"A Winter's Tale" - Part II - Earrings from an inspiration kit

Here is part II of what I made with the "A Winter's Tale" inspiration bead kit (find part I here also including the links to the pages of Rebecca, Claire and Bo, who put the it together :) ). There were these tiny bird charms included. I liked them, cute as they were, but sometimes even if you like something, it doesn't work out. They had a plain bronze side and one with tiny flower impressions. At first I coloured the flower impressions (you can also see that there is some colour on the bronze links behnd the birds) but still... no... 

I am using a lot of old book pages at the moment to create gift boxes. A lot are already gone... you know, christmas ^^ The pages are really yellowish and fragile but they have the perfect feeling you only get with really old and curmbling paper. So I glued them on the bird, darkened the contour and added protective gloss. Now they are really "me"!

There is written "Kunst" und "Geist" across the birds. That means "Art" and "Mind" in english. The tiny beads just give the right amount of colour. They remind me of berries somehow. I know, I am writing a lot about one single pair of earrings but believe me: I could talk even more about them! I also used some of my first ever made copper ball pins and the ear wires I made from head pins made by Niky from Silver Niknats (her blog is here and her shop here). I won her november giveaway and they were part of it!

Back to business. The next earrings are quite simple but playing around with the beads I had this idea of wire combination/set-up to let them dangle nicely. It worked! I am not sure whether I want to oxidize the copper wire again because it got scratched at several points... or if I like it this way to add more texture and the feeling of something old and worn... not sure yet. 

Can you see how easy this wire connection is? But believe me it creates such movement!

Last but not least I used some of my hammered wire rings and ball pins (please bear with me, still in the phase "Looooook, I made this!") and combined them with the beautiful dark red and black beads.

I added bead caps on both sides to give it a more complete look and maybe even a little oriental touch. 

I don't have size reference pictures for everything but here at least two...

...also with the birds I just want to jump up and down and shout: Look! Look! Look! But this is why I create. It keeps me sane... and gives me moments of pure joy.

PS: In case you are wondering: I am really running to Rumpel every time I create something new, especially if it is something special for me (that can be everything, even a new colour combination).. and then I jump up and down and shout: Look! Look! Look!

You can see that we have a functional relationship because I make him smile every time I am doing this! ;)

"A Winter's Tale" - Part I - Necklace from an inspiration kit

Okay, I not only have to get used more to create necklaces (my own goal since... let's just say some time but I am working on it!), I also have to learn to take pictures of the finished piece.

Uhm... sounds easier than it actually is. I mean a necklace is big.... long... a lot of stuff... How do you present it? Laying around roundish - you can't see all the details close. Laying around somehow wrapped - you may destroy the feeling of the piece. *sighs* ...and so on and so on...

The solution? An blog entry with way too many pictures. But I just couldn't get myself to edit more. It is also a learning blog post for myself - I will go back and see what image I like the most after some time will have passed.

Let's come back to the necklace itself. It is made from an inspiration kit named "A Winter's Tale". It is a collaboration between Rebecca Anderson (you may now her because I get a lot of my czech glass beads from her as well as an inspirational bead surprise kit every month) from "The Curious Bead Shop", Bo Hulley from Bo Hulley beads who made the focal snowflake bead and Claire Braunbarth (what a cool family name!) from smitten beads. 

I didn't use all beads for the necklace but apart from the matt bronze beads all the beads in the necklace are from the kit as well as the waxed linen cord. I added some bronze links, chain and the said matte bronze glass beads and made a closure hook from copper.

Can you see the tiny wee red beads? They remind me of berries. All in all I really like the necklace and I think I took another step towards getting more comfortable with creating necklaces. After all they are a way bigger canvas for ideas than earrings...

...just that I personally are mostly only wearing earrings. ^^

I also made several earrings, that I'll show you tomorrow. Still need to edit some pictures. Just because I am seeing it nicely in the picture below: I made some knots between the bronze beads at the back of the necklace to create a little pop of colour every now and then. Just to bring it all better together. If it were only bronze it would have felt apart from the rest of the necklace for me. It may be a small detail but this is what makes a piece balanced for me.

