One Crayon Colour Challenge

Time for another challenge! I've been busy working towards deadlines this week (which is why I've been so quiet!), so it was great being able to put them to one side for a little while and just play! I loved looking at all the designs entered into Sally Russick's last challenge, so I was really pleased to get a place on her latest challenge - I just squeezed in at the last minute! This time, Sally challenged us to use just one colour to design a piece of jewellery - which I actually found a bit harder than I thought I would as I've been really enjoying mixing the colours is recently!

My crayon colour was blue, and this is what (after a couple of false starts) I came up with.....

Lampwork beads by Beads of Passion

Czech glass faceted beads from Five Sisters

Silk ribbon from Marsha Neal Studio

Sterling silver bubble connectors made by me!

This started out as a bracelet and then turned into a long necklace which I wasn't completely pleased with, but I could put my finger on why! While photographing it I finally realised that although I loved the blues in the beads I'd chosen and was really pleased with the bubble connectors I'd made everything was too spread out and the beads would have looked lost unless it was worn with the plainest of tops - and so the bead and silver section got doubled up and it turned into a shorter necklace that looks far richer and makes more of a statement!

If you'd like to see how I made the bubble connectors please have a look at this tutorial!

To see all the other challenge designs please visit:

Hosted by:

Sally Russick http://thestudiosublime.com

Red

Therese Frank http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com

Rochelle Brisson http://acreativechelle.blogspot.com

Lisa Lodge http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com

Malin de Koning http://beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Bobbie Rafferty http://beadsong.blogspot.com

Orange

Linda Landig http://LindasBeadBlog.com

Cherrie Fick http://designsinthelight.com

Beth McLarnan http://threetrees-art.blogspot.com

Cece Cormier http://thebeadingyogini.com

Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

Tanya Goodwin http://pixiloo.blogspot.com

Jean Welles http://jeanawells.blogspot.com

Amy Severino http://amybeads.blogspot.com

Rebekah Payne http://treewingsstudio.com

Lola Surwillo http://beadlolabead.blogspot.com

Judy Turner http://silver-rains.blogspot.com

Yellow

Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com

Rose Brisson http://ahteesblog.blogspot.com

Kim Bender http://www.kimmykats.com/

Heather Powers http://humblebeads.blogspot.com

Shelly Joyce http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com

Blue

Cherie Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com

Hope Smitherman http://craftyhope.blogspot.com

Patti Vanderbloemen http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com

Michelle Buettner http://MiShelDesigns.blogspot.com

Alicia Marinache http://allprettythings.ca

Charissa Sloper http://blog.obsidiansoda.com

Sonya Stille http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com

Maria Grimes http://mariagrimes.blogspot.com

Nancy Saccoccio http://risingdesigns.blogspot.com

Sandi Volpe http://sandivolpe.com

Joanne Tinley http://daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com

Catherine Pruitt http://boobeads.blogspot.com

Green

Mary Harding http://maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com

Karin Gilman http://www.qaygee.blogspot.com/

Jayne Capps http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com

Lorelei Eurto http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com

Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.com

Alice Peterson http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies Reazor http://www.jdaviesreazor.com

Cynthia Machata http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

Melissa Essenburg http://chinookdesigns.blogspot.com

Regina Santerre http://reginaswritings.blogspot.com

Lauren Streets http://ornthoughts.wordpress.com

Elizabeth Auld http://beadsforbusygals.com

Purple

Tracy Mok http://bumblebeadsdesigns.blogspot.com

Jennifer Judd Velasquez http://jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

Marti Conrad http://marticsclay.blogspot.com

Lori Anderson http://prettythingsblog.com

Donna Bradley http://strandedbeads.blogspot.com

Courtney Breul http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com

Linda Younkman http://lindysdesigns.blogspot.com

Susan Kennedy http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Lisa Liddy http://Lisaliddy.wordpress.com

Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com

Dawn Doucette http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com

Brown

Diana Ptaszynski http://suburbangirlstudio.com

Shannon Chomanczuk http://formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com/

Janice Everett http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com

Karen Williams http://Baublicious.blogspot.com

Black

Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com

Heidi Post http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com/

Birgitta Lejonklou http://lejonklou.blogspot.com/

Holly Westfall http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/

Karin Slaton http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com

In the Pink

I've realised that I didn't actually get round to posting the jewellery I made for the pink colour challenge - oops! I realised that although I haven't been using a lot of pink in my designs recently and it's not a colour that I wear myself (unless it's just a little with my favourite brown!) I actually had quite a few pink beads, including several lampwork beads. So, here are a pink jade pair of earrings and a lampwork bead necklace. The earrings are a design that I've used before, but it's a popular one at craftshows so I thought I'd make another pair.

