Welcome to the Choosy Chicks Choose Chicklets Design Challenge & Blog Hop, hosted by Toltec Jewels and featuring lampwork beads by Sue Beads. Each participant was sent one “Chicklet” bead to incorporate into a jewelry design.
We were also allowed to purchase additional Chicklets if we wanted. And why wouldn’t we? They’re awesome. The beads come in a wonderful assortment of colors, with little flowers stamped on both sides. No one knew what color they would get – all part of the challenge and the fun of this hop.
I am a natural-born worrier and have had too many lost packages to put complete faith in the system. So, weeks before our beads were mailed, I went to Sue Bead’s Etsy shop to look for a “just in case” bead. As in, just in case my actual bead got lost. It was difficult to choose from the many colors, but I was especially drawn to the metallic black with an iridescent finish. My metallic Chicklet arrived just a few days after I placed my order.
The black metallic chicklet I ordered from Sue Beads on etsy. (photo credit: Sue Kennedy/SueBeads)
And then, as news of Chicklets arriving was showing up on Facebook feeds …I got an email from our hostess saying the bead she’d mailed to me had been returned as undeliverable. Because I am a doofus and misspelled my street name. Our hostess was kind enough to re-send my bead. Imagine my surprise when it arrived and I discovered it was a match to the one I had ordered! Squeee!
What could I do with two matching beads? Make earrings, of course. I love making earrings. The designs for them come to me so much easier than for necklaces or bracelets. And they are my favorite piece of jewelry to wear. I almost wired up a pair the day I received the second bead. But, through great force of will, I stopped myself. And decided to design as if I had only one Chicklet.
I used one chicklet bead as part of a beaded focal dangle on this necklace.
I made this necklace using an antique brass finish dragonfly charm and chain, with purple Czech glass beaded accents. I was initially going to use gunmetal with this Chicklet, and maybe vitrail beads as accents. I had put it in a project box with those things and set it aside until I had time to work on it.
When I got around to working with it, I had just finished designing a necklace and earrings with Vintaj brass chain and charms. The leftover bits and pieces were still on my bead mat. They looked good with the metallic Chicklet, and brought out the purplish-bluish iridescence in the bead. Which made me think of iridescent dragonfly wings, which reminded me I had this antique brass finish dragonfly charm. Et voila, a vintage-inspired dragonfly Chicklet necklace was born.
The metallic chicklet bead fits well with the vintage-inspired look of this antiqued brass necklace.
I was on the verge of making another necklace with my “spare” Chicklet, using the gunmetal color theme. But my muse was still in a brass and purple mood, so I went with it. And created this bracelet with more Vintaj chain and purple Czech glass beads. I added a few blue beads into the mix for this design, to augment the shimmer in the Chicklet.
The second metallic chicklet bead used as the focal in an asymmetric bracelet.
This was the first time I’ve used chain in a bracelet and not loaded it up with beaded dangles or charms. I used to view chain only as a component for holding beads, rather than a design element on its own. I treated it like bead wire and covered it with beads.
When I entered my mixed-metal/steampunk/vintage-inspired jewelry designs phase last fall I started to embrace chains as part of the design. I’m also trying to embrace asymmetry in my jewelry designs. This bracelet is part of my journey to finding asymmetry that flows and isn’t simply a lopsided design. I’ll get there eventually.
They aren’t a matching set, but the necklace and bracelet do coordinate and could be worn together.
I had so much fun creating with these beads. Many thanks to our hostess and our featured bead artist. Please visit their blogs, and the rest of the participants, to see all the lovely bead colors and wonderfully original jewelry designs. Thank you for stopping by. Before you leave, I hope you’ll sign the guest book – a.k.a. leave a comment, in the space below the participant list.
Hostess
Toltec Jewels www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
Guest of Honor & Featured Artist
Sue Kennedy SueBeads…A Beady Girl’s blog
Participating Artists
Linda Anderson http://fromthebeadboard.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Reno http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com/
Shirley Moore http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/
Kristen Stevens http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com
Marybeth Rich http://forestofjewels.blogspot.com
Jael Thorp http://jaelsjewels.blogspot.com/
Melissa Trudinger http://Beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Andrea Glick http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Nan Smith http://wirednan.blogspot.com
Blanca Medina www.peru-medesigns.com
Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com
Carolyn Lawson http://Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Rana Wilson http://Ranaleadesigns.blogspot.com
Robin Reed http://willowdragon.blogspot.com
Robin Showstack http://heartsdesiresjewelryforyou.blogspot.com/
Sheila Prosterman http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com
Karla Morgan http://Texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com
Kelly Rodgers https://www.facebook.com/BeadinBlackBlue
Jayne Capps https://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/
Mischelle Andrade Fanucchi https://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/
Heather Richter http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Kathleen Breeding http://www.zibbet.com/99BottlesofBeadsontheWall
Linda Landig http://lindalandig.wordpress.com
Crystal Thain http://beaddragons.blogspot.com/
Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Heather d-Entremont http://frugalmadougall.wordpress.com/
Dini Bruinsma http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/
Lori Schneider http://www.beadaddicted.blogspot.com/
Tammy Adams https://paisleylizard.com/blog.html (you are here!)