By the way... this way the kit! :) Let's see if you can find all the beads used.

"Ancient stars" - Earrings

Metals included are copper, bronze and silver (finally I also get around at mixing metals more). I used waxed linen to knot my polymer clay beads in some of my hammered wire rings and all of this was done to accompany these gorgeous enameled copper pieces from Kimberly Rogers (Numinosity Beads). She is selling her numisticks regularly (if you are fast enough to catch some) but this shape just rarely if at all. I had a lot of "preciousssssss" moments and the tendency to hide them somewhere. Thankfully I forced myself to use them and they even grow more on me in the finished piece!

The earrings combine a lot of things that speak to me... rough and organic, tribal and edgy, dangling and even a little bit playful...

But now with all the parts being put together they also give the impression of old cave paintings or ancient carvings describing the sun and stars. Every story just grows and is always so much more than the single parts!

"Hold on" - Earrings

I got more of the tiny numisticks in their unusal shape from Kimberly Roger (Numinosity). Like the "Tribal dance" earrings (have a look here) I combined them with a ring. Just this time not a wire wrapped ring but a soldered and hammered ring made by me! Yes, tiny steps but I so enjoy creating these kind of rings. 

The space between the numisticks sides was too close to get the ring in between. I would also have broken up the enamel and at some point the enamel from the two sides was also a little but fused. It was even very difficult to get the wire in between but very gently I opened up the space. Then I just secured it with a lot more of wrapping. I really like the look of how the wire seems to hug and hold on to the ring and the numistick. 

I could go on describe how these earrings symbolize in a beautiful way the phrase "hold on" for me but maybe that would go a little bit too far ^^

But they make me smile :)

"Tribal dance II" - Earrings

I made the polymer clay beads some months ago. I even wired them up (I know this may not be the right technical term, but somehow it describes perfectly what I was doing... at least for me ^^) and then they waited on my table. I actually have chaotic boxes where I sort my beads / pieces in the different stages of creation. Beads without paint, painted but without lacquer, already started to combine beads/wire them, putting the single items together... up to: Just need an earring hook or clasp added. Would you believe that the last step may sometimes be the longest?

Ehm...

Finally I got some big czech glass bead drops and the black etched glass as well as the size and shape of the beads just complemented my polymer clay beads. They even sold the next day!

(I was tempted to keep them... but since the person fall in love with them, I could give them away :) )

On my worktable

Truth is: This was my worktable in 2014. Still it looks quite the same and most of the projects are not finished up until now. Above you see my little soldering set-up (also where I torch fire my bronze clay... in case you wondered why there is such a big hole already in my coal block ^^). I was already getting some experience in metal work when I was in the 9th grade. If you know my blog, I already showed some of my pieces I did then. Honestly? I am more impressed than ever what I did back then!

I already know the theory, I did this internship in the 9th grade as well as a weekend workshop end of 2013 (where did the last year go?). What is missing is the practice and more importantly: The feeling for the material. There is no reading, watching, whatever helping... except for practice. So, I am on my way!

What else: I am playing with chain ideas. More of this the next days, just as a small impression this little chain fragment made with swarowski bicones. I got them from a friend and used them all up. Now I need to get some more. I really like the look and movement this simple chain gets and with the wire wrapping the bicones really looks great. I am not a too big fan of shiny with more shiny things but the antiqued wire combined with the clear sparkles of the bicones is something, that speaks to me.

I am a little bit stuck with this necklace. Even though I already love it! It is a piece of ceramic a friend found at the ocean and gave it to me. I bought the tutorial "Starry Shards" from fanciful devices / Marina but insteadt of making the starry shards I framed/soldered the ceramic piece. The little white bead is one of my polymer clay beads and I also used several glass, stone and metal beads. I just run out of fitting pieces... so I am still incubating ideas in my head how to go on.

