Finally Back!

Hello, all! I know I am behind on updating this blog, so here goes! The Etsy Beagle Street team, which I belong to, has had two team challenges. The entries have been really great, and you can see them at our team's blog: http://etsybeagles.blogspot.com/ Here are the two I made for the challenges. The first challenge was in August, and the theme was "Dog Days of Summer." I made this Victorian Summer blue vintage glass and brass findings necklace. I purchased the findings from Etsian amuzemee's shop. An old clip-on earring, sans clip, is the focal piece of this necklace. The earrings colors matched the brass and glass beads "just right!" The second Autumn/Fall challenge had the theme "Hounds and Harvest." I used my stash of vintage carved bone tube beads, vintage bakelite and lucite beads, small vintage "root beer" glass beads, and this wonderful jewelers bronze pendant that I purchased from eBay seller celticmorph. The little beaded dangles above the pendant help transition the large size of the pendant from the necklace strands. Plus, I just kinda liked doing that! :) The team is going to have a winter/holidays challenge with the theme of "Warm Winter Wishes." It will be starting Nov. 1st, and I've already got "my plan" for my entry.

Link to my Bronze Beagle Necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15149760

Link to my Victorian Summer Necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14569650

The Coral Collection

For a while, I was making jewelry with red branch coral. My sister wanted some custom pieces done, and sent me some coral - too much coral! :) It had been sitting around for quite a while, and I wanted to pair it up with something different, but nothing seemed to be "right." A friend of mine gave me some seashells from her vacation at Myrtle Beach. These weren't the kind of shells you buy at tourist shops. They were much better! I instantly fell in love with the texture of these really worn shell pieces. They had been tumbled by nature, and the sand and salt-water had left small holes in them. They screamed "organic," and were a perfect match with my red coral. Great pendants! Stringing them together and getting the coral pieces to "hug" the shells was not as easy as I thought it would be. I use monofilament line for most of my jewelry. I like it because it's strong, lays more softly, like string, and holds a nice tight knot. I ended up trying each pendant combo several times, then found it was best to actually "hand-sew" the shell and coral together. The coral had been machine-drilled, I assume, but not the shells. The little holes drilled by nature did not go straight through,; some were "foolers," and didn't go through the shell completely at all. I finally discovered that holding the shell in front of my work-light would let me see the tiny holes straight through, and also what angle they were. I decided that in starting with a long section of monofilament, I could sew the pendant pieces together, then continue beading small shells, stone chips, or beads up the same strand. It took time! Anyway, here are the end results, and I hope you enjoy them!

Eco-Critters

Here are a few of my new necklaces. I call them Eco-Critters, since the animals have been upcycled to pendants (I have no idea what their original use was). I loved their colors and details. They are good with big beads; the pendants themselves are about 4." Definitely just-for-fun necklaces, and for sale in my Etsy shop!

New Materials; New Necklaces!

I just got some fun new components and here is what I did with them! Hope you enjoy them, and Happy Spring!

More Jewelry

Here are 2 new necklaces I created. They both feature pendants I purchased from 2 other Etsy artisans. I love the not-so-perfect shapes, finishes, and textures of these pendant beads, as well as the two different turquoise colors. I hope you like them, too! Please go to my profile and click the link to my Etsy store for detailed descriptions of my necklaces.

Jewelry Just For Fun!

Here are a few of my newer listings in my Etsy store. These are a little kooky, lots of fun to wear, and definitely OOAK! Hope you enjoy them!