September's Challenge was a Doozy!

The September topic turned out to be more thought provoking than anticipated. The directive was simple. Make a piece of jewelry that evokes the feeling of Back to School. The intrepid jewelry artists that answered the challenge interpreted it in 3 distinctly different ways.

Bonnie posted a necklace made of vintage American advertising items. Who wouldn't be ready for school with a pencil, an eraser, a copybook and an angel to look over you?




Camilla's Grandma is going to be the coolest girl in school wearing this chained and beaded eye glass holder. Don't you love the way she made the attachment for the glasses out of hammered copper?




Caron's pendant was inspired by the 1967 move To Sir with Love that starred Sidney Poitier. The beautifully mottled stone heart is dyed sea sediment jasper.



The back to school topic was really just a timely (for those of us that live in the Northern Hemisphere) choice of words. It was not intended to be difficult or painfully thought provoking. It certainly provided inspiration and made us "think outside the box".


Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Supplies

Check out these recent SATeam listings for lampwork beads and jewelry components! Click on any picture to learn more about the item.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com

The end ... ?

A few days ago was the first day of fall for the Northern hemisphere.
Days are getting shorter and many people I know are sad about the sun going away. The other day one of them said it's like an old friend saying goodbye. People are dreading going out of the house in darkness in the morning and coming back in the darkness.
I love fall and I don't mind it being dark. It's like practising for winter, but without the cold.

Darkness can be beautiful and one of my favorite songs that always come to my mind when I think of it is "The End" by The Doors. It somehow has that mysterious quality, the right mood for an afternoon spent in my armchair, with a cat on the blanket over my legs, a drink on the table, a book in my hand that I have forgotten about because I am looking out of the rooflight above me, taking in the beauty of the dark clouds in the sky and letting my mind wander .......

"Mad sky" fine art photograph by Jude McConkey

To show this beauty of the darkness to you, I chose a few pieces once again.
Don't say anything, just enjoy.

Black onyx diamond and silver necklace by 2 Belles and a Bead

Gun metal silver and flashy labradorite necklace "Dark dream" by Shiny Adornments

Gothic spider ring all black crystal by The Family Jewels

Jet black and silver beaded earrings by Bead Origami

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the Etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Interview with the artist - BeadSire

By N Valentine Studio

Featured Artist - Caron from BeadSire, Queensland, Australia



What is your craft?
Wirework and metal clays

How long have you been working in your medium?
I've been playing with wire for about two and a half years and am still a beginner when it comes to metal clay.

PMC filigree peridot pendant

What drew you to this medium?
I love stones and wanted to enhance the beauty within each one, they tend to speak to you. So I started playing with wire wrapping them and then started to play with clay to see what I could do to expand my knowledge base.

What is your favorite thing about your art?
Starting with one idea and ending up with something completely different - the best thing is starting with a not so attractive stone and by the time you have finished with it, you have this piece that is truly lovely!

What's your favorite piece?
I have a few special pieces, but not any particular favourite, as so much goes into each one I make that it's hard to pick a favourite.

Banded Agate

What's the hardest piece you've ever made?
My first PMC bezeled piece - you have to get the bezel just right, otherwise you'll have gaps when it is fired - used up a heap of bezel wire, but got there in the end and I was thrilled with the result.

What's the one favorite tool you cannot live without?
Can I say pliers! I remember when I started off, I had these cheap dollar store ones, but then invested in a set of good quality ones. The other day I was teaching my daughter how to wire wrap beads and used the cheap ones - that didn't last long and I will now invest in a good set for her as well (before I lose them :-)).

What's your favorite thing about your workspace or studio?
My studio is my garage and is a work in progress. I need to get some more storage and drawers for my beads, but it's a great space and I do love my little workbench!

Who or what inspires you?
There are many artists across various mediums that inspire me, especially within our team. From Cat who can create magic with wire to Kristi who transforms clay to works of art, then there are the seedies like Erin and Peter who leave me in awe or the firies - Ness, Melissa, Gail or Nicole - who captivate me with glass, just to name a few.

What's your favorite inspirational saying?
It only takes a second to be nice to make someone happy for a long time.

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?
There is a wealth of techniques I'd like to learn and incorporate within my designs which include chain maille and seed beads.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Blog Carnival September 2010

This month's topic for the SATeam blog carnival is "Recycled Materials: do you use them and how?"

What is a blog carnival, you ask? It is when several team members write a blog post about the same topic and publish it a the same time.

Follow the links to the blogs of this month's participating members to find out how recycled materials play into their work.


Danagonia


Bead Sire


The FamiLee Jewels



Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

A Golden Rainbow

Selected by Camilla of Danagonia

Click on any photo to learn more about the item.

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Aquamarine: Gem of the Sea

Aquamarine is a variety of the mineral beryl. Known to the Romans and Greeks, it's name means "water of the sea." They believed that this sea-colored gem was a powerful talisman of protection for sailors.

Finished aquamarine ranges in size from very small up to several hundred carats. Most of what we see on the market is an extremely pale blue material but it can occur in bold hues, as well.



The natural color often includes an element of green. Heat can lessen, and even eliminate, this cast. Gems with a greenish tint can indicate an untreated stone like this amazing specimen:




Specimens containing intact liquid inclusions prove the absence of heat treatment. These inclusions are often two-phase, meaning that they contain both liquid and gas and what you will see under the microscope is a liquid-filled void with a bubble in it.



For your drooling pleasure, please enjoy a few pieces by our talented Starving Jewelry Artists:






Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Pretty 'N Pink

Selected by Camilla from Danagonia

Click on any photo to learn more about the item.

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Supplies

Check out these recent SATeam listings for lampwork beads and jewelry components! Click on any picture to learn more about the item.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com

Found objects

I think there were not many people in the Euro countries not collecting the coins of the other countries when the Euro was introduced. Some coins are considered to be rare and even now I have to hold back to not collect all Luxembourg coins. Of course I also collect coins from other parts of the world, either because they are leftovers from a vacation or because they are pretty. And I found a way how to not just hide them away in a drawer, but to make jewelry out of them.
I was not aware that they are "found objects", though. I don't think we have that term in German and if we do, I don't know it.


Like all good internet users do nowadays, I went to Wikipedia for help once again.
"A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things (including, at times, dead bodies) which occur in nature. In both cases the objects are discovered by the artist or musician to be capable of being employed in an artistic way, and are designated as "found" to distinguish them from purposely created items used in the art forms."
Ah.

Now I was curious what other people designed with, so I went ahead to find some found objects in the team shops ;-)

Sea or beach glass is found on the beach and can come in lots of different colors with kelly green, brown and clear being the most common ones.
These earrings by RioRita show how beautiful sea glass can look in a clever design. I could really imagine some Roman lady wearing these!


Keys are often used in jewelry or sewing, for toggle clasps for example. It's nice that they can be used even after losing their keyholes.
This piece by BEB Designs however uses a keyhole. Is that a cool necklace or what?


Anything goes if you know how to use it. Typewriter keys, a piece of a ruler, Scrabble tiles, a domino - you don't believe me? Look here!
The mixed media charm assemblage necklace by Jenni Leigh Creations has it all. Told ya.


Maybe this post gave you some ideas, maybe you are already going through your own drawers (although you are also welcome to go through mine if you can get them in some order!). Let us know what things you have "found" and what you do with them!

By Cat from Cat's Wire

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.