My Addictions...Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti: 2012-11-25

Friday, November 30, 2012

The Challenge of Color Blog Hop!

The lovely Erin Prais-Hintz of Treasures Found is hosting another fun hop: The Challenge of Color. Erin's challenges are always SO.MUCH.FUN!

The Challenge goes like this: Erin tasked the participants to select their favorite palette from one of two unique palettes she sent to us. These amazing palettes were created by Miss Brandi Hussey. The pictures are from the Earth As Art exhibit from the United States Geological Service taken from the Landsat 7 satellite. The participants are required to make something...a piece of jewelry, or an accessory...anything that captures the colors from the assigned palette.

Here is the first palette:

(click on pictures for larger view)

The first thing I did - after gasping at the gorgeous colors - was to find out about these volcanoes. While I knew from my long ago geography classes in high school that Chile had volcanoes, I had no idea that there were over 70 volcanoes located within this long - but not wide - country! I am - and will always be - a lover of the Mountains. I'll take mountains over oceans any day.

The blues and greens in the palette spoke to me in volumes. I knew I had the PERFECT beads that not only reflected the colors, but the shapes of my well-loved mountains.

The picture above is of the beads I chose, laying on top of my Color Inspiration. The beads are by Outwest....do I really need to elaborate on her beads??? LOVE THEM. The swirls of color throughout each bead speak to me - and again - it wasn't just the colors - it was the "mountain top" shape of the bead. I wanted to use more than one in my piece, as in a mountain range. So I hammered out some discs from copper, and made a bail of sorts for each bead.

I was lucky to find the perfect blue beads in my stash from another outstanding lampwork artist - Rachel Bishop (Puffafish on etsy) - to mimic the water in the inspiration, as well as the hint of blue in the "mountain beads" from Outwest. These blue beads have so many varying hues of blue - so pretty in person!

I made all of the copper elements - the "messy beads", the awesome clasp from a Cindy Wimmer tutorial, bead caps, - the head pins and the ear wires, too. Love the pop of red achieved when heated copper hits the water for quenching!

I am so pleased with how this turned out!

Not good at making choices, Erin sent me a second color palette - so I rallied to this challenge, too.

While I knew Algeria was a desert territory, I did not know how truly large a country it is - the 10th largest in the world. Over 90% of the country is desert - I would not survive here - the hottest recorded temperature is 123 degrees Fahrenheit. I wilt when the thermometer approaches 70 degrees! I am still fascinated by desert terrains - hot as Hades in the day, and near frigid at night. Quite an adjustment for those that live there. Anyway, on with the reveal!

I had this most beautiful set of beads by Shelia Davis (Stone Designs by Sheila on Etsy) - see those deep, reddish brown beads in the center of the photo? Those are the ones that caught my eye when I opened up my bead box. Say desert to me and I instantly see a burnt red. I found the beads, but could not think of what to do with them. So I went through my huge shelf of books and I found a bracelet design that was perfect (again, by Cindy Wimmer in Wire Style 2). The links of the bracelet are very free form and flowing, with the beads attached by very large jump rings to either side of each link.

I really love this bracelet! I have to thank Cindy for her inspiration today in both of my pieces...thank you Cindy!

Thank you Erin for hosting this hop! We all have times when our muse takes a vacation - and my muse came back, thanks to you! I can honestly say that your blog hops push me, creatively speaking, like no other. For that...I am very grateful! And Brandi, thank you for creating such beautiful inspirations!

Sorry my post was so long today, but thank you for hanging on! Your comments mean the world to me!

If you haven't already, please visit all of the participants:

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Anderson http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Kris Auderer http://strandedinthecity.wordpress.com
Chrizette Bayman http://beadsoupmix.blogspot.com
Lori Bowring Michaud http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Courtney Breul http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com/
Lynsey Brooks http://yellowunicorncreations.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie Buss http://maxandlucie.blogspot.com
Iveth Caruso http://www.creativeatelier.net/
Shannon Chomanczuk http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com
Lisa Cone http://inspiredadornments.blogspot.com/
Cece Cormier http://thebeadingyogini.com
Lori Dorrington http://lorisglassworks.blogspot.com
Dawn Doucette http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com
Jeannie Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/
Kim Dworak http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Beth Emery http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com
Janice Everett http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com
Pam Farren http://www.re-maker.blogspot.com
Donetta Farrington http://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com
Gloria Ferrer http://judetaama.blogspot.com.es/
Cherrie Fick http://designsinthelight.co
Therese Frank http://www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com

