We're All Ears Tide Pool Earring Challenge

The ocean is my favorite jewelry design theme.  I live in Florida, but don't visit
the beach as often as I should.  This is my first Earring Everyday blog hop, so
I just couldn't resist exploring tide pools and what it means for earring design.

This first pair highlights my new ceramic starfish beads.  I paired them with artisan made
lampwork, swarovski crystals and antique bronze findings.  The headpins are from
Havana Beads and the discs are from HMB Designs.

This pair features a another new ceramic design....earring hoops.  This pair is
glazed with shades of teal and copper.  I paired them with lampwork beads that
I received in a swap, so the artist is unknown.  I finished them with swarovski
crystal and antique copper findings.

Last but not least, my ceramic nautilus shell and mini sand dollar charms are paired
with swarovski crystal dangles, silver beads and fun silver earring wires.

If you'd like to see more of my ceramic beads, please visit www.fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com
or on Face Book visit www.facebook.com/groups/CeramicArtBeadMarket/

To see what other wonderful designers came up with for this blog hop challenge,
please visit www.earrings-everyday.blogspot.com

Splendid Procession Design Challenge

Aren't these colors luxurious?  I always love receiving my challenge kit from

our host, Andrew Thornton.  He puts wonderful goodies together for us to be

inspired.  I immediately was drawn to the mystery component, a polymer clay

butterfly wing made by Andrew.  Here it is!

And this is what else was included

I am addicted to wax linen, so I pulled that out of the kit right away for my stringing

material.  And that large pink flower was calling my name.  I still am super busy in my

ceramic bead studio from being away to Bead and Button, so I knew I would only have

time to make 1 piece, so I would design a necklace, of course!  I really loved the gem

stone chip mix, but the wax linen was too thick for the bead holes.  So plan B....green

seed beaded chain with wax linen knotted "spacers".  I always, OK 95% of the time,

have to add at least one of my handmade ceramic beads to the design.  I glazed a green

8mm spacer bead for the middle of the flower and made a white and pink porcelain toggle

with a handmade toggle bar, for the clasp.  Here it is!

Here's a close up of the clasp and pendant:

The trick to getting the flower to lay flat is to bend your wire (I like 20g) in half
and put the middle point through the back of the flower and small bead.  Bring it up about
 an inch and bend it 90 degrees with your pliers.  I then use my fingers to swirl the wire
 over  the  bead hole.  At the back of the flower you have the two wire tails.  Take one
down  to attach the pendant and take one up to attach to your design.  Hope that makes sense!

I really enjoyed this challenge and I am really happy with the way my necklace turned out.

I hope you like it, too!  Please hop around the following designers blogs to see what

they designed with this lovely bead mix.  And if you'd like to see more of my ceramic

bead creations, you can visit my etsy shop at www.fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com

Shaiha. http://www.shaihasramblings.com/

Alison Herrington http://alisonadorns.blogspot.com/

Tammy Bowman http://innermusejewelry.blogspot.com/

Marybeth Rich http://forestofjewels.blogspot.com/

Ann Schroeder http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com

Andrew Thornton, Laurel Ross, Nancy Noyes-Ward, Kathleen Enniss-Reid, Lisa Mendum, and Debbie Rogers http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/