Author Archives: Tammy Adams

Stars Design Challenge: The Stuff We’re Made Of

Terracotta Goddess and Pentacle beadsThe theme for this month’s Art Elements design challenge is “stars” and today is the reveal of our creations. The challenge was to interpret the theme in any media using any technique. Of course I used polymer clay, and of course, I made jewelry. I had plans to make some ornaments too, but you know what happens when you’re busy making plans. Continue reading

Cornucopia Earrings Design Challenge

Brass and Pearl Cornucopia earrings

The theme for the We’re All Ears earring design challenge this month was “cornucopia.”  The cornucopia is a symbol of plenty in the shape of a goat’s horn that’s filled to overflowing with flowers, fruits, and grains.  The design challenge was to create earrings inspired by cornucopia and all they represent, from Greek mythology to modern fall feast celebrations. Continue reading

Petroglyphs Design Challenge and Faux Stone Effects

Faux Stone polymer clay petroglyph jewelry

The theme for this month’s challenge on the Art Elements blog was “petroglyphs.”  I signed up to participate in the challenge even though I had no immediate ideas for how to interpret the theme.  Sometimes I have a bunch of ideas right away for how to interpret one of these challenge themes, and other times …nothing.  That’s part of the fun of the challenge: either narrowing down too many ideas or coming up with at least one.

If you’ve followed my blog, you probably know I often struggle with being too literal when interpreting a design challenge.  It’s often only after I’ve seen where other folks let the inspiration take them that I get less literal ideas. One thing I knew with certainty for this challenge:  I was absolutely not going to literally carve rocks. Continue reading

We’re All Ears Fall Earrings Design Challenge

Polymer Clay acorn charms on brass earrings

The theme for this month’s We’re All Ears earring design challenge is “autumn”  The hostess for this challenge, Erin, introduced the theme with a lovely Ode to Autumn on the Earrings Everyday blog.  Autumn is my favorite time of the year, and autumnal colors are a year-round inspiration. Continue reading

Swirls in Mixed Media Beads

Polymer clay swirls and spirals beadsI thought making something awesome for this month’s Art Element’s theme challenge was going to be super easy because the theme was “swirls.”  Swirls. I love swirls. Make something artsy with swirls? Piece of cake.  Until I went and looked up the definition of swirl. Because, you know, what is a swirl, really?  And then I was down the rabbit hole of too many ideas and the artist’s block that comes with it. Continue reading

Mixed Media Seed Pod Beads and Sculpture

Polymer clay seed pod beads and headpins

This month’s theme for the Art Elements design challenge was seed pods.  Seed pods are especially fertile ground for my muse.  The diversity of shapes, textures, and colors in the vessels plants produce to protect and disperse their seeds is very inspiring.  There are so many ways to go with this theme that I could easily spend all year making nothing but seed pod-inspired art. Continue reading

We’re All Ears Cheers to July Earring Design Challenge

Green Appletini earrings on margarita glass

This theme for this month’s We’re All Ears earring design challenge was summer beverages.  I had a delayed start on this theme because I got myself stumped trying to think of things I like to drink in the summer that could be turned into earrings.  Eventually I realized I could just pick some beverages that seem summery and go from there. Continue reading

Mixed Media Sunflower Beads and Jewelry

Mixed media polymer clay sunflower dangle earringsIt’s reveal day for the Art Elements “sunflower” inspired design challenge.  Sunflowers are a wonderful color palette for a summer design theme.  Especially when you picture fields of sunflowers against a clear blue summer sky.  Although sunflowers have been cultured to produce flowerheads in a wide range of colors, I went with the sunny yellow/maroon combination of the common sunflower, Helianthus annuus, for my palette.   Continue reading

Mixed Media Art and Jewelry Inspired by Tidepools

faux sea urchin spine beadsThe theme for the May challenge from Art Elements’ blog team was ‘tidepools.”  Tidepools are a marine micro-habitat full of inspiration for any artistic medium.  They’re filled with textures and colors and movement. In fact, there’s so much inspiration in tidepools that I had an impossible time narrowing down what to focus on.  Where to start: the colors, the textures, the critters? Continue reading