Doing earrings in chain

I decided to do a few earrings and doing a few that look alike.  I made two set of look alike earringL

Again, simple design but without any playing with the order of beads.  Maybe it was more with doing than making variation.  I really needed to do something.  Even when making variation with designs and beads order, I find doing projects like this soothing.  It is a change from the normal, for me.  There isn't much change from the usual in making them.

Well, I now know now that I can make a few ezamlar of the same earrings.  Could be useful when doing a order for a pair of earring many times.  I may do it again if I have a few strings of beads.  I will probably follow my fancy as for those earrings above.  I may make variations.  When creating, I go with what I want to do in the moment.  I will go on like that as long as I like.  It is what is the most important for me when creating.

Making earrings

I have made a few pairs of earrings.  Some of them are made from charms.  I find some charms are great for making earrings.  They are very fine and small charms.  The photo isn't as good as I wanted to be.  Still learning.  I think I should have take it a little bit closer:

I also made a pair with two conponents that could have been used for a necklace.  I like the shape of the conponents:

Lastly, I had done two more usual pair of earrings.  It is a hoop where many strand of beads are on the hoop:

In those case, I like to make various pattern for each pair of earring.  In the above case, I inversed the sequence of beads.  I like doing subtle change like that.  It is almost a guilty pleasure.  I don't do those kind of earring often but I like doing some once in a while.

Failed resin and trying to salvage it.

I have a bunch of failed resin.  They are a bit sticky.  I tried to be careful in the measure for each part.  There are time where it isn't enough and I end up with sticky resin.  So, I didn't want to throw some pieces of shaped resin solely based on stickiness.  My plan: glue them on a piece of fabric with modge podge.  After that, I cut around each resin pieces leaving some fabric around, so I can stitches some seed beads.  Of course, I think to bezel out of seed beads too and maybe do the back if I have the patience to do it on all the pieces.

Of course, it will be a long time project where I will do some here and there when I will have some time.  Meanwhile here are some pieces of resin on sheets of fabric, just before I cut out each pieces:

Of course, what gave me the idea ot do it is the cabochon.  I had done a good batch of cabochon made out of resin.  I gave them the fabric treatment and have started to use seed beads with the cabochon.  I wanted to try that technique.  It wasn't perfect but I wanted to practice more to see if I could have a better result with time.  So, I will have plento of material to practice!

Wash and Iron

I wish I thought about it sooner.  Or being warned before hand.  When using fabric for various projects, it is better to wash aind iron the fabric.  It will be easier to use the fabric after that.  The fabric will be flat and perfect to use.

Here are the unwashed and unironed fabric, it will explain my complaint and why it is a good thing to have an even surface:

I can assure that working on this surface is not fun, especially near the creases.  I now have my lesson.  It is particuliarly good when what is applied to the fabric need to be well secured.

I don't know if it is mentioned in crafting project books.  On the other hand, I didn't used any crafting books for the project that I had done with this fabric, so, I was totally on a clean slate. I couldn't been forwarned.  I didn't look at the internet either.  So, another hard lesson learned the hard way.  There are times where I wonder if I think before making a project.  Of course, next time I use fabric, I will be forewaned and think to wash and iron my fabric, whatever I do.

Finding a Cool Way to Channeling Ideas

This video is on 25 hilarious google auto completes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr7FBHLKuwU
Number one is the best, of course.  The rest is best for  the comments made on them.  So, why do a post on that topic?  Well, by listening to it, I got a little bright lightbulb that opened up.  It is a good way to go when the white blank paper (or screen) won't fill up.

I already use like wise idea like looking the phone book for names' ideas for characters.  Of course, the phone book is great to make names.  It is not easy for me to find names for my characters, so the phone book is very handy.  Of course, getting names is a bit different than getting ideas.  In any case, being inspired is what matter the most.

I think it will be useful for comedic effect like a punchline or for stress relief in a tense situation.  I never thought that while listening to a video, I would have an idea out of nowhere, like a brick falling on my head.  It remind me that inspiration can have a part of being playful.  I know there is some writing exercices that can be fun.  I had done some before like picking a word in a dictionary and try to find the definition.  Fun to do once on a while.  Should add some fun from the internet field now.

Obsession as Inspiration

I am able to have some obsession.  There are a lot of song that fall in this category like those few ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQytNvBev1U Discover Yourself by Emma Sapplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6f593X6rv8, Love is a Stranger or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzFnYcIqj6I Here Comes The Rain but any Eurythmics' songs can grow into a obsession.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iypXh0_mo0 Gowan Moonlight Desire (I know, awful video but an addictive song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miGUnKWcYeo Laura Brannigan Self Control

I wonder why having obsession with some songs can develop.  I am not a person that goes head over heel over an artist.  In the case of song, I guess they are powerful and intemporal songs,  Those songs are classics and have something deep in them.  I can listen to them again and again, without tiring.

I feel like under a spell or a trance.  There is inspiration floating around.  With many of those songs, I have images and ideas for stories.  They seems conductive of story making.  It put me in the same state than in the shower.  Maybe those songs are a focus my mind need to get the inspiration flowing.  Well, it could be a different source for channeling ideas.  I didn't realize it before even if I used songs to do it.

I don't know why those particuliar songs get me so obsessive about them.  Do they have a primitive conpoment that mkes me react on a unconscious level?  There is something that seems powerful in these song, a trigger of some kind that touch me.  I don't like the idea of a trigger but those songs have the right elements for me.  Well, there is a bit more thinking to do about it, I think.  I will have to go deeper into it for sure.  Maybe experimenting with it a bit more, of course!  I see a interesting goldmine and I am sure to explore it more deeper.

Always make a test first!

