AJE Earring Reveal Weeks #11/52

Art Jewelry Earring Challenge Reveal

Love earrings?  I do.  So I joined the Art Jewelry Elements 2013 Earring Challenge.  To meet the challenge, participants must create a pair of earrings every week for a year.  The earrings must contain at least one art bead.  Every other Sunday we have a blog hop to share what we have made.  Here are my designs for the past two weeks.

Copper Heart Earrings

When Art Jewelry Elements team member, Jo Tinley, sent me her Component of the Month bead, she included a bonus gift of two cute copper heart charms she made.  It is amazing to me that she can saw such tiny shapes out of copper, with such precision.  Having done that, she textured them, punched the holes and patina’ed them in a rich reddish/brown color.  I wired her hearts onto lampwork glass triangles by Unicorne Beads.  The tappering shapes of the hearts, echos the tappering shapes of the triangles.  Somehow that repeating line element is very pleasing to me.

Copper Heart Earrings

Copper Heart Earrings

Copper Heart Earrings

The Copper Heart Earrings are available in my Etsy shop.

Where Are Earrings #12?

Um, Earrings #12 are designed in my head, but I haven’t actually made them yet.  If I can get them done on Sunday, I will add them here.  I just ran out of time!  This is Spring Break week for the student teachers that I supervise for the University of Washington, so I’m hoping to use my extra free time to catch up on some jewelry projects and take a couple of day trips with Mr. L.

Wishing each of you a Happy Easter and a lovely springtime!

(This is an old pottery bunny that we saw in a museum in Oaxaca, Mexico, last November).

Happy Easter!

I am always delighted to read your comments!   Hope to hear from you.

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

AJE Earring Reveal Weeks 9-10/52

Art Jewelry Earring Challenge Reveal

Love earrings?  I do.  So I joined the Art Jewelry Elements 2013 Earring Challenge.  To meet the challenge, participants must create a pair of earrings every week for a year.  The earrings must contain at least one art bead.  Every other Sunday we have a blog hop to share what we have made.  Here are my designs for the past two weeks.

Hibiscus Earrings

Kristi Bowman, who is well-known for her awesome copper components, is branching out to include polymer clay components as well.  A couple of AJE team members snagged some of her first creations.  I was so excited to receive these gorgeous hibiscus flowers!  Aren’t they awesome?  I can’t wait to see what else Kristi comes up with!

Hibiscus Earrings

Squiggle Earrings

This pair of earrings features ceramic oblong dangles by Marla’s Mud.  I love the layers of color that she infused these components with.  I wanted to pull out the blue tones, so I topped the ceramic with some etched sodalite stones.  Then I created a pair of textured, brass wire squiggles to hang down the front of the ceramic pieces.

Now I suggest that you click here to go to the AJE blog, where you’ll find links to all the other Art Jewelry Earring participants.  So much beauty and inspiration to enjoy there today!  Have fun!

I am always delighted to read your comments!   Hope to hear from you.

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

AJE Earring Reveal Week 7-8/52

Art Jewelry Earring Challenge Reveal

Love earrings?  I do.  So I joined the Art Jewelry Elements 2013 Earring Challenge.  To meet this challenge, participants create a pair of earrings, every week, that features artisan beads or components.  Every other Sunday we join up at Art Jewelry Elements for a blog hop featuring everyone’s earrings.

Emerald Paisley Earrings – Week 7

Copper and emerald-green are such a gorgeous color combination!  For this pair of earrings I started copper paisley headpins by Kristi Bowman Designs.  I love the deep, swirling texture on these headpins and the graceful leaf shape!

Emerald Paisley Earrings

I topped the headpins with amazing lampwork beads by Beads and Botanicals.  Check out the layers of colors in these beauties.  A few little accents of Greek ceramic, fire polish glass and copper were all that was needed to complete these earrings.  They are already across the country in a new home.

close up view

Spring Heather Earrings – Week 8

I love the rich depth of color in the Spring Heather Earrings.     The distinctive disc beads (by Beads and Botanicals)  give these earrings a great artistic flair.  The violet centers are domed and glassy and the black that is near the center is also shiny.  However the outer edge of black is etched and the contrast is really cool.

Spring Heather Earrings

I decided to try out some new wire-working ideas with these earrings.  Each earring is strung on one 6 inch piece of patin’ed brass wire.  I looped on the disc first, then brought a decorative swirl of brass up across the face of the round bead.  The other end of the wire extends straight up from the top bead and forms the ear wire.  Usually ear wires are added on to the dangle at the end, but in this pair of earrings, it is integral to the whole design.  I had fun making these.  The Spring Heather Earrings are available in my Etsy shop.

Spring Heather Earrings

Want to see more gorgeous earrings?  Head on over to the Art Jewelry Elements blog for links to the other Earring Challenge participants!  We  also have an AJE Earring Challenge Board on Pinterest.

