April-June 2019 Design Challenge -- SPIRALS

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

Click 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.


Kim Vagnone
Aurora Eclipse 
"Under the Sea Pendant" I used wire, textured yarn, and a variety of Swarovski pearls and crystal, Czech glass, a polymer clay focal by Brooke Bock which I color enhanced to my intended palette, lampwork bead by Angela Bohanan, and metal beads in a sea theme. I formed my wireframe, crocheted the fiber for a good base for wrapping wire and beads to give an organic feel and look of fringie sea anemones. 

Tina Bunston
BlueTina 
These are copper frames with spirals inside.

Michelle Hornaday
Macon Beads 
I love nautilus'. This is a mixture of authentic and Czech glass shells.

Jo Ann Ewasko
Silver Linings Artisan
I have made this spiral pendant using 16 gauge square wire for the spiral, soldered to a textured backplate and added a rose cut tanzanite drop.

Annee DesignedIt
Stepping Out In Style 
I went all out with this necklace practicing my technique as it has been quit a few years since I have wire wrapped a chain and spiral hook and eye clasp.  I use non tarnish copper wire, suspended on a antique copper chain, featuring spirals, caged semi precious milky quartz beads, finish with a stunning raw selenite pendant I design. 

Tanya Minott
Tanya Minott Jewelry
Awesome ceramic ammonite spirals by Sarah Kandell with vesuvinite rounds at the bottom, and gorgeous carved yellow quartz roses; the pattern of the carved petals repeat the spiral movements in the ammonites. Tiny red Czech glass rondelles, sterling silver findings and ear wires; pewter bead caps.

Tammy Adams
Paisley Lizard
A small collection of spiral pendant necklaces inspired by dragons, sea monsters, and other magical creatures. The pendants are sculpted from polymer clay, hand painted, and strung on braided cording.

Karen Nelmes
Land and Sea Meet Sky
Copper bracelet with a shell cabochon.

Susan Dorado
Blue Licorice Creations
Copper and Moonstone

 
Kay McWhorter
Sonora Kay Creations
Spirals are a standard part of almost all of my designs.

Kim Vagnone
Aurora Eclipse 
Soft spiral

Carole Isenhart
Indigo Turtle Art
Porcelain nautilus shell pendant by James Johnson attached to a spiral patterned Kumihimo braided created from 3 different fibers by Carole Isenhart with a swirl patterned Terra Cast pinch bail.

Marcia Tobolsky
Design Images
Wrapping wire with glass seed and pink crystals in a suede necklace cord.

Marcia Tobolsky
Design Images
Wrapping wire with glass seed and crystals in a suede necklace cord.

Monica Rice Harlan
Jewelry Designs by Monica
Spirals at the top of the copper components, the Ammonite fossils, and at the ends of my Coral and Pearl dangles.

Pamela Hollis 
Pebbles at my Feet
The design for these earrings didn't quite gel until I found (yesterday!) the animal-print-looking stones. I wanted to feature the ancient indigenous quality of the spiral motif and accent it with something equally evocative of aboriginal peoples' art and craft. Maybe you see a birch bark vessel in the crazy horse stones that might be decorated with a spiral design, or perhaps an animal skin horse blanket on a spiral-painted war pony, these earrings can tell your own story. My own hand wrought and hammer-textured copper spirals, crazy horse stone pebbles aka "artistic jasper", and handmade sterling silver ear hooks.

Jeanne Parker
Silverwood Studio
Inspired by winding staircases... handcrafted etched copper... with my design individually drawn on each charm... & finished by hand... pleased with the finished earrings.

Michele Dodge
Lava Jewelry
Silver and enamel.

Laura Bracken
Bracken Designs
Bold spirals make from kiln-fired enamel on copper with sterling silver earwires.

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 in a couple months to see what the designers do with the next challenge: Greek Myths

February-March 2019 Design Challenge -- Pantone Color of the Year

Here are the entries from members of the SRAJD Organization for the following theme challenge:"Create a piece of jewelry featuring the Pantone Color of the Year”.  The color is called living coral.

 

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.

Tammy Adams
Paisley Lizard
These boho chandelier earrings with a southwestern flair feature coral colored stations with silkscreened mandala patterns. The warmth of the coral is complimented by the cool blues and greens of copper patina feather dangles and composite turquoise beads on copper wire. 

Pamela Hollis
Pebbles at my Feet
What's better than coral to represent Pantone's Color of the Year, "Living Coral"? I used new old stock (from around the 1960's when my Dad was making jewelry) angel coral beads and half-drilled coral sphere along with a nugget pearl in this sterling silver spiral pendant. The spiral or curling wave reinforces the "living" aspect of coral, even though the color is provided by harvested coral and pearls.

Jann Alexander-McCullough  
Phoenix Rising Metal & Glass

Monica Rice Harlan
Jewelry Designs by Monica
This necklace is Coral, Coral, Coral. (Not the name 😉) Just a lot of it. I love the ocean and used one of Emma Wilson's organic porcelain rings that reminds me of shell remnants with little barnacles. I then combined it with one of Leah Nietz's Shell focals with a brass chain and sand dollar charm attached. It hangs on a peachy Coral silk Sari Ribbon with brass bullet casings at the end and some of Micki Erb's lampwork beads at the end to join the clasp.

Annee DesignedIt
Stepping Out In Style
I made a choker using layers of tan leather lacing , coral pantone glass faceted beads, embellished crystal spacer beads , reconstituted turquoise flower stone detailing a bronze feather dangling ever so softly.

Tammie Tusher Everly
TTE Designs
Created from a white repurposed tin which I embossed with the beach motif. Then colorized with Ranger patina for metals and sanded back. Handmade rosary style chain and a frontal toggle clasp complete the look.

