Metal Prong Challenge Reveal!

This is the second of three challenge reveals this week, and they are all completely different from each other! I wrote about the Metal Prong Challenge (again on Artisan Whimsy) a couple of weeks ago. To be honest I wasn't going to enter, but then realised that it would fit in perfectly with what I'm teaching one of my college classes at the moment. One of the pieces of jewellery that they can choose to make for their assessment is a dress ring, a ring with a stone and a prong setting. The syllabus doesn't say that it has to be a traditionally cut faceted stone or that we have to use a traditional prong setting, so I'm encouraging them to think outside the box and explore how they can set more unusual stones. So, my entry to the challenge is also an example for my college class. They've already seen it part-made, but last night I took it in with the stone set - and now I can show it to you!

I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. The stone is a beautiful Botswana Agate from Designer Cabochons, the first stone that I ever bought from them over two years ago. I had actually started to make the setting over a year ago, always intending that it would be a prong setting as I didn't want to hide the edges of the stone as they're just as lovely as the top. I wasn't happy with how I originally soldered on the prongs though, and the challenge tutorial was just what I needed to finally complete it! I've finished the necklace with a handcrafted chain and a clasp textured to match the pendant.

To see what other people have made for the challenge, please visit the AW challenge page here!

Oh, and the third challenge reveal? Come back this weekend to see what the Brit Pack Beaders have made for Rebecca Anderson's challenge!

P.S. The necklace will be in my Daisychain Jewellery etsy shop this weekend!

British Inspiration!

UPDATE! The winner of the Southampton prize is Sherri Stokey (Knot Just Macramé)

Congratulations Sherri!

The full list of winners is now available on Artisan Whimsy.

Today is the day set for everyone taking part in the UK blog team challenge on Artisan Whimsy to reveal their designs. We challenged forum members to design either a piece of jewellery or a jewellery component using one of our home towns or counties as their inspiration, with a prize on offer for each place. And they have done us proud! The entries include macramé, ceramics, lampwork and wirework, and it has been great to see how the same place can inspire such different pieces of work.

And of course, we couldn't exactly ask everyone else to get to work with out creating something ourselves, could we? So, here is my creation using Southampton as my inspiration.....

It was actually harder than I thought it would be. I'm used to taking my inspiration from the things I see around me - shapes of leaves, colours for example - but to use the city that I live in was different. When I first set the challenge I assumed that I'd use the Titanic as my inspiration, but in the end I took a little inspiration from different aspects of the city. I've used unusual matt Picasso Jasper beads to represent the stony beaches along this stretch of the south coast and freshwater pearls and silk as a nod to the luxury materials that the upper classes of the Titanic passengers would have worn. And the poppy? Well, considering that Southampton is the home of the Spitfire and yesterday was Armistice Day it seemed appropriate to use one of my silver poppy clasps to complete the necklace. It's a fairly simple design, but that seems to be what I've been drawn to over the last week!

I hope that you like it! I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created, especially those who chose Southampton as their inspiration! I've had a sneak peek at some of the designs as they've been loaded onto the Artisan Whimsy site, but I've saved the Southampton designs for today! I will be posting the winner of the Southampton prize (look here to see what prize I'm offering) by tomorrow morning, and all the winners of the prizes will be posted on the Artisan Whimsy page by Tuesday morning as well.

Below are the blogs of those taking part in the UK Inspiration Challenge as at 11th November - please do visit and admire their designs!

