Art Jewelry Elements: The Magic of Fireflies: the June Theme Challenge

When I saw this challenge I knew I wanted to participate. I remember as a young child (and teenager..) going to my grandparents house in Kentucky. They lived in the country on the top of a hill. Some of my favorite memories are of my cousins and I running around the yard collecting "lightening bugs" and putting them in a jar to use as a nightlight when we went to bed. If you can catch enough, you can get quite a bright light! When we got up in the morning, we would let them out.

I can remember the laughter and squeals as we caught the lightening bugs and they would get loose from our hands and crawl up our arms. And running in the garden and getting our feet muddy and having to wash off at the back porch spigot before going inside.

I am so glad Jen at Art Jewelry Elements  shared this challenge. I don't work with glass or clay but I wanted to create something that was whimsical that would remind me of those fun times at my grandparents home. So I created a lightening bug from glass and wooden beads and it's wings from decorative vinyl that I have for other projects.Since lightening bugs have beige stripes on it's wing's I beaded on glass beads around the edge.  The wings are on a jump ring and when I move, they move also. It's "light" is a wire cage with yellow beads strung on it. I strung my lightening bug on braided fabric tubes that are dark blue with silver sparkles on it. This reminded me of the lightening bugs as they flew in the night sky. The clasp on the back is a simple lobster claw.

Thanks for looking and going down memory lane with me. For more great lightening bugs or fire flies head over to Art jewelry Elements for the list of wonderful designers who participated.

And...oh yeah...wonder what happens when a lightening bug's light goes out.......

Hahahaha...

Til next time
Keep on Beading!


Veralynne

We're All Ears - June 2015

ILLUSTRATION BY HASHIME MURAYAMA

Hashime Murayama was a Japanese illustrator, born in 1879. He used to work for National Geographic until 1941.

Well Erin again has given us stunning pictures to use to create our earrings. I loved all three, but kept coming back to the first one. I just love the waving of the seaweed and the coral and shells.  I have a stash of shells that my daughter has collected over the years, so she said I could use them. The purple shells, the opaque, and the brown spiral shells I used and drilled the holes for them myself. The others I had from jewelry strands I already had. 

This is my daughter, Sydny, helping me by

modeling the earrings.  We went to beach by our 

house to take the pictures. Man was it hot! But 

she did good!

Here are two close ups of both earrings. I had a blast creating these. The idea came almost immediately upon seeing the picture. I created them that day. The goldy looking chain is to represent the swaying seaweed.  

Thanks for looking. And tune back in later this month and in July for more challenges I am in. And on July 17th for the next We're All Ears for July!

For more great eye candy check out Erin's blog at Earrings Everyday

Keep Beading

Veralynne

Epic Inspirations Blog Hop and Challenge

Melissa Trudinger of Beadreceipes threw out a challenge a few months ago. It is called Epic Inspirations. We were to make a jewelry piece inspired by one of our favorite TV shows.Well I love watching NCIS, CSI - all of them and my favorite people are Abby and Penelope. They both like to wear funky jewelry and Abby likes the black look. So I wanted to try and combine them into something EPIC.....

I had these disks with the holes in them and decided to sew "fringe" in each one. I decided on black and silver because Abby likes black and Penelope likes dangley pendants. Each fringe is 15 silver beads with a black at the beginning and end. I used black wildfire line to sew with. I was afraid I wouldn't finish as I ran out of silver beads but was able to get to JoAnns and get some more. I don't know how many are in each bag but it says 3.5 oz and I used a bag and a half.

 After putting it on the silver chain with the black chain woven through it, it just looked to forlorn. So I added the black and silver beads for now. But I think I am going to get some bigger chunky chain and finish it off. I have a toggle clasp in the back.

Each segment is hand sewn and as you will see in the next picture, it was time consuming! The earrings are made the same way. ALL hand sewn! I thought it would be heavy, but it isn't.

Here you can see the stitches in the back of the disks. I had planned on putting little felt backs on each one but ran out of time. There are 7 large disks and 5 small disks. I also used two disks to create the earrings.

Here is a close up of the chain and beads I used. Like I said, I think I will look for some larger chunky chain to attach the pendant to.  I have one in mind if I can find it in silver.

Here is a picture of me showing how the "fringe" looks. I was trying to lift up some of it so you could see the individual pieces. 

Thanks for taking a look and below is the list for more EPIC goodies!

Melissa Trudinger             http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com (Hostess)

Karen Mitchell                   http://www.overthemoon-design.com

Andrea Glick                      http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez                 http://fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com

Lindsay Starr                      http://phantasmcreation.blogspot.com/

Mona Arnott                      http://bijouxgemsjoy.blogspot.com

Lee Koopman                    http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Shaiha Williams                 http://ShaihasRamblings.com

Veralynne Malone            http://veradesigns.blogspot.com

Elisabeth Auld                    http://www.beadsforbusygals.com

Kelly Schermerhorn          http://meanderingwithkelly.blogspot.com

Dini Bruinsma                    http://www.angazabychanges.blogspot.nl

Jami Shipp                          http://www.celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com.au/

Keep on Beading!

Veralynne