Bead Table Wednesday and Cuff Bracelets

Bead Table Wednesday is designed by Heather Powers to help share what is on our table today.  It is only fitting that I should have 2 bracelets that I made using a tutorial from a blog post of Heather's.  The bracelets call for using peanut beads.  I have been wanting to get some and use them for awhile now.  You can find peanut beads at Whimbeads.com, Fusionbeads.com or BelloModo.com.  I ordered mine from Whimbeads. Both bracelets make use of memory wire.

image from GraphicStock

The first, five strand, cuff bracelet is inspired by the ocean and one of my favorite activities--sailing.  I used blue peanut beads and with a silver sailboat charms and made a few dangles.

5 strand cuff bracelet by Bay Moon Design available for purchase

 My second cuff bracelet made use of 2 different colors of peanut beads and some tiny copper beads.  I attached a copper bird and nest on one end and on the other, a copper butterfly.

Copper Cuff Bracelet with bird and butterfly charms

By the way, I word to the wise.  I used a bead spinner just as Heather did.  I had used a bead spinner before with seed beads and beading wire.  I'm not nearly as proficient with it as Heather. I am sure she can whip these up in minutes.   She has probably had much more practice than I have.  It took me an hour for each bracelet.  I honestly don't think I couple have beaded them by hand.  The memory wire and the small size of the hole in the peanut beads is far more challenging than the size of the hole in seed beads and beading wire.

Both bracelets are available for purchase in my online shop.

A Few Fall and Winter 2014 Jewelry Trends

Geometric Jewelry


I want to take a look at a few of the trends in jewelry this fall and winter 2014 that I have found. I looked online, in bead shops, and fashion magazines at popular shapes used in jewelry. I found that geometric shapes are big.  Examples include edgy, modern spikes and chevrons, waves, lines, and stars are popular. 

Geometric shapes from GraphicStock.com

I also wanted to see what some popular colors are trending.  I found blues like cobalt blue, royal blue. They are slated to be big this Fall, and I love the shades Pantone includes in their Fall Color Report, especially when paired with the trendy neutral, Aluminum. I am happy to see blue returning. It is a favorite of mine.  Another favorite of mine is big and that is black.  

These are a few of the trends that I have noticed.  I will continue to search and would love to know what your thoughts are.  I plan to do another blog on this topic and would like to add your thoughts.

Betterly Ceramic Is Perfect for June Art Bead Challenge

Trees Laden with Parasites and Epiphytes in a Brazilian Garden, 1873 

      
This month's Art Bead Challenge is a landscape painting by Marianne North, an English Victorian biologist and botanical artist.  She is  notable for her plant and landscape paintings.  She is also well known for her extensive foreign travels, her writings, her plant discoveries and the creation of her gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

 The painting selected for our inspiration is called  Trees Laden with Parasites and Epiphytes in a Brazilian Garden.  The scientific accuracy with which she documented plant life in all parts of the world, before photography became a practical option, gives her work a permanent value. 

When I first looked at the painting I was struck by all of the reds and greens. That combo reminds me of Christmas, but it's also a really powerful complementary color scheme. Red never looks more red than when it's against green because they sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel.  I pulled out a bracelet bar made by Moriah Betterly because it is red and has a design that reminds me of the flowers in the painting.

Red Floral Cuff Bracelet by BayMoonDesign

I decided against trying to use the dominant color of the painting green in the same proportion as the artist did.  After selecting the beautiful red ceramic and I struggled to do it justice.  I came to realize that the tiny green button pearls that I originally decided to use were way too small for this large cuff.  The ceramic cuff is large and sits on top of the wrist. It is about 2 inches in height and completely covers the top of the wrist. The bracelet has 2 strands of beads on the back --green freshwater pearls, gold beads, and red sea glass beads. The long red sea glass beads that I got from Znetshows are the perfect vibrant color and their unique shape worded well.   I made the  golden brass clasp so that I had control over the length of the clasp.  I am so glad I have decided to make most of my clasps.  It lets me customize the design.  I am very happy with the bracelet.  I didn't want it to end up screaming Christmas and I don't feel it does.  I love the reds in the bracelet.  I also feel that I captured the tropical colors in the painting.  The bracelet is for sale HERE.

