Jewelry Design Challenge: Greek God Apollo

polymer clay pendant
As I head into my third month participating in the Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design theme challenges, I am still on a roll with the polymer clay. The overall theme for May is Greek gods. The sub-theme for the first week is “Apollo, god of the sun, light, and healing.”

I have been a fan of mythology since childhood. Loving the theme for this month doesn’t necessarily make it less of a challenge for me to come up with jewelry designs that personify gods, which themselves embody human emotions and characteristics. But I am having fun, especially dusting off my mythology books and reminiscing about my world views when I fist got hooked on the subject. Continue reading →

Jewelry Design Challenge: Fire Element

Jewelry Design Challenge Fire Element NecklaceThe element “fire” was the theme for week four of April’s “elements” jewelry design challenge on the Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design blog. I’ve been on a roll this month, making my own beads and focals from polymer clay for these challenges.

The element of fire is both creator and destroyer. When I think of that duality of destruction and creation for fire, I immediately picture volcanoes creating islands at sea. Liquid fire, in the form of magma, spews up from the molten center of the earth, creating new land masses at it is cooled by the ocean waters.  Continue reading →

When Good Design Ideas Go Bad

sketch of necklace designI don’t always sketch my jewelry design ideas before getting to the business of assembling a necklace, earrings, etc.  When I do sketch, it’s very rough and tends to resemble one of my old cellular biology lab assignments where every little part is labeled and has a line connecting the label to the doodad.

So maybe it’s not too surprising that there are times I have to go back to the bead board because the execution of my idea does not connect to my vision of the design.  Here’s an example of what I thought was a pretty good design idea (in my mind’s eye and in my doodling) that went so badly some of it ended up in the trash.  Continue reading →

Jewelry Design Challenge: Air Element

Jewelry Design Challenge Air Element necklace

The theme for week three of the April design challenge on the Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design blog was “air” as one of four elements. Air can’t be seen, at least, not directly. So how do you represent in a jewelry design something that is not visible?

The influence of air on objects can be seen when a breeze rustles the leaves on a tree, or when wind blows clouds across the sky. Swirling currents of air can be seen when they pick up dust and debris and spiral them around in a vortex. The air element is often represented by a trio of swirls or by a spinning vortex.  Continue reading →

Jewelry Design Challenge: Water Element

Jewelry Design Challenge water element necklace
As I continued into the second week of the second month of jewelry design challenges on the Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design blog, I encountered an unexpected difficulty with the theme.

The overall theme for April is elements, and the sub-theme for the second week was water. Water is a theme I’ve previously been very comfortable representing in my designs. However, I wanted to design something outside my comfort zone because that’s why I am participating in the challenges. And wow was it uncomfortable to be unable to execute my concept as envisioned. Continue reading →

Weekly Jewelry Design Challenge: Earth Element

Rustic Sunflowers necklace
I am participating in the monthly and weekly themed jewelry design challenges on the Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design blog. The theme for April is “elements” and the first weekly challenge was “earth.”

I immediately thought “green” for this theme, because when I think of the earth element I imagine lush green plants and blooms. (I’m getting to the yellow beads part, I promise.) I have made many green beaded jewelry designs, but the point of the challenge is to create something new, and more than that, to challenge your own limits.  Continue reading →

Jewelry Design Challenge: Geometry Theme

brass and glass necklace

What do circles, squares, triangles, and lines have to do with jewelry?  In this case, they are part of the geometry theme for the March jewelry design challenge on the Self-Representing Artists in Jewelry Design (SRAJD) blog

I participated in the SRAJD challenge for the first time. I didn’t join SRAJD soon enough, or get my act together quickly enough, to come up with designs for each week’s shape, but I did complete a few geometry themed-necklaces for submission in general. Here are the three necklaces I completed for the challenge. Continue reading →

Spice Up Your Polymer Clay

polymer clay beads and jars of spice
A few weeks ago I was inspired to add some matcha to translucent polymer clay. I loved the lush earthy green color I got. But I only made three test beads, because I wasn’t sure what would happen to the color during baking. As soon as I pulled them out of the oven, I knew I needed to make more. And to try other spices too.

This weekend I made a bigger batch of matcha beads. And then I tested three other spices: tumeric, cayenne, and cloves. Delish. No, they don’t smell like the spices once baked. (Oh but wouldn’t that be divine?) Once again, I only made a few testers from each spice, and once again, I wish I had made more. Glorious colors. Continue reading →

Finding What Works: Jewelry Design Diagnosis

Pink and turquoise necklace designed by Paisley Lizard
Sometimes I take my jewelry apart and re-do it. I don’t like to. It feels wasteful to cut off crimps and things that can’t be re-used. Sort of like ripping seams out of a costume when I sew. Can’t re-use all that thread.

But sometimes, seams have to be ripped and crimps have to be cut. Because the design just doesn’t work or didn’t come together the way I envisioned. Continue reading →

Bead Soup Ingredients Reveal Part 2: What I Received

package outside door

Is that my Bead Soup?

What a welcome site this was when I got home from work today. My mail carrier kindly climbed two flights and placed the box with label facing in. Even though I couldn’t see the return address label, I knew instantly that it was my Bead Soup ingredients from my partner Sue.

I scooped up the box (after pausing for this photo op)  and hurried inside. I wanted to open it right away. Alas, Inspector Mango and Design Consultant Cloud (you can see their photo on my About page) were needing dinner. I don’t think I’ve ever opened a can of cat food and gotten it into their dishes quicker. Much to Inspector Mango’s delight. Continue reading →