Stone and Wood Cairn Earrings

Hi Everyone!

Today, I'm taking some time to play.  I haven't had time lately to try a challenge, but I finally have the energy and time to try one.  One of my favorites is on the We're All Ears challenge with Erin Prais-Hintz on the Earrings Everyday blog.

Here's February's We're All Ears challenge.  It's based on the land art by an artist from Wales, Jon Foreman.  His website, Sculpt the World, shows his amazing natural art.  He uses leaves, shells, stones and sand drawing to create wonderful patterns.

Here is one of his stone patterns:

Sculpt the World

Here are the amazing beads Erin created for the Reveal:

I was so inspired, I had to try something similar.  I had some polymer clay lying around that I bought to try some time ago.  It is Sculpey Premo in Granite, so it's perfect to create rock beads.

Here's what I created - some stone beads, a molded face and a donut.

I took some of the stones, some wood chips and some waxed thread and created some rustic earrings.

Stone and Wood Cairn Earrings

I like the natural woodsy look of these.  Working with the polymer clay turned out to be so fun!  I'm ready to try more!  Now, I need a bead rack, some mica, a clay oven, etc. etc!

Take a look at more of our inspiration at Sculpt the World.  And, check out the other wonderful designs at the Reveal.

Tierra Cast Finishing Touches

Hi Everyone!

I have been making jewelry for about twenty years and one of the first things I noticed out in the jewelry stores were the wonderful findings from Tierra Cast.  They are a local company to me in Santa Rosa, California, so they were in the local bead stores that I frequented.  If you can't find them in your local bead shop, there are many online from places like Artbeads.  These findings are always great designs and quality workmanship.

I was thrilled to receive a sample of their newest findings - Finishing Touches.  These are crimp ends in some wonderful styles.  You can use them for necklaces, bracelets or earrings.

There are some great designs out there already using these crimp ends with beads and leather and tassels and fringe, so I wanted to see if I could make some earrings with fabric.  To me, some of these crimp ends look like little fiesta skirts, so that was my inspiration.

Here is the first one:

Cotton Print Fabric Fan Earrings

To make your own fabric fan earrings:

1.  Tear a strip of fabric and stitch a running stitch along one edge.
2.  Gather the strip and tie the threads creating a fabric circle.  Overlap the edges and add a stitch to keep it overlapped.
3.  Fold the circle in half and insert into the finding.
4.  Squeeze the finding closed.  Glue can be added before insertion if you like.

Here's another set:

Denim and Muslin Fabric Fan Earrings

The denim over the muslin on these earrings is a die cut flower folded over the gathered muslin circle.

These are so easy to make.  I've got a lot more ideas and fabrics to try!  If you try this idea, I'd love to see your photos.

Thanks again TierraCast.

Autumn Earrings

I just have a little time left to participate in this month's blog hop over on the Earrings Everyday: We're All Ears site.  The inspiration from Erin is fall and she provided this wonderful set of fall leaves in all the glorious splendor that is autumn.

Three weeks later, and I missed the chance to participate in the fall leaves earring hop above.  But, no matter, I finally have a chance to create some new fall earrings and that's what is important.  Create when you can!

Here's one pair that I created with some copper wire - an abstract kind of leaf.

Abstract Leaves Earrings

Here's the link to take a peek at the other fall earrings that were created!  And, here's the reveal for the plaid inspiration earrings for this month.  I've still got time, maybe I can get another pair made!

Here's another pair that I made:

Hammered Leaf Earrings

For these, I cut leaves, hammered them, oxidized them and added Ranger antique copper patina over the top.  Serpentine and faceted glass rondelles are strung on copper wire.

Pretty Palettes for February

Hi there!

This is the inspiration for this February's Pretty Palettes challenge - recycled plastic mosaic tiles by BOPE.

 

Above is the palette and below are the beads Molly Schaller chose.

I love these.  I've used some of these in previous designs - particularly the turquoise windowpanes.  In fact, I used pretty much the same selection of colors in this necklace, which was in the Fall issue of Stringing, 2014.

Here's the selection of beads I picked up at Michaels:

Molly says this collection is like a sunset beach celebration.  Having just come back from Hawaii, I'm ready to go back!  So, I'll use these to get ready for more summer celebrations.

