Inspired By Winter

A few weeks ago, Sally over at the Studio Sublime asked us if we felt the need for a challenge.  I pondered it, and decided yup, yup, I did.  Which, in retrospect, maybe not my best decision ever, what with all I have on my plate right now.  But I wanted to play.  And with all that on my plate, creative fun time can sometimes get pushed not to the back-burner, but off the stove entirely!

Anyway, Sally's challenge for us was to be "Inspired by Winter" and create a piece of jewelry to reflect that inspiration. Now, as you may know, I live in Florida.  Not a terribly "wintery" place at the best of times, and this year has so far been a bit stranger than usual.  So, I decided to think back to past years, and try to decide what my favorite part of winter is.

After a bit of thought, I decided it was clothes.  I LOVE my winter clothes!  Now, MY winter clothes are definitely not suitable for a northern winter.  Maybe a northern autumn.  But that doesn't matter.  They're MY winter clothes, after all!  lol!

Many of my winter clothes are in shades of brown and russet, in wonderful warm fabrics and tones.  I decided my jewelry should reflect that.  And so, a couple of pairs of earrings were born! :)

Gorgeous, silky brown glass pearls, my favorite new beaded beads, and a fun, unexpected pop of teal. 

Raku glazed ceramic beads, brass and copper bead caps, and copper chain. 

Now, go check out the other participants!  :)

List of Participants:

Sally  Russick

Patti Vanderbloemen

Shelly Buettner

Therese Frank

Donna Bradley

Jo Tinley

Karin Slaton

Rochelle Brisson

Renetha Stanziano

Tanya Goodwin

Jenny Davies Reazor

Cynthia Machata

Lola Surwillo

Veralynne Malone

Mary Lamoray

Lynsey Brooks

Mary K  McGraw

Ailsa Cordner

Staci Smith

(:  You're here! --> Rana Wilson <-- You're here! :)

Karin King

Beth Emery

Pam Farren

Jess Green

Susan F.

Thanks!

~RanaLea

AJE Earring Challenge, 1st Reveal

Hi there!  As part of my effort to blog more (and because it sounded like fun... lol!) I'm participating in Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge.

So here goes!

First up, the earrings I made with beads I bought from my favorite local bead shop, Sparkle Spot, which were hand delivered to Kelley from Hungary!  And now, they're in my earrings!  Beads by Reka, of CheekyBeads. The pic doesn't really do these beads justice--they are such a beautiful buttery-tan shade, and the dots are FABULOUSly fun! :)  I've got the beads dangling on lengths of chain, for a fun fidget earring. 

These might possibly be my favorites of all time.  The components were made especially for me in an Artist swap on the Bead Swap-USA page.  Diana Keever, of Diana Keever Jewelry, made the happy cat charm (I have two kitties...) and wire wrapped the key and pen nib for me ("writing is the key!").  I just added the earwire to the key and nib charm, and added some coordinating danglies to the happy cat to tie it all together in some fabulous "self-portrait" mis-matched earrings. 

And these are double-art bead earrings!  lol!  The lampwork rounds were made by Lampwork Beads by Linda, and I made the netted pearl beads.  These go with my Goddess set that you can see here. 

So there you have it!  I had fun creating these, and hope to have lots more to share with you soon!

You can check out the other participants here, and there's a Pinterest page here.

Thanks!

RanaLea

You say your earrings don't match?

Neither do mine! :) 

Awhile back, I signed up to participate in the Mismatched Art Bead Earrings Swap over on the Art Jewelry Elements blog. We were all matched up with a partner, made a pair of mismatched earrings, and sent them off to our partner.  

My partner is the wonderful Kay Hand, of the Creative Tangent blog (and you can find her here and here--she has the coolest shawl pins here!!!--on Etsy). I'll show you the GORGEOUSNESS that Kay made for me in a few minutes. :) 

One of my stumbling points as a jewelry designer is that I'm very concerned with things matching. Both sides of a necklace must be even... a bracelet MUST be symmetrical... and earrings HAVE TO MATCH!  In fact, I get downright annoyed with myself when things don't match up.  

I've tried before to break the habit, and I've even bought lampwork beads SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of making mismatched things. Those beads?  Yeah, they're still in the box...

Don't they look so sad?  Non-made dino earrings...  :(  Soon! 

Now, for the awesome!

From Kay, I received the niftiest pair of shoulder-sweep earrings.  These babies are LOOOONG.  I love them.  She used gorgeous lampwork beads, fun charms, chains, bead caps, and quite possbily the prettiest earwires I've ever seen! They're bright, and colorful, and will go with so many different things! 
Here, look! 

