AJE Earring Challenge Reveal 22 Weeks 45-46/52

It's the Art Jewelry Elements Earring Challenge reveal again!!

Only a few more left before the end of the year.

I've been busy, I know I won't catch up I don't even know how close I am to making a total of 52 pair this year but I think I'm close.

Fuschia Fantasy

These start out with gorgeous Headpins from SueBeads, stacked with Freshwater Pearls and a Czech Glass bead on top. Wrapped a little brightly colored Sari Silk roughly with copper to finish them off.

Tribal X

Some Copper drops and Bone Beads all with X's on them topped with a little Turquoise Square.

Mystic Wand

Copper Feathers snugged up to wonderful Ceramic/Porcelain tubes from O'Sullivan and heavily wrapped with Copper Wire. A bright Turquoise Square on top!

Fuscia Disc

Another set of amazing Lampwork Headpins from SueBeads dangling from one of my brightly colored Polymer Clay discs again roughly wrapped in Sari Silk and Copper Wire.

Stalactite

Incredible Headpins from Lori Lochner. They are such statement pieces on their own I wanted to do something fairly simple to enhance. I've been using Sari Silk in so many of my designs lately and it worked out perfectly for these Stalactite Earrings!

Lollipop

Lollipop earrings using Glass Headpins from Numinosity, I made a ring on top and wrapped it with Sari Silk and lots of Copper wire.

All of these earrings are availabe in either my Etsy or Artfire shops.
And don't miss the linky tool, please check out what the other Artisans created this time.

See links below.

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

KristiBowmanDesign on Artfire

Casting

For the last couple of months I've been collecting the things I need to start Pewter Casting. I found this tutorial by Anvil Artifacts that does it in a different way. I still intend to start casting in Pewter but right now I'm having fun playing with this technique using Lead Free Base Metal.

Here are a few of my very first pieces.

And I love headpins like so many of you out there do so I had to try some headpins. I took some polymer clay pieces and made molds of them and then cast them.

Included are 2 pine cone tops I recently molded and I'm making some Copper pmc pieces from them as well. But while I was looking through my molds to see what I might be able to play with these seemed an obvious choice and they turned out well.

I couldn't resist using the little round Ammonite headpins to make earrings.

I added some of my favorite little O'Sullivan beads and a tiny bit of Sari Silk.

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

Secret Garden Earrings

Come check out my Secret Garden Earrings at the

Earrings Everday Blog

Secret Garden by kristibowmandesign featuring knitted scarves

Acne slim fit jeans / Low heel boots, $56 / rag & bone knitted scarve / Handmade Secret Garden Ceramic and Copper by KristiBowmanDesign

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy.com

Oh! Sullivan Studio

Today I'm going to share some of the wonderful porcelain and ceramic components I found at the NW Bead Society Bazaar this past weekend. Beautiful work by Vicki Sullivan of Oh! Sullivan Studio.

 They have a website but it doesn't have any of the ceramic work on it yet.

 They will be in Portland Oregon at Montgomery Park on November 5th and 6th!

Vicki's work has a rustic quality that suites my style so well

 but there's also lots of color!!

I already made a pair of earrings from her lovely Heart pair

that are listed in my Artfire Studio.

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/3916735

Kristi

Bead Table Wednesday

Wednesday just keeps coming around, good thing too!!!

 I've been pulling beads together around a wonderful set of Lampwork beads I received recently from Loupiac, the shop is on vacation mode at the moment but these gorgeous beads are certainly worth waiting for. I hope to have a bracelet put together in the near future.

BTW Sept 14 11

For Bead Table Wednesday I'm going to share some of my newest beads. The other major thing I've got going on is my Bead Soup and I can't show you that! The reveal is on Saturday the 17th, not far away.

I'll start with these amazing Raku Beads from Wonderous Strange Designs

Next I have 2 sets of Clay beads from Bohoulley Beads through the Beads of Clay shop.

Some of you may recognize the purple beads above because the day I received them I paired them with the amazing Lampwork Headpins from Raida and made this pair of earrings that are listed in my Etsy Shop.



http://www.etsy.com/listing/81523394/handmade-lavender-ceramic-and-lampwork



Below are the 2 sets of Lampwork Headpins from Raida of HavanaBeads.

Below are a pair of Raindrop Headpins, this is the second set of these I've purchased...gorgeous!

That's all for now, be sure to check out the other BTW artists on Flickr.

Kristi

Did somebody say Muffin?!?!?

Well I'm gonna do it!! I'm joining the Muffin Tin Jewelry Challenge! I'm probably crazy for taking this on, but I have to finish the last couple Wedding Earrings so I thought I could include that in the muffin tin, and I've had a couple other earring designs in the back of my mind so I'm half way there already...right?

Who knew taking a photo of a muffin tin would be so tough!

bluhealer Lampwork, purple and rustic yellow Glass Beads

Polymer Beads by Pam Wynn, lampwork beads by OutWest and Ferrarioriginalbeads

Outwest lampwork discs, polymer clay rondelles and greek ceramic

Lampwork beads by SeaShoreGlass, Chalcedony briolettes and Aqua Terra Jasper

Macarroll Chocolate Crisp beads, Lampwork by Libelula and Carved Bone Beads

And so much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of the tins have extra bits and pieces in them so I have some choices (translation I couldn't make up my mind!).