Here's what I created.  I ended up substituting some coral chips and flat rounds instead of using the dyed imperial jasper I bought.  And, the lava sea stars and white howlite rounds will be another fun summer necklace!

I'm ready for a summer fiesta now!

See the Pretty Palettes inspiration here and stop by the Halcraft Facebook page to see what other beaders have made.

Best of Jewelry Stringing

Hi all!

I just received my copy of Best of Jewelry Stringing magazine in which I have a small part.  It's so nice to see Stringing again.  I love looking at all the beautiful designs for inspiration.  They always have the most interesting designs with innovative uses of components.  As a jewelry designer, it's always been one of my favorites and I was sad to see it go earlier this year. 

Get your copy of the Best of Jewelry Stringing today and maybe they'll bring the magazine back!  (I can always hope, right?)

Best of Jewelry Stringing 2017

These are the earrings they chose for the magazine.

Chandelier Earrings

Also, if you like the style of Stringing, there are some designs included in Interweave's bead stitching magazine, Beadwork, under Fast and Fabulous.

Happy Creating!

PS  My earrings were featured in the Beading Daily blog post.  Thanks, Debbie!

Pretty Palettes Reveal for August

Hi all!

Wow, what a busy month!  I think I've created and blogged more this month than ever!  And, with our family grape harvest and caring for one of my sweet granddaughters, my time has been full.  But, there's always time for beading!  And, Erin's inspiration was amazing, as usual.  I love how she pulls inspiration from the natural world and is so informative in her posts!  I'm all about info - before the internet, I used to read the dictionary and encyclopedias! Now, I just search the internet!

Here was our inspiration for this month - one of earth's amazing places!

Fairy chimneys formed from volcanic rock, rise to the sky and have been carved out for churches, homes and hotels over the centuries.

This soft, volcanic rock called tufa or tuff is formed when deposits of ash are ejected from volcanic vents.  It's found all over the world from Turkey here to New Mexico to Easter Island to Italy.  Since it is soft and easy to carve, it has been used by many peoples for carving statues and building materials.  (See Wikipedia or your favorite encyclopedia for more info!)

Here's the wonderful selection of beads from Michaels that Erin picked to coordinate with the photo.  There's lots of great texture here with carved soapstone, shell, brown lava, twine-wrapped beads, copper rings and spacers and sparkly glass, but it all stays within a range of tans, browns and coppers.

The beads evoke the natural world and an ancient, tribal feel.  I used the twine-wrapped bead to make a tassel and wrapped it around a horn bead I had for the focal of the necklace.  Beaded copper chain completes the tassel.  I strung the soapstone and lava beads on twine.  Since the carved soapstone beads and copper have a pinkish tone, I picked that up with some speckled reddish seed beads in between the beads.  To end the necklace, I knotted between the seed beads and made a loop and bead toggle. 

Here is my necklace.  I decided to name it Earth Wanderer for all the places I'd love to see on this beautiful planet!

Earth Wanderer Necklace

And, here are my earrings.  The lightweight twine-wrapped acrylic beads and the wood rings make these very wearable.  They'll be perfect for fall.

I hope you will go here to see the amazing creations of Erin and her partner for this challenge, as well as all the other participants.  As usual, I admire everyone's creativity.  I always learn so much and find so many ideas that I want to try! Next month, I'm allocating more time!

Happy creating!

Terry

Jewelry Stringing - Winter 2014



Brass Botanicals
 by
Terry Ricioli

Hi Crafty Friends!

I'm delighted once again to have a couple of my jewelry designs in the Winter 2014 issue of Jewelry Stringing.  Here's the necklace as it appears in the photo I took on my deck.  I'm pretty happy with my photography here, but I love what the Stringing staff did with my necklace in the magazine.  You can see it on page 38 of the magazine.  I am enjoying adding more fiber to my jewelry diet with some recycled sari ribbon!

I also have a pair of earrings on the earrings page.

One of the themes in the magazine this time was royalty and these earrings were created with that theme in mind.  There are some wonderful necklaces inspired by this popular trend in the magazine this time.

I've also decided to become an affiliate of Interweave, so you'll see links to their website and special offers from them.  If you click on them and decide to purchase a pattern, kits, books or magazine from them, I get a percentage of the sale.  They've got some great offers right now.  Here's one below and there are a couple of others on my sidebar.

 Save 30% in Beading at Interweave with Offer Code SNOW30

Happy Crafting!

Terry