What are your thoughts?

We're All Ears-June Inspiration

June Inspiration for We're All Ears--The Skylight of the Guggenheim

Guggenheim Museum in New York was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The museum itself is a modern marvel art.  It houses some of the world's greatest art.  The skylight of the Guggenheim is this month's inspiration for "We're All Ears".  The natural nautilus-shaped spiral gently slopes from the top to the bottom leading the viewer through each layer of the collection. This view is looking up from the bottom of the rotunda to the sky lights above.

When I first looked at this photo, all I saw were circular shapes, but there are angles as well. In face there are triangles, arcs, circles, squares, and ovals.

 

Black BoHo Earrings by Bay Moon Design

My black boho earrings are inspired by the the circular shapes and shades of black from gray to black and the white.  I used circular obsidian beads with different shades of gray and black circular patterns in them along with gray, handmade polymer clay beads that have flecks of white, silver, gray and black in them.  I combined them with black Irish linen thread and used silver earwires.  You can purchase these earrings HERE.

Summertime Giveaway and Sale at Tree Wings Studio

Are you ready for some fun?! Tree Wings Studio so enjoyed creating these new pressed flower beads, and since seeing her beads find new homes in your creations… and she LOVES doing giveaways.  She decided we should have another one.  She is giving away 1 focal (of your choice from the photo above) to 4 lucky winners! (Details for entering are below.)

And since good things often come in pairs, it seemed only right that everyone has a chance to save a little on bead shopping—so, starting today thru June 28th select beads are 15% off in her Etsy shop! You don't need a coupon—she has already marked the prices down in each listing for easy shopping.

And…

With spring coming to an end,
so is her Spring Cleaning Sale—grab these last sets while you can!

Whatever is left goes back to regular price on 6/29.

The Giveaway Rules:

(Yes, as always, international bead lovers are welcome to enter!)


To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment in the comments section of Tree Wings Studio blog and tell me your favorite spring and summer flowers. Are you often inspired by flowers in your jewelry or bead designs? What flowers would you like to see me make? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

And you get extra entries by leaving additional comments for doing one or all of these:

1. Becoming a follower of Tree Wings Studio blog
2. Sharing my GIVEAWAY on your blog, facebook, twitter, or pinterest
3. Sharing my 15% off Summer Sale on your blog, facebook, twitter, or pinterest

4.  Sharing my 20% off Spring Cleaning Sale on your blog, facebook, twitter, or pinterest

Be sure to leave ONE comment for EACH thing you do.

And don't forget to leave your contact info.

(Feel free to use any of the photos posted here when sharing.)


This giveaway and sale will end on June 28th at 11:59pm EST.

A Good Deed Is Rewarded

Sea Shell Necklace by Bay Moon Design

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. 
Saint Basil

 

Over a year ago, bead artist blueberribeads had a giveaway and I won a number of her beads.  I still have 1 focal from this batch that I won that is unused.  I won the 2 ceramic urchins and the ceramic shell pictured above. I added some natural shells, purple czech beads, and mint green Irish waxed linen and created a summer necklace. This earthy, long purple necklace is 26 inches (66 cm) long not including the shell pendant which is 1.5" long.  A lovely seahorse clasp completes the nautical look. It gives a piece an earthy look.The shell necklace has been published in Bead-It-Today magazine, issue 8.  I am just thrilled.  I know blueberribeads is too. 

I feel that her generosity in giving away some of her beautiful beads has been rewarded by the beads getting published.  For me, I feel like I won  twice.  I won the beads and a publication.  If you would like to purchase the necklace it is available HERE.

Bead-It-Today magazine

Bead-It…today is a bimonthly how-to magazine that features trendy, budget-friendly jewelry and accessory designs that can be made, from start to finish, on the quick. With a heavy focus on current trends, it has tutorials and features are fresh, fun, and stylish!