The Hosts
Lesley Watt Gossiping Goddess

Rebecca Anderson Songbeads

Pippa Chandler Pip's Jewellery

Teresa Hulley Bo Hulley Beads

Natalie McKenna Grubbi

Jo Tinley Daisychain Designs

Dorset

Gale White Bantering Bird on Flickr

Ginger Bishop Lilmummylikes

Cece Cormier The Beading Yogini

Therese Frank Therese’s Treasures

Cilla Watkins Tell Your Girlfriends

Sherry Baun Unicorn Jewels

Kay Toodles and Binks

Edinburgh

Therese Frank Therese’s Treasures

Kashmira Patel Sadafulee

Caroline Dewison Blueberribeads

Pam Sears Crazy Creative Corner

Sherry Baun

Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh

Bath

Cynthia Machata  http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

Pam Sears Crazy Creative Corner

Sherry Baun Unicorn Jewels

Isle of Wight

Duane Clark Bizzy Bead

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson Sharyl's Jewelry

Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh

Jean Wright Just Beadey

D Lynne Bowland Islandgirl’s Insights

Lisa Lodge Pine Ridge Treasures
Kathy Lindemer Bay Moon Design

Sherry Baun Unicorn Jewels

Liverpool

Jean A. Wells  http://www.jeanawells.blogspot.com

Shalini Austin   Jewellery by Shalini

Doris Stumpf Glaszwerg

Sherry Baun Unicorn Jewels

Lennis C Windbent

Southampton

Sherri Stokey Knot Just Macramé

Sherry Baun Unicorn Jewels

Leigh Thow Jewellrleigh

Remember, remember the fifth of November....

Yes, it's that time off year again - the smell of bonfires in the cold (very cold!) evening air, the bang and flash of fireworks in the sky - and my poor Mille cat almost glued to my lap if I sit still long enough in the evenings! We get a great few of the firework displays in the area from Ben's bedroom window as we're halfway up a hill. In past years we've set off a few small fireworks in our back garden but we weren't that organised this year as we had planned to be up in Suffolk with the rest of my family, celebrating my Grandma's 95th birthday. In the end though we didn't go - Jamie's got a filthy cold and the last thing I wanted to do was to risk passing it on to Grandma. It takes her longer and longer to get over things like that nowadays. And I also wasn't that keen on putting Jamie through a long journey and a family meal when he wasn't well! So, we've had a lazy weekend at home.

For those of you wondering why on earth we crazy Brits stand outside and set off fireworks at such a cold time of year (and quite often in the rain too!), have a look at the latest blog post by the UK blog team on Artisan Whimsy where all will be explained! There's also some lovely Bonfire Night inspired jewellery and beads to feast your eyes on, including my Firelight earrings, Soft Oak bracelet and oak leaf clasps.

Oh, and while you're there, have you signed up for our UK Inspiration Challenge yet? We've got some great prizes, and you can find the details here.

A Halloween Owl

I actually made some clasps for my own jewellery designs last week as well as fulfilling my etsy orders, so last Thursday evening I put together some new bracelets while catching up with Grey's Anatomy. This is the first one I made - and my entry into the jewellery design category of the Artisan Whimsy Hooters Challenge.

One of my owl clasps in oxidised sterling silver matched with a beautiful pumpkin orange spiral patterned lampwork bead by Mindy Macgregor. I've added in dyed jade and agate beads and sterling silver rings, so that no matter how the bracelet turns round your wrist there's something lovely to look at!

If you've visited my jewellery website recently you may have noticed that I've been moving things around. I've decided to keep my own website for my made-to-order jewellery such as my Golden Collection and for workshops and private tuition, and I've been moving my one-off pieces of jewellery over to Etsy, to a separate shop than my Daisychain Extra supplies. So, you can find my friendly Halloween owl in my Daisychain Jewellery etsy shop here.

A few challenges for you!

There are a few challenges that I'm taking part in at the moment, so I thought I'd share them with you and see if you fancy taking part too!

The first one is the monthly component challenge that has just launched on the Art Jewelry Elements blog. If you have joined in with this one before, each month the blog team take it in turns to design a new bead or clasp or pendant, and then we challenge you to use it to create a beautiful piece of jewellery! It's Lesley Watt's turn in November, and if you go and visit her post on the AJE blog you can enter the draw to win a one of her new pendants and also find details of a discount she's offering on them too - they beautiful and Christmassy!

The other two are both on Artisan Whimsy. The Hooters challenge is one that I've had lots of fun with! This challenge is open to both jewellery designers and bead of component makers - all you have to do is design an owl, or a piece of jewellery with an owl in it and upload it to this page on the forum and you could win a £50 PayPal gift. I've entered one of my owl clasps into the component makers side of the competition, and I've got plans for the jewellery design side too. You've got until this Sunday, 28th October to join in.

