January 2019 Design Challenge -- Mixed Metals

Here are the entries from members of the SRAJD Organization for the following theme challenge:"Create a piece of jewelry featuring MIXED METAL”.

Click below on any artist's name to see their website and more of the awesome jewelry they've made.

Click on an image to see a larger version of the jewelry.


Cherie Somerville
https://elksongjewelry.com/
I've been out of the scene for quite awhile, trying to stabilize my website sucks up all my time & focus! But this piece was creating just recently and I'm very fond of doing mixed metal pieces in general. I love organic, asymmetrical, amorphous shapes...curves & spirals and such. This pieces combines sterling & copper abstract shapes with a setting of deep green botryoidal malachite. Curvy, double-balled heavy gauge sterling wire creates a bail & fine copper wire "stitches" the sterling & copper shapes together. A mix of malachite & old India silver beads add more detail. 

 

Cathi Kent
http://www.beadstreetstudio.com
This is a simple piece made of brass and sterling silver.

... and a couple more pendants with silver and brass.

Rebecca Hibit
Copper/brass cuffs 

 

Monica Rice Harlan

https://jewelrydesignsbymonica.com/
Here's my little contribution. Pewter/brass/bronze boho turtle bracelet.

 

Pamela Hollis
http://www.pebblesatmyfeet.com/
I have plans in the new year to enlarge my technique to sheet metal sawing, and cold connections. Your pieces are inspiring! Here's my humble entry in copper and sterling silver and rustic cut chrysocolla. 

Annee DesignedIt

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnneeDesignedIt 

Fun accessories , I made myself a reversible necklace using a Dime and a Penny 

Pam Hurst 

http://www.pamhurst.com

I made this pendant with silver, 18k gold and a blue topaz. I reticulated the silver first.

Kim Forrer

http://www.wildraindesigns.com

Sterling silver hoops with some brass chain I received from a chain supplier as a sample. I don’t use brass chain but didn’t want to waste it so used it in these earrings.

Karen Nelmes

http://www.etsy.com/shop/landandseameetsky

I made this pendant and a few more that I am still working on. Along with earrings and bracelets. It is copper and brass with labradorite teardrop beads.

Kim Lyons
http://www.tapestrygaldesigns.com/
My first solo Keum Boo Pendant. Made from fine silver and 23.5 Kt gold foil, on a sterling silver chain. The texture was done with my Cuddlebug embossing machine and a commercial pattern. I use a Bee Hive Kiln as my heat source.

Tammy Adams
http://www.paisleylizard.com
This mixed metal hearts brooch and pendant necklace are polymer clay with silver, brass, and copper metal paints and an LOS patina.

Laura Bracken
https://www.brackendesigns.com/
Here's a piece I had not planned on making but a new student wanted to learn rivets and I always find rivets and mixed metals go really well together.Sterling silver, brass, and copper.

Thanks for visiting our blog.  The artists would love to hear from you so if you have a moment, please leave a comment.  Cheers!

Check back next month to see what the designers do with the Pantone Color of the Year. 

April 2015 Stringing and Bead Weaving Theme for SRAJD Jewelry Design Challenge

Before we begin with April, congrats to Darlene Orlowski for being the randomly chosen winner from the March submissions.

Darlene, here is a list of the prizes accumulated so far. Select your gift from here. Just msg or email me with your selection choice.

And now.... Our theme for April 2015 was “Stringing and Bead Weaving”. Click on each artist's name to see more of their work.

Here are the beautiful offerings of the SRAJD members…

Judith Williamson: The beads tell me and lead me in my designs. I like contrast and vividly colors. This piece was insured by the beads. I am a stringer mostly. Always on the lookout for different beads and unique findings.

Maxine Booth: Made with strung MOP flat teardrops and marquise shapes, white freshwater pearls and goldplated chain, beads and curved tubes, this necklace and earrings set would be perfect for a wedding or formal occasion.

Paula Huckabay: I fell in love with a necklace worn by Padma Lakshme on the finale of Top Chef and that was my inspiration for this piece. The technique is basic stringing with a little layering of components in the center. Although it may look elaborate it is extremely flattering to wear.

Carole Grant: Gorgeous oversized cuff bracelet with dichroic glass cabochon as the focal. Tiny seed beads of different accent colors, as well as pearls, stones, and glass beads. The back of the cuff is lined with a royal blue microsuede and the clasp is a gold plated box clasp.

Carol (Britt) Clay: Bronze Brocade Bracelet is a combination of knotting and weaving using beads to create a bracelet with chaining and a handmade clasp. After knotting a base bracelet with dark bronze Miyuki delica beads, a secondary weave followed on the perimeters. The bracelet has been created completely from seed beads ranging in sizes. A handmade etched hook clasp was added to chain that extends from each end of the bracelet making it adjustable from 7-8.5." 
       Inspiration: I see elegant evenings in the Pavillion at Avalon Bay, on Santa Catalina Island, this bracelet on the arm of a dancer in the hours of late evening.

Sarahbushka - Sarah Clay: Transparent golden peach delica seed beads are all lined up to make a pretty row, with stations of sparkling bead combinations, with each one including a faceted fire polished coppery beauty in the middle of each station. All lines lead to the front center, where a solitary pretty peach stick pearl rests, in full focus.
      Sarahbushka is a 3A gal, an Aloof Artist with Autism. She creates and sells her Art Careers necklaces. Sometimes if we’re lucky, she even allows us to share in the fun with her!

Carol (Britt) Clay: 3 row Boho Styled Beaded Cuff. I chose this entry for the April Challenge because April is also Autism Awareness Month. This Boho cuff features the standard 3 row style with a fully formed button hole and square knot button closure. Double needle lashing was used with crystal FireLine. The white leather cords hold the large creamy white Swarovski Elemental Crystal Pearls bordered by Firefly beads (glowing matte seed beads) in the basic Autism Spectrum Awareness colors of Indigo, Scarlet, Pale yellow and Sky Blue were used. The shank button is a patterned gold metal.

Tammy Adams: Rustic faux copper patina flower beads, made from polymer clay, are strung with turquoise-dyed howlite and copper spacers. The back of the necklace is antique copper finish chain for adjustable length.

Julie Vargas: This Antique Style Bracelet is 8 in long with a lose feel, delicate and comfortable to wear. Bracelet is made with using basic stringing techniques and with 18 mm Tiger Eye, Faceted Carnelian Beads (Orange, Cream and Opaque White) Creamy Burgundy Bead, 10 x 8 mm Lt Topaz Rondelle Faceted Crystals,6 mm Round Faceted Garnet Crystals, Sterling Silver Spacer Beads, Handcrafted Antique Style Sterling Silver Bead Caps, Antique Style Sterling Silver Toggle Clasp.
     I like to design jewelry for all kind of life styles but the antique style jewelry has being my favorite, it reminds me of an era of elegance and style.

Julie Vargas: Wanted to design something that had a fan shape but still fashionable, stylish and with some bling! My inspiration was a lace fan that had some seed beads, it look so delicate and beautiful. So using simple and basic stringing techniques I combine some round Hematite Copper with AB faceted petal leaf golden shadow crystals, amber faceted cubes and an Antique Toggle Clasp to design the necklace and made the matching pair of earrings using basic loop techniques.
     The total length of the necklace is 18 inches and the earrings are 2-1/4 inches long.

Barbara Swinton: This focal bead has been waiting for just the right inspiration and this month's challenged called for me to finally do something with it. Multiple strand necklaces are challenging for a number of reasons, the biggest for me is getting them to lay on the neck in a pleasing way...shorter on the inside, longer on the outside? Or braided together so they stay put? And then how to attach to the closure? The Noreena jasper and the seed beads pick up the colors in the pendant and the strands lay separately and attach to a triple ring connector.

Barbara Swinton: In trying to use up many of my beads at one time, I've thought that memory wire bracelets might be a great way to use lots of goodies and would be a fun project for the beaded challenge. This bracelet was created using the colors and stones of the Southwest - lapis, carnelian, turquoise, silver... in addition to some vintage millefiori beads, howlite, magnesite and yellow jade. My first memory bracelet - casual, colorful and a nice bead sink....

Laura Bracken: Here's one I thought turned out really well.  Beaded beads necklace.

We hope you’ve enjoyed looking at these wonderful creations. Make sure to check out the other monthly challenges.

If you’d like to get in on the action, join the SRAJD organization. If you’re already an active member, submit your jewelry challenge piece here for the current month.

CIRCLES March Week 2 Geometric Theme SRAJD Jewelry Challenge

Here are the results of the second week in our month of geometric-themed designs.  The SRAJD members were challenged to design a piece of jewelry with the geometric theme of circles.   

Click here to see the announcement of our 2014 challenges and how you can participate if you are an SRAJD member or want to become one.

Jo Pound of Jewelry by Jolane

This is a cuff style bracelet made up of circles, half circles and partial circles.

Kay Lancashire of Kay’s Artycles

“I wanted to create a piece which was using cold connections with the cogs creating a steampunk influenced piece. The two big circles are stitched together with a woven strip of wires.”

Cindy Devine of Devine Designs Jewelry

Cindy Devine of Devine Designs Jewelry

Kim Forrer of Kim Forrer Designs

“I made these as two separate pairs, but then decided they would look fabulous paired together. Colored with layers of alcohol inks.”

Carol Evans of C. Evans Designs

“I was trying to create the look of natural tumbled sea glass... like a round slice of the neck of a glass bottle. I etched a handmade lampwork glass ring and suspended a small white banded bead using formed sterling silver wire.”

Debbie Bruce of Bead-ifulWorld

Jamie Thompson of Sumer Thyme 2

Tammie Everly of TTE Designs

“Polymer clay extruded pendant and earrings set.”

Sue Ranbarger of Suzie’s Little Shop

Nohline L'Ecuyer of Nohline L'Ecuyer

“Cutting circles by hand was a fruitless way to work out my design. While purchasing a round punch at Michaels, I walked passed all these wonderful papers. As so we have -  "Circles of Spring" - Bazzill Paper and tiny rivets.”

Pamela Traub  of Klassy Joolz

“Pendant made with large Artisan Lampwork Beaded discs and sterling silver.”

Nathalie Lesage  of CanadianRockies Art

“Circles everywhere :) Circle Aquamarine (fancy cut wheel shape), wire wrapped on a double circle, with circle shaped earring hooks, held by circular rings at the top... and circular ring at the bottom holding the cluster of... you guessed it... circle/wheel shaped Aquamarines :)  Ok, so I could not find a large circular drop for the bottom of the earrings, it's pear shaped ;)  Cheers, Nathalie"

Bonnie Jacobsen of BDJDesigns

Ronni Eloff of Vamp Kitty Designs

I saw these disks and my first thought was Green Harlequin.  6mm Black Onyx, 6mm and 4mm Dark Green dolomite marble rounds with blackstone coins, sterling silver beads with these amazing Blackstone/Ching Hai Jade Harlequin pattern discs. The Lariat measures 36 from tail to loop top.