January 27, 2016

Halcraft Pretty Palettes Challenge


My friend Erin invited me to take part in this month's Halcraft Pretty Palette's Challenge. She sent me a very sparkly, icy inspired collection of beads and told me to create whatever I'd like and I could add in other beads. The inspirations were macro photos of snowflakes from a Russian photographer. You must go visit the Halcraft blog to see there beauties. 

So I gathered my Humblebeads, took a quick trip to Michael's to round out my color palette with a few more earthy options and set to work. I was a little afraid of all that pastel bling from the challenge, but a great challenge pushes you out of your comfort zone and allows you to put your stamp on it, stretching in the process. 

First up is a linked bracelet with a Humblebeads Winter Branches House Beads. I paired together the the snowflake charm, faceted glass and rhinestone beads Erin sent with faceted teardrops and metallic hematite from the Halfcraft Bead Gallery collection. A few copper hematite and copper jump rings added in darker colors to match my focal bead. 

Snowflake charm earrings with faceted glass and crystals from Halcraft.

Erin had sent in a few rose quartz beads inspired by Pantone's color of the year. I wanted to create a piece of jewelry in the pink hues that felt a little like spring might be on the way! I pulled out my Skeleton Leaf pendant, a disk bead and a Wedgwood bead in green from my Humblebeads stash. I paired with up with these unusual shaped sunstone beads that I picked up from a local bead store. My Halcraft beads are tiny dangle accents in between each link. Hurry spring...hurry.

I pulled some of the rose quartz colors to create a coordinating pair of earrings using art beads from Green Girl Studios and Gardanne Beads. 

This was a fun piece, I can't remember the last time I made a charm bracelet. As you'll soon notice, snow owls and woodland inspirations became my underlying theme for the challenge. This bracelet captures it all with art beads from my collection and tiny accents from Halcraft. 

 Snow owl charm earrings with tiny rose quartz crystals and lampwork beads. 

I wanted to create a multi-strand bracelet that captured those wintry hues and pulled out my Winter Wonderland spacers. I paired them up with faceted teardrops from the Halcraft Bead Gallery collection, each one on dark annealed steel wire to darkened my color palette.

For the multi-strand connectors I pulled out some metal blanks, cut them and hammered them to create a birch bark texture. I love how these turned out and tied the bracelet together. A Green Girl Studios owl clasp finishes the design.



Owl charm earring with Humblebeads disks and Halfcraft faceted glass teardrops. 

I love a good challenge and Halfcraft certainly provides a lovely one from Erin each month. Please head over to Halcraft blog and see what Erin created, she's kinda amazing you know! Thank you Erin and Halcraft for the opportunity to showcase art beads for the Pretty Palettes Challenge.

8 comments:

peacockfairy said...

I love all of these pieces, especially the charm bracelet! You did a great job incorporating "sparkle" into your signature earthy vibe!

TesoriTrovati said...

I love the comment that a good challenge pushes you outside your comfort zone...yet you still managed to put your own spin on this wintry inspiration! Love all the new Humblebeads I see and the addition of things like the hematite (you and I have the exact same tastes!) and the darker blue teardrops. You were very inspired! Thank you so much for being my Pretty Palettes partner! Our next challenge will be revealed on February 3rd (Michelle McCarthy is my partner - squee!). Enjoy the day! Erin

Alison Adorns said...

Wow! You are super woman! Amazing pieces with amazing textures and finishes. I love how easily you combined the hematite and copper with the crystal AB finish in the first (and my favorite) bracelet!

baymoondesign said...

What great pieces! I love how you mixed rustic with glam beads. I especially like the snowflake earrings.

The Crafty Mama said...

Oh, Heather. Your pieces are always a treat to look at! I'm also a big fan of the electroplated hematite beads, and I love how you used them as tiny little bead "caps". The different textures and tones of metal add so much interest to each of your pieces. Thank you for playing along with us!
I'm going to try to get back up to South Haven with my family again this year. Want to meet for more spinach burgers? :)
Wonderful work!

Terri said...

If these designs don't say Heather...I don't know what does. Awesome job!

Shai Williams said...

What great designs!

CraftyHope said...

These are all such great designs. I admire your mix of metals without anything being too shiny, shiny. The bracelets you created definitely sparked my interest the most. All in all though, they're all fab!