Saturday, October 13, 2012

History Blog Hop - the reveal

 
Welcome to the History Blog Hop.

Leah from Beady Eyed Bunny decided to have some fun with historical periods and made it into a Blog Hop. She assigned me the Victorian period.

I love Victorian period - I find it at time a bit too 'stiff', but I definitely love the jewelry. They are elegant and very rich (not only money-wise). I could create a Victorian piece - but I complicated my challenge... I wanted a piece I could wear... during the day. Well, that was a challenge.

My sketches are really bad, I won't show them to you - but I can tell this: I went through 5 different designs before deciding on what to do. That's in 2 days :)

I finally set my heart onto this design:

Aqua pendant: Victorian era inspire, Sterling Silver, Swarovski :: All Pretty Things


It is Victorian - more so probably if used in earrings, a bit too simple (I feel) for the ever-so-complex era. But I can wear it - and I already did so. It's a beautiful, delicate piece, almost ethereal. I like the feeling of the draping chain on skin. I meant to make earrings too - but then I got caught up in trying a couple of new designs.

One is not Victorian at all, I won't show it to you :) Or not... yet...

One, though, is very so and  has a very interesting story. You know I love chainmaille, however I never seem to have proper rings: you need very specific A(spect) R(atio) rings. I recently bought these beautiful lavender aluminum (anodized) jump rings, with the AR for Byzantine chain and they were intended for use on another Romanov piece (what can I say, I am truly in love with that piece). While trying different ideas for the challenge I thought about making another Romanov. But I knew I don't have enough rings (silly me!) and not even time for finishing a full piece. I thought then to use the chrysanthemum pattern - which is another gorgeous one. But I had only 2 sizes of rings: 4.1mm and 6.7mm. If you know what the chrysanthemum pattern is, you also know... you need progressive larger rings - not an almost 3mm difference! Sometimes need can give way to progress - and that's what happened to me. Look at this neat pattern! I've read many chainmaille books - but I haven't seen it anywhere yet (this is not to say it is original, just that it is very original to me!) and I felt very good about making it work.

Lavender flower: Victorian era inspire, Sterling silver, Aluminum, Swarovski :: All Pretty Things


I love the colours and I will make a proper chrysanthemum pattern, making it into a full bracelet or necklace. Or maybe both. I love chainmaille, especially when I get proper rings - these are made specifically for chainmaille, with specific AR and of aluminum: the resulting piece is not only gorgeous, but very light and nice to wear!

This was my take on Victorian era - I hope I did it justice.

Please make sure to visit the other participants, I am looking forward to discover what everybody made with their historical inspiration. This will be a very interesting blog hop!

Our host: Leah Curtis – Ancient Roman www.beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk

Ahowin - Art Nouveau www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com

Alicia Marinache – Victorian http://www.allprettythings.ca/ <-- You are here

Becca's Place – Renaissance www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com

Beti Horvath – Ancient Egypt and Art Deco www.stringingfool.blogspot.com

Cherry Obsidia – Ancient Mecynae Greece www.cherryobsidia.blogspot.com

Cooky – Renaissance www.shepherdessbeads.com/Blog.html


Jennifer Davies-Reazor – Medieval www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Kathleen Douglas – Indus Valley www.washoekat.blogspot.com

Kashmira Patel – Etruscan www.sadafulee.blogspot.com

Lady Grey – Victorian www.beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com

Laney Mead – Pre-Columbian www.laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk

LiliKrist - Persia www.lilikrist.com

Melissa – Mesopotamian www.design.kcjewelbox.com

Melissa Trudinger – Art Nouveau www.beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Micheladas Musings – Ancient Romans www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com


Sandra Wollberg – Art Nouveau www.city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.com

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson – Art Deco www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com

Tracy Stillman – Victorian www.tracystillmandesigns.com
 

17 comments:

  1. I agree..."true" Victorian pieces are not very wearable everyday. I like what you made! Love the drape.

    And the chainmaille is cute!

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  2. I love your lavender chain maille piece - it's exquisite!

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  3. I really like that top necklace. I can imagine wearing that piece myself!

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  4. Lovely work, Alicia! I like how you made your pieces 'wearable Victorian'. Love the chains on the first piece - very romantic. And fab job on the chainmaille! I've never seen one quite like that. It's beautiful (must have taken ages to make).

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  5. I love your design and the way you made it wearable, It is elegant, unique and I love the lavender colour. Very beautiful

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  6. Hey! we cover both ends of the Victorian period, I did the darker side and you did the lighter side. ^.^ Anyways, I love the lavender colour, beautiful.

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  7. Both are so pretty Alicia! I love the chain drape - so elegant! but that chainmaille is so unique and pretty - love it!

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  8. i love the chainmaille flower! its gorgeous

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  9. Oh, I certainly agree about making a wearable piece! That is part of the fun of the challenge. Love your pendant! It reminds me of a basket of flowers. Very pretty and Victorian inspired!

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  10. Lavender chain maille flower, there's a phrase I never thought I'd use. Beautiful work.

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  11. Those are both lovely. I love the first pendant and I am really taken with the chain maille flower. I understand the semi frustration with chain maille. I also seem to have the wrong size of rings for the project I want to start. This and your princess bracelet have really inspired me, though. Thank you!

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  12. Such simplicity belies the amount of love and care that went into it all.Very lovely.Love and hugs Tanya

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  13. Pretty and elegant, Alicia. I am inspired by your experiment with the rings!

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  14. Alicia~these are beautiful! I really love the draping of the chain in the first piece and the whole look to the flower.

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  15. What a delicate piece! I like the draped chain!

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  16. Two beautiful Victorian-inspired pieces, I really love the first piece, it's very elegant (and maybe you should have matching earrings!!!)

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  17. I love those pieces, the top one is gorgeous, I would wear that and my daughter would definitely wear the fabulous flower in chain.

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