The lampwork beads I caught in a facebook auction and are made by Sue Reynolds (aren't they lovely?) and combined them with some hammered wire (silver filled with copper). 

Some more polymer clay beads in various stages of creation. All of them far away from being finished.

But you may already get the organic, rough texture...! 

Inspirations: On the streets (Leipzig)

Happy new year :) 

Experiments... with polymer clay and silver solder

Another bird skull made with polymer clay and my new surface treatment. Just a few fast pictures because the skull and the ring were for a friend and just finished before she left again and... just in that moment my digi camera run out of energy. At least I got a few pictures ^^

I have to admit that I really like this simplified, maybe (if it wasn't for the surface) even comic-like shape. Due to the crackles and colours it rather gets a tribal look for me. I'll have to make more!

The only useable... at least you get an impression... picture from my first ever made silver ring! Okay, silver filled with copper.... but still! Hammered, soldered, oxidised with liver of sulphur... at the same time easier and more difficult than I thought but I learned a lot! One day it will all go together, the polymer clay, the metal etching, the soldering, the recycling, the fabric and of course all the beads!

And everything else I may find ^^

"Tribal dance " - Earrings for the bead hoarders blog hop

Lori invited some time ago to join in her "Bead Hoarders Blog Hop" to finally use your precious little gems. I took this chance to start with some of my first bought art beads (not counting my own ones as well as the single random ones from markets or gifts). For years I really had to calculate my money strictly. But now I have more to spend, to treat myself a little bit more. Still, I was hesitating buying expensive treasuries. 

The person breaking through this with her work was Kimberly Roger. I was following her work online for a long time until she had a facebook auction for orphan beads. I could not... not... join and finally seeing the beads in real life... let's say... just got me. Since then (we are also not talking about a long time period rather the opposite) I got more of her beads and of course started a growing collection of art beads from other artists. Kimberly makes lampwork beads as well as these great copper sticks with enamel, her so called Numisticks. She made some in an unusual form and I instantly wanted some to challenge myself! 

The earrings you see are made with these Numisticks. It took me some time to finally decide how to incorporate them into the design. The pieces are just laying over each open therefore they are open but with the copper wire going through the pieces as well as before and behind and being wrapped with additional wire at the sides they are able to move but not to get lost without using so much force that you would be able to destroy any kind of jewelery. 

Hoarder... is a hard word but... yes I have a hoard. Not in a negative sense but rather like a dragon hoarding all its treasuries. Knowing each and every one, gaining pleasure by looking at them, by touching them, by dreaming of all possible designs and simply just by having them.

Strange thing is: I never ever had troubles giving a finished piece a new home if my work was loved. Even though that the beads were gone. 

One thing which may be a reason being afraid of using the little precious parts is (at least for me) not the fear of not doing them justice (honestly? Just start over!) but rather that by defining the one design you are losing all the other dreamed of possibilities of creation. 

This also reflects my desire to create. I wear my own earrings nearly every day, just change for some old special pieces (precious metal as well as cheap stuff but with stories to tell) as well as newer ones that are handmade by other artists. Still, even though I love them, even though I enjoy wearing them and the idea of losing them is a horrific one, I am not looking at them as often as I am looking at my beads. The beads are the ones that have the untold stories and images in them. 

If you wonder why I am saying stories: There is a feeling in every bead and piece I create. Sometimes more, sometimes less... Due to this I also started naming my creations, trying to reflect a little bit what I felt about them. 

There is something special in bringing a story to life but this one story destroys all the other possible stories. This is not a bad thing because this one story is growing in its creation process and the end is so much more than I ever thought of. But the first step to grow is to decide and to let go. The worst thing is to never ever have any story at all. Dreaming is something that shows me how beautiful the world around me is, gets me out of my dark moments and is the driving force of my creativity. But dreams require to give them life. Not all dreams can be part of our reality but also they don't have to. 

