Thursday, July 25, 2013

Echo Creative Club - July 2013

This month I am participating again in the Echo Creative Club, hosted by the lovely Jeannie Dukic (she makes beautiful polymer clay art beads, make sure you check her store!)

For this month I have picked the little light blue tweet and I started my adventure...

Interestingly enough in the past few weeks I kept stumbling (on the internet) over pieces with a similar bird; I think it's one of Murphy's law: you start observing what you are focused on :) And the more I saw, the more trouble I had - I wanted my piece to be an original idea, something I could call my own... So I did what I thought was best - left the little tweety for a while, hoping inspiration would strike.

Of course inspiration doesn't strike just like that, you're supposed to help it. As it is still very hot up in the studio, I brought 2 boxes of beads downstairs... rummaged through them until I found what I wanted.

First, I wire-wrapped the bird and gave it just a bit of extra 'oomph':

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

I have used the bronze wire I had left (probably a foot or so) from the very first Artisan Whimsy Test group, from Melinda, and a couple of died jade beads in a perfect yellow (just like the beak of the bird)

Then I completed the focal piece, using more wire and more jade - adding a 2nd shade, a teal-turquoise to match the actual bird, and some chips of a blue-white stone (no idea what that stone is):

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

OK - now what?! I had no more bronze wire, so couldn't wire wrap the jade... I had one strand of those chips and more jade... but how to use it for the neck-piece?!

As I have started on my Christmas gifts (a granny square lap-throw) the answer came quite quickly: why not crochet the neckpiece? I haven't bead-crochet in a while (that's how I started all this jewelry making business), but I always love to put the hook to good use! The only question I had now was - what to use as a base? Can't use wire... so back to my embroidery floss box to find a shade to match the wire - and match I did!

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

I used 2 strands with the chips and one with the blue and yellow jade beads (mixed asymmetrically and in 2 sizes).

And now - all together:

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

Tweetie: polymer art bead by Jeannie Dukic, bronze, jade, blue stone, ooak necklace, Echo Creative Club :: All Pretty Things

It is long, no need for a clasp (I used the last bit of it anyhow). It is not perfect (the thread areas on the right is less compact than the one on the left), but I fell in love with it instantly. It is very different from what I've done before, however somehow I see myself in it. And I simply love the colours!!

Oh - the best part?! I have a dress in light blue and yellow which I love, and both Echo Creative Club pieces so far are perfect for it!

The worse part? I simply cannot part with it - I thought I should list it... but I can't - I love it too much :)

Thank you, Jeannie, again, for your generosity - she sends us the art beads for just the shipping cost! Her beads are just beautiful and I love working with them!

Please make sure you visit everybody else - there will be fun to see what these very talented ladies have created for July!

Our lovely host: Jeannie K Dukic  http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog 

Alicia Marinache  http://www.allprettythings.ca/ <-- you are here
Charlie Jacka  http://clay-space.com/
Kristen Stevens  http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/
Maureen Connolly  http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com/
Patti Vanderbloemen  http://www.myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

P.S. Happy birthday to a special friend - Monique, this is made with you in mind :) Maybe you can find it a name!

14 comments:

  1. This is so cool. I love the juxtaposition of the wire wrap and crotched beads. Crotched some how seems perfect for this. Like a nest for the bird and all her jade beads. She a bead hoarder.

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  2. Ooh, so lush and pretty! I really love the crochet with the beads. Actually do crochet, but have never incorporated beads...I must try this! Your focal is lovely...the twisty wires around the beads looks great! But, I especially like the bottom wire twists with the single bead...very nice!

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  3. Another long necklace! I love the no clasp look. You did great with the birdie!

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  4. I love how you improvised, adapted and overcame to create such a beautiful piece! I love the crochet beads and it is just perfect!

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  5. Such wonderful colors in this piece. Love how you incorporated the crochet and the wire work. This little birdie has a beautiful home!

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  6. Adorable! I love the way you wrapped the beads in the front. This has a lot of texture. I know that I don't part with nearly enough jewelry. I have the envy of the whole block with my jewelry box overflowing! Enjoy the day. Erin

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  7. Brilliant design adaptations, Alicia... it's funny how you can pick out the so-called imperfections in your own work: all I see is how totally wearable this is!

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  8. I love this necklace Alicia! I, too, started making jewelry via the bead crochet route and I still love playing with beads and my crochet hook. I love the progression of the creation of this necklace and how beautifully you finished it! I'm working with one of Jeannie's birds next month ... this necklace will be a tough act to follow!

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  9. Alicia- what a fun necklace! I love the little bird and I think it's ingenious how you incorporated the beads and the bird and the wonderful colors you chose. It's a great piece and I so understand you wanting to keep it!

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  10. That is super pretty...my fav colors, and LOVE how you have done the stringing.

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  11. You crack me up because we both tend to think the same way! I have a lot of pieces I can not part with! I love how you incorporated wire, crochet and Jeannie's birdy!

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  12. The bird is such a cutie! I love what you did with the bird and the necklace that you created!

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  13. This necklace makes me happy just looking at it! It is so pretty and sunshiny. The crochet looks super! I would have definitely kept it also.

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