On many labels, there is a mention to test on a small area before using the product.  Well, it also apply to crafting.  I wanted to dissinfect a pair of earring in rubbing alcool.  It ended up like this:

 
It have lost it's sheen and opalescence.  It gives me the impression of being turned into a set of ghost earring.  I take it as an sad lost.  I didn't gave much of a thought when doing the deed.  Rubbing alcool seems safe enough to dip those earring.  Now, I have a pair of ruined earring.

Lesson learned.  Now, I will be a bit more careful in the maintenace of my earrings and jewelry in general.  Better be safe than sorry.

Filigree earring

I have found those filigree conmponent in the steampunk section in a craft store:

It ended looking like this:

Okay, I still have to work on the quality of my video.  Too much light.  Being an artist is not always easy.  I have to work and tweak on my photographic skills.  The jumprings are not easy to see for the earrings on the right and on top.  I had to use them because there wasn't any holes to put a jumpring trought it with the hook.  I had to improvise, not minding the experimentation.

Again, I still in the simple made earring style.  Maybe it is my trademark work.  Not sure if it will still stick to me forever.  In the meanwhile, quick projects seems to dominate what I can do in a busy schedule.

Sorry, there is an error. Someone skip a beat.

There one pair of earring I didn't show up in the last post.  It is because there wasn't any hole in one of the round filigree earring.  I decided to improvise and I think it is not a success.  Here what it look like:

So, not really a pair and they will give an uneaven look.  It is a fail in my book.  I don't see it as looking good.  I tried, I experimented but I should had thought a bit more about it.  I was too much in the «okay, I put the metal thread here and after that there, it should be stable and straight so I also have to go there and do it and end up with wirewrapping.  Now, the jumpring and the hook.»  It end up with the result on the photo.

From the experience I end up with this 2 conclusions: be careful in buying components and look up for irregularities, missing holes or any other failure in the design.  Secondly, think a bit more in problem solving.  I was too quick to apply to the solution I thought.

The trees, again

It is still on the ugly trees saga, again.  It seems to be stuck in my system.  Some leaves have been cut, again this summer.  I don't know if it will shorten the trees lives because they don't have their tops.  Their trunks are severely mishapen.  They look sick and not well at all.

Of course, the removed leaves gives more access to the sidewalk.  Is it healthy to the trees?  Would be nice if trees could have vaccine, it could help some who have disease.  For those trees, I don't know how long they will live with those conditions.  They seems resilinent for the time being.  I wonder how long they will stay there.  For sure, they have maturity and gives good shade.  Are they at their top shape?   Seeing their trunk, I am not sure of it.

I don't know who makes decisions toward trees.  I just hope those trunks are still strong.  They are not that attractive but I just have one hope.  I hope they will be cut when it will be the time to do so.

Prayer beads

Sometimes, seeing beads gives some crazy unexpected ideas.  Recently, while shopping, I have found big frosty beads.  As soon as I saw them, I thought: «They would be great as prayer beads or in a rosary».  I wasn,t affraid of their big shape.  Usually, I am not attracted by big beads.  I bought them anyway.  I put them on a macrame cord with some knots between them.  It gives this result:

I must admit that my knotting is in need of practice.  I didn't space the knot as tight to the beads as I would had liked to.  Otherwhise, I think I don't think to add some knot's caps.  If I could fine some in silver, maybe I would be tempted to add them to hide the knots.  Maybe it will also hide the impefection in the uneven knot spacing.  It still to be seens.  I also wonder if I could have chosen another colouir for the macrame cord.  Would have been wise to go for a bold statements and contrast with the milky beads?  Still unsure of the answer.  I think I am still unsure when it comes to colours.  It is another weak part that I need to work on.

I had many beads and I wanted to use them all.  So, it is why I din't do any macrame knots on this project.  I didn't wanted to add lenght to the project.  It is always fun when I know what I want to do or not with a project.  It always ease thing out.  The process is also easier and quicker.  No uncertainty.  No contemplating two options without unclear decision to make.

Charmed earrings

As seens above, I had done it again: earring done with charms.  Of course, they are another kind of charms.  What I think is that the above earrings add some variety into what I had done with that kind of componets.  I think this case is the colours that add to the charms of those earrings.  I think I should go more toward colours.  I tend to stay along the same palette.

I would had go all along with golden hooks and golden jumprings.  The problem that I had encountered is that the golden hooks that I have aren't shaped as I would had like to.  For the golden jumprings, I didn't have any.

It means that I will have to go shop for hooks and jumprings in the golden material.  I am always happy to go shop for material.  I am just not a fan of using golden components  when it comes to making jewelry.  I am more fascinated with silver.

Earrings with charms

I had made a lot of earrings lately.  Most of them with charms.  I like to do the unexpected.  Charms are more expected on bracelets.  I guess that with the right charms, earring can be good looking

Pendants can also have a good looks as earrings.  The only thing to consider is their weights.  They most be light weight.

I don't want to enter into shock value but it feel good to see that getting outside the box can have nice looking results.  This is one reason that I have to try some experiments.  While shopping, I can see some components that I know how to turn into a finished project.  It was the case with the pairs of earrings above, on the photo.  As soon as I saw them, I knew I would turn them into the seen results: earrings.  They are not elaborate. I just added jumprings and hooks.  It is quickly done but it is an instant gratification.  It also show that a last minute projects can be elegant.  It can give an helping hand for an needed piece of jewelry that could match a piece of clothing.

I would like to do more elaborate pieces of jewelry.  I would like to do some metal working.  I don't have all the material to do so.  So, in the mean time, I do easy and simple jewelry. It add restriction in what I can do.  If I can makes people talk about my creations, it is a start.  The rest will come when I will be able to get the equipment.