I try to use every bead I have as well as any other material. No matter how precious to me (be it handmade, with a special story, the only one left...). By not using them they never ever get the chance to tell a story. In the end it is not about losing all untold possibilities but to never ever give them life at all.

There may be just one... small... problem...

Ehm.... 

The amount of beads. ^^

If you are still with me after this long rambling you earned yourself some of the real life pictures! The ones reassuring ourself that we are not alone in our chaotic ways! Here some of my beads that are on the living room table right now (I am moving with my stuff despite the fact that I have a crafting room but Rumpel and I prefer to be together in the same room and he is tolerating my chaos). This is the tray ongoing projects. The bird I made for the challenge last month over at Art Bead Scene but never finished my idea of a necklace.

Mostly my own polymer clay beads and other handmade components as well as some random item. All stuff I would like to use soon therefore they are in an extra tray next to me ^^

Some of the pieces: A turtle I made for a challenge, wings, butterflies, beads...

An old tile piece I got from a friend (she found it at the coast, it is absolutely smooth): I soldered it and added wire to use it as a center piece n an necklace. I already love it until now but it takes time to go on. I already remade some pieces several times. I will also redo the connection between the tile and the white polymer clay bead ^^

A view of my packed art beads. The box also has some foam pads to keep them safe and secure!

Finally I started soldering! HA! I already did this during our work internship in the 9th grade in school (for three weeks with a goldsmith) and last year I had a weekend course. But now I also have all the materials at home for small work. Actually I even soldered the loops of the "Tribal dance" earring of the ear wire!

This could have been part of the annual pink advent calendar I make for a dear friend but... didn't make it...

Some dangling earrings in process with beautiful lampwork beads made by Sue Reynolds. She also send me some beads with a tough (but gorgeous!) challenge. More about this later...

Last but not least some new polymer clay beads in progress... still a long way to go!

So... and finally that was it: Earrings made for the blog hop, some images of work-in-process as well as chaotic bead mixes ^^

And again: Have a look at all the other beautiful beads here :)

"Red riding hood" - Earings

Okay, you my say, why call the earrings red riding hood when they show... red tiny houses? Honestly? I don't know! Since I started naming my earrings I just went with my gut. If an idea, a word, an impression comes into my mind, I go with it. The creation process itself, from the bead to the jewelery, always goes together with an image in my head. This idea consists not only of shapes and colours but especially of moments and emotions. 

The idea of creating houses with polymer clay is not a new one. There are tons and tons of images if you start googling polymer clay house (you may add bead as a search tag). But every single one if different and special... and... I just wanted also to have some house beads! I went for a beautiful dark red and used paynes grey acrylic paint as contrast. It is not as hard as black even looking nearly black. Trust me, it makes a great difference! :) 

I combined them with clear facetted czech glass beads. They look like frozen water and are by far belonging to my favorite beads ever. I repeated the colours of the house with the black and dark red drop. Just darker... grey to black and cherry red to blood red. 

Even while house beads are playful and I named the earrings after a fairytale... the earrings itself have a more grown up and somehow sincere feeling to me. I am a little bit surprised by this but hey, I really like it too! :)

Even if the houses are not too big, the earrings itself are actually quite long. It seems that I am in love with long dangling earrings at the moment. Maybe because I was surprised how well really long earrings fit myself! 

One thing I really learned creating my own beads and earrings: There are shapes and colours fitting everyone. I even had the perfect fitting pair for a friend who was never ever wearing long earrings just studs. Her features (don't get the wrong idea, she looks great!) were really difficult for any hanging kind of earring. We tried and she even convinced me that only studs were working for her. Then she visited us over a weekend (really spontaneous, she texted me late in the night and arrived early the next morning... she lives at the other side of germany) and joined me at the fair I was selling at (company is so great to have!). She looked at all my earrings and finally had one in her hand she really liked and even knowing her "problem" she tried... and they fit perfectly! They just had an unusual shape (you can see them here). There are earrings for everyone :)