Friday, January 30, 2015

Bay Moon Design Meets Art Jewelry Elements January Component Stash Challenge Featuring Lindsay Starr's Focal

Inspiration Piece
Most if not all beaders have piles of jewels that they hoard over like the dragon above.  In the case of the Art Jewelry Elements team, they have lots of art beads.  January's Art Jewelry Elements component stash challenge called for 9 lucky readers of the Art Jewelry Elements blog to be selected randomly to receive an art bead from members of the team.  Sue Kennedy, Lindsay Starr, Jen Cameron. Center: Caroline Dewison, Lesley Watt, Melissa Merman, Kristen Stevens and Linda Lang each contributed a bead.


Free Form beading by Lindsay M Starr of Phantasm Creations
I was lucky enough to win  beadwork by Lindsay M Starr of Phantasm Creations. Lindsay is a beadwork artist living in Nashville, Tennessee, but she says she is a west coast girl at heart.   She is continually inspired by nature, especially the sea, sea life, and insects. She loves learning, and always challenges herself with new color palettes, materials, and techniques.

Starfish
As soon as I saw the bead, I was reminded of a starfish.  I am luck to live by the Atlantic Ocean in Lewes, Delaware in the summer and Blackwater Sound in Key Largo, Florida in the winter so I get much of my inspiration from the water.  I wanted to use the turquoise, golds and whites in her piece to create a necklace.  I love how her beadwork is 3 dimensional.   I was challenged to find a way to attach Lindsay's piece to other beads to create this necklace.  I knew seed beading was not an optional that I wanted to use.   I also knew that I didn't want to cause any stress on her beadwork which looks very delicate so I dug out a finding that I have been hoarding for several years now. 


I added some brass loops to the component and then sewed the back of Lindsay's beadwork to it.   The finding turned out to be the perfect size to hide behind the beadwork and it also had holes in the metal work where I could attach the beadwork.





Starfish necklace available at  Bay Moon Design
I added some gold glass beads and turquoise beads and a brass clasp that I made to it.  What are your thoughts on my using the metal finding as a base for the necklace?  I would love to hear what some of you might have done instead.

Here is the list of the participants - the team, winners and special guests! Please visit them!

AJE team: 

Guest Participants ( aka winners)
Samantha- Wescott Jewelry
*** you are here Kathy - Bay Moon Designs
Nikki - Silver Nik nats
Yvette - Blue Kiln Beads


Bonus participants! 

8 comments:

  1. I love how you used that metal frame! I would have been stumped by receiving that focal because I don't use seed beads either.

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  2. Fabulous design and really clever, you did an amazing job with it!

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  3. love the colors in this one ... feels like the sea!

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  4. Hi Kathy, When you showed the metal frame I pictured the star suspended from it. I think your choice was much better. Your design really lets Lindsay's star shine. I think you showcased it perfectly.

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  5. Love it Kathy! That piece always reminded me of a starfish too...you found the perfect home for it! Thanks for playing!

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  6. I love what you have done with the metal behind this piece and how you have joined it all up, very creative! I also really like the colours you have used and the cute little starfish!

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  7. Very pretty! Good work on problem solving to use that pretty starfish!

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  8. Really pretty and very creative piece Kathy - well done.

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