Saturday, July 5, 2014

ZNetShows :: Summer Days & Nights Challenge

ZnetShows has come up with another fantastic challenge with more sea glass (a personal favorite of mine). I just could not resist when I saw the call for artists from Hope Smitherman. She asked us to create two sets with the beads sent; one set designed as for daytime, and a second set that is more dressy for nighttime. 

When my beads arrived I knew the second I saw the lavender colored sea glass that I was going to pair it with a recent bit of glass I picked up for a cabochon. I was traveling last April in Oregon and stopped into a local glass blowing studio called Fernhill. They had a big bowl of bits of glass that they snip off in the process of making vases, glasses, bowls, etc. I went straight for the bowl and spent a good hour sifting through all the variations. What a find! They sold the bits of glass to me by the pound, and I feel like I walked away the winner! 

The focal you see here is one of the glass cabochons that I used small pearls to bezel around. I paired it up with the lavender sea glass from ZnetShows and used more pearls as accents. It created the prettiest combination, and with the beaded bail you can shift the necklace around to show off different parts of the pattern.

For matching earrings I decided to use some of the pretty tear drop shaped white sea glass in my ZnetShows stash with some amethyst to match with my necklace. I felt like the pearls were more of an evening wear set even tho it is light in color. It would look fantastic with a summer dress for a night out!

The second set I made was with the deep green sea glass. I LOVE this color. When Hope asked what color I liked, I of course said green. I was sent these beauties in wonderful, large rounds. I loved the simplicity of the simple string of the sea glass, and so went with it and matched them up with some onyx rondelles. I thought the onyx really brought out the richness in the color. I wanted to add chain around the back, but need something that could carry the size of the design. When I first added simple silver chain it just seemed to be lost with all those larger beads. So I decided to make my own chain using jump rings and smaller hematite rounds. I love how this one turned out. 

I wanted to echo the colors in earrings, but didn't want to use the sea glass as they would be too heavy. So instead I use these wonderful flat black rounds from my ZnetShow's stash and pair them with some green tinted glass beads, which was perfect and not too 'matchy-matchy' ... as one of my friends says.

So for my daytime necklace and earrings I created this green set that I think would pair up beautifully with some shorts, black shirt and simple sandals. You'd be all set with this baby for a summer lunch with the girl friends!

I thought I'd show you the rest of my stash that I'm still working on. ZnetShows was really generous with us to design with! And I do love me some sea glass to play with. You'll see mine and all my fellow designers in this months edition of Creative Spark, which you'll find over on the ZnetShows blog.  And here are the rest of the designers so you can see what everyone else made.

Amy Serverino, Andrea Trank, Becky Pancake, Bobbie Rafferty, BR Kuhlman, Charlie Jacks, Christie Murrow, Christina Miles, Christine Stonefield, Cynthia Machata (that's me), Cynthia Riggs, Donetta Farrington, Hope Smitherman, Kashmira Patel, Kathy Lindemer, Kay Thomerson, Kelly Patterson, Klaudete Koon, Lee Koopman, Lisa Lodge, Renetha Stanziano, Sandra Washington, Shaiha Williams, Sheryl Stephens, Stephanie Haussler, Tammie Everly

30 comments:

  1. All of your designs are so great! I'm smitten with that green necklace. The simplicity of it makes it so versatile. However, the story behind your cab gives it such appeal too. You did an amazing job with the sea glass!!

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  2. Hi Cynthia,
    Both sets are gorgeous perfect for any season day or night. I love the green set, maybe because I am partial to green.
    Therese

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  3. I love that dark green as well, and it looks great with black. Your first necklace is amazing as well. Very elegant and that cab is perfect. I love the asymmetrical design. Great work!

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  4. Excellent work. What a great way to showcase the glass you found.

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  5. When I saw your name on the participant list, I knew we were in for a treat, and I was so right! The cabochon is a wonderful focal to set off the sea glass, but I have to say that the green may be my new obsession. What a gorgeous shade, and perfectly balanced with the black beads and chain!

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  6. Definitely love that pearl/black set. Plus, well - seed beads! I am a total seed bead freak! Hope you're having as much fun with these challenges as I am!

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  7. Your Designs are amazing as always. Love the Lavender.

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  8. Beautiful work as always with your creations...I love the bead mix on the first necklace and you made it all fall into place perfectly. The cab is just lovely. I also think your green necklace is amazing. It really makes the beads just pop with the black beads in between...LOVE!

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  9. Oh wow - that cab is just amazing! But, it's not just the cab - it is the freaking awesome bail you created! Paired with the lavender, and your design scheme, it is truly a show stopper! Love the green set as well - I would wear that with khaki shorts for sure! Beautiful!

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  10. Both sets of jewelry are gorgeous. I love green so I feel in love with the green necklace. I love the earrings that you made to go with it. They match really well! Well done!

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  11. I just knew that I was in for a treat and definitely wasn't disappointed. While I do like the first set, I never have been in love with seed beads. That green necklace however is spectacular and one that I would get a lot of wear out of. And your handmade chain definitely adds to the appeal.

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  12. Cynthia- you really hit it out of the park with these pieces, lovely work!

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  13. Both sets are beautiful, but the green and black set is just gorgeous! And not because I really love green :)

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  14. Such lovely creations! Love what you've done with both sets. Christie

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  15. Wow! Both sets are beautiful and that first one is so unique but I'm really drawn to the green and black. I wondered what the green sea glass would be like and you have made it look so darn good! It would be great to design with!

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  16. Super Awesome! I love what you did with both sets. I'm particularly fond of the green black combo but that white set is striking. Can't wait to see what you do with the additional stash - love those sand dollars - what cute earrings those would make. Great work my friend.

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  17. Very nice work. Very elegant, either way you go. I like how you incorporated the glass cab into the first piece. Good job and thanks for sharing.

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  18. I love both sets!! The green is my favorite because I'm always in favor of green! I love the chain you created for it too. And, that glass shop sounds fantastic!
    Thanks for your comments on my tag. I really thought it was too girly but I went with it anyway because in the end I kind of liked it! Hope you had a great
    4th!

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  19. The sets are fabulous! I love the asymmetry in the first necklace. What a find with that glass cabochon. A perfect match with the sea glass! I'm really loving what you did with the chain part of the green necklace. That color glass is so pretty too!

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  20. I'm always blown away by your designs! Love the first set the most, it just grabbed me - it's so elegant, yet fun! And of course your beading/design on that one is just fabulous, as always!

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  21. So much to love...I particularly adore the sleek elegance of your green and black necklace and earring set. Absolutely gorgeous!

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  22. Beautiful designs Cynthia! I really like that green and black set but both are gorgeous!

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  23. Hi Cynthia, I am always impressed with your designs. The purple and white sea glass pair wonderfully with the pearls and your beautiful focal. I also like the green and black together. I used both of those colors but not together even though that is how I envisioned them before I started.

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  24. These are all amazing! The beaded pail that can be moved around the necklace is a fantastic idea! I also like those silver earhooks you used for the white earrings!

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  25. Wow - these sets are gorgeous, each so different from the other! I particularly love the first one, the beading is lovely.

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  26. I am loving both of these sets! I agree with you, I love the colour of the deep green sea glass ;o) Everything is so beautiful!!!

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  27. I love your pearl and opaque purple necklace, so many of us got those beads, and there's such a variety of designs. I wish our glass factory would sell their scrap glass as cabs, that's gorgeous.

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  28. Oh, I love your set with the lavender barrel beads - beautiful. And your green daytime set is perfectly casual. Great designs!

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  29. Great color combinations for these Z-net beads. The olive green and black together is very classy!

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