Welcome to my garden… that’s my theme for the Jewelry Designs from Nature Challenge. The generous and talented Heather Powers, aka Humblebeads had a little lottery earlier this summer and I was one of the lucky designers selected to work with one of her polymer clay pendant beads.
I work at a cactus nursery, so the garden theme works for me. In the very hot summer months (Mojave Desert), I am often up at dawn and out watering plants. It needs to be done before it gets too steamy (both for my sake, and the plants too!) Not much dew out here in the desert, but I do get to see some amazing birds, critters low to the ground, spiders and other flying insects. Not to mention some awesome cactus flower blooms.
Heather sent along this poem for inspiration:
A sepal, petal and a thorn
Upon a common Summer’s morn –
A flask of Dew – A Bee or two-
A breeze – a caper in the trees –
And I’m a rose!
(Emily Dickinson)
Here’s what I came up with for the challenge:
Since I really enjoy a good challenge, I decided I needed to master the technique of micro-macrame leaves and incorporate that into the design process. Needed to make the holes in the wooden beads a little bigger to be able to fit two cords through. Task completed with the help of my trusty Dremel. Always a bonus to be able to play with tools.
Also decided to mess around and make a pair of earrings to go along with this necklace. I repurposed a broken pair of bronze earrings by wrapping them in silk sari ribbon. Added a red button, a lampwork headpin and did a little sewing of the ribbon.
Repurposed that little card that Heather sent along with her pendant too.
Materials used: Humblebeads pendant, C-lon cord, lampwork beads and lampwork head pins, lucite flowers, button flowers, buttons, tiny metal bee buttons, dyed flat wooden disk beads, copper jumprings, base metal pendant bail, small glass beads, copper chain and lobster claw clasp, size 11 seed beads, thread, silk sari ribbon, copper findings and repurposed brass earrings. Thanks for stopping by.
Continue blog hopping here:
Cece Cormier (you are here)
Such a beautiful pendant, only to be outdone by the beautiful necklace you made to go with it!
Thank you for stopping by.
I follow your blog religiously and am continually stunned by your talent and style
When I go to Sharon Palac’s blog on your list here – it says ‘No Posts’ and is empty! Not a complaint – just a comment in case she has moved to another blog as happens
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment. Perhaps Sharon is going to show her challenge piece later.
Just to add – that it’s the same from the links of your other lists to visit – sharon’s blog has no posts whatsoever. I hope that she is alright. I don’t know her – but follow your links to her
Stunning bead work always intrigues me, don’t have the patience for it myself, but so love the result, especially in this beautiful design.
Thanks Marlene.
Thank you for your kind comment on my blog post.
You are welcome.
Wow. An amazing piece. Love the earrings too.
Thank you. The earrings were fun to make. Great experiment.
Your micro macrame is masterful! You’re a prodigy! Love the deep reds with the robin’s egg blue. The little bees are a perfect touch! And the wood beads are just right. Bravo!
Thanks Keirsten.
Beautiful! You always make such intricate and wonderful components. The micro macrame (I don’t even know what that is!) is beautiful and really supports and enhances the focal. Love it!
Thank you Lisa.
I was so excited to see your name come up in the random drawing as I knew your micro macrame skills will be amazing with my beads. I love that you made leaves as the backdrop for the pendant. The wooden beads are the perfect color and add a nice balance to the beautifully embellished focal. The two little bees add a playfulness that reflects the poem. You created a stunning piece and I’m so happy you were able to take part in the challenge.
Thank you so much Heather. It was a pleasure to create.
I love the combination of red and turquoise colors! What an amazing focal!
I like that color combo too.
Absolutely gorgeous! I love the micro macrame.
Thank you. The knotting is very meditative for me.
Your necklace is just stunning! I love how the leaves frame the focal.
Thanks. I was worried about over powering the design. But it all balanced out in the end.
Love those earrings – so organic, which is my style.
~ Shelley
Thanks. I like organic too. But, not so much wearing shades of red.
This is incredible! Not only is it a stunning piece, but so wonderfully unexpected from lookin at the pendant alone. One advantage of reading on a phone is the pause between scrolling so everything is revealed in order – no page glancing – I’m sure my mouth was hung open. I just love it!
Thank you Emma.
The micro macrame is lovely in the beautiful focal you put together.
Thank you. Enjoyed making it.
This is so pretty. I can’t even imagine doing that tiny macrame – you’re a master. Your color combination is one of my favorites. And I love those baby bees!
Thanks Sandi. Those baby bee buttons were just waiting for the right piece.
That is just marvelous Miss Cece! I love the micromacrame and more so that you challenged yourself to learn it. Looks like you mastered it! I do love the way you think. The repurposing of the earrings is inspired. Such a great little hop for one of my favorite books! Enjoy the day. Erin
P.S. I never heard from you… you won my giveaway of the signed book Bohemian Inspired Jewelry. Send me an email with your address and I will mail it out! enjoy the day {at} tesoritrovati .com
Thank Erin. Yes, the book is awesome. HEather does such cool things with her art. Thought I emailed you through your website ages ago, maybe went into a spam folder?? I will do so again. Happy creating.