The second Artisan Whimsy challenge is perfect timing for me as I'm teaching one of my college classes how to make prong settings, and that's what this challenge is all about - and it even comes with a tutorial! Use the tutorial to make your own piece of jewellery, upload your photo to the forum here and you'll could one of a whole range of fantastic prizes. I've got a stone perfect for this challenge, one that I've started making a setting for ages but it didn't quite work out. All I need now is some time over the halfterm holiday to make it!

Have fun!

 

Tweet Twoo!

Owls are now available in my Daisychain Extra etsy shop! And a flock of lovebirds and a few houses too.
I do enjoy making my owls. They start off looking like strange almost egg-like pieces of metal, but with a little texturing and shaping, plus some liver of sulphur to highlight the textures, bring them to life! If you haven't had a chance to do so already, do go and have a read of my post on Art Jewelry Elements and you'll be able to have a closer look at how I make them.

My owl clasps are also my entry to the Artisan Whimsy Hooters Owl Challenge. This challenge is open to jewellery makers and makers of components - all you need to do is join the forum and add your blog link to the list! Photos have to be added by Sunday 28th October, and Artisan Whimsy members can vote for their favourites until Halloween (of course!).

And if you fancy owning your own owl, visit my Daisychain Extra shop on etsy!

Are you up for a challenge?

I mentioned last week that the new Artisan Whimsy website will have at least two blog posts a day, covering all manner of topics - materials, tools, sources of inspiration, tutorials, and giveaways and challenges too! Today is the first post of the UK Blog team, which, so far, is made up of Lesley Watt, Rebecca Anderson, Teresa Hulley, Pippa Chandler, Natalie McKenna, Claire Lockwood, Claire Braunbarth, Fiona MacNeil - and me! Our first post is a bit of an introduction to each of us (well, those of us who had joined the group before I wrote and scheduled the post last week!), and also a challenge.

We're all of us influenced by what we see around us, but can you be inspired by the places the UK Blog team live? Our blog post gives you a little bit of information about where we each live, and your challenge is to pick one of our home towns, do a little research and get designing! You do need to be a member of Artisan Whimsy to join in as we're asking that you post your creations on your profile page on the site on Monday 12th November, but it's quick and easy to join.

We're also offering a prize for each challenge location, so for example everyone who enters the Southampton challenge (my home town!) will be entered into a draw to win two of my clasps, one of my new butterflies and a lovebird clasp, both in oxidised copper.

So, what can I tell you about Southampton?

Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. We're best known at the moment for Southampton Football Club (go Saints!) and for our docks - a large proportion of the goods exported from the UK pass through the Southampton Docks in massive container ships, and we also play host to many of the largest cruise ships in the world.

Our maritime history has international links. The Titanic set sail from Southampton on 10th April 1912. Four in five of the crew on board the vessel were Sotonians, with about a third of those who perished in the tragedy five days later coming from the city. Over 500 households in the city lost at least one family member. Three hundred years before the Titanic the Mayflower set off carrying the Pilgrim Fathers to their new home in what is now the USA.

Southampton is also home to the Spitfire, the greatest fighter plane ever built, and WWII hit the city hard as the Spitfire factory and the docks were bombed. A lot of the city was destroyed, but when the rebuilding started there was a lot of careful planning, which is one of the reasons that although we are a large city we have a lot of green spaces, with many local parks and Southampton Common which runs the length of the city right to the city centre. The area that we live in, Bitterne Park has quite a village feel to it, mainly due to the large park that runs along side the River Itchen, one of two rivers that runs through the city.

So, will you choose the romance of the Titanic as your inspiration? Or do you have relatives who went over the USA with the Pilgrim Fathers? Or maybe the Spitfire and Southampton's contribution to WWII will inspire you? Head over to the Artisan Whimsy website to see where the rest of the team live and what they are offering as prizes to tempt you!