Saturday, August 29, 2015

AJE August Component of the Month Reveal


Every month the talented team of jewelry artists at the Art Jewelry Elements blog hosts a giveaway of an artisan component. This month's component was crafted by Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl studio. Look at this collection of gorgeous stoneware pendants!


Her process for creating these lovely rustic stoneware coin pendants is described in this post. Fascinating! 

With fingers crossed to win one of these pendants, I put my name in the hat and received an email message that I had WON. Yea! The day the package arrived was mighty exciting. Which color had Diana sent? Tucked safely inside some bubble wrap was this lovely piece. Thank you so much, Diana!



For me, this challenge certainly lived up to its name. I've never before designed jewelry with a donut-shaped pendant like this, so I must admit that it sat on my studio table, lonely but not forgotten, for weeks while I mulled over the possibilities.

One goal that I had for myself on this project was to keep it simple, focusing attention on the beauty of the pendant. Visions of complicated necklace bails kept popping into my brain - metal, rivets, texture. Be gone, complicated! Keep it simple.

Time marched on, and soon I received a message from Diana reminding me of the reveal date. The pressure began to mount. Time was short, and I had to get this project done.  It's a weird thing how the creative process works. Surrounded by thousands of beads and components in my jewelry studio, how could I not come up with something? Midnight, 1:30, 2:30 . . . shuffling things around, getting ideas, abandoning them. All I had decided was to make a necklace and tie on deerskin lacing with a lark's head knot. How original is that?

Ok, focus on the pendant. Keep the color palette neutral and the style organic and earthy. Hang something from the pendant, but what? Agates collected on my beach stared at me from a jar on the windowsill. Use me! I caged a perfectly-shaped rock in an antiqued copper cage and went to bed.

In the light of the morning, it dawned on my to use some brown waxed linen to tie on the caged agate. To add a slight pop of color, I added a green aged picasso Czech glass bead. The shapes that kept appearing in my mind's eye had materialized here in the pendant portion of the necklace and the proportions seemed just right. Good.



Now to tackle the leather lacing. I played with various incarnations of bead groupings and finally settled on knotting aged picasso Czech glass beads, old padre trade beads, and copper spacers and beads. Things were looking more hopeful, and I began really liking this necklace. 
Necklace length always vexes me. I love my necklaces long, but I know that many customers prefer shorter ones. To solve that problem, I prefer making necklaces adjustable, whenever possible. Large hole bead to the rescue. I like adorning the leather ends, so that if the wearer chooses a shorter length, the ends can hang down, adding an interesting design element. 


After completing a necklace or bracelet, I always feel compelled to make coordinating earrings. Though sets seldom sell as such and usually end up as orphans, I still make them. Besides, I wanted to use these polka dot agate beads I purchased at a recent gem and mineral show in Seaside. Love those paired with antiqued copper and mother of pearl. 


So here it is, the completed set. I feel satisfied that I kept things simple and neutral. I actually wore this set out and about today with a white t-shirt and brown pants. Very casual and comfortable. Successful test drive.
AJE team, thank you for your inspiring blog, and thanks again, Diana, for sharing one of your wonderful pendants with me. To see other unique creations using these components, please join the blog hop! (If you click on the blog links below and receive a message that the post doesn't exist, just click on the blog HOME button or link to get to the reveal post.)


Guests
Cindy Martin-Shaw - You are here!

AJE Team
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27 comments:

  1. Diana P.August 30, 2015 at 5:55 AM

    Cindy, I know exactly how that goes with this piece being challenging. When I first started making them I also had no idea how to work with this shape. I think you did a fabulous job and love that you made some earrings to accompany it. Thanks for participating!

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 10:00 AM

      Diana, thank you so very much for introducing me to your lovely rustic pendants. I am honored that my name was chosen for this challenge and so enjoyed playing along and seeing all of the unique designs. I was so excited for the reveal to see what other designers created with your pendants. I learned so much! Thank you!!!!!

