Simple and Cool

Tags

Anne Potter, Bead Table Wednesday, Heather Powers, Humblebeads, Jewelry Stringing Magazine, Swoondimples, Travelogue Magazine

The hot temperatures in my area, my own aesthetic and the inspiration of a new (to me) jewelry magazine has resulted in today’s necklace. Right now it is 91 and only getting hotter. I am lucky to be able to be inside with air conditioning, but I like having jewelry that I could wear outside even in the heat and still stay cool.

In addition, I’ve recently learned about an electronic jewelry magazine by Anne Potter called Travelogue. She was a frequent contributor to the late, lamented Jewelry Stringing magazine. Travelogue offers great photos of travel-related inspiration and then projects based on that inspiration. The projects are very doable but can be customized to your own skill level. Not based on any specific piece but just the feeling of simplicity, I took some beads I really liked and made this effortless piece.

The owl focal is by swoondimples. His name is Stewart. I got it in 2016 when the Pantone color of the year was a duo – rose quartz and serenity blue. The pink Czech glass I got in a destash. I just really like pink. It was my favorite color as a little girl, and although sometimes I like to think that has changed, it really hasn’t. I believe that is why I was more intrigued with the Pantone color that year than some other people. I had something else in mind for those little pink beads, but this project asserted itself. I was actually going to use some other spacers in the front for an accent, including some more rustic metal to give the piece a little bit of a harder look. But I decided on these simple eye beads I’ve had since the beginning of my beading days. Since I’ve kept them this long, they deserved to be used.

This sweety tweety little necklace will be fun to wear with my sundresses this summer.

One other thing about this post: the picture. It’s very sunny here, and usually I would have to wait until dusk or perhaps early tomorrow morning to get a picture. This picture was made possible in real time right after I made this necklace by Heather Powers of Humblebeads. I love her beads and other artwork as well as the free projects she shares on her Bead Table Wednesday videos. A couple of weeks ago, she made one about taking better photos with your cell phone. Oh my goodness, she gave a few easy tips that really helped my photo game. It was fun to put them into action after watching the video this morning. Thanks, Heather!

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Missed Deadline

Tags

Dobzie Wood by Burl Girl, Jewelry Stringing Magazine, Soft Flex

So I’ve decided to start submitting some of my jewelry for publication.  The hardest part is getting a decent picture.  The light around here is unreliable, and my light box seems like it also works intermittently.  So I made a necklace to submit for the Winter 2017 issue of Jewelry Stringing magazine. The theme I made this for is Winter Woodland. Here is what the submission guidelines had to say:

“Inspired by a wintery walk in the woods, submissions in this category should bring to mind snow-covered pine trees, cozy cabins, and the rustic serenity of a woodsy winter. Successful submissions should make use of matte winter whites, golds, wood elements, and botanical-inspired details. Mix these components with pine greens, browns, grays, and/or taupe. Designs could be something you might wear with a comfy sweater to a casual holiday get-together or while relaxing in front of the fire in a cabin in the woods.”

I do feel like I captured the feel and colors of this theme, but I did not capture a good picture of my necklace. I was going to keep trying, but I got sick and the deadline passed, so I did not submit it.  But I thought I would share it here. Still not a great pic.

It’s a fun asymmetrical necklace that can be worn any way around.  I love the variety of materials – plastic, wood, nut, glass, and a druzy.  I used gold filled spacer beads and even 24 kt gold covered Soft Flex wire that I’ve had a long time. I strung it first on regular wire to make sure it worked so I wouldn’t waste that more expensive wire!

The cool wooden clasp is from Dobzie Wood by Burl Girl.  The shop was on Artisan Component Marketplace, but lately I haven’t been able to get that website to open, so I’m not sure what is up with that.

One thing I realized in making this for possible publication is that a lot of my stash is old or from other people’s destashes, so it would be difficult to list where I got some of my materials. I know where I got the clasp and the druzy. The half round wooden beads are left from a challenge kit.  The white and round green beads are from destashes.  The long green beads are from a necklace I bought at a thrift shop. The rest of the pieces – no idea.  Old as the hills.

Even though I didn’t submit this, it is progress that I even made something to submit. I did submit a picture of another necklace to a different magazine, but I didn’t hear anything back and the deadline was over a month ago.  I don’t know if that means they are still considering or the answer is no or what.  If they are not interested, I wish I would know for sure because I love the necklace and would show it on my blog!  I feel good that I have started taking steps toward possibly being published in the future.