Cornflower Bracelet

AJE May Component of the Month Reveal

Once a month Art Jewelry Elements (AJE) hosts a giveaway and jewelry reveal.  May’s giveaway component was made by Susan Kennedy of Sue Beads.  Members of the Art Jewelry Elements team, plus a few lucky guest artists were given a set of these beautiful  lampwork glass flower beads that Sue made for us.  I was given the blue set on the far right.

Beautiful flower tab beads from Sue Beads.

First I must say that I really love these beads.  You know me – I ❤ flowers, plus I like the unusual shape.  The fact that this shape lays flat on the wrist, makes them especially well suited to bracelet designs.  I do have an earring design in mind too, but that will have to wait till another time.

Cornflower Bracelet

I used one of Lesley Watt’s gorgeous brass bracelet bars as the focal of my bracelet.  Sue’s beads frame it perfectly.  I love these three together.  I think they were made for each other! I furthered the floral theme with two Czech glass flower beads.  The rest of the bracelet is fire polished beads and little glass seed beads, finished with a decorative antiqued brass toggle clasp.

Cornflower Bracelet

It is a simple design, but quite eye-catching and elegant.  I can personally attest to the eye-catching part.  I wore it today and the lady at the grocery store asked me about it and wanted not just one of my business cards, but several to share with the other women who work there!

Cornflower Bracelet

I named this bracelet after the beautiful blue Cornflower (aka Bachelor Button).  When you look at the photo below, you’ll see what a perfect match this name is.

Cornflower

Want to see more gorgeous  jewelry with Susan’s  lampwork glass beads? –  Here are all the links.    Have fun blog hopping!

Guests

Shai Williams

Erin Prais-Hintz

Kari Asbury

Carolyn Lawson

Merja Sundstrom

AJE Members

Susan Kennedy

Diana Ptaszynski

Linda Landig  – You are here.

Lesley Watt

Melissa Meman

Caroline Dewison

Francesca Watson

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Rebekah Payne

Keirsten Giles

Kristen Stevens

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

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 

Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

Luna Moth Necklace

AJE Component of the Month Reveal

Once a month Art Jewelry Elements (AJE) hosts a component giveaway and jewelry reveal.  March’s component was made by the talented Caroline Dewison of Blueberribeads.  Members of the Art Jewelry Elements team, plus a lucky guest artist were given one of these beautiful  luna moth pendants that Caroline made for us.

Ceramic Luna Moth Pendants

I chose the lilac moth in the top row.  I had recently ordered several colors of matte “peanut” beads, (aka farfalle beads) and I was anxious to put them to use.  I made a mix of lilac, dark purple and cream-colored peanut beads.  Then I tossed in some metallic purple, lilac and sage green seed beads.  I created 3 strands on each side using this mix of beads and I wove them in and out of larger beads.

Luna Moth Necklace

I dangled flowers at the points where the beaded cords attached to the chain.  Two flowers dangle on one side and one flower dangles on the other.  The Luna Moth Necklace is now available in my Etsy shop.

Luna Moth Necklace

I thought you might also enjoy seeing what an actual Luna Moth looks like.

Luna Moth

Want to see more gorgeous  jewelry with Caroline’s Luna Moth pendants?  Here are all the links.  Have fun!

Guest Designer:
Niky Sayers – http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk

The AJE Team
Caroline Dewison – http://www.blueberribeads.co.uk
Diana Ptaszynski – http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com
Susan Kennedy – http://suebeads.blogspot.co.uk
Kristen Stevens – http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
Keirsten Giles – http://cerebraldilettante.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor – http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Melissa Meman – http://melissameman.blogspot.co.uk
Rebekah Payne – http://www.treewingsstudio.com
Lesley Watt – http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.co.uk
Linda Landig – http://www.LindasBeadBlog.com

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

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 

Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

Copper, Ceramic and Lampwork Earrings

Art Jewelry Earring Challenge Reveal

Its time for another Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge Reveal.  Participants have challenged themselves to make a pair of earrings every week.  All of our earrings include art beads or components.  Here are my new creations from the past 2 weeks.

