Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Jewelry Design from Nature challenge - the results

The day is finally here! If you remember, Heather Powers from Humblebeads sent us a focal, a picture, and a poem - all inspired by nature; in return we were asked to create a piece inspired by the picture and poem, using the focal and whatever else would strike our fancy.

My poem and picture were of daffodils. Little did Heather know I love daffodils, along with all other spring flowers - more than other flowers. Probably because they come after the long cold winter... probably because our gardens back where I grew up were full of daffodils... probably because they are such delicate and strong flowers at the same time.

I am not very fond of yellow - but for daffodils I make an exception: I love their colour :)

So here I was, with the most delicate and beautiful pendant I've ever seen - painted by hand, with this lovely daffodil on a azure sky, in the green grass...

Jewelry Design from Nature challenge :: focal by Heather Powers

I had this idea at first... but it meant some extra time I didn't have on my hands... so I settled on a variation of that idea. Beads started to take shape on my desk:

yellow, for the daffodils:
Jewelry Design from Nature challenge: work in progress (jade, sterling silver) :: All Pretty Things
 blue, for the sky:
Jewelry Design from Nature challenge: work in progress (jade, sterling silver) :: All Pretty Things
 green, for the grass:
Jewelry Design from Nature challenge: work in progress (jade, sterling silver) :: All Pretty Things

more blue (just because I am in love with this shade and with making my own clasp :) this time an eye for the hook was born too; of course both beaded):

Jewelry Design from Nature challenge: work in progress (jade, sterling silver) :: All Pretty Things

The necklace went through 2 length variations until I was happy with it - and I wore it a few times already, it wears beautifully, there is something special about a beaded chain, that's for sure!

Jewelry Design from Nature challenge necklace (jade, sterling silver, polymer clay focal by Humblebeads) :: All Pretty Things

Jewelry Design from Nature challenge necklace (jade, sterling silver, polymer clay focal by Humblebeads) :: All Pretty Things


Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils. 

by William Wordsworth


Jewelry Design from Nature challenge necklace (jade, sterling silver, polymer clay focal by Humblebeads) :: All Pretty Things

I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of Nature :)

Please make sure to visit the other artists' participating:


18 comments:

  1. Daffodils remind me of my mom. I would buy them for her every spring, and she loved it. Fantastic job on the necklace!

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    1. Thanks, Marlene - so happy you like it. Between December and April our house is full of daffodils: either from the store or forced from bulbs :)

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  2. You're having way too much fun with that wire, aren't u? LOVE your clasp and eye :)

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    1. LOL, I was wondering who's going to catch that... yes, I think I found my 'happy' medium. And the fact that I can make my own clasps (I won't get as far as making the jumprings or hook eyes). Thanks, Kashmira :)

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  3. Beautiful wirework and gorgeous necklace. The blues really set it off. And that clasp.....wow.

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    1. Thanks, Marlene, like Kashmira says, I'm having way too much fun with wire at the moment :)

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  4. I love this pendant, and I love what you did with it. I'm always afraid of yellow - but you really highlighted the daffodils perfectly!

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  5. Love daffodils! I love all the color you incorporated into your necklace! And the wirework!

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  6. Nice wire work. Yellow is a tough one for me too. So spring like!

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  7. Sweet necklace, Alicia. Daffodils are one of the "early birds" of spring here in our cold(er) climate.

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  8. Your necklace totally captures the cheerfulness of daffodils! Your beaded links are so nicely done, that style of link is hard to do--looks like you've mastered it!

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  9. So pretty! I love the beaded chain and the placement of colors that completely enhance the focal. Great job!

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  10. It seems every packet was meant by pure chance for the designer - after I put them all together, we put them by random into the envelopes - so it was meant to be. I like how you used beads to represent the natural elements found in the pendant. The wire work adds a playful touch!

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  11. I am so impressed with everyone's designs! This is beautiful Alicia.

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  12. Yellow is a color that I tend to avoid but I love how you highlighted it and made it so playful. This is a necklace that I could easily see myself wearing.

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  13. I love the simplicity of necklace - I agree, sometimes a plain bead link chain is all that's needed. The wire pendant connector has a nice flowy feel like the daffodils are blowing in the breeze. Great job!

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  14. How lovely! That is a beautiful spring whisper, Miss Alicia. The poem is beautiful and I love seeing how people interpret one feeling into another. So glad you were playing along with Miss Heather. This is truly one of my favorite books! Enjoy the day. Erin

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  15. Thank you all for your kind words - I am happy you liked my 'spring whisper' like Erin so beautifully described it. Heather - thanks for the opportunity to participate, it was a pleasure to create something with your gorgeous and delicate focal.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I appreciate and love to read your comments!