Tanya Goodwin http://pixiloo.blogspot.com
Ambra Gostoli http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com
Jess Green http://tabbiekoshka.blogspot.co.uk/
Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com
Mary Harding www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Karla Hartzog http://www.karlakrafts.com
Kim Hora http://www.kimmykats.com
Brandi Hussey http://brandigirlblog.com
Emanda Johnson http://ArtemisiaStudio.blogspot.com
Jennifer Justman http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Sue Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com
Ema Kilroy http://emakaye.blogspot.com
Lee Koopman http://Stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Linda Landig http://www.LindasBeadBlog.com
Kirsi Luostarinen http://kirsiluokorut.blogspot.com
Cynthia Machata http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca
Beth McCord http://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Mary K McGraw http://mkaymac.blogspot.com/
Karen Mitchell http://www.overthemoon-design.com
Cheri Mitchell-Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Aimee Moisa http://threecatsdancing.blogspot.com
Karla Morgan http://www.texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Penny Neville http://copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
Becky Pancake http://beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com
Alice Peterson http://alice-dreaming.blogspot.com
Kayla Potega http://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Debbie Price http://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk
Bobbie Rafferty http://beadsong.blogspot.com
Caron Reid http://caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Nicole Rennell http://nicolerennell.com/blog
Cynthia Riggs http://cynthsblog.blogspot.com
Andrea Ross http://silvermapledesigns.blogspot.com/
Sally Russick http://thestudiosublime.com
Annie Scherz http://www.studioluma.ca
Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Sandra Stein http://sannipanni.wordpress.com
Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com
Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com
Sherri Stokey http://www.knotjustmacrame.com
Lola Survillo http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com
Kay Thomerson http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
Jo Tinley http://daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com
Emma Todd http://www.apolymerpenchant.com
Cory Tompkins http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Pam Traub http://www.klassyjoolz.blogspot.com
Melissa Trudinger http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Michelle Tucker http://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Shelley Graham Turner http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/
Rachel Van-Walsk http://balancedcrafts.com/blog
Patti Vanderbloemen http://www.myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com <--You are here
Lesley Watt http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Lynn White http://lynnwhitejewelry.com/Lynn_White_Jewelry/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog/Lynns_Jewelry_Blog.html

Joan Williams http://www.lilrubyjewelry.com

Monday, November 26, 2012

Love My Art Jewelry-CYBER Sale!

In support of "Buying Handmade", many artisans have gathered together and are offering HUGE discounts on their handmade jewelry components and finished designs. In my shop, I am offering 30% discount by entering ARTJEWELRY30 at checkout.

Follow the link below to the Love My Art Jewelry website to see all links to all the shops participating. Happy Shopping!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

7000 Bracelets for Hope - Blog Hop

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I am having a CYBER SALE in my shop - use code ARTJEWELRY30 to receive a 30% discount!

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This is the perfect time of year for this Blog Hop - and my friend Sue Kennedy of Sue Beads is the hostess! Bracelets are donated to the Global Genes Organization, who, in turn, pass on the bracelets to women whose children/family members are suffering from one of 7000 rare diseases. The only requirement is that the bracelet be blue.

Well....since Sue volunteered to host this event, I just HAD to shop her store to get some beads! Seriously, Sue is one of my FAVORITE lamp work bead artists EVER (visit her shop here). I recently donated 75 bracelets for the Global Genes annual event in September, and I commissioned Sue to make 50 sets of blue lamp work beads. Each set was different...and my mailbox overflowed with some of the most beautiful beads - thank again, Sue!

I made three bracelets this time around. I have been on an "entirely handmade kick" lately, so I made the toggles from a design in the book "Handcrafted Wire Findings", by Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson.

If I had to name this bracelet, it would be Blue Bird of Happiness. Ceramic bird by LeAnn Weih of Summer's Studio - flanked by Sue's yummy blue disc beads.

These flower beads of Sue's have so many lovely colors!

I had an orphan Donna Millard black disc that paired well with these beads from Sue - this is my favorite color blue.

It is truly my hope that the recipients of these bracelets will know that "someone out there" is sending healing prayers and hope their way.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I love to read your comments, if you are so inclined to leave one! In the meantime, please stop by the other participant's page and see their beautiful creations! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!