Denim Elegance Earrings

I had gotten one week behind on the earring challenge.  So here’s my catch-up pair.  The Denim Elegance earrings feature gorgeous lampwork beads from Stone Designs.

Denim Elegance Earrings

Marigold Earrings

Next up are earrings made with Kristi Bowman‘s awesome textured copper charms.  I named these the Marigold Earrings, because the top bead is just the color of the marigolds that are blooming on our back porch.

Marigold Earrings

Forest Path

The Forest Path earrings feature rustic, deep forest green charms by Jenny Davies-Reazor.  I think that this is the first pair of earrings that I’ve ever strung on waxed Irish linen.

Forest Path Earrings

Want to see more gorgeous earrings?  Head on over to Art Jewelry Elements  for links to the other Earring Reveal blog posts!  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 – ArtFire 

Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

                                           

Bead Art In The Kitchen

This will just be a quick post, because I have to write a post for Art Jewelry Elements this evening.  But come back on Sunday for a peek at 3 new pairs of earrings that I’ve been working on this week.

I just came across the most amazing piece of beaded art work that you could imagine.  Artist Liza Lou has created at art installation that consists of an entire kitchen that is meticulously made of over 30 million tiny beads that have been precisely glued in place with tweezers.  I can’t even imagine the time and exactitude a project like this would demand.  I’d become a drunken, blathering idiot if I were forced to undertake such a task!  The installation, which took 5 years to complete, is called Kitchen.  I don’t have pictures to show you, but here is the link:  Kitchen  The link takes you to a slide show, so click on the picture to see close-ups of different parts of the kitchen, from beaded dishes in the sink, to a beaded bag of potato chips sitting on the counter.  Its sure to amaze you!

Then, if you continue clicking the pictures, you’ll see an accompanying installation called “Backyard”, which includes beaded individual blades of grass, a beaded Bud beer can crumpled on the ground and a beaded lawnmower.  This was just too over-the-top not to share it with you in a quick post.  Hope it puts a smile on your face and causes you to reflect a bit on Ms. Lou’s social and political themes, such as women’s issues!

Who said the 50’s were the “good ‘ole days”? Finding fulfillment in a shining pan??? Um, I don’t think so!

Spiral Earrings

AJE Component of the Month Reveal

Once a month Art Jewelry Elements hosts a component giveaway and reveal.  June’s component was made by the talented Jenny Davies-Reazor.  Members of the Art Jewelry Elements team, plus four guest artists were given organic ceramic charms that Jenny made for us. Here are the giveaway charms:

Charms by Jenny Davies-Reazor

I received an awesome pair of the rustic green spiral charms, pictured above.  I know that Jenny often uses motifs derived from myth, legend and history, so I became curious to learn more about the significance and meanings of spirals.

First I headed over to Pinterest and made a new board for spirals.  I’m amazed at all the spirals that occur in nature.  I was familiar with some, but found many more.  Here are some of my favorites:

I used to weave baskets, but I had never particularly associated that art with spirals, although many baskets are built up through spirals.

Spirals can be found on ancient rock carvings and in Celtic, African and Native American art.  Spirals are present in Arabic architecture, Japanese rock gardens and Hindu spiritual texts, too.

I learned that spirals are the oldest symbol known to be used in spiritual practices.  They reflect the universal pattern of growth and evolution.  Spirals may be seen as a representation of life’s journey, growth and death.  Apparently in ancient Britain, the spiral was associated with the feminine as the doorway to life.

Chameleon Tail

After gathering all this information I wanted to really accent the spirals in my design. So I started out by forming  a wire work spiral and then I added some whimsical curves, leading down to Jenny’s spiral ceramic charms.

Spiral Earrings

I’ve been working hard at growing my wire working skills, but let me tell you, it is challenging to make earrings where each earring should be as closely matched to its mate as possible.  Obviously only machine-made things are perfectly matched.  A little variation is part of the charm of owning handmade crafts.

