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.