Pretty!  Lookit how pretty!  I love them!

And, they're fidgety! I love fidget earrings.  

Kay also sent me the matching bead to the red lampwork in the earrings.  And it has an eyeball!!!

Creepily awesome. :)  I'm sensing mismatched Halloween earrings! 

Now, just before I began making the earrings to send to Kay, I received a bead swap package from one of my bead groups. My partner in that swap, Kelli, sent me the coolest polymer clay skull beads (she made them herself!!  They are AWESOME!!!)  And it had been awhile since I wrapped any wire, so I thought it might be fun to play with that, too.  Plus, Halloween is coming, and it IS my 2nd favorite holiday ever! So, I ended up creating a rather over-the-top (and kinda largish) pair of wrapped hoop earrings for Kay.  

For an idea on size, my form was a pill bottle...   Yes, they are BIG.

And now, the blog list!  Go check out the awesome earrings created in this hop! :) 

• Diana Ptaszynski  http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com
• Lisa Liddy http://www.lisaliddy.wordpress.com
• Kari Asbury  http://www.hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com
• Jayne Capps  http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/
• Rebecca Anderson  http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com
• Lesley Watt  http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
• Lori Bowring Michaud  http://www.artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
• Renetha Stanziano  http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
• Holly Westfall   http://www.silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/
• Theresa Fosdick  http://www.thoughtful-notions.blogspot.com/
• Ali McCarthy  http://www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com
• Shai Williams  http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/
• Iveth Caruso  http://www.creativeatelier.net/blog.html
• Carolyn Collins  http://www.sparklingwaterstudio.com
• Elaine Ray  http://www.elaineray.blogspot.com
• Kristen Stevens  http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
• Charlene Jacka  http://clay-space.com/blog
• Jan Onipenco  http://www.MoltenMayhem.typepad.com
• Stephanie Woods  http://www.rainydaysdesigns.com
• Eleanor Burian-Mohr  http://www.cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com
• Shelby Foxwell  http://www.sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com
• Pam Sears  http://www.crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com
• Mary Harding  http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
• Lisa Johnson  http://www.Whimsyswonders.blogspot.com
• Kashmira Patel  http://www.sadafulee.blogspot.com
• Penny Neville  http://www.copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
• Dee Elgie  http://www.cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk
• Sarah Small  http://www.bysalla.blogspot.com
• Carolyn Lawson  http://www.Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
• Karin Slaton  http://www.backstorybeads.blogspot.com
• Ashleigh Becker  http://www.seladesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
• Kay Hand  http://www.creativetangent.blogspot.com <--My partner!!!  :)
• Rana L. Wilson  http://ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com <--Me! :)
• Sandra McGriff  http://www.skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com
• Dawn Pierro  http://www.turtlemoondesigns.me
• Shelley Graham Turner  http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
• Karen Mitchell  http://www.overthemoon-design.com
• Melissa Trudinger  http://www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Soup's on! :)

Time for the Bead Soup Reveal!  I had SO MUCH FUN working with the Soup that my partner, Mary Govaars, sent me.  I wanted to use the multiple skills I've been learning in this soup, so I ended up with a very eclectic, but I think still harmonious, collection.  :) 

Just to remind you, this is what Mary sent:

Pretty, yes?  :)

Since I'm a bead-weavin' fool, Mary sent me some seed beads, and I knew JUST what I wanted to do with them! 

So, without further ado, here's what I did with that yummy soup! 

Necklace

I used some chains I had on hand, along with green mother-of-pearl disks, and a simple toggle clasp I had on hand to finish off the combo spiral weaving...

I used 2 lengths of a Cellini Spiral, meeting at the loop of the original toggle clasp Mary sent me.  I used this part of the clasp to form a focal for the necklace,  and I created a dangly bit using a gorgeous Blissful Gardens bead I ordered a while back... I also used a basic spiral to form much of the length of the necklace, and connected it to the Cellini spirals using a very haphazard and organic "stringy" method...

Better view of the focal-ie bits... 

And here's where I connected the weaving to the chain...

Bracelet

This is the GORGEOUS focal Mary sent from LL Designs (This pic does NOT do it justice) I really wanted to feature the bead, so I went with a basic embellished spiral.  

I used the toggle from the clasp Mary sent me, and a mother of pearl ring to finish it off! 

