Saturday, April 26, 2014

CC7A :: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

This month's Creative Continuum of 7 Artists challenge is designing with one of Therese Frank's beautiful glass cabochons and a rather generous extra stash of crystals and stones. Thanks Therese! 

I just love Therese's focals, and this one is particularly beautiful with blue foil just under the glass surface which gives such a glow to it. I wanted to use colors in the beading that would bring out the blues and let the focal still stay center stage. I used muted blues and black, and a pattern that Christine recently shared with me (she featured it on her blog a few weeks back). I love this pattern! It uses three stitches; ladder, brick and then a whip to line the edges. I doubled the pattern and it turned out just fantastic in this choker. The back uses black velvet and a double loop belt closure so you can adjust it to fit just right. When Therese described her outfit for her wedding, I pictured this piece as something that might match up - she'll have to let me know how close I came (LOL).

I also created 2 other pieces using the crystals. First I made a bracelet using Kelly Wiese' Beaded Allure book. I've used this pattern before and really enjoy the rhythm of the stitch. But I have to say this time around it took me several tries (aka ripping out the entire pattern more than once), much swearing and a broken needle before I found that rhythm. The gold beads are just large enough to swallow up the seed beads throwing off the count in the pattern all over the place (insert another swear word). So I ended up improvising using a combination of stringing a loop of seed beads and coming back through the gold bead to pick up the thread on the last loop like you would for brick. A bit wacky - but it worked! It was a bit of a photo challenge to show just how much this one sparkles ... oh that Therese loves her bit of bling! This one is for you my friend.

Finally, I'm very proud of these earrings. Not because I made them, but because they are my daughter's first creation and design. She came to me after I heard an excessive amount of tapping in my studio and handed me the earwires and asked "is this right?" I did not show her how, she just figured it out on her own. I think she has it in her blood. She and I talked through the design and then she directed me on making the crystal and owl drops. I think they are just fantastic, and I can't wait to see what she designs next.

Now to see what the rest of the artists did with their stash from Therese: Alicia (our host), ChristineEmmaMoniqueSally and Therese.

21 comments:

  1. Awesome pieces each one but my favorite of all is the earrings. What a great combo, mother and daughter working together. Those earwires are awesome - it only took me 12 years of jewelry making to venture into making my own earwires! I love the simplicity of the design but at the same time the elegance. Great job!

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  2. Hi Cynthia,
    Wow you have been busy with this one. I love the chocker and yes it would have gone with what I wore on my wedding day. You did a great job of pulling the colors out of the cab with the seed beads you chose. The bracelet is Sparklelistic and gorgeous! I must have been a Magpie in another life LOL. I bet you are beaming with pride, that your daughter has inherited your talent, I know I would be. The earrings are beautiful and she did an awesome job on the wires.
    Therese

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  3. I love the choker and bracelets, Cynthia! The choker is wonderful and, I think it's something Lucy would have worn proudly! Your daughter has definitely inherited your talents. Those ear wires are perfect!

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  4. Cynthia Your color choices on the choker are perfect. They let Therese's beautiful glass be the star. It's great that you made it adjustable. I like the sparkly bracelet too. It's awesome that your daughter is following in her mother's footsteps. She did a wonderful job on her first design. She sure has a talented role model.

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  5. Oh my - loving that choker...it is so beautiful! I am glad that I am not the only person who swears while creating! :) The apple does not fall far from the tree...BEAUTIFUL earrings!

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  6. Having been fortunate enough to see and touch two of these finished pieces and then the beginnings of the third, I may be long winded here. The Owl Annie Earrings are Fantastic ~ the design, the swing, the colors. But her earwires look and feel professional! The girl has artistic talent, for sure! The bracelet is a jaw dropper...one of the most beautiful pieces I have seen. The simple colors made it work so well. And the choker...just so cool and edgy! Doubling the width was a great idea...it works so well here. All beautiful pieces! and...BEAD ANNIE BEAD!!!

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  7. How cool that your daughter has taken up the trade! Her earrings look wonderful... you must be proud indeed, Cynthia :) I only started making jewelry after my boys were adults, but I do have one (the artist/musician) who will come into the craftroom on occasion and have a look around... don't know if that counts LOL.

    Your choker and bracelet are also marvelous. The bracelet would be perfect classic wedding wear, wouldn't it? The subtle colour play in your choker really shows off Therese's cab to perfection. Love everything!

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  8. All the pieces are beautiful, Cynthia!!! The color choices, the designs, everything! and it really seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree ... Your daughter is not only the perfect model for your pieces, but a talented girl herself ;-)
    Alenka

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  9. Of course it is in her blood! Look how darling and modern, I love it. I'm such a blue girl I am totally smitten with that choker. I know if I attempted it would end at the swearing and broken needle. Oh and then more swearing. Having all those crystals in my bead tray I can just imagine how that bracelet sparkles. Beautiful work as always.

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  10. Wow, great pieces! I love the choker, but the mom/daughter earrings are just perfect! I can see my 20 year old wearing them. Just perfect. Great job, both of you!

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  11. Not wishing to be indelicate, but whose throat is modelling the choker?

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  12. Wow! These are like something for a queen to wear! I know my sister would love to wear them :D

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  13. Oh Cynthia, I can't pick a favorite, they are all GORGEOUS and the bead work is just brilliant!!!
    And you daughter is a natural, wonderful earwires!!!!!

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  14. Nice pieces of jewelry.
    Looks like your daughter is taking after her mommy :)

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  15. Beautiful choker! I like how the beading on the necklace sets off the cab so well. Love the bracelet and earrings too. How fun to have another beader in the family:)

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  16. All of these pieces are fantastic! Bravo to your daughter! I really love the earrings! Something I would wear ;o) Hugs ;o)

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  17. The glass focal looks awesome the way you worked around it! Of course all the designs are beautiful. Your daughter definitely has an eye for design. I'm sure that won't be her last creation.

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  18. That choker looks fabulous on, and I simply adore those earrings with the owls. They couldn't be cuter!

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  19. Love, love, love your beawork and the finish is fantastic! Very clever.

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  20. Excellent read, I just anesthetized this abstract a emphasis who was accomplishing some appraisal on that.
    Gold & silver chain by the inch

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