Summer Challenge Title: Magical Forest
Deadline: June 8, 2009

Challenge Rules: One entry per person, please (so send us your best work!). Submissions must be of the type you would see in Stringing magazine—in other words, projects created using simple stringing, crimping, wireworking (simple loops, wrapped loops, jump rings), and simple knotting techniques. If in doubt, see Stringing 101 (it’s in every issue of Stringing) for a list of acceptable techniques. Projects created using beadweaving or other non-stringing techniques (such as netting; peyote, brick, right-angle weave, and square stitches; bead embroidery; chain mail; and macramé) will not be considered for winners.

To enter, please send a clear, high-resolution TIF (better) or JPEG (good) photo of your stringing and/or simple wireworking project that is 300 dpi at 3″ x 5″ to stringing@interweave.com.

More information and full rules

Technique Tuesday!

With a gorgeous Swarovski disc as the centerpiece, this necklace combines bead weaving with basic stringing.  All the bead supplies are available from Artbeads.com

I found it easiest to create the bead woven bail first, and then to string up the necklace.

Materials

Copper tube with loop
Mixture of 11/0 and 8/0 seed beads in coppery and red colors
Nymo O, black
G-S Hypo tube cement
2 copper discs, 10mm
24″ beading wire (SoftFlex)
Copper toggle clasp
2 crimps
2 copper crimp covers
20 copper rondelles, 6 mm
10 facetted glass rondelles, 8 mm
40 round glass beads, 11mm

Tools
Beading needles
Wire cutters
Chain nose pliers
Measuring tape

Step by step instructions

Make Art Monday!

I received a stunning Swarovski disc from Artbeads a few days ago, and I couldn’t wait to figure out a project to use it.  Tomorrow, I’ll share the details of how to make a similar necklace with you all.

Betty Necklace
8″x5″x 3″
Ebony wood, White gold tube settings, diamonds magnetic clasp

Artist: Mayra Orama Muniz
Website: Mio Studio

Using exotic hardwoods as an expression of organic moving forms, self- taught artist Mayra Iveliesse Orama Muniz has created a line of jewelry that reflects on her life growing up in New York City and the more recent influences of the last five years living in Puerto Rico.

The many landscapes of her life — from modern industrial city to the tropical rainforests of Puerto Rico — have become her inspiration.

The miniature sculptures Muniz creates are a melding of richly textured woods and cool metals. Her forms hint at the natural flowing beauty of the lush green mountains of Utuado and the pristine white- sand beaches of Vega Baja. An admirer of celebrated British sculptor Henry Moore, Muniz is also influenced by Asian art and drawn to balance and movement.

The artist selects her exotic hardwoods by hand, choosing each piece for its color, grain, and suitability for the intended design. In the studio, Muniz carves and sands each miniature sculpture for many hours, finishing the piece with hand-rubbed natural oils.

Muniz believes wood is an ideal material for jewelry because as the piece is worn, oils from the wearer’s skin continue to protect the finish. All of the woods Muniz uses are acquired from remnant pieces, making her work very eco-friendly.

Sent in by reader Julia Miller…thanks Julia!!

The Andean Collection: The jewelry is made from sustainable materials from the rainforests of South America, and are hand-crafted by artisans from disadvantaged communities in Peru and Ecuador, who receive fair trade wages for their work. Click this link for information on the sustainable materials that are used in the jewelry.

Technique Tuesday!

Here are some tutorial links to projects that use pearls, rose petals, and split geodes.  We’ve seen some incredible work so far this month, and I hope that it’s inspiring you to think outside the “glass”!

Making a pearl dangle pendant

How to make rosary beads

Turning a geode into a beaded pendant

Making a wrapped and bead-embroidered paua necklace

Artist: Theresa Turchin
Website: Turchin Jewelry

Turchin Love and Light Jewelry is as organic as it comes. We are a line of jewelry and accessories for men and women that incorporates natural weaving with hemp, leather, kabala string, all semi-precious stones including amber, aqua marine, garnet, fresh water pearls, black onyx, tourmaline, and moonstone. As well as precious stones including diamonds of all color ranges, rubies and emeralds.  We also incorporate antique pieces that we find in Nepal, Tibet, India, Africa, and Afghanistan into our one of a kind designs again reusing materials that create new art and new design.

