Friday, May 18, 2012

Kristi Bowman's End Cap Blog Hop!


It's time for the reveal of our creation using the handmade copper end caps made by Kristi Bowman!  Each component is handmade, individually molded, shaped, carved and fired.  All of her components - whether made in copper or silver - beautiful!  I love each and every one!  You can visit her esty shop here.  

She recently selected a group of designer's to receive a set of her newest components - the end cap.  I was not lucky enough for "Random Org" to choose my name, but I had to have them anyway!  I was so excited to receive mine in the mail - I knew exactly what I was going to design and completed it the same day!  Without further ado....

I made a multi-strand bracelet in the Pantone colors!  These dreamy tango-tangerine and turquoise lampwork beads are made by GlassBeadArt - you can find her shop here.  These beads came all the way from Lithuania!   I actually won some of her beads and am now a now a fan of hers forever! 

I combined the lampwork with turquoise seed beads, a mix of tangerine seed beads, and a pure copper bead.   Look at the gorgeous colors on those end caps - they are absolutely PERFECT for a multi-strand bracelet or necklace! 

I used heavy gauge pure copper wire for the eye-pins, and made a simple clasp.  I torched the wire first, to try to mimic the colors of the bead caps, then coated the wire with Renaissance Wax to protect the finish.  I love these end caps so much that I just ordered and received a second set!

My niece - who just got married on May 12 - is on her honeymoon in Jamaica, as I write this post.  One of Rachel's evening dresses is a gorgeous tangerine color, so naturally, I gave this bracelet to her.  But, I went ahead and made a matching necklace and a pair of earrings, as well...because, well, that is what Aunt's are for.....


Thanks for letting me join in the fun, Kristi!  Please be sure to visit all of the participants! 

Patti Vanderbloemen <-You are here!
Thank you for stopping by!
Posted by at 19 comments:
Labels: , ,

Friday, May 11, 2012

Blog Hops!

So many blog hops...so little time!

Next Saturday, May 19, I am participating in Kristi Bowman's "Copper End Cap Blog Hop" .  I bought a pair of her handmade, copper end caps (photo below taken by Kristi Bowman).


I was so inspired by these caps that I made my entry for this challenge the day I received her package!  It is probably one of my most favorite pieces of jewelry I have ever made! Kristi makes some of the most beautiful copper and silver pieces imaginable! You can find her shop by clicking here.   I love the caps so much, I bought a second set!

The next challenge I joined was the Cocktail Hour Blog Party, hosted by Amy Taylor Freeland at Copper Diem.  She assigns a cocktail, you do a little research on the cocktail, and then you design a piece around that theme.  I was very excited when she assigned me my cocktail - a drink I did partake of long ago - and I am happy to say that I have completed by piece already!  The reveal date is May 26. 

The next challenge is the Art Bead Earring Hop, hosted by Diana Ptzszynski of Suburban Girls Studio.   Diana makes GORGEOUS beads from clay - stoneware, porcelain, raku - all little works of art!  I am particularly in love with anything starfish, and have made several bracelets and necklaces from her pieces!  You can visit her shop here.  I made this bracelet this morning with her beads that I recently received:


Back to the challenge - Diana picks 3 designers who will swap earrings made with Art Beads.  I was paired with two of the most awesome designers: Erin Prais-Hintz and Mary Harding. 

Erin - who writes a beautiful blog, Treasures Found,  not only makes the most inspiring and creative jewelry, but she is also the guru behind some gorgeous, handmade pendants and charms known as Simple Truths.  I recently purchased a "Happily Ever After" pendant, which I used to make a  necklace for my niece Rachel, who is getting married tomorrow!


Mary Harding is a ceramic bead artist and jewelry designer - her designs are incomparable!  I mean, just look at this toggle clasp (photo by Mary Harding)!!!

Her creations are awe-inspiring and contain so many elements within nature! The reveal date for the Art Bead Earring Hop is June 7.  I am quite nervous to trade earrings with these accomplished artisans and hope that my designs are up to their standards!

So that is what I have been up to lately.....thank you so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!!
Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Saturday, May 5, 2012

One Crayon Color Challenge!


Today is the reveal for the One Crayon Color Challenge, hosted by the extremely talented Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime.  The challenge?  Choose one color from the palette, illustrated in the tag above, and create a piece of jewelry using a monochromatic theme of that color.  My initial thought was to choose Black, but I ended up choosing Blue, because it is my favorite color.  I thought that working with my favorite color would give me some advantage.  Well...it didn't!!!  I took apart...at a minimum...3 completed designs, because they just didn't seem "finished".  I know I am not the only person that experiences this dilemma...however, it is frustrating!

