Jewelry Designs from Nature Challenge

Heather Powers recently announced that her book book Jewelry Designs from Nature will be hitting the big craft store shelves! So to help her celebrate, Art Bead Scene is hosting a challenge. Ten artist were chosen to receive a packet that contained Humblebeads featured in the book, a poem, and an inspirational photo.

I was ecstatic to be chosen! This challenge was perfect for me as I love the outdoors and draw much inspiration for my pieces from nature.

my inspiration packet

The photo has a wonderful visual linen texture, warm, rich colors of gold and rust with a cluster of deep purple grapes, prime for the picking and is paired with the poem October by Robert Frost (see below). My component is the falling leaves cuff in a deep plum, almost steely, color and while I love this component, my favorite part is the manner in which Heather has duplicated the texture from the photo onto the component. These little attentions to detail are why I love handmade!

October Foliage - Wire Wrapped Copper Charm Bracelet

available in my Etsy Shop

While creating this bracelet, I pulled from both the photo and the poem. The colors and texture of the photo spoke to me as well as a few keywords from the poem...leaves, wind, crows, sun, mist, amethyst. I endeavored to incorporate all these elements into my piece. The cuff is the focus and beside it, a small cluster of wire wrapped pearls to represent the grapes. Lots of wire wrapping and a pearl wrapped in a herringbone weave to emulate the twisting and twining of the tendrils. A couple of Czech glass beads were chosen both for their colors as well as the spiral motif, representing the wind. Finally, the leaves, I sawed out a couple of leaves from copper sheet and textured them to mimic the focal and added a couple Czech leaves. The toggle clasp was created and textured with a linen like pattern and stamped with a leaf motif.

I'm thrilled with the bracelet...love the colors, movement and it's lightweight!

I'd love to know you're thoughts on my interpretation of the photo and poem. And be sure to join me and check out the other artists who participated in this challenge.

Sharon Palac
Keirsten Giles
Alicia Marinache
Lisa Cone
Marlene Brady
Cece Cormier
Amy of Amy Beads
Marlene Cupo

October

by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if the were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--
For the grapes' sake along the all.

Shelby