The necklace uses a bead by Emma Mason. I bought a set of three, plus some spacer beads, from her last year and this is the second one from the set. I love that fact that although all three beads are of the same style they are each unique. I used the first bead in a fairly simple leather necklace but for this one I took inspiration from the honeysuckle blooming outside my shed window and twisted 'vines' of sterling silver wire. It is, of course, called honeysuckle, and it should be on the site tomorrow.

While tidying up my beads this evening I realised just how many lampwork beads I've got, so expect to see some more lampwork jewellery over the next week or so!

P.S. My eye is much better now, thankfully! I've been looking a bit odd (okay more odd than usual) in the sun though as I've obviously been wearing my glasses rather than my contacts. The problem is that I haven't got any prescription sunglasses so I've been wearing my normal sunglasses over my glasses. I'm going to go to the opticians and order some prescription sunglasses tomorrow, so you'd better expect the sunshine to disappear completely as soon as I get them. Sorry!

Green leaf

Do you remember this from the silversmithing course I went on at Flux'n'Flame? I had originally thought that I would have small beads hanging down the centre of the leaf, but it just didn't look right. I tried a few other ideas too, until finally I came up with this.




So what do you think? I've used peridot, garnet and amethyst, a combination that I really love. And the peridot means that it qualifies for this week's green colour challenge!








As for last week's challenge, sorry this is late but I haven't been good at taking photos this last week or so. The website is looking a bit bare, but by the end of this weekend it'll be stocked up again - assuming that I don't sell everything tomorrow that is! Anyway, this is one of my triple bangles (I love making these) with beautiful rubies - the colour of these lovelies is even better in real life!

And the awards go to...

Oh I do love my shed! I've been able to get so much done today while B has been at his childminder, far more than if I'd been working in the house with the distraction of the computer nearby! I've given myself a rule - I can do work on the computer first thing in the morning on Thursdays, but by 10.30am latest I must be working in the shed.

Today I've done lots of 'housekeeping' jobs such as print new business cards, making a couple of hundred headpins, making jumprings etc, and also made some earrings including these smokey quartz and angelite ones. I love smokey quartz, so it's a good job that the colour for this week is brown! I made a bracelet using smokey quartz yesterday but forgot to photograph it before sending it off for hallmarking, so you'll have to wait until next week for that one, sorry!







Anyway, on Sunday (I think - the week has gone so quickly!) Michele very kindly gave me a 'Sweet Home Blogger' for sharing Beauty, Love and Joy. I blushed when I saw what she'd written on her blog! After very careful thought, I have decided to pass the award onto the following 5 people:

Nicky of Sparkly Treasures - Nicky is my beading partner-in-crime! We only met in real life a year ago, but it really does seem as though I've known her for a lot longer. She lives close by so we meet up with our children regularly, have late into the night jewellery making sessions and help each other out when we run out of wire etc!

Laura Sparling - Laura is another Hampshire lass, though not for much longer :(. She makes the most amazingly intricate beads, as you already know if you are a) a fellow lampwork addict or b) have read earlier posts in my blog! Her beads definitely add beauty to the world, and her blog is always a good read.

Fiona of Fede - Fiona started the colour challenge I'm enjoying at the moment. I only found her blog a few weeks ago, but so much of what she writes stricks a cord with me as she's another mum juggling children and a crafting career. Her cushions are gorgeous, and her children's tool shaped rattles such a cool idea!

Anne of Contrariwise - Anne definitely adds beauty to the world with her gorgeous jewellery, and also with the fantastic newspaper clippings and photos that she posts on her blog. She's also very generous with her tips on having an Etsy and jewellery making.

Hannah of Kutuu - another very talented jewellery designer. Hannah's work is so stylish and beautifully crafted. She's also been very generous with her help when I was having problems with my website.

Yellow!

Here it is - proof that I can work in yellow when I put my mind to it! In hindsight the yellow week of the challenge has been very good for me as it's made me use beads in a different way than I would have before - I guess that was the whole idea though!

Here's the lampwork and citrine bracelet I finished at the weekend. The lampwork beads are by Clare Scott and I've had them for a little while now. They were always intended for a bracelet and matching pendant (on it's way!), but I would have put blue and green crystals with them if it wasn't for the colour challenge. I'm really pleased with how the pale yellow brings out the lighter tones in the glass.

