AJE Component of the Month for May 2014

The gorgeous components this month are created by the talented Sue Kennedy of SueBeads.  She gave us the choice of one of her amazing pressed glass cabochons and several of her new pressed bead design...chiclet beads!  It was a really hard choice, but I chose a cabochon and received a gorgeous purple one!

I first thought that I would practice my soldered bezel setting skills, but kept trying to think of something different.  I settled on creating a woven wire "lace" bezel against a copper flower back plate.

I wanted to keep the necklace simple, but wanted to incorporate some different color than the copper and purple of the cab.  I remembered these sweet little Czech glass "twin" beads I bought a while back.  Not sure what I was thinking...am not a seed beader!  I devised a way to wire-wrap them into a chain though and they work perfectly with the purple cab.  I added a second strand of copper "hammered bar" chain I had in my chain stash.

Wanted to add a dangle beneath the flower, but couldn't figure out what.  I remembered some Czech glass teardrops I had bought and they really complemented the purple cab and the Czech glass in the chain. I oxidized everything with LOS and let it tumble for an hour or so.

This was such a fun piece to make and you all know by now that I am a sucker for Sue's lampwork!  In fact, I purchased one of the 1st pairs of chiclet beads she posted, and just last week, swooped in for 2 more pairs!

Thanks for stopping by!  Go show some love to our guest designers and the AJE team!

Guests

Shai Williams

Erin Prais-Hintz

Kari Asbury

Carolyn Lawson

Merja Sundstrom

AJE Members

Susan Kennedy

Diana Ptaszynski

Linda Landig

Lesley Watt

Caroline Dewison

Francesca Watson

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Rebekah Payne

Keirsten Giles

Kristen Stevens

December AJE Component of the Month...Labyrinth

Good morning, all...just getting in under the wire to still say that!  Happy New Year's Eve!

One of the cool perks of being a contributor for Art Jewelry Elements is getting to participate in the Component of the Month challenges.  Each month, one of the AJE members offer a selected component and create a limited number for members who want to participate, a few to giveaway to random commenters, and of course some in their shop for anyone else to join in the fun.

This month, our hostess is Jenny Davies-Reazor, who creates amazing ceramic pieces. She designed these amazing, colorful labyrinth pendants.  We had our choice of color and the number of holes.  I felt drawn to the 3-holed ones. Here is what I came up with...

I had a piece of leather with sterling ends already for a necklace that I never got around to using and thought it would add to the rustic charm of the pendant.  I went through several designs, however, and nothing really latched on.  Originally, this was going to be mostly leather, with a couple of beads, and a front clasp, but the leather was not cooperating.  I ended up using these gorgeous Czech glass beads in a mulberry and black, from ArteBella Surplus.  By the time I got it looking the way I wanted, it was so long, I decided to 86 the clasp altogether, so it slips right over your head!

I may go back and ditch the leather as well, and incorporate some more silver and maybe some chain...I think I will live with it for a couple days and decide!  What do you think?

Here is a list of the other participants...please go and see what lovely pieces they created!
This months guests of honor:

Emma Todd

Lee Koopman

Jess Green

And participating AJE team members: 

Jen Cameron 

Kristi Bowman

Diana Ptaszynski

Kristen Stevens

Lesley Watt

Francesca Watson

Melissa Meman...me

Jo Tinley

Linda Landig

Sue Kennedy

Jenny Davies-Reazor, your hostess 

Bead Soup 6, about to commence...

tomorrow, Saturday, July 28.  All I can say is, thank goodness mine isn't due until August 11th!!

I realized today, that I haven't shown you all what I sent to my partner EmaK, nor what cool and wondrous things she sent me.

Today, I'm showing you what I sent out!

Sweet Czech glass from ArteBella Surplus

Enameled filigree beads, torch-fired by moi!

The focal - a mixed metal soldered pendant with a little mother of pearl, created by moi!

Matching copper toggle clasp, also created by moi!

Extras, to round out the soup..satin-finish copper rondells, and some 6mm feather -lace amethyst

I can't wait to see what Ema creates from it...stay tuned, and I will show you the great stash I got from her.

In the meantime, make sure to go check out all the amazing bead soup creations that will start being posted at midnight tonight!!  For a list of everyone participating in tomorrow's hop, visit the Queen of Bead Soup herself, Lori Anderson!

My New Addiction!

I am in deep trouble!  A portion of my last 2 hauls from ArteBellaSurplus.  Part of me wants to curse Karen, but the other part wants to hug her!