Stacked Earrings Challenge #4

Hey it's time again. Stacked Earrings Challenge #5. Five beading buddies in three different countries (Sweden, United Kingdom and USA) sending each others a group of beads inspiring for making earrings, preferably in the stacked style. Make as many as you wish. Use at least three beads from the lot in each earring.

Here are the beads Rebecca Anderson sent us this time. What a lovely lot. So much colour. And many flowers. So very Rebecca. So inspiring!

I ended up making four pairs. But I do have a few more laid out as half ready ideas on my work table.

These are my own favourites of the ones I made. I've been wearing them several times. 

My daughter Arabella likes these ones best.

I'd say these one are most Rebbecca-esque of the ones I made. I mean I sense her presence in the beads and in the color scheme.

No there is nothing wrong with your screen, the waxed linen cord is of two different colours. It was a sort of deliberate mistake, since I made them over two different days, and day two I realized I'd run out of the darker color. But you know I like semi-assymetry … so I let it stay like that.

-------

Every time we have our releases I love seeing what we all made with the same lot of beads. It is such an interesting test of and tribute to creativity. 

Check out:

Rebecca Anderson - Songbead

Leah Curtis – Beady Eyed Bunny

Heidi Post – Ex Post Facto

Claire Lockwood - Something To Do With Your Hands

All my best,
Malin

Stacked Earrings Challenge

I invited four dear friends in the international online beading community to join me in a Stacked Earrings Challenge. The reason being simply only a lust for an inspiration boost by some designers I really like.

• Claire Lockwood - Something To Do With Your Hands
• Leah Curtis - Beady Eyed Bunny
• Rebecca Anderson - SongBead
• Heidi Post - Ex Post Facto
• Malin de Koning - Beading By Malin de Koning

"
Dear Ladies, 
Would you be interested in a small humble earrings challenge arranged by me? The idea is that I give each of us the same set of beads. Beads that I believe would be nice to use in earrings. Nothing exclusive, and no art beads. Just a group of different beads that I myself believe can be used in fun and interesting ways in earrings in a stacked style.

Over the last few months or so I have been particularly fascinated in stacked designs in earrings. So most of the beads I have picked are of that nature. I am only including the beads, no hooks or studs, or fibers or other components.

I love the way all of you design, and I find a lot of inspiration in looking at your jewelry. I am longing to see how we all use the same things but in different ways. I am thinking we could all make at least one pair of earrings, but hopefully more. And that we are free to add our own extra beads and/or other components, if we at least use three (3) of the beads from my set in each design. How does that sound?
"

Here's the set of beads. I did not use all of them myself. For instance I tried several things with those shiny silvery beads, but was never happy with what I created. As well as for the milky white flower disks. I am really looking forward to see if any one else managed to use them in a creative and/or attractive way. And I am longing to see all of your designs and be inspired by them.

I created 5 pairs of earrings.
I didn't do all my designs exactly the way as what I had had in mind myself in the first place when I put this challenge together. But that is the beauty of it all I think. Self-surprise! Is that even a word? Well, I guess it is now ;-).

My first pair. A bead stack hung from a pair of sparkly links (SmittenBeads) and oxidized silver ears hooks.

If you are already familiar with my design style, you might already have noticed that I am very fond of messy wire wrapping. In the two following earrings I didn't only use the technique/style for the assembling, but also for making whole components on their own. That was fun, and I am sure I will keep playing around with that.

The stacking in these ones consists of the three wood beads on top of each other. I made the fabric links myself with recycled sari silk and two different gauges of oxidized copper wire. A heavier one for the inside, and a thinner one for the wrapping around. I think they turned out rather attractive. A soft bohemic style to them. Oxidized copper ear hooks.

Back to a combo of many different beads stacked on top of each other. I made the messy wire wrapped circular dangles/charms myself. I will definitely continue doing such things. Fun to do/make and a very versatile way to use in my designs. Rustic and bohemic. Oxidized copper ear hooks.