Turchin Love and Light Jewelry has a strong message of spreading Peace throughout the world and cross culturally, why have so much war on our precious planet isn’t it time to make a change!!

At Turchin Love and Light we also have a line of handbags that incorporates vintage fabric from India and Afghanistan.  We acquire antique beads from Tibet and Nepal and hand make every inch of the entire one of a kind bags for men and women.

All of our jewelry is blessed at our store at blessing ceremonies by Buddhist Monks that offer Peace and Love as an alternative to hate and violence in the world.  Please visit our website and when in Miami visit us at our store at 130 NE 40th street in Miami’s Design District.

Artist: Kristi Jones
Kristi Jones Designs

I design tropical, beachy, fun, colorful, funky, whimsical jewelry which capture’s mother nature’s sea glamour of shells and pearls, her tropical flair of bamboo and kukui nuts, and her creative staples of semi-precious gemstones and crystals. My jewelry is a mosaic of nature, rearranged in a beachy style with the influence of art deco, other great fashion eras, and any other fantastic inspirations I find. I treasure the uniqueness of my jewelry, and think my slogan, “It’s so beachy!” says it all. I have many collections on my website including: shells from simple beachcombing, deep sea treasures, shell “bling” in my chunky rings, beachy brides, Hawaiian, tropical deco, and tropical anklets, just to name a few. If you love tropical, then you can’t go wrong with Kristi Jones Designs!

Artist: Alisa Michelle
Website: Alisa Michelle

Alisa Michelle Designs has been in business for over 13 years and have sold to hundreds of stores around the country and the world.

Currently the line can be found in stores such as: ICE (Sunset, Brentwood, Fred Segal SM), LF (Various locations in So. Cal), Studio Sebastian, Rosie True, Bodhi Bazaar, Rosebud (Japan), Moda Salon, Galena and many, many more.

We cater to a long list of celebrities such as: Halle Berry, Hilary Duff, Faith Hill, Lindsay Lohan, Christina Milian, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Brooke Burke, Taylor Swift and many more. Currently our jewelry will be featured on Brooke Burke in Malibu Times, Vanessa Hudgens in her new Ecko Campaign print ads, Taylor Swift for SELF Magazine, Accessories Magazine etc.

The Pocket Change collection features genuine coins that have been recycled into beautiful, timeless jewelry using natural woods, chains and leathers. Custom items are available and they make amazing gifts! We have had wedding proposals on necklaces, pendants made for entire families, key chains… Basically anything that can be thought of can be created!

Awaken necklace
limestone coral beads, glass, & smoky quartz
(limestone coral is made of a rock formation from the ocean, an
eco-conscious substitute to coral and the remaining materials are all
natural)

Artist: Sarah Bridger
Website: Bellissima Jewelry Design

Sarah Bridger is the jewelry designer and founder of Bellissima Jewelry Design. With a background in photography and cultural geography, this young woman used her knowledge and creative passion to launch her jewelry business in the winter of 2006. Currently, she resides in Denver, Colorado.

Designs combine semi-precious stones, shell, wood, bone, seeds, glass, crystal, sterling silver, gold, and some vintage materials to explore the relationships between elements like texture and color. With a great respect for nature, Sarah reinforces those ideas and inspirations in her work. Each piece is hand-crafted in limited quantities to ensure a level
of individuality and distinctiveness within the Bellissima Jewelry Design collections.

Overall, each piece of jewelry reflects a thoughtful focus on design, inspirations from the natural world, and an overall intent to create unique pieces that are very beautiful..bellissima!

Lemon Drop earrings

Meadow necklace

gray buri seeds, nangka wood, & amazonite

(seeds are sustainably harvested organic material-they grow abundantly in

the Philippine Islands-no trees or plants are cut down for the purpose of

collecting the seeds and wood beads minimize waste because they are from

wood scraps that are no longer used by furniture makers and carvers.)