Honey Do Challenge - Reflecting Pool

When Sarajo Wentling posted her reveal for the June “Honey Do” Challenge, I realized I never even saw the intro..

Where did the time go???

I overwhelmed myself in April and May – scheduling events every weekend for 6 or 7 weeks. The business side of me took over and creativity took second place.

(to be honest, so did  family- not a good thing)

Memorial Day weekend was the turning point – We drove from NC to Colorado to celebrate our “nephew”, Ryan’s graduation from the US Air Force Academy. It was such an amazing two weeks. 

Then for the last two weeks of June I traveled back to Long Island and The Hamptons for a working vacation. It was great to see former colleagues at retirement parties and catch up with friends and clients at The Sag Harbor Arts and Crafts Fair and the Southampton Farmers Market. Of course, I cherish the time spent with my daughter.

Now that I’m back in NC, my creative side is beginning to emerge again. I’m ready to take on the challenges that fell by the wayside.

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I was excited when I saw the photo Eric Wentling chose for the June challenge. I loved the blue palette and was pretty sure I had a piece started that fit perfectly. 

I used a die from Potter USA to cut a rectangle from textured copper in my hydraulic press.

I put the rectangular pendant together when I was experimenting with my powdered enamels. I started with a transparent blue base on textured copper. Then attempted to follow the swirl pattern with white base coat and a third firing with the same transparent blue.

Blue agate rondelles were wire wrapped onto sterling silver chain to complete the necklace.

Visit Sarajo's blog to see who else has played along.

Honey Do Challenge

It's time for Sarajo Spurgeon Wentling's "Honey Do Challenge". Her husband, Eric, created a color palette from one of his amazing photos. The palette immediately reminded me of a fun bead

from Andrea Pirkey that I've been hoarding for a few years...

I kept the design simple to highlight the glasswork - just green aventurine and iris brown Czech glass.

Thanks to Sarajo and Eric for the challenge!

I hope you'll check out the other participants listed below.

And do come back and visit me again sometime!

Alison Adorns
Gloria Allen 
Terry Jeanette Carter
Jenny Kyrlach 
Kathy Lindemer 
Laurel Ross
Jeanne Marie Steck

Sarajo Wentling 

CLOUD BRIDGE ~ An Allegory Gallery Design Challenge

Who or what is Pantone, and why do they can dictate the "it color" for the year. 
I went to their website -  still can't figure out what they do? Can anyone explain it to me?

So, this year's color of the year is actually two colors - rose quartz and serenity.  

This photo of Andrew Thornton's Allegory Gallery Cloud Bridge kit called to me.
I don't know why, because I'm not a huge fan of pink and blue together. I once had my house turned into a nursery by mistake. Apparently, the contractor couldn't read my directions. 
He changed it the next day.



Crunched for time; preparing for an out of state art festival and ensuring the gift shop had new pieces in my absence, I decided to work some simpler designs. 

rose quartz chips with river rocks

assorted rose quartz

First up are two bracelets using the some of the rose quartz and river rocks from the kit.

I added sterling silver accents and my hand-crafted toggles.




This color palette actually worked quite well with a few gorgeous glass beads from Andrea Pirkey that I've been hoarding for a several years.



The seed and small glass beads for the perfect accent for this lovely floral focal. 

I love the simplicity of this design.

Rose quartz and pink glass from the kit with blue glass from my stash make this fun bead pop!

Thanks to Andrew and William for another great challenge!

And, THANK YOU, for stopping by.
I hope you'll leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.

Earring Monday ~ Weeks 5, 6, 7, 8

Yep - I missed a deadline while in Tucson - so - here I am catching up with 4 weeks of earrings...



First up ~ I also participate in Andrew Thornton's Allegory Gallery Design Challenges. About a month ago, we had the Desert Sands Challenge .Here's my post for that. I finally put together a pair of earrings with some great teardrops from that kit.





I love to take classes and learn new techniques when I visit Tucson for the gem shows. This year was no different. I took a torch enameling class from Joni Kisro at her studio.

We learned how to use Kevin Potter's hydraulic press and pancaked dies to shape earring components before enameling. I am in love with big tools!!!
I love the idea of transforming metal and adding color.
We were able to press out shapes for 12 pairs of earrings. Each pair could have an enameled shape and a back plate.

After "flame painting" these, I decided the colors were too pretty to hide behind anything!











I absolutely love these elongated hearts! One of the dangers of torching outside is that nature sometimes does unexpected things.  Can you find the the fried fly wing?


I know there's definitely more enameling in my future!

This last pair I designed for a friend who asked for something simple to go with her royal blue Mother of the Bride gown. Understated and elegant...

Thanks so much, Sarajo Wentling for encouraging me to take on this challenge.
Please visit her blog for the other participants!

See you in two weeks with more earrings!

Meet My New Friend...

Do you love a good challenge?
Do you like to meet new, creative people?

I do!  
My latest new friend is Gloria Allen. 
We were matched up as partners for the Bead Peeps Swap and Hop. We have to send each other beads, a clasp and a focal, with at least one piece artisan crafted.

If you really want to learn about Gloria you have to read this heartfelt blogpost. 
Because I can't give you any better insight than Gloria, herself, does!

Isn't this necklace stunning????

It's obvious that Gloria is inspired by Vintage and loves pinks, lilacs and pearls. 

So my challenge is to decide if I will force her to go completely outside the box or allow her to work within her comfort zone. 
Yeah ~ that's the teacher in me speaking.  
(It's called working within the "zone of proximal development" ~ provide just enough challenge to encourage growth.)


Don't worry, Gloria, I have some great ideas roaming around in my head.
You and everyone else will have to wait to see what I come up. 

Design Challenges, Book Club, Swaps and Blog Hops ~ Why Do I Do Them???

Why do I stress myself with deadlines?

 It's simple ~ there are times when I need that deadline to get my act together, to give me a reason to go into the studio and create something. The life of an independent jewelry artist can be very solitary at times. The challenges and blog hops keep me connected with the creative community.I am inspired by the talent and variety of designs that come from a single bead kit.

Check out Andrew Thornton and Lisa Lodge's blogs for information about the kits challenges they sponsor. Lisa's Facebook Group and the Allegory Gallery Design Challenge Group are great sources for info.

The swaps encourage me to think outside the box and work at the edge of my comfort zone. You never know what your partner might send you. I try to send favorite items ~ things I have a hard time giving up or components I've creating specifically for my new friend. And I know I always push myself to create something that might impress my partner and the other hoppers.

I love participating in the Inspired By Reading Book Club. There are plenty of folks lurking on the Facebook group, but usually just a handful participate. I've read books I would not have picked up on my own and met quite a few great people through the blog hops and in-person meet-ups that Andrew hosts.

So to simplify my answer ~ challenges, creative book clubs and blog hops supply and endless source of inspiration and have led to many friendships.

What was I thinking?

A few months ago, someone posed the question, "how do you get over a creative slump?"

Yes, I'm anal! I had to sort everything.

I responded that a challenge always helps.
With that in mind, I joined a few, including...
Andrew Thornton's Radiant Orchid Challenge -
I got a ton of "pink" and "purple" beads... 
And have till Thursday 2/27 to create something (or things) and blog about it. 
Yep - just 3 days away.

What was I thinking?

This is after going to Tucson. 
In addition to the Inspired By Reading Book Club, 3 custom orders and preparing my soup for the Bead Soup Blog Party.


Don't you worry!
I can do it - just you wait and see.  
Here's a sneak peak just to wet your appetite...

Check back Thursday to see where the creative juices have taken me.