Week 5 - COPPER NIGHTS

Well, late again *hangs head in shame*
I really tried to be on time - honest!! Life just has a funny way of conspiring against you sometimes.
I feel pretty good about this necklace though - most of it is bits and pieces I had laying around from long abandonded projects.
The vee shaped centre piece is eight strands of wire done in a kumihimo braid, than hammered into submission. I fused all 8 strands together at each end, hammered them really flat and drilled holes in 'em.
Hanging in the centre is a rectangle of really dark carnelian, with a dangly bit wrapped with 1/2 round sterling. Each end of the braid is also wrapped with the same wire.
I have added a danish knot each side., then a simple chain using alternating rectangular sterling and round copper jump rings. It all ends with a hand made "s" hook.












close up of braided vee section.

Week 4 - MONOCHROME

Sort of, but not really - that's just about sums it up...lol.
This is my piece - belatedly for this week.
I have used the most gorgeous (IRL) hand-lampworked glass lentils by Aussie bead artist Michelle Blackmore and a few cylindrical garnets just to finish off the bottom of the centre front section. Everything else is sterling silver.
This is my first go with this style of chain, and if anyone can tell me what it is called I would really appreciate it. Although it may be a bit difficult to see. This is another one of my really awful photos and as soon as I can manage to take a decent one I will swap them over.
This was quite an easy chain to do, once I'd figured out where I was going with it.
I have also included a picture of the set of beads that I bought so you might get a better idea of how really pretty they are.

Week 3 - SYNERGY

It's a great word isn't it? It describes so much of what we as jewellery designers and artists create.

synergy
n : the working together of two or more things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.

OK - on to week 3.
This is a design I had in a competition a few months ago.
I have reworked it, so that is a much more versatile piece. Simplified and shortened.
It is composed of 2 distinct elements. A wire-wrapped pendant and a very simple form of chain-maille.
This is all made with sterling wire & rings, swarovski crystals in emerald and 2 sizes of matsuno seedies.

Week 2 - MOTHER EARTH, FATHER SKY

This piece WAS actually made on time - it just wasn't posted in a timely manner!! What can I say - battery problems & sorry :^)
I'm loosely on theme this week - Mother Earth, Father Sky. The goddess bead (more of my dichro) representing the earth and the mother of pearl stars and little inky blue glass beads the night sky.
This is one of those pieces I'm really not too sure about and may yet pull it to bits and re-work it, I'll have to think about it some more - but for now at least I have week 2 up.