Collaboration Exploration - Garden Party!

Oh, I have some fun things to share with you today. It's the big reveal of the latest round of Collaboration Exploration! What is that? Two beadmakers create 3 sets of beads, we pair up with a jewelry designer and each of us use the beads to create a collaborative piece of jewelry or two. The only rules are that we have to use at least one bead from each artist and we don't share the results until the reveal. It's my favorite game! The players this round are myself, beadmaker Gaea and designer Lorelei Eurto!

My first design features one of Gaea's Lantern pendants, my Lily bead and copper disks, along with a raku disk, copper metal disks, brass chain, faceted pearls, a few coin pearls. I ended the necklace with a silk ribbon for the closure.

When I first saw Gaea's lantern pendants they reminded me of my favorite painting from Sargent. Which has inspired a line of beads. I wanted this necklace to have the feeling of lanterns swaying in a garden, but I didn't want the piece to scream summer, so I paired it up with the coppers of the fall season and some subdued gray/blues.

The next necklace is a fun pendant with the lanterns, my garden lantern beads, a gunmetal tassel, and a copper pearl. The top part is something different, I used a hardware retaining ring, which I love them and need to find more! I added Green Girl's Lotus pendant with two jump rings and a chain attaches there to create the necklace. Although I think I may redo the chain to a larger size to better compliment the scale of the pendant.

Please visit Lorelei and Gaea's blogs to see their amazing results!

Collaboration Exploration

It's time for another round of Collaboration Exploration! This is a design challenge where two beader makers and a designer team up to see how each interpret the same set of art beads. Pictured above are the beads for this collaboration from myself and Cindy Gimbrone. The designer joining us is the very talented Katie Hacker.

O- Ring Necklace

Brass oval rings and paired together with a dandelion wine bead, a glass link from Cindy, a sparrow's compass from Vintaj and lots of brass chain. This necklace measures 30" long.

Forest Through the Trees Necklace

Next up I used my little hoot owl bead with Cindy's glass link. I added in a pendant from Mary Harding, teal disk beads with stones, pearls and a brush silver-tone chain.

Nourish Creativity Necklace

This sweet collection features another glass link from Cindy, golden disk beads and an olive chrysanthemum from me. The bird and nourish pendant are from Earthenwood Studio. Glass ruffles and a raku bead round out the collection of art beads. The leaf and branch clasp are from Vintaj, warm chocolate pearls finish the back of the necklace.

The Brass Ring Bracelet

This is my favorite! A filigree brass ring from Vintaj is off-set by Cindy's glass links. In between the rings are my golden branch beads. The closure on this bracelet is a soft buttery piece of leather. The bracelet can be adjusted to fit any size.

Check out Katie and Cindy's posts with their designs.

Vintaj brass can be found at Bello Modo.

Day Late and a Necklace Short!

I'm pleased to share another round of Collaboration Exploration. This is where two beadmakers and designer team up for a little creative exercise. The beadmakers make a collection of beads for each person and then each of us designs something combining the two art beads. My partners in crime this time are ceramic beadmaker Mary Harding and up-and-coming designer Lorelei Eurto.

My first necklace combines Mary's Thistle pendant with a set of copper lariat beads. I added in a raku disk and one of mine to complete the pendant. The necklace is rounded out with wood and copper coin pearls.

My second necklace is a charming little number with Mary's clover pendant front and center. A combination of our beads are mixed in with a few pressed glass finds. The necklace is completed with an adjustable leather cord that uses a large ceramic disk bead to hold it together, working as the clasp.

Check out Mary and Lorelei's collaboration results.

I have another design on my bead table, but that will have to wait until next week. Someone stole all of my hours this week, I haven't had a minute to bead!