Barbara Sadler Swinton
Touch of Silver
This gemstone charm bracelet contains branch coral, sponge coral and bamboo coral, so lots of Pantone color of the year themed beads. A variety of gemstones including sodalite, turquoise and carnelian also made the cut, as well as a touch of millefiori and seed beads. I found the branch coral to be very fragile, so included much less of that than I had planned. There's always the question of oxidizing the silver before or after, and I did it before making any dangles. I did find that I removed some of the patina with all of my man handling, but to me, it doesn't stand out in excess. There is an extender chain, so hopefully it will appeal to a variety of wrist sizes. The focal is a hand cast pewter piece by Inviciti. It weighs 46grams. 

Kim Vagnone
Aurora Eclipse 
I used a focal from Brooke Bock, the colors were pink and light green. I added a few thin layers of color to swing the palette to corals and olives with subtle shimmery highlights. Then I did some wire weaving, nested some beads within the 'crown', added a crocheted fiber segment and wrapped the fibers with accent beads. Additional color and patina were added to enhance an organic feel. I often have a story running through my mind and enjoy the challenge of creating the beginnings of that story for others to build on. I started making the fiber components too so others can use them in their designs. The fringed texture makes a neat branch coral and anemones. 

Carole Isenhart James Johnson
Indigo Turtle Art
Here is "our" entry, a 3 way collaboration. Argentium sterling silver wire with sterling accent beads by Donna Knox (SRAJD member), porcelain cabochon - corals with white & lavender accents by James, coral Kumihimo braid made with fun & funky fibers by me (Carole). 

Marcia Tobolsky
Design Images
Hi, here is my design for this month contest, leather necklace with wrapping jasper stone and my own wrapping design with jasper and rose quartz stones. 

Tanya Minott
Tanya Minott Jewelry
I just happen to have pictures of this piece that I only made recently! Originally, the porcelain petals were hanging out in my stash, just waiting, since I'm not usually comfortable working with oranges, yellows, or even pinks very much. I had no idea that they would mesh so well with Pantones' Living Coral at all! Porcelain components by Melissa Gabelle, Czech glass, peridot, beryl, brass, and 14k gold fill ear wires, chain, and findings.

Laura Bracken 
Bracken Designs
Going through an enameling phase and all the pinks, and reds, and peaches, and salmon were great colors for my crackle hearts.

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 in two months to see what the designers do with the theme of SPIRALS. 

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. 

March-April 2017 Design Challenge Theme: Jewelry Inspired by the color BLUE

Here are the entries from members of the SRAJD Organization for the following theme challenge:"Create a piece of jewelry inspired by the color BLUE”.

Click 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.

Judith Williamson of Jude’s Jujus

I love Turquoise and the style of these Lampwork Beads.  Beads created by Laurie Donnette.  Thank you to all the SRAJD members who took part in this design challenge!  And thank you to all the viewers who read our blog!

Regina Croteau of Fused Glass Rocks

Fashionable and unique shawl pin which can also be used for hair, hats, and most any open weave item. It is created with 14 gauge and 26 gauge copper wire adorned by handmade lamp work glass beads in Royal Blue, Dark Turquoise with various shades of rich brown accent colors. Natural beads of Add to dictionary along with faceted turquoise and light blue glass beads finish off the creation and design. The pin measures approximately: 5-1/4" long x 1-1/4" wide. The pin and lamp work beads were created in my home studio.

Diane Perry of Catcophony Wearable Art

I love blues, from the aqua of the Caribbean to the deep blue of cobalt, to use in my works. Since I do so much copper metal work, they are a great foil to one another and always complement each other.

Linda Baldwin of Fired n Wired Jewelry

Large and feminine scalloped teardrop in sterling silver set with a Kingman Turquoise gemstone designed for those who love a bold look.

Kim Forrer of Wild Rain Designs
Turquoise Nuggets and Sterling Silver Cuff. Inspired by my forever love of Turquoise, which has always been my favorite stone. As a teenager I hunted antique stores and estate sales looking for treasures and collected vintage Turquoise rings to wear on each finger.

Kim Lyons of TapestryGal Designs

It was suggested by a friend that I name this "The Nile", as it gave her a feeling of being on the Nile in Egypt. I was super excited with how these came out. I used various vintage components and the combination was better then I expected. The blue turquoise is Vintage German glass.

Connie Dodson of Grammy D's Designs

I have always loved blue in all its many shades but especially the deep rich sapphire blue. I crocheted silver wire and accented it with seed beads in my favorite color.

Patricia Buchanan of Bracelets and More

The pattern in the aventurine pendant looks so much like an underwater scene! The baroque pearl seemed to be the natural accent for the piece and it reflects the blue of the aventurine beautifully. Sterling silver and tiny aventurine squares complete the piece.

Laura Bracken of Bracken Designs

One of my “minimalist” pieces, these lightweight earrings are made from sterling silver tubing interspersed with tiny Lapis Lazuli beads.  I love the deep cobalt blue of Lapis.

The next design theme is being run by Teri McCartney (thanks Teri!). 

Starting October 1^st and ending Dec 1^st

The challenge will be to create an original piece using whatever inspiration you can draw from the Pantone Fall 2017 Color Lineup. You have 10 gorgeous colors to give rise to your creation!  The winner shall receive a free 1 year renewal of their active SRAJD membership.

If you're an active SRAJD member, click here to submit something you create for this next design challenge.

And if you like a piece of jewelry you see here, please leave a comment for the artist and/or check out their shop (click on their name).

Thanks!