Was this cheating? I don't care, because I really like the way they look. I only stacked three stripey seed beads (and not different beads combined). Using a ball head pin for the wire wrapped link. Hung two patinated copper charms by MissFickleMedia. Oxidized copper ear hooks.

Oh, and another cheating one perhaps ;-). I only stacked two beads (not three). I do have more of those gold painted square wooden beads, and I could easily have used three or more. But somehow I liked this better, so … looks goes before rules. At least in my book of design. Patinated copper dangles/charms by lovely MissFickleMedia. And oxidized copper ear hooks.


Here again are the links to the other participants in this challenge. Hop on over to their blogs and check out many fun, exciting and lovely designs for earrings. :-)

Claire Lockwood - Something To Do With Your Hands

Leah Curtis - Beady Eyed Bunny

Rebecca Anderson - SongBead

Heidi Post - Ex Post Facto

Malin de Koning - Beading By Malin de Koning

All my best,
Malin

ABS March - Earrings

This month's inspiration painting on Art Bead Scene is one by Vincent van Gogh. He's a favorite artist of mine, and I even did a speech on him, his life and his art back in school when I was around 16. Read more about the challenge on Art Bead Scene's page here.

In fact these earrings are just a sort of coincidental accident. I have so many things laid out on my table to play around and work with for my challenge piece/-s. What I was looking for to create yesterday was something else, but suddenly these beads were just laying there next to each other, and VOILÁ , it just happened. I think they look really nice and very French ;-). But I'll keep working on one or two more pieces still. Hope to get them ready and present them here in the coming week.

I used:

• Pomegranate red with white heart lamp worked beads by BoulderGlassMonkey
• lucite marbled ivory and grey round and hexagonal beads
• blue large seed beads
• Rosey Copper head pins by E2SSupplies
• French Lily Copper ear hooks

All my best,

Malin

Art Bead Scene November Challenge

ABS Monthly Challenge for November. Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni, by Marie Spartali Stillman. A painting in the style of the British Pre-Raphaelite movement, which in turn was inspired by the Rennaissance and also the Post-Rennaissance movement called Mannierism. The Pre-Raphaelites were around in the second half of the 19th century. Spartali Stillman was considered the greatest female artist of that movement (I just read up on that).

Apart from feeling very Pre-Raphaelite I definately get a Rennaissance feeling from this painting. Mona-Lisa clearly comes to mind. And Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. But if I take away all my art history connotations and just look at the picture I think of words like noble, elevated, serene, class, stillness, gossamer (the white flowers) contrasting with density (the fabric in her dress, and an overall somewhat mystical air, you don't really get close to that woman do you. Then I look at the colors also. Hm, very interesting, not my common scheme. Olive green, ochre, rusty brown, wine red, lime green, white sprinkles, and the more blue-ish colors in the background landscape.

So ... how about my own creation then? Well, it contains all the elements I mentioned above, in the parts. But as a whole composition it is far more robust, and maybe even rustic, than the feeling you get from the paiting. And that's something I like about it. A feel of today, but inspired by and connected to something in the past. I am very happy with this piece. :-)

About the beads I used

Art Beads:

• I just very recently got the golden swirly shell-ly beads from MissFickleMedia. I had thought to use them in a pair of earrings ...
• The dark metallic green facetted nuggets are made by Floridity, from her Erudite collection.

They marry so well those two! Don't you agree.

Other beads and components are:

• Waxed linen
• Magnetic ball clasp
• Hydro Grossular Grenade rounds
• Rainbow Moonstone facetted Heishi
• Carneol roundels
• Twisted Hex Miyuki white on gilt beads

The bracelet is sitting just a little little too tight on my own wrist. I can wear it, but ... I would like another half a centimeter. I might get around re-stringing it. Unless I make sure to sell it soon to someone more thin-wristed. I think it is a perfect piece to wear for the season coming up.

All my best,

Malin

LimaBeads Challenge by Lorelei and Shannon - Reveal

I was lucky to get my hands on one of these beautiful kits from LimaBeads. Fantasticly put together by Lorelei Eurto and Shannon Iko Chomanczuk. Thank you so much!

Shannon and Lorelei's idea was that we simply create something with the beads. We could use them whichever way we wanted, adding our own beads, focals and so on.

I have made three pieces, two necklaces and one bracelet.

Starting with the first necklace

I have recently learned the technique of pearl knotting on silk thread. (I am definitely not a pro yet, my constructions get sort of wobbly, so if anyone could tell me what I do wrong I'd be very happy.) I love the effect of knotting. And the less wanted wobblyness on this necklace will soon go away I believe. Oh I should also mention, I accidently got two bags of the pale yellow potato pearls. Hope no one else missed out on theirs.

Now the bracelet

I tripled the chain, and added beads from the BeadChest and art beads from RadiantMind, Floridity, HumbleBeads, Jubilee, Elaine Ray, Loupiac and Gaea. Strung on waxed linen cord. Clasp from LimaBeads and the cute peace charm I got ages ago, but unfortunately I can't remember from where, it is possible it was actually from LimaBeads.

Necklace number two

Beautiful pendant from HumbleBeads. And I added more pearls, semi-precious, copper and glass beads from my own stash.

My love affair with Art Bead Scene pt 1

Ooooohhhhh! Look! Another interview with me. This time on Art Bead Scene! I'm excited to say the least. Very honoured indeed. Thank you sooooo much Erin!

Art Bead Scene Blog: Meet the Designer :: Malin de Koning

Art Bead Scene has been an inspirational place for me ever since I first discovered them in early 2010. A leading star! I don't remember how I even came across them. Probably from searching for and about HumbleBeads or Heather Powers who I'd discovered on Etsy about a year earlier. I think it was one of the first times I was actually on Etsy, in late 2008, that I came across one of her Dandelion Beads, in a turquoise color she hasn't done for a while now.

At the time I had no idea of the concept of Art Beads, or of Bead Artists. I was looking for bargin deals and as cheap as possible beads, findings and components. Oh yes, I had not yet figured out some very important things about jewelry making. But I fell helplessly in love with these. I'd never seen anything like it. I mean just look at the picture. So I attempted to make a purchase. My first one ever on Etsy. Imagine that, me who wanted to pay no more than 10p per bead, was suddenly prepared to pay 8 dollars! Don't know why, but something screwed up so it didn't go through. I guess I didn't understand totally how to go about it, being a beginner and all. Then it must have sold to someone else very shortly after, coz I remember keeping coming back to Heathers shop ever so often to look if she put some new ones out for sale. And no, I didn't know of custom orders either yet. Otherwise I would of course have contacted Heather, but ...

Then in the summer of 2009 I went into a magazine shop here in Stockholm. I found a whole section of magazines on beading and jewelry. Bought a bunch. One of them was Beads 2009. And there I saw Heathers Turqoise bird. Ooooohhhhhhh! Instant love again! Same artist! Went to her Etsy shop to buy the bird instead. None there. :-( I kept coming back, but no luck. Then somehow I found out BelloModo was also selling Heathers beads. Voila! I made my purchase from them. And early 2010 or if it was late 2009 I had bough my first Art Bead.

That's what I thought anyway. But actually I had bought some other ones before, without even knowing they were art beads. By Maureen Thomas Designs, in May '09. At the time I had gotten a larger sum of sort of backtracked money, and I went a bit crazy with my bead shopping for a period. Building up quite a bit of my stash. But mostly still looking for cheap deals ... (if I'd only known then what I know now, but I gues you can only live and learn). These ones I couldn't resist though. I still have the necklace I made from them in my drawer. I never wear it, and I don't want to sell it either, so maybe it's time to take it apart and reuse the goodie goodie goodies. YUM!

Anyway, back to Art Bead Scene. In early 2010 I first came across the blog. And their challanges. Oh, there were beads one could win. Oh, there was a possibility to be featured. Oh, Heather Powers was one of the contributors. Oh, and Lorelei Eurto too (I will come back to her later). Oh, I really like what people are doing for the challenges. Oh, there is something called flickr too. Discoveries discoveries discoveries! Art Beads!?! What is that? Artisans!?! Learning, exploring, incorporating, expanding. A whole new universe had opened for me. Inspiration! WOW!

WOW!

So I dared! In March '10 I submitted my first piece to an Art Bead Scene Challenge. I was sooooo nervous. I had to open a flickr account. I had to add to the group. Name the piece and tag it correctly to be accepted. I even named the piece "Take A Chance" after a Magic Numbers song. And I wasn't refused! Happy happy happy!

So with my newly achieved confidence, I submitted a new piece again the next month. This was fuuuuuun! It is so great to interact with others. To get feedback, and to give feedback. But guess what happened?! Lorelei picked my piece for Designer of the Week! I was astounded! That was kind of never on my agenda to happen.

She said:

"That curved focal is what draws my eye into this piece, as well as the curved

lines in the Klee painting. I love the bright and happy colors Malin uses to emulate the painting. Bead placement is so great, and draws your eye around and around, so many interesting things to look at here!

Always a fan of mixed media, Malin throws in some soft silk too, and that

addition makes this divine!!"

(Or check here for the featured article on ABS).

So now I was definitely hooked. I had started my own blog in the beginning of 2010, and more people started to visit it regularly. I was in flow sort of. Art Beads, Art Beads and mooooore Art Beads! I just couldn't get enough. I still can't to be honest. Oh, how they make jewelry making fun and exciting. I am collaborating with people from all over the world when I make my pieces. I LOOOOOOOOOVE IT!

Now, I have so much more to tell you about how I feel about Art Bead Scene, Heather Powers, Lorelei Eurto and more things related. I think I will have to make that into a part two of this story.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Don't miss out on reading the interview with me on Art Bead Scene.

And here's a link to another interview with me on A Jewelry Accord.

Please come back soon!

I am featured on Art Bead Scene Blog: June Monthly Challenge Blog Tour

I can not enough underscore the importance of Art Bead Scene for my creative journey in jewelry making. So when I am featured on their blog I am always exceptionally proud and happy. And now it has happened again! Yihaaaaaa!

Go and check Erin's post and wrap up list that will take you on a very inspiring blog tour indeed, with a good bunch of participants for the challenge for June. I am honored to be one of them.

Here's the link to the blog tour post on Art Bead Scene.

Here's the link to my own post for my contribution.

All my best!

ABS May Challenge - Bracelet

My contribution for Art Bead Scene's May challenge is a bracelet. I named it "Hide and Seek", just like the painting by Berthe Morisot. Read about the piece and the challenge here.

I just completely fell for the color scheme of strong green, very light grey and touches of ochre in this painting. Or at least those where the colors that stood out to me as the ones I wanted to work with. A somewhat unusual combo in a jewelry piece maybe. But oh so yummie!

I am very pleased and excited about the solution with the three leather ribbons/bands going in and out of Round Rabbit's beautiful porcelain rings. They are playing hide and seek with each other :-) .

Look, I tried to take a Lorelei Eurto-esque picture of the bracelet on me. I really like her style when she photographs the pieces on herself. No one was there to help me, so I ended up with a bunch of pictures of the wall behind me and a little bit of my nose in one corner. I didn't bother with setting up the camera or programming it for delayed exposure. Simply held it myself with a stretched out arm. This one worked out ok anyway.

The pattern on the porcelain rings works perfectly to capture the romantic atmosphere in the painting, don't you agree.

The green dangle bead is a Swarovski milky green facetted round. The rest is copper components.

If you wanna see all the current contributions for the challenge go here.

And don't miss the blog hop about all the contributions that has been blogged about, starting at Art Bead Scene at the end of the month.

All my best! Have a great weekend. Mine will be very busy :-)

Art Bead Scene Blog: March Monthly Challenge Blog Tour

I was featured with my necklace and a picture of it, on Art Bead Scene, in this post summarizing about the March Monthly challenge.