I'm not sure whether the butterfly fits into last week or this though, as the hessonite garnet is a golden honey colour. Either way, they'll be on the site soon!

Hello....

I'm still here, and I have been working hard this week, promise! The problem is that until tonight none of my work used yellow at all, so I haven't done too well at the colour challenge so far. I've been busy sawing, filing, sanding and soldering in my lovely lovely shed, trying to get as many things done as possible to send of to be hallmarked. The assay office have a minimum charge, so to keep prices down as much as possible (which I'm sure you'd rather I do!) I want to send off as many pieces at one go as I can. The plan is to send off everything I've got by Tuesday so that it gets back to me in time to polish up to take to the Southampton City museum shop at the end of the following week. So far I've got a couple more cuffs, bangles, chain bracelets and a couple of pendants, but none in a fit state to be photographed - you'll just have to wait until they get back, sorry!

I think the closest I've got to yellow so far is this bracelet - one of the aquamarine beads is a creamy yellow I'm sure! I've kept the bracelet simple - beautiful aquamarine with my hammered silver rings.

Anyway, it's past my bedtime. I'll try and photograph the bracelet I've been working on tonight (lampwork and citrine) and show it to you tomorrow to prove that I really can work with yellow! in the meantime, go and see what Fiona's been making - she's had a very busy week!

Blue Monday!

Well, the Colour Challenge has started! It actually helped me get a couple of pieces finished in good time for delivery to Between Dreams this afternoon.

I sat and designed the necklaces and did the wirework yesterday evening and finished them off this afternoon while B was having his nap. I'd made the base of the butterfly earlier last week as I've decided to keep a couple of bases for each of my butterflies and daisies in stock, and decided to add turquoise to it to keep with the theme - oh, and also because turquoise jewellery usually sells really well in the shop! The first necklace is amazonite, smoky quartz and freshwater pearls by the way.

I'm in the middle of getting my stock ready for the Southampton City Art Gallery shop too. The exhibition they've got on when my jewellery first goes into the shop has a water theme so blue should fit in there nicely too! I've realised though that I'm going to have to break away from the colour theme at the weekends as I've got a couple of commissions to do. I don't think it'll go down too well if I put the pieces off until I get to that colour in the challenge!

It's been really hot working in the shed this afternoon as the afternoon sun streams in through the door. I am definitely not complaining though as the forecasters say it'll be much cooler by the weekend. I think it was too hot for B though - he didn't have such a good nap as usual. Unfortunately it is not too hot for mosquitoes. My face looks like I've got the mumps on the left hand side, or as if I've just had my wisdom teeth out. A lovely friendly mozzie decided that they liked my cheek this afternoon and as I'm allergic to them I've swelled up nicely despite lots of anti-histamines. Oh well! It could have been worse - it could have been a wasp!

Colour Challenge

Browsing through the etsy while having my lunch I came across a list of blogs that had just been updated - including this one. Fiona is a mum and ex-graphic designer in Adelaide who makes beautiful cushions and really fun kids toys like these



Cute aren't they? Sometimes I wish B had a soft hammer!!

Anyway, Fiona's posted the following challenge and challenged others on etsy to do join in - and I thought it looked like fun!

"This week (starting Mon 9th June) I will be only sewing in BLUE. All creations will be posted (the good, the bad & the ugly) for your perusal and comment, and the winning designs will hit my Etsy store. Each subsequent week will have a colour assigned in this order.
BLUE YELLOW BROWN RED GREEN PINK"

I sometimes have to speak strictly to myself to use certain colours (I rarely use yellow or red!) so hopefully the challenge will get me thinking! I did do the Year of Jewelry challenge for the last quarter of last year and started it again in January, but the themes each week were so precise that it became a chore. This challenge is short enough that it won't become a chore and it'll hopefully get me to use some of the beautiful materials that I've been storing up! I've listed the others who have signed up to the challenge on the left so you can see what they get up to.

So, what have I been doing today apart from browsing other blogs? Well, T has been at work since very early this morning (alarm went off before 6 this morning which is horrendously early for us - we have a toodler who, thank God, doesn't wake up early!) so he could get to the park in the centre of Southampton and help set up for K2, a big youth event that is put on once a month during the summer here. B and I had pancakes (now a family tradition at weekends!) and then took Daddy his lunch before going to buy some new shoes. B is so proud of them as they've got diggers and wheels on them! I managed to get a couple of jewellery 'chores' done while he was having a nap (cutting jump rings for one) and finished a couple of projects too. I'll show you those tomorrow as it's definitely past my bedtime!