Bead Table Wednesday-The Missing Links

The missing links for the necklace by Bay Moon Design

Bead Table Wednesday is designed by Heather Powers to have us share what is on our bead table.  This week I am working on my links for a very special necklace.  Sacaccino gifted me a gorgeous blue and white pendant with a deer and tree that she made from polymer clay.  I have been planning on making a necklace with it for a while.  I wanted to do it justice and I think I will. What was missing from completing the necklace were links.   I made these 5 sterling silver links to incorporate into the necklace and really make her pendant pop.

The MIssing Link by Cindy Wimmer

I made the links with the help of Cindy Wimmer's terrific book The Missing Link.  I have reread the book several times and I followed her advice and bought a tumbler.  I also bought some metals in the the proper gauges to use.

Lortone 3A Rotary Tumbler

I bought a Lortone 3A Rotary Jewelry Tumbler Kit - 3 lbs. capacity.  I am very pleased with it.  I used it outside in the garage because I read it was very noisy.  Obviously, the person who said that had never worked in a school!  I didn't find it noisy and I have moved it into my "jewelry room".

sponsored by Heather Powers

I hope you will stop by my blog tomorrow to see how the necklace turns out.   I wonder what I will be doing for next week's Bead Table Wednesday?

Jewelry Mojo Challenge-Week 12 My Art Inspiration

This Week's Assignment:
Pick your absolute, all time favorite piece of art work (painting, sculpture, photograph, illustration, fabric design, etc.) and create jewelry inspired by this piece.

Tips for Designing from Art:
Start with the color and major motifs of the art work and find beads that relate to your inspiration piece.  Pick of piece of art work that makes you crazy happy every time you see it.  Ask yourself - what do you love about it? Is it the color, the mood, the story?  Try to capture that in your jewelry.

The Starry Night by Van Gogh

I selected The Starry Night by Van Gogh.  It is a favorite of mine.  In fact, I have a copy of it hanging in my home.  I love all of the beautiful shades of blue.  I find them very calming.  The painting shows the village of Saint-Rémy under a swirling sky. There is a  cypress tree to the left.

I decided to focus on the blues and whites of the painting.  I have a focal gifted to me by Sacaccino.  It has similar, gorgeous shades of blues contrasted with white and a tree.  It reminds me of The Starry Night so I decided it would be perfect for this assignment.

Sterling Silver links made by Bay Moon Design

I spent a lot of time trying to decide how to attach the focal to the necklace and I finally decided to make a link for it.  That inspired me to make some more sterling silver links to add to the necklace.  I had some beautiful, blue silk ribbon I got from Marsha Neal Studio to add to the mix.

Starry Night Necklace by Bay Moon Design

I hope I did justice to the gorgeous pendant.  A big thanks to Heather Powers of Humblebeads for creating this assignment that led to the necklace.

Jewelry Mojo Challenge Week 10: Fashion and Beads

This week we are going to do some window shopping to find our inspiration.  If you sell your jewelry knowing what colors are popular and the major trends can help inspire new designs. Another reason to look toward clothing stores - you'll get to know your idea client a little better.

The Assignement:
Create a piece of jewelry inspired by your favorite clothing catalog or online store.

BayMoonDesign Style Summer 2014 

This collection of dresses from Anthropologie inspired me to create a  denim blue and white collection of 3 bracelets that can be worn individually or stacked.  You could even add a couple of silver bangles to this collection of bracelets.  Denim, blue, and stacked bracelets are all big fashion trends for summer 2014.

Stacked bracelets in blue and white by BayMoonDesign

These 3 bracelets are available in my esty shop to purchase HERE.

Bead Table Wednesday and Jewelry Stringing Summer 2014

Bead Table Wednesday is designed by Heather Powers to help share what is on our table today.  

Jewelry Stringing Summer 2014

 My jewelry table has a copy of Jewelry Stringing Summer 2014 on it.   I am very excited to see a pair of my earrings in the magazine.  These particular earrings have ceramics from one of my favorite shops Suburban Girl Studio.  I am planning on spending my evening enjoying looking through at all 94 jewelry designs in it.  I know I find some inspiration in it.

 

I am excited to see all the designs!

I have 3 pieces of jewelry on my table which I have been struggling with.  I also have a copy of Cindy Winner's book on making loops and I have started to make some of the loops.   Hopefully, you will see the loops and finished piece next week.