I am always delighted to read your comments!   Hope to hear from you.

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

AJE Earring Reveal Weeks 5-6/52

Art Jewelry Earring Challenge Reveal

Love earrings?  I do.  So I joined the Art Jewelry Elements 2013 Earring Challenge.  To meet the challenge, participants must create a pair of earrings each week and join up on the blog hop every other Sunday.

Spring Flight

I am longing for warmer weather, sunshine and flowers, so with that in mind, I named these earrings “Spring Flight”.

Spring Flight Earrings

The beautiful ceramic disc beads were made by ginpins. Their bright, clear turquoise, white and yellow colors make me happy.  I bought a set of 8 of these and I’m going to love using every single one of them.

We spent a month in Oaxaca, Mexico last fall, where I discovered 4 bead shops in the city!  The antiqued bronze birds flew home with me from Mexico!

Spring Flight Earrings

 

Poppy Red Earrings

I love the bold, graphic aspect of these earrings.  They would be so fun to wear!

Poppy Red Earrings

The oval ceramic connectors were made by Pajego Art House, on Etsy.  This is the first purchase I have made from her, and I am very pleased.  The red drops on the bottom of the earrings are from Unicorne Beads.

Poppy Red Earrings

 

Now I suggest that you click here to go to the AJE blog, where you’ll find links to all the other Art Jewelry Earring participants.  So much beauty and inspiration to enjoy there today!  Have fun!

I am always delighted to read your comments!   Hope to hear from you.

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Pansy Earrings

Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge

Love earrings?  I do.  That’s how I first got started making jewelry.  I wanted. More. Earrings.  So I’ve joined the Art Jewelry Elements 2013 Earring Challenge.  To meet the challenge I must create a pair of earrings every week and join up on the blog hop every other Sunday.

Purple Pansy Earrings

When I was a little girl, our church passed out small potted pansies to the children on Easter, as a symbol of new life and growth.  I was enchanted.  The little pansy faces were so sweet and I have loved flowers ever since.  When I saw these gorgeous wooden, handmade pansy charms in J-Lynn Jewels’ shop, I didn’t even hesitate for a second.  I had to have them!

Purple Pansy Earrings

The purple lampwork glass beads, by Beads and Botanicals, accent the charms perfectly.  The jet black trailings around the glass beads, even echo the black on the edges of the charms.  These two were made for each other! I adore these earrings (if I do say so) and hope they will find a home with a flower lover and/or gardener.

Purple Pansy Earrings

I’ve already blogged about my second pair of earrings.  So I’ll just mention that the “Green Spindle Earrings” feature handmade ceramic charms by Marti’s Buttons and Beads.

Green Spindle Earrings

Both of these earrings are available in my Etsy shop, Linda Landig Jewelry.

Now I suggest that you click here to go to the AJE blog, where you’ll find links to all the other Art Jewelry Earring participants.  So much beauty and inspiration to enjoy there today!  Have fun!

This And That

Tuesday News Day – One Day Late

 

• Sad to say, but I haven’t made a single piece of jewelry this week – not that I’ve been a slacker though!  Here’s what I’ve been up to.
• My nephew and his girlfriend from California came to visit and we all got together in Seattle for a nice lunch and visit.  I actually hadn’t seen him since he was a little kid.  So grown up, bright and interesting to talk with now!
• The Art Jewelry Elements Blog is hosting an Earring Challenge for 2013.  The planning of this was fairly time-consuming as we sought to make it motivating and inspiring, as well as making it a doable challenge. If you are a jewelry designer, it’s not too late to join up for challenge.  It is too late to be part of the first quarter Pinterest board, but it’s not to late to join the Sunday earring reveals and link ups!  If you love jewelry, but don’t make it yourself, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy seeing all the cool earrings that we’ll be creating this year.

 

art jewelry earrings

• I work part-time during winter and spring quarters for the University of Washington and went back to work this week.  I supervise master degree students who are doing internships as teachers.  I have 3 students this year that I will be meeting with weekly.  Two of them are doing their teaching internships in 5th grade and one is teaching 1st grade.
• I’m taking an online wire-working class from Kerry Bogert, which started on Monday.  I was working on a wire bracelet earlier this evening, but I had to take a break, because the wire work was making my hand joints ache.  I hope it is just a matter of building up strength in my hands.  I’ll show off the bracelet when I finish it.  I’m going to give to a friend of mine who has a birthday this week.

Wire Bangle in progress

Labyrinth Necklace

AJE Component of the Month Reveal

The participants in the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month Challenge are revealing their designs today. We each received a labyrinth pendant from Jenny Davies-Reazor.

