Friday's Inspiration

When you look at this photo, what do you notice first?  

 

 

There's a lot to like about this picture.  The composition, the contrasts, the depth...
 
I was captured by the contrast of the purple rhododendrons in the center of the picture.  Once I started looking more closely, I was fascinated by the small break in the clouds that let just a hint of the blue sky through.  And then I started to focus on the pattern I saw in the fence...You get the idea.
 
Designing jewelry is a lot like photography.  You have to have something in each piece that catches a person's attention.  It could be a special pendant, the shape of the wire connectors or even the color palette.  
 
No one sees all the details at once.  And that's part of the beauty and mystery of art.  All it takes is something to catch your eye and then you start to see everything else the artist did to create the whole piece. 
 

  

As much as I like this necklace, it just doesn't work.  I think that the main reason is that it is busy everywhere you look...your eyes just don't get a rest.  If the pendant had a solid center, it would create a focal point because it contrasts with the pattern in the rest of the necklace.   

 

So I'm going to rework the pendant with a piece of white sea glass I collected last summer and we'll see what happens. 

 

And it's back to the drawing board for that shell...finding a way to keep the design in the shell the focus is my project for April.  And maybe May as well...

     


It's the Little Things

I had one of "those" moments earlier this week.

 

You know, when you look at yourself and wonder "how in the world did I not figure that out?"

 

I had spent the day with my grandmother and aunt and we had a wonderful time.  Ran some errands, did some shopping, went to lunch...just enjoyed spending time together.  I was dropping my aunt off at her house when we realized there was a problem with my car.  All her groceries were in the trunk and the trunk wouldn't open.

 

Now this isn't the first time the trunk has been uncooperative but usually after a few minutes of pleading and then thumping on the back of the car it will open when I push the button on the remote.  Not this time.

 

So I had to call my hubby and ask him what to do.  He asked if I had tried the key...well, of course I tried the key!  And everything else that we've ever done in the past!  So he drops what he was doing and drives the 30 minutes to "rescue" my aunt's groceries.  (Thank goodness that nothing perishable was in there!)

 

And of course, he pulls up, puts the key in and the trunk pops open.  As I'm walking over to help get the groceries, he asks me which key I used on the trunk.

 

Which key???  There's only one key for this car! 

 

Apparently not.

 

Of all the cars I've ever had, I've NEVER had a car that had a key for the ignition and a separate one for the trunk.   And since this had been my dad's car, I'm sure he was looking down from Heaven with that amused little smile he had and doing his "heeheehee." 

 

Glad my hubby also has a sense of humor.

 



On Fire for Handmade - Artist Spotlight

Thunder Rose Leather Featured Artisans

This weeks Featured Artisans are Debbie and John of Thunder Rose Leather. You will find original quality made leather accessories! Handbags, clutches, baby moccasins, medicine bags and more!

You can find Thunder Rose Leather on:
Website
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Etsy
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Spring is in the Air

I love winter...I love watching the snow come down and cover everything in white.  But part of the beauty of the seasons is that they don't stay forever. 

 

And I am so ready for spring! 

 

Today my hubby brought home two hanging baskets of purple petunias.  He's bought me petunias every year for the 17 years we've been married. 

 

 

 

It started out that first year because I was pregnant with our daughter at Mother's Day and he wanted to surprise me with flowers.  He brought home a deep purple petunia and planted it in a little planter we had on the front porch.  For a guy whose mantra is "if I can't eat it, why should I buy it" it was a pretty special gesture.

 

Since it's been so cold (my daffodils are just now starting to bloom and the tulips are just starting to push through the ground) I don't have pictures of my flowers yet, but here are some from last summer.

 

 

These are from my pergola...I have 6-8 hanging baskets that the hummingbirds love!

 

 

 

I love the colors of these azaleas! 

  

 

I have a wild rose bush next to the garage and the little roses start off pink and turn white as the season goes on.  It makes for a gorgeous display!

