Friday, June 26, 2015

CC7A, June edition - hosted by Sally Russick

Welcome to a new installment of our CC7A Odyssey. Speaking of Odyssey, William had a new colleague this year, fresh from Greece. A lovely young man, who's favourite author is... Homer! Can you imagine being 12 yo and having read Homer? I think I'll have William read some serious classics this summer.

But I digress :) This month is hosted by Sally and she chose soft summer hues as her palette:

At first, I thought it will be a huge challenge for me, as I am never soft. Colours or otherwise, I am a very energetic person, moving from A to B with the speed of light (or not moving at all, extremes is my middle name :) ) and that shows in my designs too. They are always full of colour, full of energy and rarely soft. Make than never.

You know how recently I tried (for the 2nd time) enamels. My first attempt this time has not be overly successful: I was using transparent flux over copper, and transparent enamels. Nice effect, but not the bold colours I have bee expected. I figured out it was transparents, when I was thinking I am using opaques. So I tried again, white base and opaques on top. Bolder, but still not what I wanted. Then it dawned on me and I made one more try: white base, followed by layers of transparent. Victory!! I'll show you the 3 levels at the end of this article, 'cause now it's all about soft summer hues, and not bold summer hues :)


CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things


I am not as soft as Sally's image will imply, however I am not sure I can go any softer!

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

The stones are soft, aren't they? All 3 on the right are Crazy Lace Agate, the one on the left it is a Rhyolite.

Every year, around Christmas and June I seem to create a small collection... what for? It's quite simple: for William's teachers. I think I should revisit the past 6 years of these mini-collection and really have done them as such.

Anyhow, I keep digressing (sorry, my brain is quite fried these days). This is my Soft Summer Hues interpretation and I am definitely sticking with it:

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Rhyolite, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, embroidery thread crochet, Crazy Lace Agate, wire wrapping, ooak necklace, ooak jewelry :: All Pretty Things

As you see, the necklaces are quite unique in their own way: the enameled charm, the stone, the wrap, the colours of the neckpiece; while they are linked by the similar elements. I am so grateful for my box of embroidery threads. It is a blast to open that box and search for colours that will work for a certain piece. Whipping up the neckpiece is a fast affair for me, as crochet is in my blood and in time I've also learned to make the wire wrapped ends perfectly the same for all.

Every finding is hand made (except for the jump rings) and you don't want to know how I flame-painted the hooks at the end! It's quite a funny story :) The wrapped links have a double job: link in the fabric elements to the wire elements (by using the lovely size 6 seed beads) and to serve as a possible shortening / lengthening elements for the necklace. It took me a while to think the neckpieces, but I am (at this moment) almost as proud of their design as I am of the enameled pieces.

That was my journey for this month's CC7A; thank you, Sally, for getting me way out of my comfort zone and having to travel where I haven't traveled before!

Please make sue you visit everyone else in our small, but mighty group:

Sally (June host)
Monique (August)
Cynthia (September)
Christine (November)
Alicia (April host) ~ you are here
Therese (May host)

I haven't forgotten about the enamel progression, here it is:

CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, ooak components :: All Pretty Things

This is transparent flux, with transparent enamel on top. Soft :)
CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, ooak components :: All Pretty Things

This is white base, and opaque enamel on top. Better, but not very fond of the result.
CC7A, Summer Soft Hues: copper, enamel, ooak components :: All Pretty Things

Bingo!: white base (1010, 2 coats) with transparent enamel on top (2300, Opalescent Green, 3 coats),

8 comments:

  1. These are very cool and refreshing, Alicia (just what you need in summer, right?)

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  2. Oh wow William's teachers are so lucky that he has a talented Mom to make them such lovely gifts each year. These necklaces are beautiful! I love the geometric enameled charms and the jasper pendants hanging from them just the right touch and they all fall into Sally's color pallet. I did not know you crocheted. You should sign up for ATTS 8 and do a bag in bead crochet.
    Therese

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  3. Beautiful! I love the enamel work. And I love the crochet work.

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  4. these designs are fantastic! I love the organic enamel pieces and the inclusion of fiber is just perfect with these designs

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  5. Some nice choices here I am a soft colour person so can appreciate them lol!
    Jackie

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  6. Alicia, you have had quite the journey this month! The collection of necklaces are beautiful, the pendants perfectly match the color palette with their soft hues. You are progressing quite well with your enameling! I've always found that a layer of opaque and then a layer of transparent always gave me a nice color! Though yours look great with the layers of transparent, and the crocheted neck strap brings everything together beautifully!

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  7. Hi Alicia your designs are really unique. I really like the crocheted straps and I enjoyed learning about your enameling journey. My favorite is on the far right.

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  8. I am starting my comments from the last image ~ I love Love LOVE that coffee/tea cup!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!
    The necklaces are so unique, beautiful, and artistic. The fibers, glass, metals, stones blend so perfectly into each other. The teachers are lucky ladies!
    What a learning curve with all of this. You did brilliant work, Alicia!

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