Ceramic Labyrinth Pendants by Jenny Davies-Reazor

I received a violet colored 2-hole pendant.  I love the color and it goes quite nicely with this labyrinth found on Pinterest.  The labyrinth is made of blooming lavender.  How cool is that?  The scent must be so heavenly!

Source: google.com via Linda on Pinterest

Labyrinth Pendant

When I started on my necklace I intended to use patina’ed copper wire, with a subtle color palette of violet, lilac and sage green.  I wired the little flower dangle on copper and added two copper jump rings to the pendant, but it just seemed to be calling out for silver.  So silver it is, even though sterling is so dang expensive right now.  I tried to contain costs a bit by using silver filled wire and just used sterling silver for the clasp and chain. 

Labyrinth Necklace

 Despite switching to silver, I did stick with my original color choice of purple, lavender and sage green.  Just above the flower dangle is a purple, lampwork glass ring by Beads and Botanicals. The two beads above that are commercial glass. The square pillow shaped bead has touches of sage green in it, which are also echoed in the two small fire polished beads below it.

Labyrinth Necklace

On the other side I wired a Chinese Charoite stone.  The three beads above the gemstone are more handmade lampwork glass by Beads and Botanicals.

Labyrinth Necklace

I would like to try walking a labyrinth someday.  I think it would be very calming and medative.  Just for fun, I Googled “labyrinth Washington State”.   According to The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator there are over 100 labyrinths just in the state of Washington.  I’m amazed!  The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator will help you find labyrinths in your state or country too.

Labyrinths are found in many cultures and religious traditions, dating as far back as 3,500 years.  Walking a labyrinth can be used for prayer, meditation, contemplation or personal growth.  According to the reading I did, there are many ways to walk a labyrinth. 

Labyrinth Necklace

Often the walk toward the center is used to quiet the mind and to become more centered and peaceful. The time at the center can be an experience of openness to insight, learning or to simply receive what the moment has to offer.  As one moves outward again, there can be  a time of reflection on what was received at the center how it applies to one’s life. 

One can also use the walk as a time to reflect on a specific concern or issue.  The labyrinth can be used as a walking prayer too, or it can be a meditative walk, in which one focuses on a specific word or phrase, such as “May peace prevail on earth.”

Labyrinth Necklace

The labyrinth at the Chartres Cathedral in France is one of the most famous.  As you can see in this brief YouTube video, the labyrinth maybe covered with chairs in the church.  But when the chairs are removed many people come to walk, meditate and pray.  http://youtu.be/QXfJNrrcgiI  If this a piqued your interest you can find a lot  more information on labyrinths here.

I learned a lot by doing this month’s Component of the Month Challenge and that made it extra enjoyable for me.  Thanks Jenny!

You can see what others have designed with their labyrinth pendants by following these links.

This months guests of honor:

Emma Todd

Lee Koopman

Jess Green

 

And participating AJE team members:

Jen Cameron

Kristi Bowman

Diana Ptaszynski

Kristen Stevens

Lesley Watt

Melissa Meman

Jo Tinley

Linda Landig

Sue Kennedy

Jenny Davies-Reazor, your hostess

 

 

Kaz Baildon Bead Giveaway Blog Hop

Kaz Baildon Bead Giveaway Blog Hop

My online friend, Lesley Watt of THEAtoo is hosting today’s blog hop.  Lesley’s friend, Kaz Baildon, gave Lesley a generous bunch of her lampwork glass beads.  In turn Lesley shared this gift with a randomly chosen group of designers.  I received the bead shown below and today we are revealing what we created with the beads we were given. 

Unfortunately I left this task till the last minute and as it turned out, I became sick at the last minute.  I nevertheless designed the necklace and I quite like how it turned out.   I placed the button on the side and used a pendant by Marsha Neal.  Small cube beads and purple seed beads weave in and out of larger lilac colored beads.

 

Perfect Purple Necklace

 

Perfect Purple Necklace

Now you can have some fun hoping through the blogs of the other participants.  Everyone received different beads, so it will be fun to see all the different designs that everyone created.  Have fun.  I’ll be lying on the couch, under some blankets, with a mug of hot tea, and decongestants while perusing all this creativity!

Lesley Watt – www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkins – http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Rebecca Anderson – http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Marie Cramp – http://skyejewels.blogspot.com
Claire Braunbarth – http://smittenbeads.blogspot.com
Heidi Post – http://http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com
Tiffany Smith – http://southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Sharyl Macmillan-Nelson – http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com
Ailsa Cordner – http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/
Linda Landig – http://lindalandig.wordpress.com
Caroline Dewison – http://blueberribeads.com
Renetha – http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Kari Asbury – http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com
Niky Sayers - http://silverniknats.blogspot.com
Purple Cobwebs – http://www.purplecobwebs.blogspot.com
Cilla Watkins – http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/
Therese Frank – www.theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
Claire Ennis – http://clairescrystalclassics.blogspot.com
Emma – http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com
Kathy Lindemer – http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com
Alicia – http://www.allprettythings.ca
Sandy Huntress – http://keepsakecrafts.net/blog/
Lori Bowring Michaud – http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Amy – http://copperdiem.blogspot.com
Katherine Gale – http://terrabeadworks.blogspot.com

Where Do I Start?

