June Challenge: Designing with Pearls

The Starving Jewelry Artists Monthly Team Challenge is a way of encouraging one another to grow as artists by stimulating our minds and our creativity to move in a new direction.

There is no voting.

There are no prizes.

There is fun, the joy of creating, and the pleasure of seeing how other jewelry artists interpret the theme.

June's traditional birthstone is the pearl. Pearls don't just come in ladylike strands anymore. They are sold in countless shapes and in every color of the rainbow. Is your style demure and understated or wild and bold? June's challenge was to show us what you can do with the gift of the oyster and mussel.

Pearls in a multi-strand bracelet by Galadryl.

Sylvia finished first with a beautiful multi-strand bracelet that combined soft gleaming pearls and sterling silver. There are some crystals in there for the perfect dose of bling.

Cat's use of texture makes this a stunning piece.

Cat gave us a feast for the eyes with a seven strand fine silver wire crochet (chain stitch) necklace with dark beads, lava stone in two shapes, peacock freshwater pearls, and hematite in different sizes and shapes. 

Pearls are a perfect wedding adornment in these earrings by Beadsire.

Caron provided us a glimpse of these elegant pearl earrings made for a wedding party in England. Don't they make you wish you could see the pictures of the ceremony?

Bonnie added pearls to a vintage rhinestone shoe clip for this bracelet.

My contribution from The FamiLee Jewels mixed vintage rhinestone jewelry with the softness of freshwater pearls in a seamless combination of old and new.

Beaded bead earrings by Island Girl

Lynne made beaded beads using pearls. She suspended them from delicate ear wires with fine silver chain for a feminine fashion statement.

As you can see from our accomplishments artists love a challenge. Won't you consider joining us in July's Fly me to the Moon Challenge?

Saturday Style: 1970's Fashion Influence

Do you remember the maxi dress?
Was your closet full of flare leg jeans?
Did you own a jumpsuit?
Or does your only exposure to 70's fashion come from reruns of Charlie's Angels and Three's Company on Nick at Night?

Yes.
The 1970's are back.
Influencing fashion that is.

2011 fashion trends are feminine and ladylike featuring wider pants and flowing, silky fabrics. Floaty fluid silhouettes are paired with platform shoes and bold chunky jewelry in a girly style called boho chic.
This years wonderful color palette that includes honeysuckle pink, coral rose and beeswax are wonderful in vibrant prints, horizontal stripes and geometric designs.

Let a little retro chic into your life.
Still love your skinny jeans? Add a top with a asymmetric neckline and your big Foster Grants.
Can't let go of your favorite fitted top? Pair it with a pair of wide leg linen pants and some glam dangling earrings.
Maxi dress? Let it shine with heeled sandals and a long chain necklace.
Embrace fringe on your big purse and layer on those bangle bracelets.

Welcome back 70's.
I don't know if I am ready to wear pajama pants out in public, but if I have to see people wearing them in the grocery store I would rather they be satiny and luxe than flannel and covered with cartoon characters.

April Fool's Day Snow Storm is Sooo Not Funny!

As anyone in the Northeast can tell you, we have/had (since you're reading this on a Saturday) a real Nor'easter of a snow storm. And on April Fool's Day. So not funny. Really depressing. In fact it has me seeing red. The madder I got the topic for this post became obvious: red. Red anything as long as it's not snow white.
So, first off, here's an incredibly lovely shade of red, orange agate and sunstone, from 2 Belles and a Bead



Sparkly and warm earrings from Bead Origami



and from Shiny Adornments




More sparkly red from Bead Up a Storm



Not enough sparkles yet? How about this set of beads from N Valentine Studio



This piece reminds me of a warm log fire, from Jewelry Art by Dawn



That's it, I feel better now.

Have you heard about the SATeam Mother’s Day Giveaway Event?  You could win one of 3 gift certificates that can be used in the shops of participating team members.  To find out how to enter and for the complete list of participating shops, please see this post.

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

Once Upon…The Wings of the Wind

My fantasy these days, after a very cold and snowy season, are of flying, soaring, gliding….through lush green pastures bursting with tender new growth, over rushing water falls draining winter’s snows from the mountains, above glimmering lakes full of new life…tadpoles, ducklings, minnows. Obviously, I don’t have wings but I’m in a hot air balloon, taking in the wonderful sights of an exciting new season…dare I say it…”Spring”….Up, up and away…on the wings of the wind.

The talented jewelry designers of the Starving Artist Team have helped to fuel these fantasies with beautifully handcrafted “winged” necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, etc.

