Hippie Things. . .and Abstract Stuff

Happy July. To those of you in the States, I hope you were able to enjoy a long weekend and are back to it relaxed and refreshed!

I think those of you that visit here know by now that I love Artisan Made Beads, all types. They inspire me! They challenge me! And they're simply beautiful art. Every once in a while though I need to challenge myself to create without them.

Well, a simple copper hoop is certainly not unique, and not very inspiring either. But it is a challenge; it's a challenge to do something with it that feels good and makes the hoop sing! 

So first I pulled out the torch and made the hoops. The beads I selected are Czech glass with an earthy Picasso finish. I love the way a jazzed up hoop feels, and the little ching ching you might hear when you turn your head. Each earring has six dangles with 3mm glass beads above and below. I initially planned to use tiny copper beads but when I weighed everything, they were heavier than I wanted. In the end, the small beads were a better choice. I added a half dozen small copper rings made of 16 gauge wire, placing one in between each dangle to add a bit of distance between them and one on each end. I find these simply refreshingly fun. 

"Hippie Hoops"

And now the abstract! This pair of copper earrings has plagued me with failed after failed attempt to do anything with them. I haven't even been able to simply let them be as they are, which is how I meant them to be! I have tried everything I could think of to hang them and it just wouldn't work. I soldered a small half hoop at the top, thinking surely that would be perfect but all that happened is the entire thing pointed nose down. I could not find a way to keep them in the position they were meant to be in, which is STRAIGHT! :) I tried cord, leather, wire in various places, and have put them aside every time without success. I was really determined this time. I made these; I should be able to control them.

Abstract

Again I soldered a "handle" at the top at what I thought would surely be the proper angle but it did not work. Cut that off, sanded it down again with a Dremel. After trying a couple of other things I went back to one that I thought had a bit more success than the others, which is two copper jump rings, the same 16 gauge I used above, placing one on each side of the "rays." Put the wire through the two rings and had the wires meet in the middle. Now I went on a hunt for an abstract bead because I knew what I was going to have to do to make this work. I settled on the two funky Tyvek Beads, made by Carol Ann of BombPop, which is currently on hiatus. The end result, I knew, was that I was going to have to angle the loop, and voila, it worked! I love them! And they have been a true labor of love.

Abstract

Thanks for visiting! We do appreciate all of you. We appreciate your comments, questions, and feedback! I'll be back on the 19th. The Awesome Ms. Nikki Zehler, creator of all things LoveRoot, will be here tomorrow. Enjoy it!

Norbel Marolla
She Flies Again Etsy Shop 
She Flies Again on Facebook 
You can find me on Instagram

Blue dotted pebbles

Art Beads:
Painted pebbles - Plymouth Rocks

Other ingredients:
Milky teal Swarovski facetted rounds
Black wooden rice shaped beads
Twisted copper wire
Copper findings
Handmade copper earring hooks



All my best,
Malin
www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

We're All Ears :: July Inspiration

I've always wanted to go to a hot air balloon rally. 

[Photo credit :: Catt Liu :: Unsplash]

Waking up at the crack of dawn wouldn't be so bad if I had this wonder to behold.

[Photo credit :: Michael Hirsch :: Unsplash]

I think that it is quite an impressive sight to see all the glittering orbs floating above the landscape as the sun rises. 

[Photo credit :: Daniela Cuevas :: Unsplash]

It would be so peaceful and quiet up there floating above the treetops with a birds-eye view of the patchwork quilt land below. 

[Photo credit :: Daniela Cuevas :: Unsplash]

I love the bright colors of the balloons, their shapes, the way the flames illuminate them from within as a glittering jewel. 

[Photo credit :: ellehem :: Unsplash]

I love the pop against the bright blue sky and the impossible sense of floating without a care in the world. It takes my breath away.

[Photo credit :: Kuponon Kuwamura :: Unsplash]

There is a local one to me called the Wausau Balloon Rally that is coming up next weekend. I don't know that I will be able to attend, but one of these days it is on my list!

[Photo credit :: Manik Rathee :: Unsplash]

I found these pictures on Unsplash (have I mentioned it is my new favorite place for pictures?!) that really captured my imagination and gets my head lost in the clouds.

What inspires you?

Join me in a flight of fancy on July 15th!

Amazing amazonite

Hello folks.
I hope you are all enjoying good summer weather, hopefully a holiday already.

Here in lovely, sunny Greece my daytime job is currently wreaking havoc with my creative bead time. No playing with beads for me at the moment.
So I show you some earrings I made a while back. I think perfectly summery earrings.

With beautiful carved amazonite and handmade lampwork beads by Debbie Sanders. Debbie is making such gorgeous glass beads, please check her out.

Thank you for stopping by. These are now available in my shop.
We here at Earrings Everyday love love love to read your comments. So please, don't be shy and write some, also on the posts of my wonderful colleagues.
I wish you a wonderful day with lots of joy, sunshine and happiness.

Janine

Esfera Jewelry

My etsy shop

My website/blog

My facebook page

Happy Fishes

Happy Fishes

Well, I was on a Jana Bližňáková bender when these little guys came to be--they are graduates from my hoard of Happy Fish supplies. I adore ceramic charms, especially Jana's! Here I've combined them with copper torpedo beads I hammered and antiqued for a little extra interest, sterling silver wire, tiny seed beads in translucent aqua, and a couple of turquoise Czech glass beads on my handcrafted earwires. These are so summery, they make me think of a Bahamian vacation! (Which I need.)

I just love the crackled glaze on these sweet little guys. Be sure to check out both Jana's webstore, and her Etsy shop, where she has loads of fabulous goodies available! You can follow Jana's studio doings at her Facebook page as well.

I wish you all a great summer!

Keirsten (guest contributor, Lunedesigns at Etsy)

Give Peace a Chance

I love peace signs. Just an ol' hippie girl at heart, as Kim Rogers tells me. ;) I can't pass up a good peace sign element, and Kristi Bowman-Gruel's of KristiBowmanDesign are certainly all that!

How grand life would be if the symbol was all we needed to create a state of peace. I've long tried to understand human beings and the societies they create, and why, why, why, can we not just get along? Truly, we certainly are in need of some peace. All we can do at our level is to start with the "man in the mirror." Okay. Off the soapbox.

"Give Peace a Chance"

The BEST things come in small packages. I love these sweet, rustic coppery elements!

Nothing shows off copper better, in my opinion, than turquoise. They just seem to be made for each other. The Lampwork glass beads are by Leese Mahoney of GlassByLeese. The remaining elements are glass. The red disks are more of a crimson leaning color than is shown in the pic. Small yellow and turquoise glass, all wrapped with oxidized copper, hanging from black Niobium ear wires. Copper accent beads as well.

I could work all day with Kristi's copper. But I would have to make time for her polymer pieces. This pair was recently listed. They have fun and summer written all over them!

Caged Hibiscus

Thank you, Kristi, for such great pieces to work with!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by! We appreciate it. Comments are also greatly appreciated.

Have a great day!

Norbel Marolla
She Flies Again Etsy Shop
She Flies Again on Facebook
You can find me on Instagram

Bohemian summer

Hello. Today I like to share with you some earrings I made quite a while back.
For these I didn’t use art beads, just beautiful Czech glass in lovely colors and other components.

I think these are perfect for summer, don’t you think? 








Thank you for stopping by. These are now available in my shop.
I wish you a wonderful day with lots of joy, sunshine and happiness.

Janine

Esfera Jewelry

My etsy shop

My website/blog

My facebook page