A few weeks back, before I started this Challenge, I was organizing some of my pendants. I set one aside and put it on the edge of my bead mat, hoping that looking at it would spark some inspiration. It’s a dainty little violet crystal teardrop with some lovely facets. I picked it up at a local bead shop a couple of years ago with no real project in mind. I wanted to give it a chance to shine without getting lost in a bigger design.
Today I hit on just the right thing. I made a very simple little bail for my little purple teardrop (have I ever mentioned how much I don’t like making bails? It’s one of my least favourite things to make). Then I hung it from a silver-filled chain with some similar-coloured crystal bicones. The effect is simple, cute, and I’m pleased with it. What I’m not pleased with is the photo, because the colour is a bit washed out. I’m looking forward to having the time to do a proper photo shoot with this necklace.
100 Day Challenge: Day 14. A petite purple pendant.
Today I decided to come back to pearls. I have these great little grassy green glass pearls that I bought online several years ago. I got them to make a different project, and had quite a few left over. I decided to do some wire link earrings, and they turned out great. I love making little spirals like these to end off chains of linked beads. They seem more interesting than just head pins.
Making these little links, especially when working with small beads, like these 4mm pearls, is slow work. I’ve started a matching necklace, which I hope to get done tomorrow. If not, there’ll be another project to be posted. We shall see!
100 Day Challenge: Day 13. Green glass pearl drop earrings.
After making up yesterday’s hair pins, I was jazzed to do another project with pearls. I went fishing through a bag (yep, not all of my beads even make it into organizers. I’m working on it.) from the Gem Show last fall, and pulled out a massive strand of dark grey pearls. Perfect! And then I stared at them, and and stared at them, and just wasn’t coming up with the right project for them. I thought about pairing them with some amethyst, pulled out some amethyst from the same show, and realized that the pearls would have to wait. It was going to be an amethyst day.
I find that the things I wear most often are the simpler designs. I decided to keep it simple with these amethyst teardrops, and let their deep colour and organic-feeling hand-faceted shape speak for themselves. They’re matched with some gunmetal-hued glass seed beads, and a silver-filled lobster clasp.
100 Day Challenge: Day 12. Hand-faceted amethyst necklace.
As you all know by now, one of the things I love to do is design and make jewellery; however, that’s only one of the ways I choose to express my creativity and I thought today I’d share with you another.
I’ve always loved fashion, particularly shoes, but really the whole picture has always appealed to me. Putting together an outfit from accessories to the dress to the shoes, how to do my make up and hair. I enjoy the process. I also happen to be lucky enough to know a few very talented photographers who love me dearly and were quite keen to help me out when I proposed to them we do a photo shoot together.
My first shoot was an afternoon picnic with Ashely Green last Spring in Edmonton. We had lots of fun together. I then shot with my cousin’s wife, Kristen Lebel, in Winnipeg last August.
Kristen Lebel Photographer
After I moved to Winnipeg this winter, the owner of The Foxy Shoppe, Pamela, asked me if I would be interested in modelling for her boutique. A pinup/rockabilly boutique? Oh. Yes. Please! I was quite excited.
Dano Tanaka Illustrator
Since all these modelling opportunities surfaced, I decided to create a fan page on Facebook for my modelling to keep it separate from my regular self. As all models for the Foxy Shoppe have a “fox” related nickname and because I’ve started training as a fire performer, I opted for the name FieryFoxRox! Please feel free to follow my page if you’re interested in seeing more of what I do in the future!
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with her in-store photographer, Dano Tanaka, on a number of pinup-styled shoots for the boutique. You may remember him from our Vintage by Drakestail Jewellery line photos because he shot all of those for us! Here is a recent image for The Foxy Shoppe featuring our soon to be released triple strand swarovski peark design under our Vintage by Drakestail label!
Dano Tanaka Illustrator
I’ve also done two more shoots with Ashley Green. The first was a modern take on Little Red Riding hood shot in a wintery snow covered forest. The most recent was very conceptual – we discussed dark, sad and somewhat angry. It was a lot of fun!
Photos With Ashley
Photos With Ashley
I also recently shot with Jamey M, from Edmonton. Jamey is a good friend of mine and this was our first collaboration together. We rented out the historic Garneau Theatre in Edmonton and I posed as a marionette. I really like the single spotlight effect he created with lighting as it make my shadow really stand out.
Jamey M Photography
Each shoot is very different and I’ve really enjoyed working with all 4 of these talented photographers. I look forward to sharing more with you this Spring as I have a few other shoots in the works! 🙂
Since I’ve been playing around with hair accessories, I’ve had all kinds of ideas for beaded pretties to wear in my hair. Not everyone is a tiara person, but who doesn’t like a little bling in their hair now and then?
Today’s project takes a set of 6 bobby pins and some light gold Swarovski pearls, and creates a pretty set of wire-wrapped pearl hair pins. They’d be a great set to tuck into a bride’s hair, or for anyone who wants to dress up their ‘do. I like how the wraps turned out – not overly flashy, and fairly neat. The focus stays on the pearls.
100 Day Challenge: Day 11. A set of 6 Swarovski pearl hair pins.
