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Sunday 17 October 2010

Lorelei's Michael's Challenge

Hi,
I just love the whole concept of this project, and I am so much looking forward to see what everyone has done with the same beads. At the bottom of this post you will find the list of all the other participants with links to their blogs.

The set-up:
This is the lot we all started with. Pale green jade rounds, brown cinnabar carved coins, ivory cinnabar carved coins, white big pearls, small green pearls, wooden carved cubes and a white enameled chain. From the shop Michael's in the USA. (Mary Harding was so wonderful and got me the beads and sent them to me by post, since Michael's don't have an online shop.) We were supposed to make a necklace with all of these beads included. And we were allowed to also add two more kinds of beads from our own stash, a focal and a clasp of our own choosing.
Lorelei, I just love what you picked for us to work with! It is a wonderful combination of colours, materials, sizes and structures. So very very appetizing! I also love the fact that you arranged this whole thing. I certainly wish there will be more of this kind of design-sharing-challenges.

This is what I made:
I have decided to describe my design process rather thouroughly on this one, I don't normally do that, but I really appreciate to read when others do, so I thought I would have a go aswell.
The basic design:
A three-strand necklace, with two beaded strands and the white chain as its own strand. I quickly got this idea with the three-stranded necklace. The two beaded strands have their own repetetive "pattern", one is symmetrical, the other assymetrical. This is so there will be more variable and interesting meetings between the beads when they hang around the neck. They are strung on soft flexible beading wire. Almost all of the beads have been used, not even a handful is left.
The focal:
The wonderful big bead by HumbleBeads was just too good to be true to go with these beads. I recieved it only a couple of days before the parcel from Michaels, as a part of a "grab-bag" purchase I had made from HumbleBeads. Was that a lucky chance or what? Because the focal in itself isn't so big or standing out in comparision to the many different kinds of bold and expressive beads in this necklace I decided the focal would sit assymetrically to the side instead of centrally. I wanted it to merge in with the rest but just create something unexpected and extra. I exchanged one of the green-blue-green sections on one of the strands for the focal together with some blue seed beads (just to make the same length as the other sections). This didn't fit well with the brown cinnabar coin that happened to sit on the other strand just there, so I decided to take that one away and put some pearls there instead. This way the focal became more visable than it otherwise would have been.
The two extra types of beads:
The blue in the focal made it easy for me to pick the blue rice-shaped beads as one of my own additions. And I wanted the necklace to be a bit longer so I also added some small white pearls the same size as the green ones from Michaels.
The clasp:
Beacause I wanted the necklace to come further down on the chest than the chain allowed I created this solution for the clasp. Two dark wooden rings to which the three strands are attached, and then just a long wide brown silk ribbon through them. You simply tie a knot and a bow to make the necklace as long as you wish. I realize some of you might think I have stretched the rules slightly with this solution, adding more elements than said. But hey... if everyone always followed all rules we would still be in the stone-age. Anyway, to attach the chain to the wooden rings I made two horse-shoe shaped jumprings in bronze coloured 18 gauge wire, and I also did some hammering to make them sit nicely on the rings. Very pleased with that little detail, since I bought my teny tiny anvil just very recently and am very glad whenever I need to use it and actually have it right there in my studio. And yes Gaea, you were right, I like to hammer on loads of things.


The other participants with links to their blogs:
On Lorelei's blog you will find her own result and also the photos from a few more participants who don't have a blog (she forgot to list herself in the list below...). So make sure you also check that one out thoroughly.

8. Andrew Thornton
9.
TyneBodenNecklaces
10. Raida of HavanaBeads (I need a correct link for this blog!)
11.
Erin of Treasuresfound

31 comments:

My Life Under the Bus said...

*LOVE* that focal - beautiful choice! I had some of that same ribbon and ended up not using it - it looks great.

Lorelei Eurto said...

wow, Malin! You took this challenge and Ran With It! YAY! I love what you ended up making, the wood rings worked perfectly with the chocolate brown ribbon.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Humblebead focal and your addition of the light blue colored beads- fantastic!
I will be doing another challenge like this again soon. Probably in November, and I think I'll pick FusionBeads.com this next time. I hope you plan on participating again!

Erin Siegel said...

This is gorgeous!!! The colors look so fresh. That Humble Bead couldn't be any more perfect! I also really love your addition of the chocolate brown silk!

Mary Harding said...

Your necklace came out beautifully Malin. Wow!! You are a true designer. Congrats. on the great piece. Glad I was able to help you get to participate. Would not have been as fun without you.

