BOTANICAL Style December Week 1 SRAJD Jewelry Challenge

To read more about our challenges and/or to get in on the action, click here.

Please enter your challenge designs by clicking here.

Want to join in the fun? Join the SRAJD organization by clicking here. A great group of jewelry artists helping one another.

Click on any photo to see a larger image.

Our themes for December were chosen by the SRAJD members. First up is “Botanical”.

Barbara Swinton of Touch of Silver
The focal cream and copper pendant in this necklace is raku, a Japanese process of firing clay dating from the 17th century. Although many think that placing the hot piece directly from the kiln into a combustible material like sawdust is the norm, this technique was a recent Western innovation. No matter what the process, I have never seen a raku piece with this bright copper color, so, when I saw the pendant I had to snatch it up. The botanical theme to me is that which is inspired by nature. To me, this imprint of an evergreen, says just that. As I wanted to showcase the pendant front and center, I decided to do a simple chainmaille design for the body of the necklace and chose the flower cluster or mobius of shiny solid copper and sterling silver rings. The remainder of the necklace is a substantial sterling chain.

Neva Murtha of Spiral River Designs
Inspired by the huge western red cedars around my studio, these subdued cedar leaf earrings are a mix of copper clay cedar leafs finished with a dark antique patina and elegant sterling silver ear wires.

Kim Forrer of Kim Forrer Designs
Hand painted a leather cuff made from a repurposed belt using acrylics.

Tammy Adams of Paisley Lizard
These botanical-inspired earrings use brown enameled steel leaves as the focals. The leaves are accented with cracked glass "berries" in fall harvest colors dripping from antiqued copper chain. The earrings are on copper wires.

Sherri Jones of SenoJ Designs
The "Tree of Life" set is my interpretation of Botanical. I decided to use bright colors such as Purples & Greens, to accentuate this piece. I went with a Bronze wire for my tree and very delicate flower petal earrings to complete the ensemble. Enjoy!

Donci Bardash of Crush & Roll Designs
I had a very hard time choosing which item to share. Earlier this fall, I was inspired by the changing colors of the fall. In Austin, we get our "second spring" as well, where flowers bloom a second time. Eventually, I chose this 3-strand necklace, which features handmade beads made of cottonwood tree leaves. I have been making paper beads and had an epiphany during a walk that leaves could probably also be rolled into beads. It took some experimenting to find out which ones are pliable enough to roll. I trim the leaves, roll them with a little laminate glue, then leave them to dry for 2 days. I finish each bead with bead cores and multiple coats of high gloss finish. I paired these beads with anodized gold-toned aluminum chain and jump rings. The beads are separated with clear glass spacer beads. I recently sold this item to a woman who was looking for a gift for her sister, who just completed the master gardener program. It was almost too perfect to believe!

Carol (Britt) Clay of Wires N Pliers
A faceted red ruby teardrop focal with green and red firefly beads symbolizing vines, leaves and flower buds using "Twist Art." On black art wire, and black chain.

Diane Perry of Catcophany Wearable Art
I love pearls and adore copper so this piece was a natural-copper leaves and pearls-the juxtaposition of elegant pearls and earthy copper leaves.

Caroline de Rijke of CaroBijoux
A 'botanical' bracelet with pretty Czech glass beads and a beautiful grape leaf clasp.

Tammie Everly of TTE Designs
This 16in necklace is hand cut from up-cycled, repurposed tin storage containers. Each piece is cut, filed, sanded, dapped and hole punched and linked with stainless steel chain and a hook clasp. I try to arrange the cut pieces in a pleasing manner as each one is very different. This particular tin was made up of several colors of flowers.

Tammy Adams of Paisley Lizard
For this non-literal interpretation of the botanical theme, I was thinking cherry blossoms when I paired the rose quartz fan with peridot and clear quartz. This necklace makes me think of spring buds and blossoms.

Neva Murtha of Spiral River Designs
This one is inspired by the majestic cedars that surround my home and the cedar work bench in the studio. This copper clay pendant has the texture of the front of my work bench inset with 4mm nephrite jade cab and finished with verdigris patina. 

Meri "Roo" Garrett-Perez of Fire and Sand Studio
These earrings, remind me of the fuchsia flowers that I've tried so many times to grow. The bracelets colors & fringe remind me of the mimosa tree flowers. These don't smell as sweet but then again they are hypoallergenic! Lol

Jo Pound of Jewelry by Jolane
I did a bead embroidery bracelet with a very large Swarovski rivoli, which has vines and leaves surrounding it, two optic ovals and two opal cabochons as flowers. There are four colors of green found in botanicals and brown representing the earth. I loved making it!

Deborah Lambson of Deborah J Lambson
I have an obsession lately with the flow, shape and movement of the leaf or petal, so it made sense to me that I enter in this contest! These beads were done with the press from Germany that one of the artists made us all fall in love with a couple of weeks ago..layers of glass to achieve some depth and interesting color. The necklace is short at 18" and mixes large copper links and leather bands.

Vivi Varvarande of Vivilima Silver Jewelry And Bijouterie
This is a silver ring with glass flower beads. It has a a blue flower, a glass turquoise buble bead and a green glass flower. They are dangling from the ring.

Renee Bybee of Torch Fairy Designs
Clover lamp work flowers are from the talented Bulgarian artist Petrovna. The pendant is suspended on twisted sterling silver wire with Swarovski crystal> The "stem" has numerous triple Swarovski crystal drops depicting future buds. The pendant is hung on 2 organza triple strand 17 inch necklaces. The earrings are suspended on twisted sterling silver wire with Swarovski crystals and drops. They make me think of early spring and Easter.

Laurie Salinas of Kottage Creations
Made with a sterling silver floral band and a 1/2" sculpted rose made with PMC Fine silver.

Mowse Doyle of Mowse Made This
FAll leaves ! We live in a forested area near a river. The ever changing foilage is amazing. They were the inspiration for this piece made of polymer clay , strung with glass and acrylic beads. The favorite part of this piece , to me, is the little acorn dangle I made from a wooden bead. We are surrounded by the botanical wonder of Mother Nature. Glad I could share some of it with you.

Kay Lancashire of Kay’s Artycles
This is an oriental inspired piece. I've printed the brass with a bamboo stamp and etched then layered it onto a heat coloured textured sheet of copper. The piece is hanging on a chinese knotted cord and has polished wood and bone pieces too. I wanted it to look a little bit like a chinese painting.

Laurel Hanson of StoneWing Designs
I've always loved flowers, especially roses since Rose is my middle name. These Rhodonite roses are especially lovely, and to highlight their beauty, I wired one to an antique brass filigree for the centerpiece. The delicate colors of the Chrysoprase coins and Riverstone beads add to the feminine flavor.

December’s themes (as chosen by the SRAJD members):
Dec 2: Botanical
Dec 9: Whimsical
Dec 16: Winter/December themes
Dec 23: Bubbles
Dec 30: Beach

To read more about our challenges and/or to get in on the action, click here.

Please enter your challenge designs by clicking here.

And/or read the original blog post about the challenges here.