Welcome to my blog featuring the jewelry I made for Shel's Pearls, Pearls, Pearls blog hop. Michelle is a pearl fanatic and makes absolutely stunning pieces with pearls of all sorts. She created this blog hop to challenge us to do the same. This was a very difficult challenge for me since I have always had a major creative block when it comes to designing with pearls. I buy pearls with great intentions but can never seem to get past the starting point. To me pearls are all about frilly, lacy and girly designs none of which are words I would use to describe my style. I love what other people do with pearls to cross over style lines but I haven't been able to do this to my satisfaction. However I managed to make 2 pieces for this challenge and I am happy with the results. Thanks Michelle for hosting this hop and pushing me out of my comfort zone. I will continue to experiment with pearls for now on.
The first thing I successfully completed after several failed projects was this pair of earrings.
I love these tiny fresh water seed pearls and wanted to use many since they look great in bunches. I wire wrapped them on rosy colored torched copper ball headpins and hung them like a curtain of pearls from an antique copper ring. They were too plain like this so I hunted through my stash and came up with these cranberry fresh water pearls that match the ball headpins perfectly. They are dangling from my own handmade earwires and I'm happy with how they turned out.
The second piece is experimental in two ways. After seeing all the creative ways used with waxed Irish linen thread in
Diane's recent blog hop I have been playing around a lot with it and wanted to use it for this challenge with the pearls. Unfortunately my knotting skills need a lot more practice to perfect. I strung these beautiful peach toned Swarovski pearls on dark brown linen and added tiny reddish-brown agate beads to frame the pearls in an illusion style necklace. It's a casual way to wear pearls and suits my style well.
I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I came up with for this challenge. Please hop over to Mishel's blog or click on the InLinx Linkup here to see everyone else's creations. Have a lovely Sunday!
Please check back here on Tuesday, July 1st to see the reveal for my own blog hop:
My Country Blog Hop
An InLinkz Link-up
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Both look beautiful Nan. I don't usually wear earrings, so the simple pearl necklace would be my favourite!
ReplyDeleteBoth are lovely! The earrings are so cute!
ReplyDeleteThe illusion necklace is pretty. Such a must for daily use. And why not with happy earrings to cheerish the day? Your creations are LOVELY !!!!
ReplyDeleteBoth are great designs. I really like the illusion necklace. Simple yet elegant. Great job at keeping the pearls evenly spaced. I always have issues with that.
ReplyDeleteI am in love w/your earrings! They look very Southwestern and yet modern at the same time!! And you necklace is super!! I would wear it all the time! Your spacing is awesome on that one, by the way! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteNan, I LOVE your pearl work. Those earrings are so distinctive - the cranberry pearls and headpins are such a nice combination with your copper and of course the pearls. I love Irish linen and your second piece is terrific too. Your knots look perfect to me. Great creations for Shel's challenge!
ReplyDeleteHi Nan,
ReplyDeleteI love your earrings and necklace they are both beautiful. The earrings are, as my friend Cynthia would say, very ethnic boho! I have not done an illusion necklace before, but yours is beautiful and I think you did a good job on the knotting.
Therese
Great designs, the simple necklace is just lovely and so wear with anything. Those earrings are fabulous, so stunning you could just wear them and and be a showstopper.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty and love the casual necklace - what a fun one to wear!
ReplyDeleteWhat pretty earrings they speak to me of a night out somewhere nice and your necklace is sweet and simple I like that!
ReplyDeleteJackie
aww!! these are so pretty!! very pretty!
ReplyDelete-Berina
Moxie Craftie
Beautiful! I really love the earrings! Excellent work!
ReplyDeleteveradesign.blogspot.com
I really like your knotted illusion necklace and the earrings are fun.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see that someone else is inspired by copper and pearls! Love the pearls...chandelier style! Would be so fun to wear this summer!
ReplyDeleteLovely work Nan! Especially the deep red pearl earrings. I am new to your blog and hope to see more ;)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pieces. I love your use of texture in the earring design and the simple airiness of the necklace.
ReplyDeleteI love that you made a chandelier style earring with your pearls. I think that's different. I'm an earring girl, so I would wear those. They are great. I also love that you have been continuing to experiment with the waxed linen cord! Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of trying an illusion necklace but didn't have the right size of waxed cord. To me it looks like you did a good job with the knots
ReplyDeleteYour earrings are gorgeous -- very cool & sophisticated design. You knocked it outta the ball park! WOW! Love them. And your illusion necklace is simply elegant, and I agree, wonderful & easy to wear -- and I like how the style highlights the gorgeous pearls.
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