KristiBowmanDesign said...

WOW, amazing result!! That Humblebead couldn't be more perfect and I love the dark brown accents. This is too fun!! I'm glad you're gonna do it again Lorelei!!

Shannon Chomanczuk said...

Beautiful! I love the addition of the blue. I love ribbon so that drew me right in!
Shannon

jamberry_song said...

SO beautiful. And your fantastic photography really shows this treasure off. I'm in love with the ribbon and the three-strand design. It looks so clean and fresh against the white blouse. What a gorgeous piece!

*Debi* said...

Beautiful! I love what you did with this challenge. Thanks for sharing! :)

Heather said...

Very very nice, I love how the necklace hangs. Great colors added too!!

CraftyHope said...

The three strands are simply an inspired use of the beads. And, you really lucked out on that Humblebeads focal.
I would totally wear this necklace!!

Spirited Earth said...

i like this longer length , the colors are beautiful, adding the ribbon was a great idea

Deborah said...

Lovely colors and focal!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for describing your process here -- I think you've done an amazing job. Blue and brown is such a great color combination, and it's very refreshing here set against the green-and-brown pattern.

Yeli said...

I think the addition of the brown silk ribbon was a great idea. I like how your piece comes together, and love how it looks with the white shirt!
I have to try mine on with a white shirt and see how it looks :)

Rebecca said...

Love, love LOVE! what you've done here Malin!! I also think the silk ribbon was an inspired choice. But I have a confession to make....I don't really like polymer clay. There are of course some exceptions but generally...I just can't help but feel they look a little 'cheap'. But the one you've used here? It looks just great! The colours, the shape...it fits in too perfectly for me to complain! Beautiful and classy. And I love how much detail you have gone into with your design process - I too find it very interesting to read the thought process behind the design.

Unknown said...

Malin you have done a Really really really beautiful job with your Creation. Im so drawn in by how beautiful it looks as you wear it. And what a pretty way the ribbon accuentates it. Your Creation is by far one of my most Faves in the Blog hop!

peacockfairy said...

The Humblebead was a perfect pairing for this!

Linda Landig said...

Malin-
I love the Humble Beads focal with this. It really brings all the colors together. I like the way you set it off to the side, too. BTW, I love reading about beader's design process. It's fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing!

Elysian Studios said...

I love the addition of the blue beads... and the chocolate ribbon! Fantastic piece! I love that you included a picture of it being worn too, because it looks fabulous!

Marcie Abney Carroll said...

The ribbon is a gorgeous addition. They way it is finished is just awesome. Congrats!

TesoriTrovati said...

This is great. I love the addition of the cool frosty blue to the mix and the fact that it is adjustable! I took the summer off of the Inspired by challenges, but I am planning on starting up again real soon. Glad that you enjoyed this sort of thing. I agree, there needs to be more of it!
Enjoy the day!
Erin

Amy F said...

That design is genius. Really - genius! I love it. That Humblebeads piece is perfect. I'm gushing - i'll stop now :)

Andrew Thornton said...

How fun! That subtle blue with the warm, chocolate brown give the beads a wholly new feel. Isn't it nice when the universe rewards you with little gifts of happenstance like the perfect bead at the perfect time? Heather's polymer piece is killer in your luscious creation.

elisabeth said...

Really love your necklace - you are right - the humblebeads focal was perfect!

Mellisa said...

Just stunning, I love your choice of accent colors based on Heather's focal :)

EmandaJ said...

Hi Malin,
Thanks for sharing your process! I love what you did with all these different types of beads. Gorgeous!
Emanda
ArtemisiaStudi.blogspot.com

fanciful devices said...

looks so good on you. i like how your made it thick and chunky. very wearable. now i wanna make something thick and chunky, too.

Courtney Breul said...

I.Love.It! You rocked it, overseas and all! This piece is truly stunning! Heather's beads are perfect, perfect, perfect. The wood ring, the ribbon! MMMMM

Christine said...

Love your necklace! The ribbon is such a great idea - long or short, it's gorgeous!!

beautifullybrokenme said...

Hi Malin - I think your piece is one of my very favorites from this challenge! The focal from Humblebeads couldn't be more perfect, and the rich chocolate ribbon adds a soft and romantic feel to the whole design. Beautiful!

Rosanne said...

What a beauty you have made. It is so great to see that you can get beads locally (not all of are lucky enough to have great bead shops around). The Humblebead focal just makes the piece even better. I love it!