Pendant Grouping Jewelry

I am always interested in taking materials and attempting to use them in atypical ways.  You can see what a typical design would be, all the pendants grouped together.  I am drawn to the unique and atypical uses of materials.  I can't tell you how many times I have ogled over a designers jewelry and said now "Why didn't I think of that"?  I love to see those designers work.  Seems that they just have a special place in their brain for that type of creative thought.
I strive to be one of them!!!!

So I received these really lovely pendant bead sets by Jeff Elvin of Dakota Stones and he asked me to  come up with with some designs for him.  Jeff was launching them to his website and he wanted a few designs to show his customers how they could use them. What I love the most about them was the rough hammered surface. It also has a smooth surface to but I only see myself using the rough surface.

Khaleesi Necklace

With this necklace I used all 5 of the pendants in the grouping. I love Game of Thrones and new season was airing soon and I was thinking about Khaleesi. I made some copper accents, added some Brecciated Jasper and Greek Mykonos and tied it all up with waxed linen.  I primarily tie all my jewelry and I am always looking for different ways to added the texture of tying into my jewelry.  I did a tying technique in between my copper points.

Lapis Necklace - SOLD

I was really excited that these pendant groupings came in Lapis and couldn't wait to get my hands on those for my Between the Lines collection that is one of my newer styles this 2014. Here I used only 1 of the pendants.  I do have to tell you if you are planning on tying it is helpful to have an 

Euro Tool Electric Bead Reamer.  

This is my go to tool!!!!!  I bought mine at Rio Grande but you can find them and extra bits on Amazon.  All of the stones are from Dakota Stones and the lampwork is from Outwest.  Good part about this design is that now I still have 4 LAPIS PENDANTS LEFT!!!!!!

Fossil Coral Necklace

I have an obsession with peachy coral and that has been going on for nearly 2 years.  I love Sunstone, Moonstone and Fossil Coral.  I used all 5 pieces in this Fossil Coral Set.  Added some Sea Urchin, Wood, Greek Mykonos and Pink Agate.  This was an interesting design to tie as I had to start from the clasp and move in from their to do that tying technique at the pendant.

Some simple designs with tying in Lapis and African Turquoise.

Sunset Over Water Necklace

I love Dakota Stones for many reasons really but this is a big one.  They have so many beads in the same type of stone in odles of shapes, drills finishes you name it.  I am a very textural jewelry designer and they are a stone lovers dream come true and personally they do it like no other.  Here I used one of the pendants in Rough Sunset Dumortierite.  They recently came out with these great rectangle beads in matte and glossy finishes and in many types of stones.  I added one of them here and was fortunate enough to have some nearly identical Lampwork by Bokamo Designs.  I also added Sunstone, Lapis, Jade and Greek Mykonos.  The clasp and copper bail were handmade by me.

 Winding River Necklace

Made with Red Creek Jasper, matte carved Amazonite, Brecciated Jasper, Wood and Lampwork by Bokamo Designs.  One of my friends called it Lyrical and I think she got that right.

Tribal Turquoise Necklace

Another very Tribal piece using African Turquois Pendants.  Here I use only 3.  I added Rough Carved Onyx, Greek Mykonos and some handmade copper components by me.

Butterflies From Heaven Necklace - Mine

I know my mom was smiling down on my from heaven as I made this necklace.  She loved butterflies!  This one was made with Amazonite, Carved Matte Amazonite, Greek Mykonos, Lampwork from Firelily and some fancy wire work made by me.  For now this one is mine.  I will be making some for my shop.  I have a few kinks to work out.  One of my favorite colors!!!!!

Many of these designs can be purchased here or click through the links to the above necklace.

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A Glimpse Into My Jewelry Studio - On a Clean Day

I love to see other peoples jewelry studios.  

OK THE ABOVE IS NOT MY SPACE!  

This is really designed for a scrapbooker but I can invision much of what is here in my jewelry studio.

The above is organization from the 

Scrap N Cube Company

My reality is below

A girls gotta dream though.

Personally I think my reality is pretty great!  I get to do what I love everyday!

 I like to see how other people work. This comes from the fact that I am learning and have so much more to learn. So in the spirit of Paying it Forward I thought I would share my space in hopes that you could take something of it for the growth of your own studios.

I also like to see how people organize themselves.  Just a couple things on how I organize myself.

ACCESS

-  I have to have quick access to my beads.  I want to be surrounded by them.

Organized

- I like them to be organized by color, type, art beads, metal color etc.  That way if I know I am working on a teal piece of jewelry made with silver I can simply grap all my teal & silver beads and components.

- I like to be able to see through the containers.  Those plastic shelving sections with the little drawers I bought at Walmart for around $10.00 each.  You can stack them or even hang them on the wall.  I keep all my metal colors in them.  I try to keep my metal colors organized so these have headpins, eyepins, bead caps, chips, beads, charms and such all in the same color.

