Hi Everyone, and thanks for stopping by!
Welcome to our Build a Line Master Challange Blog Hop 2016!
This is our second of 3 blog hops. This time, I wanted to talk about what inspires me.
It’s true, birds and nature inspire me, but that goes for most of us Islanders. How did I get into jewelry, and stay inspired the last 25 years?
Well…. perhaps it’s because I always wanted to be a Pirate. Yes, it’s true! I know, I know, but without the eye patch. And the wooden leg…. The exciting part that always inspired me was the big fat chest of gold and jewels! And I wager I’m not the only closet-wanna-be-pirate in this group! That chest always made my heart pitter patter. Now I’m a grown up Pirate, and I get to work with beautiful shiny metals and jewels every day. And I am blessed.
What has kept me inspired, through the past 25 years of making jewelry, is my friends, family, and peers, who are a constant inspiration to me. Each day, I get to recharge myself on their beautiful pieces, and for a moment, see the world through their eyes.
We have been making collages of our work in class, to teach us to look at it objectively. To be able to stand back and squint. To begin to see what our personal artistic style is. And to use that info as the baseline for future growth. And okay, they’re fun too! Here’s a recent one of my work:
I learned a lot about my style from this collage. I learned that I liked color, that I used a lot of drops, that I was being influenced by Victorian style, and that I liked gemstones. Now you think that I’d know some of those things, being the person who actually designed and made the jewelry. But, no. As usual, I was the last to know. The Victorian part totally shocked me. Is that what I really wanted to be doing? The answer is yes, I think so. At least for now!
I’d like to introduce you to the second piece in my line of bracelets. It’s called The Silver Raven. He sits on a large rusty black B’Sue vintage filigree oval, and B’sue rings, chain, clasp, drops and crystal flower. Ravens are my favorite bird.
As part of our class, I have had to ask myself, am I a hobbyist, a maker or a production designer? I have been a hobbyist for a good 23 years. I am now a maker, with hopes to be a production designer. I’d love to see my work on the runway. That has been my dream since I was 14, and got a hold of these great earrings that would swing when you walked. That was the moment the seed was planted. I wanted to make earrings and jewelry that moved. That swung gracefully when you walked. Since I started this Build a Line Master Challange course, I finally feel that this dream might be possible! Full steam ahead….arrrrrrrgh!
Please continue to hop hop hop, and visit my list of friends below:
Brenda Sue Lansdowne Jewelry Making Outside the Box
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com
Diana Buynak Butterfly Emporium Ceramic Studio
http://butterflyemporium.indiemade.com/blog
Irene Hoffman, Heart’s Desire by Irene
http://heartsdezirebyirene.wordpress.com
Clare Wells Nemeth, Creative Magick
http://www.craftingmagick.blogspot.com
Mary Reckmeyer, Afrayed Not
Marcia Tuzzolino, Aurora Designs
http://auroradesignsjewelryblog.me
Elizabeth Wilks, Wearable Art by Lizzie
http://wearableartbylizzie.blogspot.com
Jeanette Rose Belmont, One Canvas At A Time
http://www.onecanvasatatime.com
Lyn Joy Reeve, A Journey From Jewels To Jubilation
Belinda Reed-Ingle, Vogue Rocks
http://voguerocks.blogspot.com
Beth Trubman, The Journey of Jewelry
http://thejourneyofjewelry.blogspot.com
Carole Carlson, Bead Sophisticate
http://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com
Jann Tague, Clever Designs by Jann
http://janntague.wordpress.com
Shari Gardner, SLG Jewelry Designs
http://slgdesigns.wordpress.com
Susan Bolton, Fern’s Place
Chris Kemp, Noodle Pie Bracelets
Barbara Kelley, Angels’ Keep
http://angelskeepbandbdotcom.wordpress.com
Susan Bowerman, Woodside Wireworks
Pamela Anger, Novegatti Designs
http://novegattidesigns.blogspot.com
Joan Donovan, Hailey’s Cottage
Alison Huie, Ally’s Baubles
http://www.allysbaubles.blogspot.com
Sharon Palac, Sharon’s Jewelry Garden
http://www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com
Erica Olmos, Beeb’s Closet
https://beebscloset.wordpress.com
Erin Whitacre, Shattered Time Jewelry
https://shatteredtimejewelry.wordpress.com
Fran Sitton, Sitton Up Front
https://sittonupfront.wordpress.com
Ginger Hammond, Lynn Leigh Designs
https://lynnleighdesigns.wordpress.com
Paula Gaskill, Lovely LaylaBug Jewels
http://www.lovelylaylabugjewels.com/Blog.php
Mary Deis, The Rose Sword
http://theroseswordmdeis.blogspot.com
Renee Webb Allen, Small Stuff Design
Valerie Tilghman, ArtJewelsandGifts
http://www.artjewelzdimensions.blogspot.com
Chris Cravens, Vintage Cravens
http://christinecravens.blogspot.com
Leslie Carver, Adorn Divine Designs
http://www.adorndivinedesigns.blogspot.com
Donna Parry, JewelryDonna
http://jewelrydonna.typepad.com
Gina-Marie Hammer, Tangles, Twists and Treasures
http://tanglestwistsandtreasures.com/blog/
Kelly Wymer, Winged Wisdom Enchantments
https://wingehttp:dwisdomenchantments.wordpress.com/
Sponsored by: B’Sue Boutiques
With sincere thanks to our Teacher: Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Kindly leave me a message if you feel inspired!