Spiral Earrings

So next I figured that these earrings deserved handmade earwires, too.  I added a small green Czech glass bead to each earwire as I was forming it.  I really like that little punch of color at the top.  The Spiral Earrings can be found in my Etsy shop .  Jenny’s ceramic components are available in her Etsy shop.  Check them out!

Spiral Earrings

Want to see more gorgeous  jewelry with Jenny’s ceramic charms?  Here are all the links.  Have fun!

Guest artists:

Leah – http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.com

Elisabeth – http://beadsforbusygals.blogspot.com

Jean – http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com

Sarajo – http://sjdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com

The AJE Team:

Jennifer Cameron –  http://glassaddictions.com/
Jenny Davies-Reazor  –  http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog 
Susan Kennedy  –  http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com/
Linda Landig –   http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/
Melissa Meman   –  http://melissameman.blogspot.com/
Rebekah Payne  –  http://www.treewingsstudio.com/
Jo Tinley  –   http://daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com/
Lesley Watt  –   http://thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com/
Francesca Watson  – http://www.francescawatson.com
Diana Ptaszynski   – http://www.vintagebluestudio.typepad.com/
Kristi Bowman –  http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com
Kristen Stevens  – http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

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

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 

Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

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!

Bead Table Wednesday: Bead Soup Goodies

BTW: Bead Soup Goodies

I am thrilled to be participating in Lori Anderson’s Bead Soup Blog Party for the third time. Lori pairs up the participants and we swap beads. In “beader-talk”, bead soup is a mixture of different beads.  The bead soup we sent to our partner had to include:

~ A focal (pendant, fancy bead, center of attention)
~ Some coordinating spacers or beads
~ A special clasp (not just a lobster claw)

The challenge then is design something(s) using the beads you were given.

We’ll photograph our creations and we’ll all post the results on March 3rd.  This year’s group will include 200 participants.

Here’s the necklace I created for my first Bead Soup Blog Party.

Blue Iris Necklace

This year I was lucky enough to be partnered with Karen Hess, a beader who is a retired teacher like me.   I encourage you to check out her shop and her blog, Monday Musings.  She is a wonderful designer and I’m glad to get to know her a bit through this partnership.

Karen sent me a delightful bead soup, that arrived beautifully packaged.  Each of these little plastic containers has a gorgeous handmade lid decoration – and no two are alike!  I love it that even after our blog hop is all over, I’ll be able to reuse these lovely containers and they will always make me think of Karen.

Opening up those containers reveals this gorgeous bead soup!

Here’s a close up of the unusual and fun heart pendant.

Some of my favorite beads in the soup:

And here’s the frosting on the cake!  In this pretty envelope was a postcard of the old Olympia Brewery.

When I was a kid, this was the biggest brewery in the state.  It is now defunct and the buildings sit mostly empty.  The brewery is located in a beautiful park-like setting on the Deschutes river.  When I was a kid, my family would drive there from Seattle on special occasions.  I remember rolling sideways down the grassy hills, watching the salmon climb the fish ladders on the Deschutes river and then concluding the day with dinner at the  Falls Terrace Restaurant.   The restaurant and the park are still lovely. I now live only 20 minutes away from the old brewery.  We celebrated my father’s 80th birthday there, 6 years ago.  I wonder how Karen got this postcard?  Check out the groovy bell bottoms on the couple in the picture!

So now it is time for me to get to work/play!  I’ve got a few ideas rolling around in my head, but I’m not yet sure where they will lead me.  Come back on March 3rd to find out!

My 2nd Bead Soup Blog Party design:

P.S.  This is my 200th blog post!

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Visit the BTW Flickr group and see what others have on their  bead tables.

Bead Table Wednesday: Disorderly Conduct (in the studio)

BTW: Disorderly Conduct

…in the studio

If you read the interview with me on the Pacific Northwest ArtFire Guild Blog, it will come as no surprise to you that my work surface is a constant disaster.  I usually have numerous projects going at once.  And I’d rather design jewelry than clean up after myself.  I did include a studio picture with the interview and it looks half-way decent, but I neatened things up before taking that picture.

