February Component of the Month REVEAL!
- Feb, 28 2013
- By Francesca
- In the Studio, Other Artists
- 20 comments
If you’ve read this blog before, you know that I am very fortunate to be part of a group of writers and jewelry artists who collaborate on a blog called Art Jewelry Elements. Every month, one of us makes components available to the others as well as to some of our readers via a random giveaway. At the end of that month, everyone writes a post about the component they received and what they made with it.
Well, for the first time, February was my turn to create the component for everyone. I was surprisingly nervous about it – components haven’t been my thing, at least not in the sense that I have offered them by themselves to other artists, and it felt a little bit like sending a little piece of myself out into the world. (My AJE reveal post is here.) These are the components I offered – everyone who participated got one, the color randomly chosen as I packed them up for mailing:
So before you head over to the other blogs to see what everyone made, take a look at what I came up with:
I found some terrific vintage copper “S” stampings online at my friend Heather’s Etsy shop back before Christmas, and I used them to make a bunch of oversized focals for the 12 Days of Christmas blog hop that Lorelei Eurto organized. (I missed the last half of it because I got the flu, remember?) I had a couple left over, and the green of this little green disc coordinated almost perfectly with the mottled green on the larger piece. I connected them with a simple balled-end link.
I initially thought it might look good with some chain, but in the end, the greenish tone of some new brass beads, the warmth of a few copper rounds, and some green and bronze freshwater pearls seemed like a better fit. I’m not entirely sure I love how the two enameled pieces work together, but I’m leaving it out on my workbench for a couple of days and we’ll see if it grows on me.
NOW: head on over to these fine folks and see what they did with a similar component. Ready? Set? GO! (And don’t forget to leave them a little comment love – tell ‘em I sent you, OK?)
Participating AJE Contributors
Francesca Watson <– YOU ARE HERE
Guest Designers
Dawn Horner – http://www.northernadornments.com/blog
Kym Hunter – http://kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/
Kay Thomerson – http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/
Shelley Graham Turner – http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/
Sandi Volpe – http://sandivolpe.com/
Kristi
Oh my Francesca, that is PERFECTION!! I love your COM component paired with your amazing 12 days of Christmas component!! Your choice to go with the little beads rather than chain was the right one in my opinion. FAB!!!
Francesca
Thanks so much, Kristi – I was worried it might be a little unbalanced but it’s growing on me.
Kristen
Wow Wow and Wow!!! I loved working with your component. Your piece is amazing! Thank you soooooooo much!
Francesca
Thank you, my dear – I am so glad you like this, and thrilled at what you did with yours!
Shirley Moore
Tell ya what…send it to me, and I’ll wear it while you’re deciding whether you like it or not! Cause I’m just having a love affair with it! The beads you chose, along with that great S, and then your disc, create such a stunning design! Way to go woman!
Francesca
HAHAHA, Shirley – you crack me up! Glad you like the piece so much – it’s growing on me.
Sandi Volpe
Beautiful design, everything works so well together.
Thanks so much for a gorgeous component, I really enjoyed designin my piece!!!
Francesca
I’m so glad you were able to participate, Sandi – thank YOU for playing along!
Kay
I love that enamel piece as the ‘bail’ for your disc. I think the two go great together. Very pretty.
Francesca
Thank you, Kay!
Jennifer Cameron
You’re crazy! I love the 2 enameled pieces together! The beads look great with it too. Gorgeous work and thank you so much for hosting! It was fab.
Melissa M
Francesca, this is gorgeous! Thank you for creating such beautiful components for us to work with! I love my pink one, but coveted each and every other one I saw! You must make more!
Susan Kennedy
Francesca, I love what you did with your necklace. Yes, the way you went was great and better than chain, really shows off your piece! Thanks so much for giving us the disc to work with, it was a lot of fun.
Linda Landig
Francesca, I love the focal you created with your disc and the swirly enamel piece! Its a real show stopper!
I had a lot of fun designing with your beautiful disc. Thank you.
Jenny
Oh I like it! I like the colors – related but different. I like the fluid shape. I love the pearls with it… I almost went pearls myself because the colors were so rich together… And I considered enameling other bits to go with it! Great minds – eh?
Cindie
Love, Love it! I think it is balanced and I really like how the choice of beads added warmth and texture to the design. I think choosing that over the chain was just the right touch! All your designs are just amazing!
Dawn
Francesca, that piece is fab-u-lous!!! And the beaded chain combo gives it just the right textured look to set off the focal point. Don’t separate those pieces now that they’ve met!!
Michelle Buettner
I think this is amazing! The colors of the beads you used are fabulous and the pendant is spectacular. I think the disk looks very nice with it.
Alicia
Oh, my, Francesca – this is such an amazing piece! Beautifully done, I love those colours so much – the choice of beads over chain was, indeed, the right one.
Marianna
Absolutely love this!! Gorgeous!!