Earrings

These are the beautiful green hollows from LL Designs that Mary sent.  I couldn't resist the temptation to put something INSIDE them, so each one has a few orange seed beads, and three teeny tiny Swarovski crystals. (these may be my most fave earrings ever...) This is my version of "fidget" earrings. :) 

I used more chain to tie this in with the necklace, and created wire wrapped links to connect all the bits together.  I also wrapped the chain in a bit of wire up there near the top just to keep everything hanging neatly...

Okay, so these don't really match the rest of the set, but as I was pondering the big earrings up there, I had the idea to make up these really quickly, too.  And all the bits were part of my soup! :) 

The Set

Okay, not a great pic, but you can see how it all works together! :) 

So there it is! I have one lampie left, and I'm actually working on a piece with it that will go with the set.  Unfortunately, though, I had to do real work last week, and I wasn't able to finish that 5th piece.  Never fear!  I'll post pics as soon as I do! :) 

Want to see more?  

Go check out the rest of the Bead Soup Blog Partiers! 

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads 
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Eileen Snyder, Dorset Hill Beads
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
My Partner--->>> Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs :)
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Me! --->>> Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson :) 
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

My First Jewelry Class ~ The Aftermath... :)

So, I'm LOVING this new skill--finally figuring out how to make cuff bracelets!  And of course, that means I've been playing!

I made a pair of earrings to match the first bracelet I made:

Is pretty!!! :) 

And then I made a gorgeous bracelet with a focal bead that the awesomest Linda of Lampwork Beads by Linda sent me:

Pretty in Pink (the second...)

And (the best part) I sold this today!  I love that!  Never even had to list it! lol!

And finally, here's what's currently on my bead board:

Lampie elephant by Flamekeeper! 

More pics later!  I have a lot more designs in mind! :)

Jingle Bell Rock!

It's been a jinglin' kinda week!   

First, I finished these sparkly, bead-woven ornaments for the Hive's Ornament Swap...

Then, because those were such a hit on my Facebook beading group, I made these jingling earrings!

One of the quintessential elements of Christmas for me is the jingle bell.  And in recent years, I've found myself moving away from the traditional Christmas colors.  So I just love these jingle bells in all these non-traditional flavors!  LOL!  

You can find the earrings in my Etsy shop!  

Thanks!

Work in Progress Wednesday

I LOVE this!!!!!   Hand-painted focal, fall scene.  Complete with GLITTER! And a bead soup I made all by myself!  (without my nephew's assistance.  Who, btw, has an INCREDIBLE eye for color!)

Yeah, this one is gonna be all MINE!

Oh, and here's some earrings I made to go with:

Thanks!

Best laid plans and all that....

So, ages ago, I made this pair of earrings:

I always kinda liked 'em (after all, I made them) but I never could love them, ya know? Then, last week, someone was looking through my box of pieces for sale; she pulled these out and asked if I could make a necklace to match.  I still had all the beads I'd used in the earrings, so of course I said yes!

I pondered the earrings for a few hours, and then, as often happens for me, the necklace popped into my brain in full glorious detail (in the middle of class, no less...)  I knew exactly what I needed to make to match the earrings.

And, because they looked so good together,

See?

I decided to make a watch:

I love it when a plan comes together... :)

Lookit the pretty!!!!

I made a pretty!!!  With skulls!!!

It's a set, with earrings and a necklace (I may make a bracelet later, but I'm currently out of skulls.. sad...)

Both pieces

earrings

Close up of the necklace.

The skulls are TierraCast Black Finish Pewter Beads from Artbeads, and unlike a lot of the other skulls I seen around, they're top-drilled, which I much prefer.  


I just love this set, and even though I already have skull earrings that I love (Beautiful Death, and you can read about them in this post), I'm thinkin' I'm gonna keep this one.  But I'd be more than happy to make something else with these beauties! Just as soon as I get some more....


Thanks!

Rustic Sunrise

I found a name for it!!!!!  I have to say, next to pricing, naming is one of my biggest problems.

So, a few days ago I blogged about ripping stuff apart, and included some pics of the bracelet I had made from said stuff I had ripped apart... Well, I kept looking at that bracelet and just couldn't leave well enough alone, so now I have an entire jewelry set made from that old belt.  God, I love my work.... LOL! Anyway, here's pics:

[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="484" caption="The complete set--earrings, necklace, and bracelet"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="387" caption="The necklace"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_85" align="aligncenter" width="387" caption="The bracelet..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_81" align="aligncenter" width="323" caption="The earrings"][/caption]

I love this set.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it.  But I wanted to share. Enjoy!

R.Wilson