So I’m coming clean about not being clean.  Here’s how the studio really looks!

How do I even find what I am working on????  Here’s a close up of the mess on the left.

Messy table top with handmade jewelry in progress.

Here’s the little blue bowl that is on the upper right in the picture above.

Work in progress

These bracelets were commissioned by a friend’s mother.  Her mother had bought a similar bracelet from me and received compliments from her friends.  So she decided she wanted to gift her friends with matching bracelets.  The only problem was that I couldn’t find the exact same black and pink floral beads – I only had 1 left in my stash.  These are similar and I hope they will be OK, (I do like the originals better, though).

I’ve finished one bracelet and just have to add the clasp to the second one.

Black and pink custom bracelet

Here are a pair of heart earrings I am working on.  I don’t like that extra silver ring above the heart.  It looks too gangly to me.  I may remove it.  What do you think?

Heart and lampwork earring (Lampwork by Radiant Mind)

And last of all, I’m already laying out ideas for a heart necklace.  The photo makes the ceramic heart look blue, but it is really lavender and it pairs well with this lampwork bead, which I’ve had for a long time, (unfortunately I no longer remember who made it).

Ceramic heart (by Bohulleybeads) and lampwork glass bead

Well now you have the truth of the matter.  I make pretties while I act disorderly!

(source: Pinterest)

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Visit the BTW Flickr group and see what others have on their  bead tables.

New Earrings And An Interview

Lampwork Glass Head Pins

I’ve been having fun making earrings with lampwork glass head pins.  Basically this means that a glass artist formed the molten glass around a thin metal wire.  For example, in the earrings below, Susan Kennedy of Sue Beads, created the mango colored rounds with a thin vertical metal wire sticking up from the top.  I strung on the blue ceramic beads and topped them with small carnelians.

Mango Delight Earrings

Then I wrapped a loop with that wire at the top and attached it to the brass ear wires.  I love these cheerful earrings.  They’d be awesome with jeans, but they’d go with anything blue, brown, beige, rust or orange.  I titled these the “Mango Delight” earrings and they are in my shop now.

Mango Delight Earrings

This next pair of earrings also features glass head pins from Sue Beads.  Sue called these blue rounds “Snow Flowers” and you can see why.  The pattern that has been pressed into the glass could be interpreted as either a flower or a snowflake, making them a great year round choice.

Crystal Blue Earrings

I topped the glass head pins with lampwork glass (handmade glass) by another talented glass artist, Jenelle Aubade of Beads and Botanicals. When you peer into these beads they are miniature wonders, full of swirling baby blue, cobalt blue and clear glass encasing.  I topped Jenelle’s beads with light blue Swarovski crystals.  The ear wires are sterling silver.  The “Crystal Blue” earrings are also in my shop now.

Crystal Blue Earrings

Interview on the

Pacific N.W. ArtFire Guild Blog

I was recently interviewed on the Pacific Northwest ArtFire Guild Blog.  My interviewer, Linda Steider of Steider Studios asked excellent questions and the whole thing turned out quite nicely.  If you’d like to learn more about my background and design process visit:

Studio Spotlight – Linda Landig, Artisan Jewelry

Bead Table Wednesday: New Metal Components

New Metal Components From

Melinda Orr

I’ve recently been getting to know Melinda Orr on Facebbook and some of her wonderful metal components are on my bead table today.  However, they were just in a heap on my bead table, so I decided to share them with you in a little more creative manner.

Melinda Orr copper components (red & black beads from Shipwreck Beads, leaves from Unicorne Beads)

To be truthful, I had intended to show you a pair of earrings using two of the patina’ed rectangles.  However, I decided that I didn’t like the way that they turned out (too long and bulky) so I took them apart.  Back to the drawing board!  Hopefully I will soon have something to show for my efforts!

You can find Melinda’s wonderful components, toggles and more at Melinda Orr Designs.

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Visit the BTW Flickr group and see what others have on their  bead tables.