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  2. Divya NAugust 30, 2015 at 6:51 AM

    Your necklace has an interesting take on the southern style

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:56 AM

      Divya, now you have me curious about what southern style is!

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  3. UnknownAugust 30, 2015 at 6:52 AM

    Cindy, I absolutely adore your beautiful necklace and earrings set. Just my style. I would wear both in a heartbeat! You did a fabulous job of highlighting Diana's pendant. I particularly enjoyed reading about your creative process. I find it so interesting how you got to where you ended up!

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:55 AM

      Thanks so much, Nan. The creative process is indeed an amazing thing. Though I stressed about this one, I am very satisfied with the result. I'll be wearing this set today!

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  4. Jennifer CameronAugust 30, 2015 at 7:25 AM

    Great job! I love you caged that agate and made the coordinating earrings. I especially love that they aren't matchy matchy, but look fantastic as a set.

    Isn't it funny how the creative process works? Often it requires a tight deadline to finally come up with a solution? Thanks for participating in the design challenge and for reading AJE

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:53 AM

      Thanks! I do tend toward matchy-matchy, so I'm glad I avoided that this time. I think I always work better under a tight deadline. I get stressed but my creative energy is high.

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  5. anafiassaAugust 30, 2015 at 8:22 AM

    What a lovely set! I love the necklace that you made--elegant and down-to-earth at the same time. I especially like the addition of the caged agate drop. I would wear it in a heartbeat. Beautiful work! :)

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:48 AM

      Thank you! I'm glad that agate spoke to me as I sat there with no idea what to use for a drop.

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  6. LesleyAugust 30, 2015 at 8:56 AM

    This is lovely Cindy - love the earthy palette and the textural changes but still with a softness. Nice job.

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:46 AM

      Thanks, Lesley. This one was fun to make, and I will enjoy wearing it.

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  7. UnknownAugust 30, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    Very earthy and organic. It is a challenge to play with donuts but Diana rocked these and you did it justice.

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  8. UnknownAugust 30, 2015 at 9:49 AM

    Very earthy and organic. It is a challenge to play with donuts but Diana rocked these and you did it justice.

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:45 AM

      Thanks, Kristen. I'm ready to take on more donut designs now. :)

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  9. Empty nester at lastAugust 30, 2015 at 9:57 AM

    Excellent job. It is so earthy and Native American looking. The colors are excellent and the earrings are great!

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  10. CarolineAugust 30, 2015 at 10:10 AM

    Beautiful set, I love the earthy feel to the design.

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:42 AM

      Thanks, Caroline. I tend towards earthy most of the time.

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  11. LindaAugust 30, 2015 at 11:58 AM

    Love the dangle with the pendant and leather is a natural with this! Lovely!

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:41 AM

      Thanks, Linda. This one was fun to make and is going to be easy to wear. :)

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  12. Niky SayersAugust 30, 2015 at 1:05 PM

    Such a charming necklace, I love the dangle! I must admit I was up till after midnight finishing my piece too!

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:39 AM

      Thank you, Niky. I can see why you were up late making yours. Holy cow! What a lot of metal work you did. I ADORE and admire your necklace. Looks gorgeous on you!

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  13. JennyAugust 30, 2015 at 1:46 PM

    Leather was a perfect companion to the rustic ring!

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    1. CMS DesignsAugust 31, 2015 at 9:40 AM

      Thanks, Jennifer. Leather is alway my go-to material.

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  14. fairiesmarketSeptember 2, 2015 at 1:09 AM

    Wow you created a really nice jewelry set that would be a great addition to anyone's jewelry wardrobe. I like your style. I think you work well under pressure!!

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    1. CMS DesignsSeptember 2, 2015 at 12:24 PM

      Thank you, Karen. It's funny how wearable this set is. I've worn them everyday since I made them. My husband said to me yesterday, "That's a really nice necklace, but are you ever going to wear anything else?" Guess it's time to get back to creating other things (but not under pressure). :)

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