My new direction

Part of my new direction is to go in a more casual direction with a lot of my newer items. This seems to be the way jewelry is trending lately - casual, shabby chic, or BIG statement pieces. I have a few of these crystal wrap bracelets in the shop. They are super sparkly, but the wrapping and leather allow it to be casual still. I have one I wear pretty frequently myself!

This turquoise one is finished with a handmade polymer clay button. It's a double-wrap style.

This bracelet was strung on waxed linen cord, instead of my standard beading wire. I really like the color combination, and the knots between the beads add a little extra texture.

These are just a few of the things I've been making lately. I will continue to make more classically styled jewelry, much like I have been, but I'm enjoying branching out and challenging myself.

A challenge to myself

One of my challenges to myself was to step out of the box in terms of symmetry and "matching" in my jewelry. I knew I had these agate disc beads, and began to look around my gemstone boxes (yes, boxes - I have 3 boxes full of stones, not including my boxes of glass, wood, crystal, etc.) to see what would work with them! I had ONE green aventurine bead left from another project, and it think it all worked well with the moss agate nuggets, and purple web jasper for an extra pop!

I feel pretty good about how I rose to my personal challenge with this one. I'll have better (as in not taken on the dirty windowsill) pictures soon, and will list on Etsy ASAP!

As far as my other challenge areas, I have some supplies ordered, and they should be here soon, so I can get to work. I'm taking a break from clay work (*sob*) while my back heals from minor surgery. It just hurts too much to have to use my pasta machine to work the clay still. Hopefully I'll be up to it in a few days, but in the meantime, beading doesn't seem to bother me so far.

We went out of town again

But alas, there was no time (and no place!) for any bead shopping. So, I spent a lot of time perusing the interwebz (after my son was asleep at night, of course!), and finding new, fun supply shops and design inspirations.

I love making jewelry, but lately, I'd been feeling a little bit restless, and frankly, a little bored with my designs. I've decided that it's time to branch out and try some new things with my designs. I haven't had a chance to work on much yet, as far as new designs go, though, but hopefully soon I'll have time.

I'm going to be incorporating more clay in to my designs, and I'm going for a more rustic look to my pieces, as opposed to the symmetrical and clean designs I've been creating lately. This may or may not involve taking apart some of my jewelry that I've already made, and re-purposing the components.

I'm also planning on utilizing different metals - sterling silver is just so stinking expensive, so pewter, brass, copper, and aluminum may be making appearances in my jewelry. I'm even thinking about trying my hand at some toggle clasps made from polymer clay. That would be fun!

I think the last part of my new business path will include some sort of re-branding. So if you know anyone who is handy with creating web graphics, can you send them my way, LOL?

I know this post was completely lacking in photo goodness, but I do have some things I've been working on, so I hope to have something to show you all soon!

A challenge for myself!

This week, I discovered Auntie's Beads! They don't have the LARGEST selection of beads and supplies, but they do offer this really cool Bead Grab Bag. The one I ordered had a PINK theme!

The two long strands of rounds look like either glass or acrylic - dark pink and clear. There is a strand of faceted rondelles in VERY light pink - I'm not sure if they are Chinese crystal or just glass, but very pretty nonetheless. The pink rose is listed as having been made of a composite material, but it looks a little like polymer clay. The two frames have a paisley pattern in them, and the silver roses appear to be silver plated acrylic. The stone focal is Pink Variscite (which you may already recognize from another listing in my shop - what a coincidence, huh?), and there is a large crystal heart, and a ceramic bead.

The grab bag also came with a bag of glass bicones, and flat-back rhinestones. I think the rhinestones will be really neat in my current polymer clay project!!

So, for the challenge: I am going to make jewelry using ALL of these components, and I will show you all what I made by next Friday. Well... I'll use SOME of the crystals, and SOME of the rhinestones - I can't incorporate ALL of those into the designs I have in mind. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the large stone, so that one might be longer than a week, but I DO have something in mind - don't worry! One of my designs that I have in mind is going to be for a giveaway for my SECOND ETSY-VERSARY, which is coming up in a little over a week!!

So, stay tuned to see what I come up with!