(Find the AJE  Component of the Month blog hop here & the Challenge Of Color blog hop here!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

News Day Tuesday

Welcome to Tuesday News Day; the day for jewelry updates and other relevant or possibly irrelevant news.

Where do I start?  There is always so much going on at this time of the year, especially for people running a small business!  I added two items to my Etsy shop today and I’ve also been adding new work to the Catwalk Gallery in Tacoma.

Did you notice that it’s snowing on my blog? Move your cursor and watch the snowflakes change directions!

 

Lunch with Joan Tucker

Ceramic artist, Joan Tucker, of Off Center Productions, lives near me, and last week we got together for lunch.  It was the first time we’ve met, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.  When we finally left the restaurant, I glanced at my watch and we’d been chatting for 3 hours!  Don’t you love it when that happens?  When we were all done eating, we took turns spreading a bunch of our work all over the table for the other to look at, ask questions about and admire.  What fun!

 

Kalmbach Jewelry Books News

On the October 30th News Day Tuesday blog post, I wrote about the Kalmbach Bead Soup Challenge.  Kalmbach posted everyone’s finished jewelry on their Facebook page and let their readers vote for their favorites.  I didn’t win that contest and so I turned my attention to other things.  I was surprised, then, to learn last week, that Kalmbach Jewelry Books had let their office staff vote on their favorite submissions and my jewelry was one of 6 winners!  The office staff favorite winners will all receive the new book, Crystal Jewelry Inspiration from the Create Your Style Ambassadors.

Kalmbach Office Vote Winners

 

Artisan Whimsy Holiday Shopping

Looking for jewelry for yourself or for holiday gifts?  I hope you’ll visit my shops, but I want to share another great resource with you.  Artisan Whimsy has added a handmade jewelry shopping page.  Just think – 100′s of pieces of handmade jewelry at your fingertips!  There is a category for items under $20 and another category of jewelry that is $20 and above.  Check it out!

 

Sweet Lilac Earrings

I added these earrings to my Etsy shop on Monday.  They are made with authentic, contemporary Venetian glass.  Have any parties coming up?  They are quite elegant.  The color reminds me of a giant bush of sweet-smelling lilacs that we had at our last house.  The bush was right next to the deck and when we sat out on the deck in the summer, the scent was quite intoxicating.  mmmm!  So I named these the “Sweet Lilac” earrings.

Sweet Lilac Earrings

Sweet Lilac Earrings

AJE Component Of The Month Challenge

(Find the Challenge Of Color blog hop here!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the Art Jewelry Elements team hosts a component of the month challenge.  For the November challenge, Lesley Watt of  THEAtoo provided an absolutely gorgeous snowflake focal, which she created with bronze metal clay. 

I received the snowflake on the top left.  I’d imagined these as being button sized, but they are actually quite large.  Once I saw the actual size, I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to do.  So I started playing with beads in my stash that might work with the design I pictured in my head.  Here’s my snowflake, sitting on the coffee table with some loose beads.  I tried out several different arrangements before I was satisfied.

One of my current jewelry goals is to improve my wire working skills, so I decided to wire all the components, instead of stringing them.  There are 3 different methods of wire wrapping in the finished necklace.

And here’s how it turned out.  I’m really pleased with it!  The colors are quite unusual, especially for a snowflake necklace, which usually ends up being blue.  Blue is OK, but I really like these colors with the bronze and I like that the colors introduce an element of surprise to the winter theme.  Winter can get really bleak in western Washington and I need bursts of color to keep myself energized!

In addition to Lesley’s snowflake, I used turquoise clay beads by Summers Studio, a greenish-brown bead by Artisan Beads and a pale blue bead by Gaea.  In addition to the handmade components, I added turquoise, pressed glass and a glass chevron bead.

The AJE team members who are part of this blog hop are listed below as well as the 2 lucky readers who won a snowflake component.  Check out their fantastic designs.  You will be amazed at all the creative talent in this group! 

Additionally, I encourage you to check out the Challenge of Color blog hop which is  going on today also (and was mentioned at the start of today’s post).

Jennifer Cameron

Kristi Bowman-Gruel

Diana Ptaszynski

Kristen Stevens

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Lesley Watt

Francesca Watson

Melissa Meman

Joanne TInley

Linda landig

Sue Kennedy

Jean Wells

Marie- Noel Voyer-Cramp

Therese Frank