 

 

Roses are one of my favorite (although I'm partial to the pink cabbage roses that grow in clusters).  But I love this picture I took in the rain last summer of my miniature red roses. 

 

Can't wait for everything to warm up and get my hanging baskets ready!

 

 



The Need to Create

I've been watching reruns of "So You Think You Can Dance" and something that one of the judges said has stuck with me. 

 

One of the dancers from last season had no formal training but was able to hold his own with all the other dancers and in all the styles he was asked to dance.  And one of the judges said that one of the things that made him stand out is that he "had" to dance. 

 

   As any business owner can identify with, it's discouraging when sales are slow.  But every time I start to think that I need to just put it all away and close up the shop, I find myself doodling new designs.   And looking how I can re-design a necklace in a more modern way. 

 

I guess its true...I just have to create. 

 

  So here's my latest "creation"...bracelets created with a simple peyote stitch and various sizes of beads to create a wave effect.  I want to try to work on this design as a necklace, but it's going to take some work for it to lay correctly.

 

 

This first bracelet is named "Sand and Surf."  I showed a friend of mine and she said that it had all the colors you see at the beach so the name seemed appropriate. 
 

 

I really liked how the colors I used in this bracelet give the design a whole different feel.  It reminded me of walking on the beach at night...dark water broken up by the reflection of stars on the surface.  I named it "Midnight Walk on the Beach."  

  

 

 

I decided to go a different direction with this bracelet and use earth tones as the inspiration.  I like how the dark and light beads help create movement along the waves in the design.  I named this "Golden Elegance."

    
I love how just changing something as simple as a bead size can create such dramatic results!  And when you add in the color combinations, it truly is amazing!
 
These bracelets are all available for purchase in my Etsy shop...here are the links!
 
Sand and Surf 
 Midnight Walks on the Beach
 Golden Elegance



On Fire for Handmade - Artist Spotlight

   

Featured Artisan Creations by Moonlight

Today's Featured Artisan for Share the Love Blogger's Unite is Alluryn Daugherty of Creations by Moonlight. You will find Unique, Handcrafted Treasures in her  Etsy shop!
They will  Inspire, Adorn and Honor the Goddess in every woman.Visit her Website and check out some Free Treasures ~ Including my lastes eBook "Sparkling Goddess Series" ~ http://Creationsbymoonlight.com


Find Creations by Moonlight On:

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 Are you On Fire for Handmade - Creations by Moonlight is! http://onfireforhandmade.com

New "Reveal"

It's time for my own reveal...of sorts!  I try to make my grandmother and aunts something special for the holidays and this Easter was no exception.

 

They all are amazing women and I try to make things that I think they would like but are a little different than what they would choose for themselves.

 

This first bracelet is for my Aunt Vivie.  It is a variation of the right-angle weave stitch using magatama beads.  It has a sort of tribal feel to it and she's more of a traditional jewelry person (all these women are! LOL)

 

 

I'm ashamed that I don't have a better picture of the necklace I made for my Granny, but this gives you the idea of it's sparkle.

 

 

She loves flowers and purple is her favorite color, and this just felt like I was walking in her flower gardens when I was a child. 

 

My Aunt Nancy's present was an addition to her birthday present.  I had made her a bracelet and short necklace for her birthday with these amazing mint chocolate chip colored beads.

 

 

She asked me to make earrings and a longer necklace to go with them.  Luckily the bead store had two strands of those beads left in stock so I was able to make these for her.

   

     

She specifically asked that the earrings be just the large glass beads so I didn't add any extra beads, but I had to add these cute antique bronze bead caps. 

     

I wasn't able to get all the same beads that I used in the first design, but I think it goes well enough you don't notice the difference.  The large glass beads and my handmade links take center stage anyway!

   

And best of all...everyone loved them!  I'm so grateful for the family I have left and for these women who had such an important role in shaping my life.