Inner Muse Jewelry Designs: bezel

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Moon Garden Blog Hop Challenge

Greetings Fellow Hoppers and welcome to the "Moon Garden Blog Hop Challenge" hosted by Andrew Thornton. Andrew is the Creative Director of Allegory Gallery in Ligonier, PA. For the Blog Hop Challenge, Andrew assembles a collection of beads and findings and designates a theme. I was so excited to discover the palette we'd be using for this challenge. It was all pastel pink and white with gray and black accents. I admit that I am not a 'pink' girl, but the finishes on the beads and the allure of the Moon theme really got my creative juices going! Here is my bead mat after sorting out the goodies:

Ok, some of the mess is not part of the challenge, it's just how I roll when I bead. Now I had to get down to ideas for designs.

My first piece is part of the "Dusk to Dawn" mix-and-match set. This is the "Dusk" design, a bead and chain pull-over necklace using the smoky shades of gray and silver. The Labradorite bead is the center focal and various components from the kit were used as accents. I happen to love Labradorite with it's gorgeous shimmer and flash. Note: I had a difficult time photographing these pieces as the natural light at this time of year is diffuse and my timing couldn't be worse when I had a chance to shoot photos. If you click on the photo, it does help with some of the resolution/color issues. I'm going to try to take better pictures and swap them out at some point, but this is what I have for the moment.

The next design is the "Dawn" version. A pretty Moonstone is the focal paired with peach and milky translucent accent beads. I used rose gold chain and wire to complement the bead colors. This is also a clasp-less necklace and the two can be worn alone or together.

I also made a coordinating pair of earrings.

The next piece used the Mystery Component that Andrew makes for each kit. It is a polymer clay pendant embossed with a flower and shimmers beautifully. I used the waxed Irish cord to suspend the pendant and knotted some of the accent beads for visual interest. I made a coordinating pair of earrings. The Moon Garden set is also mix and match-able with the above necklaces.

The next design used a really cool Mother of Pearl mosaic bead. I decided to bezel around it. Looking through my seed bead stash, I realized I am not much of a Pink Lady. Most of my bead drawers are packed with blue, red, green and purple beads. I am fairly under-represented in the yellow/orange color group, but pink was just sadly neglected. I did manage to dig out some pretty pink Delicas and some iridescent 15/0s. I am just going to state for the record that the bezeling took 64 delicas around (32 Peyote) and was 13 rows deep with 4 rows of 15/0s. I managed to break the Peyote bezel, not once, but twice. Third time was the charm! And then I thought it needed petals, so around and around we go!! I do have an amazing stash of pink Czech fire-polish, so voila..."Moonflower" necklace!

Finally, I had to make something in a Freeform Peyote/netted design with the bead soup. So, I went a little crazy...I think the bezel breaking sent me over the edge. I usually Peyote lengthwise, but this time I decided to bead width-wise. Then I decided it needed fringe (my mind works in mysterious ways). The bracelet reminds me of something you'd see under a microscope or deep in the depths of the ocean. I call it my "Fringiform Bracelet":

When you close the clasp, you get something with eye-lashes that reminds me of a primordial Cookie Monster. Bahahaha!!!

That is all for me for this Blog Hop. Stay tuned to the same Bat Channel...there are more hops to follow. To find more participants in this Blog Hop visit Andrew's Blog for a list:

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Or click on the links below:

Alice Peterson

Kari Asbury

Shaiha Williams

Paula

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Choose Your Own Adventure Freeform Peyote Challenge

Cupid's Folly

I recently joined the Facebook group Freeform Peyote Beading. It was a spur of the moment decision because, truth be told, I've completed only one (1) Freeform Peyote design. Ever. What possessed me to join the group? Several things piqued my interest. First, I didn't know much about the technique and what better way to learn than to dive in, gain knowledge from seasoned beaders and be inspired by the vast talent pool? Second, I like to push myself in new directions. Jewelry design encompasses many techniques ranging from bead stringing to metal smithing and all points in between. More than one technique may be combined to fabricate a design and the more techniques that a jewelry artist commands, the broader the horizons for creating innovative works of art. Third, I love the supportive and generous nature of the beading community! It really helps me to know that someone else tried and succeeded at something where I might have tried and failed. Back to the drawing board I go to figure out what I did wrong, correct it and improve my skill set. Last, my poor, neglected Blog is in serious need of resuscitation! Joining an active group of beaders is the perfect way to breathe new life into the dormant chronicles of my beading adventures.

I had barely introduced myself to the group, proudly displayed my one (1) Freeform Peyote design and been overwhelmed by the level of craftsmanship in other member's designs when 'The Challenge' was announced by Adventure Guides Mandi Ainsworth and Karen Williams. It sounded fun! But it sounded challenging. But exciting!! But there was that nagging feeling that it was going to be hard...I mean challenging. Nevertheless, I volunteered, nervously harboring self-doubts about the wisdom of my choice.

Understandably, I needed a spark of inspiration to jump start my project. To get my Freeform Peyote creative juices flowing, I took a shower. All my most brilliantest ideas occur to me while I'm sudsing up. Also, I sing better than Taylor Swift while I'm showering. So, my brilliant idea was to create a Freeform Open Heart Pendant Using Freeform Peyote. Valentine's Day was approaching so that seemed like the perfect plan. Now for the tricky part: How do I create the heart-shaped pendant? I took pencil to paper and sketched out my design.

I know what you're thinking, "Wow! She chose beading over a career as an illustrator? What was she thinking?!" Yes, it was a tough decision, but I can assure you, ultimately everything worked out for the best. I might add, Taylor Swift should count her lucky stars (and millions!) that I never cut a demo.

I began to string my beads and my little heart began to take shape and grow. Kinda like the Grinch's (it grew three sizes that day!) There was even a background chorus of Whos singing in Whoville...

After the heart was fully embellished (and the Who's singing had simmered down), the next embellishment that needed to be worked into the design was the bezeled Swarovski Crystal Rivoli. At first, it appeared that attaching the rivoli might pose a logistical challenge, but I managed to attach it to the heart in a semi-circle fashion. It nestled into the heart lobe perfectly! The operation was a spectacular success and the patient made a complete and speedy recovery.

In the next-to-final phase of the design process, I tackled the Freeform, embellished chain. I worked the chain in 6" sections and linked them together after all were complete. I attached the chain to the heart between the two lobes and completed the toggle loop closure with a string of peyote stitching.

The last motif and the hardest part conceptually for me, was the arrow toggle. I decided to make it using Tubular Peyote and make notches in one end for the arrow tip to fit. The arrow tip was quickly constructed using brick stitch and attached to the Peyote tube shaft. I added cute feathers using bugle beads and voila! A heart-piercing arrow toggle clasp. Finally, I couldn't resist a little macabre blood squirting out of the tip of the heart, so I added a bit of fringe with Miyuki drop beads.

And there you have it! Cupid's Folly is complete.

This Freeform Peyote Beading Challenge was a blast for me from beginning to end. I managed to escape my 'comfort zone' and venture into new territories. That is what a challenge should be, a challenge to the individual to break out of the box, risk getting a little crazy and create something a little edgy.

Here is a list of the Choose Your Own Adventure bloggers:

Adventure Guides:

Participants: