November 7, 2008

Collaboration Exploration - Garden Party!


Oh, I have some fun things to share with you today. It's the big reveal of the latest round of Collaboration Exploration! What is that? Two beadmakers create 3 sets of beads, we pair up with a jewelry designer and each of us use the beads to create a collaborative piece of jewelry or two. The only rules are that we have to use at least one bead from each artist and we don't share the results until the reveal. It's my favorite game! The players this round are myself, beadmaker Gaea and designer Lorelei Eurto!

My first design features one of Gaea's Lantern pendants, my Lily bead and copper disks, along with a raku disk, copper metal disks, brass chain, faceted pearls, a few coin pearls. I ended the necklace with a silk ribbon for the closure.

When I first saw Gaea's lantern pendants they reminded me of my favorite painting from Sargent. Which has inspired a line of beads. I wanted this necklace to have the feeling of lanterns swaying in a garden, but I didn't want the piece to scream summer, so I paired it up with the coppers of the fall season and some subdued gray/blues.

The next necklace is a fun pendant with the lanterns, my garden lantern beads, a gunmetal tassel, and a copper pearl. The top part is something different, I used a hardware retaining ring, which I love them and need to find more! I added Green Girl's Lotus pendant with two jump rings and a chain attaches there to create the necklace. Although I think I may redo the chain to a larger size to better compliment the scale of the pendant.

Please visit Lorelei and Gaea's blogs to see their amazing results!

10 comments:

Cristi Baxter Clothier said...

Both pieces are fabulous, Heather! (Insert shameless plug) - I'd love to collaborate with you guys sometime.

Rosanne said...

Bravo Heather! I see those beautiful copper findings. We need to talk about you getting me some next time you see that dealer...lol! I am always lusting for them when I see your jewelry!
Beautiful pieces from all three of you.

Lorelei Eurto said...

Stunning work as usual! It's been so fun, I love participating in this project and I am truly honored that I was asked again!!

Dot said...

those are really gorgeous... great collaboration!

SarahKelley said...

The idea is so cool and I loved what all of you did!

Gaea said...

That sure was fun! Thanks for the invite! I would gladly do it again! Yours really has a garden feel with out being too sweet. The lotus necklace looks like it has great movement! Fab-O!

Beth Hikes said...

Impressive as always!

craftyLinda said...

I love what ya'll did with the beads. What a great idea! To collaborate with other designers. It is really interesting to see what other people see in the same set beads.

SarahKelley said...

Also-- I passed on a Butterfly award for coolness in beauty to you, because you have one of the prettiest blogs I read:)

Erin Siegel said...

Wow! I'm speechless other than to say beautiful work!