Melinda Orr http://bandanagirl.indiemade.com/blog
Lennis Carrier http://windbent.wordpress.com/
Cynthia Machata http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Hodges http://thewhisperingseas.blogspot.com
Debbie Rasmussen http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/
Tanya McGuire http://tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/
Charlie Jacka http://clay-space.com/blog/
Ev Shelby http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com/
Jasvanti Patel http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
I just love how the chain looks with the metalic glass in your chicklet. Both pieces are fantastic.
Thanks Tanya. I’m glad I just happened to see the chain next to the bead to give me the idea.
good for you to push yourself to create something new …. and create you did! Such lovely designs!! absolutely love the asymmetrical design of that bracelet!
Thanks, Cynthia. I enjoyed this challenge and the opportunity to try something different.
I am so glad you stopped yourself from making earrings because we would have missed out on two amazing designs. I totally love what you made and would wear both of those.
Thanks so much. If I had the right top, I’d be wearing that necklace. But I have a habit of making things that go with nothing in my closet.
Your pieces are lovely! I don’t remember seeing that specific color chicklet before and it’s wonderful. I love what you did with each one. Kudos on resisting the earring urge!
Thanks, Ann. It was difficult not to make earrings but I’m glad I didn’t.
Gorgeous designs! I am sure earrings would have been beautiful but I am glad you stopped yourself…what beauties you’ve created! I do a lot of asymmetrical design and you did a great job on the bracelet, nicely balance and wonderful eye appeal 🙂
Thanks so much, Kari. I need to build up my confidence for the asymmetry. Your comment means a lot.
I am so glad that you didn’t make earrings because I just love both the necklace and bracelet design. The chain makes such a great design component and looks wonderful!
Thanks, Shai. I’m thinking I’ll be working with chain a lot more. At least until I get distracted by something else shiny.
Lovely pieces!
Thank you, Elizabeth.
These are just awesome pieces. Very lovely.
I really, very much like the bracelet and how you put the chicklet within the brass ring. Great designs.
~cryssT
Thanks so much. Wishing I had grabbed more of those brass bead frames when I saw them. So many possibilities.
Gorgeous pieces, love the vintage look and love the colors you put together, super cool design!
Thank you so much, Kepi.
Both great designs, but I’m really crushing on that bracelet! Awesome work!!
Thank you, Shirley. That’s so nice to hear.
Fabulous creations! I love the way you highlighted your chicklets with the vintaj look. So cool!
Thank you so much, Karla.
I really like the way you created a triangle of chain that leads the eye to the chicklet in your necklace. And framing the chicklet in a ring in the bracelet is perfect! Why didn’t I think of that!? Great design.
Thanks, Linda. I probably got the idea from something I saw and don’t remember, at least not consciously. Ideas are funny that way. 🙂
I proclaim you “successful” at your endeavor!! Both pieces are absolutely perfect.
Ha-ha. Thanks, Jael. That’s very nice of you.
Gorgeous designs! I really like what you’ve done with the bracelet!
Thanks so much, Raissa.
wow, that was such a coincidence to have the same color beads. I love both your pieces, well done!!
Thank you, Jasvanti. To end up with the same color bead, out of all the amazing colors Sue made, was like the universe tempting me to make earrings.
Great set!! The bracelet is really a stunner. Great job in challenging yourself.
Thanks, Jen. I didn’t set out to make a set, but now I feel the need to make coordinating earrings. Earrings!
So beautiful, the way the czech beads and metal colours of the chicklets combine… ♥ love the set. Beautiful design…
Thanks so much, Dini. I think those gorgeous black metallic chicklets might work well with any metal.
That deep metallic purple color is one of my favorites too! I like how that color appears in your chicklets and your other beads too! The leaves in your bracelet are perfect too and seem a great go-between the purple and brass.
Your necklace and bracelet make a great coordinating set without being matchy-matchy!
Thanks, Sharyl. It was luck to have those leaves and beads in my stash because I waited until the last minute to decide to use purple instead of vitrail. And I prefer coordinating over matchy-matchy any day.
Wow, how lucky you were to get a chicklet like the one you ordered. Your pieces are gorgeous! I love the patina on the brass and how it accents the bead. Excellent work!
Thanks so much, Veralynne. I’m really in love with brass these days. I wouldn’t have thought it went with so many colors, but it’s a great design element with a strong presence.