Enjoy….

AMDesignsbyAngela

TheFamiLeeJewels

PaintinbyFaith

popnicute

Shiny Adornments

MC Stoneworks

TJR Jewellery

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

Kumihimo Interview: Part 2 Sharing What You Love

Last week I wrote about how I found kumihimo, Japanese braiding, and how it led me to working with copper which in turn led me to a love affair with copper itself.

This week, since I have already explore copper a bit (and will do so again in the future) I thought I'd talk about what some of us do out of love of our crafts: teaching. Many members of the Starving Artists Team have taught classes. I was asked to teach a class on kumihimo, Japanese braiding, at the local bead shop BeadsontheKennebec.

When I teach I use the foam disk. It's the best for beginner braiders since it has notches for cord placement. (The maru dai does not which makes things harder; you need to know placement and keep it while braiding with no indication of where the cords go.) Here's what my disk looks like.



This is how I set it up. That black thing is my high tech solution for a counterbalance needed for keeping tension of the developing braid. It's a small bag that holds enough pennies, washers, and small batteries to get the weight right. I always keep it this way because I'm teaching how to braid, not to make a finished piece. They need to learn the movements. It took a year or so for class members to accept that. But they did and one day a class member walked into the store and told the owner that she had been asked to make a couple of necklaces for her coworkers. The sense of satisfaction I felt was incredible.

Now here's some important advice for teachers: it's good to have written directions to hand out so class members have something to take home. It's bad when the directions are incorrect! In my very first class I was showing how to start and a nice lady looked a bit confused and said "but the directions say the other way..." Lesson learned here: the first class teaches the teacher. I finally came up with a list of "Things I Wish I Had Known Earlier". So far the list is up to 25 things and still growing!

Some students must learn but need to overcome a disibility; one woman was not able to use both hands well due to a stroke. And it's so easy to get off topic and start talking and forget why they are there. Beware though, if you teach, expect students that aren't always so nice. Some really wanted to shop for beads (couldn't blame them but they paid for the class) and wanted to hurry through in an hour. Some think they know more than the teacher regardless of the subject! Some argue because "isn't there an easier way to do this?". But all things considered it's fun to teach.

So, the end of my interview now. But not the end of learning and having fun sharing.

Quote Me – Henry David Thoreau

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

~Henry David Thoreau

In what direction have your dreams taken you?

Has your creative-dream taken the path you thought it would - or has it deviated along the way?

Are you living the creative-life you’ve always imagined – or does it continue to elude you?

One piece of advice I have read is to write your dreams down. Or to speak them aloud to the universe. By putting your intentions out there, whether it be on paper or verbally, you are letting the universe know that you are (and will continue) to follow the path of dreams.

So, will you hold your head held high and live the creative-life you have imagined with no regrets?

Featuring jewellery from the talented SATeam – follow the link -http://www.etsy.com/people/SATEAM – to see all the members of the team.

To see more work from the featured members click on the photos to be taken to their shops.

Quote Me - Coco Chanel

"My jewels represent an idea first and formost.
I wanted to cover women with constellations!"
~Coco Chanel

When you hear the name Coco Chanel you think of her trademark suits and little black dresses. Her simple, yet sophisticated outfits paired with great accessories - often several strands of pearls.

She has become one of the more influential figures in 20th century fashion, an icon of expensive simplicity.

And don't you just love the way in this picture that she wears her pearls draped to the back!?

Her quote got me pondering two things?

One...

do your designs start with an idea? That little grain that embeds itself in your mind and blossoms (or festers!!) until it escapes.

My "idea" has always been to design jewellery that fits in to three categories:-

1. I would wear it.

2. It has to be feminine, but a little unusual.

3. It has to be affordable to the average woman (a throw-back to my broke student days).

The second thing the quote got me thinking about was where my designs have ended up.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to get a giant map of the world and stick pins in to show where our designs have ended up. I'm pretty confident that there wouldn't be much room left!!

So, a tribute to the women of the world - constellations in the sky, glittering in every corner of the world, adorned by all of our pretties.

Brings a smile to my face thinking about it...

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.

Latest SATeam Treasuries

Artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team have made their way into more Etsy Treasuries. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelery and beads. More information about the team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.


Weave Me a Dream

Stud Shop

Silver & Stones

Santa Babee

Color of Kings

Opposites Attract

New Starving Artist Team Treasuries

Latest treasuries featuring creations from the Starving Artists Team on etsy. Thanks to Prolifique Jewelry, WillowbranchMusings and ShinyAdornments!