmanDesign on Artfire

A Hint Of Nature's Bounty

It's been awhile since I have been able to post, but here I am. I will be better organized with pictures for the next post, but everything seems to be a mangled mess around here! Lol!

 

 

I am just glad to be back making jewelry again. I have struggled with pain in my hands for the last year or so, but I am working through it one day at a time. I look forward to posting many more pairs of earrings in the near future. I created these to be earthy and rustic. I wanted them to go with anything.

Available for purchase on Etsy

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Marie

 

Clipper

I'm guessing I'm not the only one who recently had cause to think about upcycled jewellery designs.  For my first post on this blog, I thought I'd share this pair of earrings that I made using paper clips.

I patinated the clips using swellegant - I was delighted when that worked! - and combined them with some button pearls, some czech glass cones and some links from a broken, vintage necklace that belonged to my mother.   I was quite struck by the design possibilities these humble clips offer and, with this post in mind, I had a nose around Pinterest to see what other uses makers had found for them.  I came across several tutorials.  I do love these sweet ice skate ornaments.

How dinky?! These bookmarks are also very sweet - and simple too:

And finally, these flowers have a pleasing vintage look and could make for natty focals.

As I said, this is my first post here, so I'd like to say 'hello' to you all and thank you for having me!  My paperclip earrings have sold but you can see a selection of other earrings on my blog and in my shop.

Ta-ra until next time, 

Claire