This is what Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati, one of the writers on the ABS blog, wrote:

"Miss Malin over in Sweden is conjuring up the summer sun with her beautiful necklace. It just so happens that she had a beaded ring lying around the suiting this just fine as a clasp to complement the focal. She even created a wardrobe for the person who would wear this on the beach!"

conjuring up = trollar fram (in Swedish)

And then she links back to my own post here about it.

Here is the full article on ABS: Art Bead Scene Blog: March Monthly Challenge Blog Tour

Did I say I am honoured? Well I am!

BeadTableWednesday and Philosophising about creativity and skill

I am going through a really bad patch lately, when it comes to designing and making jewelry. It started a week or so ago. I had laid out this design for a necklace, that I am very happy with. But when I am going to assemble it I get stuck on tiny details. Either I don't have a clear idea of HOW that particular part shall connect with the next. Or I just don't manage to make it look good. So I take apart and try again, and take apart and try again. When I've been doing that for two or three days I put it all away coz I only get stressed when handling the parts, and my hands get all sweaty and such things, so I don't work well anyway. What a shame it is, coz I believe it will look great if I only get it to look the way I want it too. I have kind of promised people to show it ready also, as a reply to the positive comments I got on flickr and on my blog post. I feel I let you down. So sorry about that!

OK, so I started on something else instead. This Month's ABS challenge. Oh, I have some beads and parts that are so perfect for this. I was gonna make a bracelet. A really nice one. But it just wouldn't work out for me that one either. I tried for three days. Same story as with the necklace above. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Now it is just a pile of beads and components. And I DON'T want to give up. I keep coming back looking at the parts, fiddling with them, trying different possibilities. But na, I am not convinced yet. So back to the good old soup state again. And that's where we are standing now.

On the good side though - I did make these earrings and posted them to the flickr group. They turned out nice I think. So hurray for them! They are for sale in my Etsy shop. They sit very nicely on, I wore them all Sunday, and hardly noticed them during the whole day.

Then there is also the Bead Soup Blog Party. I don't know what to make with the parts I got from Anita. They are all lovely and beautiful, don't misunderstand me. And I can see them in many different kinds of jewelry looking really good. Made by other people. But you see, I want to make my own kind, my own style. So last night I was laying out at least ten different concepts for designs of different pieces. I wasn't pleased with any of them. They would work, shurely, and I would get away with showing them. But I wish for something extra. Not just "good" or "nice". But "WOW" and "awesome". You know what I mean!?!

I do know from my previous artistic careers that this patch I am going through is a clear sign of that I am just about to take a leap in my performance level. An art teacher explained it to me once like this:

Picture some stairs. See yourself, your skill and ability moving up those stairs. When you have reached a new step on those stairs you feel great and excited and in flow. But then slowly you are moving forward on that step in order to get closer to the next one to climb. The closer you get, the more and more you get a glimpse of what is awaiting you. You can see what you COULD achieve, but you are not yet there. At a certain stage in that process of moving forward you are not any longer satisfied by what you already know, but ONLY see what's there on the next step. This is when the big frustration strikes. "So really", my teacher said, "you thinking that you suck at what you do, is a sign of you having developed, and that you know where you want to go." "You are just about to move up onto that next step."

I have carried this picture with me for many years, coz it works for me. And right now I am standing right there by the wall of the next step again. Oh, it is so tough and difficult to actually push myself over. I am STUCK basically. So what I have often done in the past when I am standing here, is to decide to do the opposite of what I believe is good. The opposite of the familiar and known. Coz really, when you think about it, it is what you already know and can that you are NOT satisfied with. You want something more, something new, something fresh and exciting. How to access that, unless you try something completely unfamiliar. You have to not care about the end result when you have your first go. But you have to complete the idea, the attempt to the end.

Alright then! I guess that is what I will be doing for the following days, or weeks. And this time I shall push myself to show the results swell, not judging myself before. All the way!

Now just please give me a BIG KICK IN THE ASS for my coming journey!

Thank you!