Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month December

I just want to say again, I hope you all have a happy new year, and that 2015 is even bigger, better, and brighter than your wildest dreams.  For myself, I hope to carve out some creative time, with my new working schedule.  I have tons of plans for my blog, my Etsy shop, my Facebook page, and my creative endeavors...definitely enough to keep me busy for a whole year!

And now it's that time again - time for the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month Reveal!  Each month I just love seeing what so many different artists choose to make with similar pieces - the creativity of my fellow bloggers never ceases to amaze me.  In late November, Diana asked us to choose if we wanted a white or aqua speckled stoneware snowflake pendant.  I went with aqua...much more in my wheelhouse than white.  

This choice turned out to be a happy accident...it coordinates perfectly with my new work wardrobe!  I had a bit of an idea of what I wanted to do with this pendant, but I also knew that I would be short on time...between a new job, staying with a friend for several days over Christmas, and lots of clothes shopping.  When I was packing for my short trip, I pulled together a small baggie of beads and pre-beaded components to go with the snowflake, and brainstormed designs while I drove to Knoxville after work on Christmas Eve.  The day after Christmas Day, I holed up in the spare bedroom, watched a season of House on Netflix, and made this necklace:

I love how it turned out - rustic and woodsy, yet the snowflake is still central to the design.

I wanted the fringe to act like a bed of leaves, or barren forest floor - something that the snowflake would land softly upon, shifting with every slight movement.  The fringes terminate in large rustic striped seed beads, or loops of picasso 8/0 and O beads.

Placing the snowflake against a bed of brown, really lets the bright aqua glaze shine through.  I love how the pattern just floats across the brown fringe beads.

Half of the strap is herringbone with bugles, and the other half is simply strung...well, not simply.  I chose a pattern of smaller seed beads interspersed with some of the larger striped beads from the fringe.  As I went back and forth, I passed back through each series of large beads, while picking up new smaller beads to fill in the gap.  The result is this textural chain, that ties the bottom of the fringe into the rest of the necklace.

I have ended up wearing this necklace so much lately!  It just goes with everything, and since there is no clasp, I can just throw it on as I dash out the door!  Don't forget to check out the list below to see what my fellow bloggers have been up to with their snowflakes!  I'm off to do that now!  Don't forget to follow my Facebook page for creative updates, and my Etsy shop for new items...coming soon, I promise!  And, as always, thanks for looking!

Monthly Winners

Dana Hickey

AJE Blog Team

Lindsay M Starr   (you are here)

Linda Landig

Lesley Watt

Caroline Dewison

Susan Kennedy

Jen Cameron

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Melissa Meman

Kristen Stevens