- I do use Craftmate locking beading storage also. I have those full of Czech Glass, Swarovski, Pearls and organized by color if possible so all I have to do it grab them. I have to admit though I have more Czech Glass than just those.  I have some overflow boxes under my desk!  LOL

- I have those Craftmate locking bins on a wooden shelving unit I bought from Scrap n Cube company...from my scrabooking days.  I also have them on a stool and metal paper shelves that I picked up at a garage sale.  I don't like them all stacked on each other as they are harder to get then.  I really hate stacking and unstacking but in a perfect beading world things will be stacked.   I buy the Craftmates at Joannes Fabric online when they go on sale.  On a good sale day you can get them for around $3.50.

-  I like to buy matching plastic tubs.  I think they stack better.  Not all of mine match but I bought a bulk supply amount at Costco.  I think you can get 10 for around $17.00 or so.  I keep all my gemstones by color in those, all of my fair trade beads, Greek Mykonos and any overflow I may have.

- See that big tub under my desk.  That is full of my made jewelry all on Easels and ready to package up for a show or if it sells get ready to ship.  I buy black easels  online at Nile Corp, you can get them fairly inexpensive if you buy in bulk...I think their shipping is a bit high but if you buy in bulk it will be worth it.  I usually try to keep all my earrings and bracelets that are on Etsy in separate bags so I can find them quickly.  Not all my jewelry is on Etsy and staying organized is important.

You will note every surface is stacked and racked!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ikea has come in handy for that.

-  This shelving unit has a bottom file drawer. The drawer in the middle I use for my Recovery Rosary - 12 Step Prayer Bead Supplies.  The top drawer I use for printer ink, paper clips office supply miscellaneous.   The open shelve I usually like to display my latest jewelry but it has turned into more storage!  

SURPRISE SURPRISE!

-  The stacked plastic shelves I keep many of my organic beads like wood, ceramic, nuts, seeds, cotton cording, ribbon, packaging frills etc.  I also store my made Recovery Rosaries in these.

- Well not organized really well are all my incidentals like receipts!!!!  That white box is my yearly file cabinet!!!!!!!!!!  Metal work material, dremel parts, patina, sealants, magazines and chain all seem to find a way over to this shelf!

PS

Note my superman husband on the top shelf!  He is a handsome one. If it weren't for him, I would still be working as a Critical Care RN.  I get to pursue my dreams because of him. Thanks honey!

- This is kind of my shipping center.  I keep all my cards, boxes, packaging tape, envelopes, washi tapes, scale, paper, Jewelry Mags,  etc here so it is organized and I have a little shelf area to weigh my packages and pretty them up.

-  I really like this idea a lot.  This shoe rack has all my recycled bubble wrap and any packaging material that I can use.  I bought one of these cheap shoe rack hangers that go over your door.  I think you could find some other applications for these in your studio also.  They are easy to find at thrift stores plus they are cheap.

WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT A MESSY CLOSET THAT IS PACKED TO THE BRIM!!!!!

Office Center

I really like to keep my office center separate from my jewelry making area.....and like most jewelry artists sometimes it spills over.  This is where I post, do social media networking, photo edit, sometimes package, print, talk with my jewelry friends across the world.  

Those wooden shelves on my desk are from Ikea....... I love them!

THE FUTURE

This is a room in my basement that has been ripped up.  My hubby isn't so keen on me expanding but I really would love to get into making more of my own components. This involves more metal work, possibly enamel, lampwork etc....So my dream is to move that portion of my business down here.

FIRE and CARPET

Dont mix!

So here is a little glimpse in to my studio.  I couldn't tell you everything so if you have a question about my studio please feel free to ask.

The goal is to continue to make what I love, expand my knowledge and skill as a jewelry artist with hopes of more publications.

Pearl Diver was Published in Bead Trends January 2013 and is one of my signature designs that you can find in my shop made with Czech Glass and or Faux Pearls.

YaY! Jewelry

You can also find me on Facebook.

and 

Pinterest!

Why I Love Red Creek Jasper

I absolutely adore Red Creek Jasper!!!!!  

It is simply one of the most varied stone you can buy.  I am amazed at all the various colorations and variegations it comes in. It simply looks like a painting.

Sometimes I am a little confused about what this stone is actually called.  I have seen it called Red Creek, Cherry Creek and Succor Creek Jasper.  Maybe they are different Jaspers but they do have some similarities in the vibrancy in their coloration.

Here is a post by Jewelry Making Daily on Red Creek Jasper.

http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2011/06/07/smokin-stones-the-great-jasper-gemstone-riddle.aspx

I most like to use this stone as a pendant.  I think the variety of stones, wood, lampwork, glass, ceramic and art beads you can use with this stone is endless.

I love to find interesting shapes in pendants as I think this can really make a distinctive piece of jewelry.  I do sell some of these rectangle shaped pendants in my shop.  See the link below.

http://www.YaYJewelry.etsy.com

If you haven't used Red Creek Jasper in your Jewelry Designs yet........I am sure when you do you will find that you have a new favorite stone to work with.

Kristin Oppold is a published jewelry artist whose jewelry has been featured in Bead Trends Magazine.  She has designed jewelry for actress Denise Richards and for the television show The Vampire Diaries.  You can find her creations at

http://www.YaYJewelry.etsy.com

You can also follow her creativity on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/YaYJewelry