Art Elements blog is hosting a Sunflower blog hop challenge today. Participants have all agreed to create jewelry or other art forms with a sunflower theme. I love sunflowers, so I hopped right in.
I took this close-up photo of a sunflower I had in a floral arrangement I’d made. I love the streaks of reddish-brown on the yellow petals. To achieve that effect on my ceramic pendants I layered two specific glazes. The top glaze crackles when layered over the reddish-brown glaze beneath, allowing some of that lower layer of color to bleed through. I was so pleased with this effect that I made a whole pile of sunflower pendants, just because I was having so much fun with them. As you can see, each one is a little different as I played with different aspects of the design.
I made one pendant that was a bit larger the those above and which had a big enough hole to accommodate some leather. I used that pendant in my necklace for today’s challenge.
I attached the pendant to the leather with a simple larks head knot and above it I placed two hand enameled tubes that I believe were made by Mary Dodd. The leather then connects to some Terra Cast copper rings with a nice surface texture. I love how the copper color echoes the browns in the pendant.
I added a short strand of vintage glass beads and peanut beads, that I suspended from the rings, as well. When worn, they drape just on top of the leather and end about an inch or so above the pendant . Leather cording finishes off the back of the necklace, which ends in a copper-colored lobster clasp. This is a nice long necklace, which I could have made without a clasp, because it slips easily over the head.
I have one sunflower pendant listed on my website, but if you want more, just message me here or through my website.
My thanks to Sue and to Art Elements for hosting this fun summer challenge. This is a blog hop, so be sure to share the love with all these other great artists!
Guests
Alysen
Anita
Cat
Divya
Jill
Kathy
Linda You are here.
Linda
Mischelle
Norma
Raven
Sarajo
Tammy
AE Team
Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings 
Your pendants are lovely, and your necklace would brighten up any day
Thank you. Sunflowers always make me happy too. 😊
Very pretty pendants and necklace Linda – so cheerful.
Thanks Lesley!
Beautiful little pendants! What a smart idea not to show the whole sunflower, that keeps them unique and very interesting.
Such a pretty combination on the necklace, too.
Thank you. The flowers are just kind of peeking out at you! 😉
Lovely ceramic and necklaces–perfect for this challenge and summer!
Thank you Kathy!
Linda! I love your ceramic sunflowers – they are so cherry and I love the colors you chose! Great pendant and necklace as well – thanks so much for joining in this month!
Thanks for hosting this challenge. It was fun.
Interesting. When it was time to choose a necklace for my sunflower piece I choose a over the head leather cord with adjustable knots too.
Great minds and all that…. lol.
I love your ceramic pieces! They all look wonderful organic but a little bit abstract as well and the necklace you made is simply beautiful! 🙂
Thank you. I’m glad you like them.
Love the creativity with the double strand effect of the beaded section midway up! Such a creative layout and the ceramic pendants turned out just lovely. Great piece!!!
Thank you so much! I wanted something simple enough to wear with a tee shirt in the summer, but still be unique.
I just love your pendants…
Thank you so much Michelle!
I love the colors in your pendants, Linda! The necklace looks like much fun, and goes with the pendant beautifully.
Thanks so much Anita!
The pendants are all lovely and it’s great that each one is a little different, just like real flowers. Your necklace design is fabulous.
Thanks Tammy!
I love the shape and colors of your sunflower pendants. The necklace design is perfect with your ceramic piece.
Thank you so much Cathy!
What a lovely necklace I love all the different elements!
Thank you Niky!
Gorgeous components, that glaze combination is stunning! Love the necklace you’ve created from them too.
Thank you you so much Caroline! I appreciate it.
Love your pendants! They are perfect combined with leather.
Thank you so much Norma.
Your pendant is a unique shape! I especially like the effect of the vintage glass beads to drape as an added ‘layer’. Great idea!
Thank you so much Alysen!
Beautiful design Linda! ❤
Thank you so much Chris! 💖
Love that pendant! I don’t wear much jewellery anymore and I tend to stick to quirky cats and dogs but that is definitely something I would wear. love it!
Oh thank you so much Laney. 💖
That chicklet/guitar pick shape is charming. I like the glazes you used – great effect. But my fav might be the peanut beads. I love the texture. Glad you could join us this month!
Thanks Jenny. I love peanut beads too and use them a lot!
Love the sunflower pendants you made! They are so cute and happy. That vintage glass you incorporated into your design is pretty fab too.
Thanks Sarajo. I’ve always thought of sunflowers as being happy too!