About Me

Lindsay M Starr is a beadwork and mixed media artist currently based in Nashville, TN. She spent her early childhood in Alaska, and her school age and college years in Oregon. Lindsay has a great appreciation for history, science, and nature and is consistently inspired by insects, sea life, color, and the significance of beads and beadwork throughout human history. She spends her days beading, walking at the zoo, and practicing yoga. Lindsay loves to share her knowledge and passion for beads and beadwork to hobbyists of all skill levels.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

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!

34 comments:

  1. I love this necklace! The colors are wonderful, and I love your description of the snowflake focal on a bed of leaves.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great design for a necklace! I love everything about it. I love House too! I can see how it would take an entire season of him to make this necklace. Lots of beading! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Luckily...the herringbone section of the necklace was one of the pre-beaded components that I had with me. That cut out a lot of time :)

      Delete
  3. You couldn't have found a better clasp for the focal! You made a stunning necklace.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the rope asymmetry and the fringe. GREAT fringe!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I love how those little loops in the fringe turned out :)

      Delete
  5. You color sense continued to surprise and delight me! The bright green... works well. I admit I was a little startled to be looking at the picture, thinking bed of pine needles, and then read further down where you said forest floor. hehe And btw - that fringe? I like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha, have I converted you to a fringe liker?

      Delete
  6. Wonderful design Lindsay. I adore the fringe.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Turquoise and brown are one of my favorite color combos, I love this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is such a great combination - I'm constantly drawn back to it. Thank you!

      Delete
  8. Beautiful design Lindsay...love the richness of the palette and the contrast in textures...unexpected for the focal subject but completely perfect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree - I was thinking that I should do something a bit...more...wintery? But the brown was really speaking to me, and I just couldn't seem to pull it into a more wintery palette.

      Delete
  9. Love the browns and blues together! What a great necklace...I would wear it all the time as well!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lindsay! Stunning as usual. Your creativity with seeds continues to amaze me.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh I love that! That fringe is fantastic! Can I borrow it? LOL! Seriously....can I borrow it? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, and yes, of course you can! Especially if you send me a purple snowflake...

      Delete
  12. Really beautiful! I love the colours and the design is stunning, I could wear that all day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It is definitely an easy necklace for a busy life - just throw it on in the morning, and forget it's there all day!

      Delete
  13. Very rustic! You took that snowflake and made it work in a boho kind of design. Looks great

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love making a home for other artist's work to thrive :) Thank you!

      Delete
  14. Oh, what a deeply satisfying design! I love it. It will linger in my memory, I know.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your choice of colors is super! I love the pop of green against the blues and soft browns..excellent. You could wear this necklace all year round with these beautiful colors!..I know I would!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gorgeous necklace. I love the colours and the texture that the different beads give.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is absolutely stunning and original. I love the asymmetry, each side engages the viewer and begs for a close-up look. The whole necklace is just perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a great combination of textures and colors! Love the blue and brown. Would love to see you model this with your new wardrobe.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love your necklace, the colors you chose, the theme of leaves, everything appeals to me!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Love! It has a nice rustic, almost southwest, look. Love the fringe!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow wow wow! I can't believe how awesome your design is!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love it Lindsay! Love the beads you chose to go with it, and all the strap stitching!

    ReplyDelete