Kristi

Art Bead Scene Blog: Muffin Tin Jewelry Challenge

Hello Ceramic Goodbye Stainless

I've been working on a new batch of copper most of the afternoon and will probably fire tonight in my shiny new Ceramic Firing Container. Before I do that I wanted to take a nice portrait of it in pristine condition. I have no doubt it will hold up better than the stainless container (I'm including a picture of that one too) but surely it will have some wear and tear over time as it does it's job.

Here are the copper pieces I have done so far, will probably try to do a few more so I can have a full kiln load. Some of the favorites, sunburst, paisley and lace flower rounds, and some new sea urchin in round, adorable little bees, leaves and flowers and a funky mod pattern. The photo is distorted, I don't know why and I can't seem to fix it...you'll get the idea :)

Hello Gorgeous...

Beautiful new Ceramic Firing container, my gorgeous new paper makes a pretty back drop don't ya think?

Bye bye old Stainless container, you did a good job for me but it's time for you to go!! I won't miss the black soot that gets all over everything each time I fire you.

R. I. P

Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/
http://www.artfire.com/users/KristiBowmanDesign

Randomness and Shop Updates

Where to begin, lots of fun stuff to share.

I'll start with a trip to the Ben Franklin store, I found some gorgeous Rhodochrosite stones that I promptly came home and made a necklace. I paired them with a Heart pendant I recently made from BronzClay and some cool Gray Wood beads. Perfect combination!! I will be making earrings to coordinate to list on both my Etsy and Artfire stores by the weekend so if you're interested keep an eye out for them. Here is the necklace listed on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66572987/bronze-heart-rhodocrosite-wood-metal

Also at Ben Franklin I found some amazing little display pieces, they had drawers similar to my printer drawers but on a much smaller scale. My husband and I are discussing how best to make them work as display pieces for using at shows.  I believe we're going to be putting rods across the top of each row of boxes so I can either hang the earrings directly on the rod, each one in it's own little shadow box OR when/if I get earrings cards I can hang each card in it's own section.

Each one is about 12" by 18" with each window about 3.5 x 4. I can't wait to give them a try, here they are.

And then...there's this absolutely adorable little set of drawers, 5 metal drawers and 3 wood. This can also be used as a display if I choose. But as you can see it works pretty good for taking photos of my earrings. Can always use another interesting prop for that!!

These earrings are a brand new pair as well, just listed on Etsy!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66664372/bronze-and-pebbles-starburst-earrings

I also found this beautiful off white tray, also more than likely to be used at shows. It's very vintage looking and I love the little cut outs around the edge. I'm thinking it will also double as a photo prop!

Lastly, I'll give you an Artfire shop update. These Sunny Happy earrings with bright Yellow Chalcedony and Ceramic beads from Bulgaria are so much fun!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66664372/bronze-and-pebbles-starburst-earrings

I actually have a little more to share but I'll save that for another day.

I hope you enjoyed today's randomness!  Oh and if you missed my last Post about Rag Tag Home Grown Photo set ups, go take a look!!! And don't forget, I opened a Flickr group just for us to share our unusual set ups, it's so much fun to see what goes on behind the scenes!!

Thank you!
Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/
http://www.artfire.com/users/KristiBowmanDesign

Artfire Studio Update

I've added 2 Necklaces, the first is made with a wonderful Handcrafted Ceramic focal by LadyBrook Designs. I was lucky enough to with this pendant through the Beads of Clay Blog a few weeks ago. I've combined it with beautiful River Rock Lampwork Glass beads by Beeboo.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2662295

 



This next necklace has a Wood Focal bead Strung with Lampwork beads by SilverFish Designs,

and a variety of ceramic and glass beads in neutrals and fresh citrus colors.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2663610


Don't forget about my After Christmas Giveaway and yes this necklace can be included. I'll be giving away the item of the winner's choice. That's right ANY item in either my Etsy Shop or Artfire Studio. See this blog post for details.

Thank you!
Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/
http://www.artfire.com/users/KristiBowmanDesign

Sales Continue through the end of the year!!!

All items in my Artfire Studio (including lots of new) are still marked down 15% plus free shipping.

Also...most items in my Etsy Shop are still marked down 30% or more.

Here are a few of the newly listed items from Artfire.

Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/
http://www.artfire.com/users/KristiBowmanDesign

Dragonfly Earrings and Necklace

I had some fun today working in my new Studio and working with these cute Dragonfly beads and fun and colorful Ceramic Beads and adding them to my Etsy Shop. I still have lots of organizing to do but I also got lots done a little bit at a time!

Fly Away Earrings

Fly Away Necklace

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy

October Challenge Entry

Here is the inspiration for the Art Bead Scene October Challenge.

Here is my entry for the challenge. I used gorgeous Red Carnelian Rounds, Sugilite shards, faceted Saphire Jade, Snakeskin Jasper, ceramic, glass and freshwater pearls and an antique brass chain.

I loved the intredients so much I made a bracelet...

And Earrings!!

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy