YOJ Week 17 - Organically Yours

Sow a thought and reap an act
Sow an act and you reap a habit
Sow a habit and you reap a character
Sow a character and you reap a Destiny 
.... Charles Reade


I made these bronze and copper metal clay leaves for earrings but thought they complimented this agate leaf perfectly.

Year of the Jewelry - Week 12: Spring has Sprung

Time will pass and seasons will come and go ... Roy Bean

This weeks challenge was "Spring has Sprung"  ... but has it?  Here in the southern hemisphere we are embarking on the Autumn season although you wouldn't know it - where I live tends to be an eternal summer with just two seasons - wet season and dry season.  We only get a couple of months a year of cold weather! 

To celebrate the wonderful weather ... I designed this piece using colours that are reflective of both seasons, the blue/green colours for the wet and the bronze/gold for the drier times of the year!

Year of the Jewelry - Week 11: Rescued from the Scrap Bin

"The purpose - where I start, is the idea of use!  It is not recycling, it's reuse" ... Issey Miyake

I enjoyed this weeks challenge - I found these samples that I had made when testing the kiln and had put to the side some time ago, but when thinking about what to do for this weeks challenge, remembered I had them tucked away and thought I would use them to create a pair of earrings - why should they sit there in the back of the cupboard? 

They are not perfect - far from it, and I'm the first to admit they needed a lot of work however I love the texture and the rawness and decided to add some my lampies from my hoard ... voila - another pair of earrings to add to my collection.

Design:  Caron Michelle
Technique:  Metal Clay
Materials:  Bronze clay, lampwork beads from N Valentine Studio, handmade ear wires

Year of the Jewelry - Week 7: Off the Cuff

"All life is an experiment.  The more experiments you make the better "... Ralph Waldo Emerson

This weeks YOJ challenge was Off The Cuff.  An easy one for me in respect that is what I love to do, create loomed pieces.  However - I needed to challenge myself and create something a little different, try a different technique on the loom.  Following on from last weeks Steel Grey Loomed Spike Cuff .  I decided to play with some mini spikes.  These are such a luscious colour and were beckoning to be incorporated into a loomed design!

OTTBS Earring Challenge - Week 3: Ellad Fan Earrings

Although slightly behind in this challenge, I am enjoying perusing the many tutorials on offer by some wonderful designers.  This weeks designer is Ellad2.  She has an incredible arrangement of tutorials on offer and each one comes with detailed instructions and loads of photos so that if you are a visual learner like me you can easily follow the directions.

Following on from my experimentation with Preciosa Super Duos and the Twin Beads earrings from Weeks 1 and 2 - I decided to try Ellad2 fan earrings tutorial.  These were fun to make and I could see that I would have fun with this design in the future.  Here are my Bronze Fan Earrings.  

Firey Soul

"Friends are born, not made .... "  Henry B Adams

As artists we often talk about what inspires us to create - for me it is often a moment that will catch my heart, or the person I am creating for. This cuff was created for someone who epitomises "firey soul" - the colour is one she wears well - the fire opal swarovski crystals reflect her passion.  Life has not been easy, she has had her share of hard times but you can be always guaranteed of a joke at the tip of her tounge and a warm hug from her embrace ... this cuff is for Pam  ❤

Design:  Caron for Caron Michelle
Technique:  Erin Simonetti
Materials:  Swarovski Crystals, Miyuki Delicas

Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) - 2nd place!

I'm so excited - Tzigane won second place at the Royal Queensland Show (otherwise known as the Ekka).  What a surprise to find out that I had won second place in Bead Art - Wearable Jewellery, especially as it was the first competition I have entered.  Thank you everyone for your support and to my dear friends who have encouraged me along the way. xo

Advance Australia Fair

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land abounds in nature's gifts

of beauty rich and rare

In history's page let every stage

Advance Australia fair

In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia fair.

Week one over and we're fairing reasonably well on the medal tally, lets see what week two brings, in the meantime - I will continue to wear my cuff in honour of those representing us in London!

EKKA Time

Every year in August, the Ekka rolls into town (http://www.ekka.com.au/about-ekka/history.aspx).  This Agricultural show is currently going through a revival period however has a rich history dating back to the 1800's in Queensland.

This year I have decided to take the plunge and enter my first show ... today I submitted a loomed cuff entry  (Arts and Craft) which incorporates a mixed medium combination of seed beads and metal clay.

Here is Tzigane (French for Gypsy).  Thank you to Tayla who had naming rights!