Onto the challenge...the first bracelet I made is a multi-strand (6 strands) bracelet, made with luscious lapis, czech glass beads, and etched seed beads. 


 
I connected the strands with two silver cones and a hand forged, sterling "S" clasp-you can't tell very well in the picture, but I balled the ends of the wires on the clasp.  I wired a sweet little czech glass petal to resemble flower to one of the ends, creating a charm effect.

I really like how this turned out! 

For the next bracelet, I used sterling silver and some gorgeous blue lampwork  beads by Brenda Scata - these have the most beautiful hues of blue! The beads were encased, further enhancing the colors.  I added a few Swarovski crystals and some silver heishi beads to each bead set.


I created little charms with some some small, blue czech glass beads and a few more of the czech petals in between the bead sets, as well.  


 
I also made a matched set of earrings.


Thank you to Sally for hosting this great challenge, and to you all for stopping by today!  Please be sure to visit the other participants to see their designs, too!

Hosted by:



Red







Orange













Yellow







Blue





Patti Vanderbloemen http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com <---You are here!


Alicia Marinache http://allprettythings.ca








Green








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






Purple



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










Brown






Black







Posted by at 40 comments:

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

I am going to ArtBliss!


I am so very excited!  I just registered and signed up for my classes at ArtBliss in September! This is an awesome venue created by Jeanette Blix and Cindy Wimmer. I was lucky enough to have attended the inaugural ArtBliss a couple of years ago- I took one class - K.reating A.rt B.eads with Kerry Bogert .  At the time, I had only been involved in making jewelry for less than a year. I knew no -one there, I did not read but two-three blogs, did not have a blog...you get the picture.   However, I happened upon Kerry's book, Totally Twisted at my local bead store in Occoquan, Virginia, and I instantly became hooked on lampwork beads.  This class was so much fun - I still do not have a kiln but am planning to get one next year, fingers crossed!  Kerry is an excellent teacher and I am excited to be signed up for her class entitled True Colors: Cold-Worked Bezels & Colorful Camouflage!

I pre-ordered her next book, Rustic Wrappings, and am patiently awaiting its delivery in July! The class I signed up for includes a project from this book.

I have to mention that Totally Twisted  is also what changed my jewelry designs from basic stringing to include wire - Kerry's book demonstrates how easily it is to enhance any design!  

Starfish by SuburbanGirlBeads

Love to make my own clasps with wire!

Anyway, the only problem I have with the ArtBliss venue is that I truly want to take ALL of the classes with all of the talented instructors!  Alas, unless I am cloned between now and then, 3 will have to do!

Won't you join me?!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Posted by at 8 comments:
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Bead Swap# 7 and # 8 - with Moobie Grace Designs

My bead swap results continues!  Today's package of goodies contained the following beads, generously given to me by Tania of Moobie Grace Designs (click on the pictures to get a better view):


I ended up making three pairs of earrings from these gorgeous lampwork beads.

Turns out that the colors in the disc beads were a perfect complement to the round beads! So, I wire wrapped with silver wire the discs and  rounds to make these fun earrings.  I added sterling spacer beads and hand forged ear wires.

These colors and textures formed in these beautiful grey lentil beads remind me of the mountains with a stream running below.  I formed a flower with some enameled bead caps and ear wires, from Sue Kennedy, and some brass bead caps I had on hand.

I wanted to keep these earrings simple - loving the teal and red together - so I just added small oval silver beads.

The next bead pouch contained a stunning toggle and 2 charms, all made by Tania:


The fuchsia charms are so vibrant and have pops of blue and orange added - look at the details!  Anyway, they stumped me for a while, as this is not a color palette that I have used before!  However, I have been hoarding  buying quite a few Tangerine Tango beads lately, so I found two in my stash - these are from GlassBeadArt - and made some fun and funky earrings.



My last piece is a bracelet made with the beautiful taupe toggle.  I combined some gorgeous raku beads from Duane Collins of Elements Pottery.  I also wired-up another flower charm, with enameled componets made by Sue Kennedy.


The raku beads are just gorgeous - a picture cannot capture all of the beautiful colors!

I am almost done with my soup ingredients!  Thank you again Tania, and Lori Anderson for organizing this amazing, impromptu swap!

Thank you for stopping by today!
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)