Asymmetrical Designs

When I started making beads, making jewelry was never in the plan.... I was very sure I would only make beads and other people could make the jewelry. I didn't wear a lot of jewelry, I still don't.  My ears aren't pierced, mostly because my body is completely against any thing entering it and throws a complete fit if something does.... it hates earrings or any sort of piercing... I've had my ears pierced and after years of struggling with my internal security system, I finally let them grow closed and closed they will stay.... Anyways, I didn't have any desire to make jewelry, just beads... just beads.... well and maybe some dragons. Stringing beads on a string didn't sound very exciting or artistic at all and I wanted to be able to express my artist nature, but as I have been drawn into this world I've realized that jewelry design is so much more that stringing beads and I so wanted to be a part of it!

Lately I have been more concerned in making jewelry with my beads then making more beads and I've been inspired by the fabulous jewelry artist out there to lean towards asymmetrical designs. These pieces have really renewed my love of this work and it gives the chance to think outside the box. I've used things together I've never thought of using before and it has been liberating!!!

 

I was experimenting with mica powers and leaves. It didn't turn out as I planned but with some fiddling and embellishments..... I made it asymmetrical to go along with the steampunk look.  

This pendant has been living in a box for months. I found it yesterday and it sang to me.

The colors and the handmade glass beads I found as a local bead just started putting themselves into this amazing asymmetrical piece that I just love.

Here's my pretty little bracelet. I love the colors and and the textures. This one is mine!

My husband is not exactly sure about this asymmetrical design kick I'm on but I'm loving it! What do you think?

Steampunky....

I have gone on a little journey lately... I tried some steampunk... It's kind of liberating and ridiculous and I loved it.... things didn't really have to make sense and I could feel free to put flowers where ever I wanted which is good... I like flowers and anything I can make to represent a flower.... A couple months ago I bought a book by Christi Friesen call Steampunkery which served as fabulous inspiration as well as all the steampunk art that you can so readily view on Google! I also used several techniques from Cindy Lietz tutorials: I used spoons as bails for the flowers; she taught the heart shapes I used; and she is instrumental in introducing me to copper and its possiblities as findings and clasps.

The two large flowers are molded using silver spoons and I they lay nicely using a satin cord.... just enough weight but not heavey!

The blue-green flower is beautifully textured.... and the leaves are blends of soft metallic colors. Glass beads, copper and brass complement the whole composition all nestled on the bowl of a spoon with the handle bent and snipped into a discrete bail.                                           


The next flower I made using a variegated flower pedal I learned from Cindy Lietz. It's also nestled into a spoon.... this spoon someone already bent it into a pleasant leaf form before it came to my hands... how lucky was I?!?! I then colored it with alcohol inks....


And my hearts.... they were experimental and I'm afraid I must have lost one because I swear I made 4!!!

This one is my favorite... I call it Pocket Full of Poseys.... of course the song is creepy and full of death and destruction about The Black Plague, I couldn't think of a better name so now I have something beautiful to think about when I hear.... "ashes, ashes, we all fall down"