I love combining mixed media components when creating jewelry! The opaque cool blue polymer clay daisy shapes juxtapose well with the shrink plastic petals in this pair of drop earrings. Strung on Sterling Silver wire and dangling from sterling ear wires, they are accented with long white Biwa pearls, bronze fresh water pearls, teacup and tube beads, vinyl disks, and Swarovski crystals. These one-of-a-kind asymmetrical “Blue on Blue” earrings are feather-light and measure 2.5″ in length.
My studio yesterday! The weather was absolutely gorgeous, birds were singing, and I simply couldn’t work indoors on a day like that. So I gathered up my ink pads, stencils, heat gun, and Julie’s Shrinkets and carried them to the screened porch. I’m creating a slew of new components to use in new earrings and necklace designs. I felt like a kid who had been let of school for the summer having that much fun!
Working in mixed media is such fun, but storing all my itty-bitty components and small tools were a challenge until I came across this artist’s supply chest of shallow drawers. Designed for storing pastel sticks, I find it perfect for holding my shrink plastic and polymer clay components as well as tins of pearls, tubes of beads, and other materials. This chest, made by Medeen, has five pull-out drawers…I have a second chest that can be stacked on top of this unit for a total of ten drawers. I may cover the gold knobs with polymer clay just for fun! Goodbye to the clutter of boxes I’d been using to store my supplies…I’m all for anything that makes life less complicated!
Imagine an enchanted garden where fairies dance in the moonlight and hide amongst the petals of fantasy flowers…that’s what comes to mind with this one-of-a-kind pair of asymmetrical earrings! This is the third pair of earrings I have created using Shrink Plastic. This pair measures 3″ in length and is accented with freshwater pearls, sequins, crystals, novelty beads, and polymer clay. You’ll find these earrings in my Etsy Shop!
I made the beaded portions of these whimsical bead woven earrings while creating my “Geometric Lantern Drop Earrings” design. Later on I started working with Shrink Plastic and couldn’t resist embellishing the original pair with colorful Shrink Plastic flower shapes accented with fresh water pearls, novelty teacup beads, and sterling silver tube beads. Wow! What a difference from the “naked” pair shown in the tutorial photo below! Measuring 2.75″ in length and light as a feather, this pair arrives in a satin brocade pouch for gift giving/safe keeping!
The tutorial is also available in my shop and shown in here should you wish to make the beaded earrings and add your own adornments.
Light as a feather, moving to and fro with the grace of ethereal sprites, I’ve titled these one-of-a-kind asymmetrical drop earrings “Fairie Dancers”. Measuring 4.25” in length, they are composed of sterling silver, freshwater pearls, bi-cone crystals, novelty and seed beads, and hand-formed and colored Shrink Plastic.
I’ve finally finished my latest mixed-media art jewelry project…the “lei-la” necklace (titled thusly because it sits much as an Hawaiian lei does around one’s neck). I love the various shades of green juxtaposed against black, grey, and off-white…they represent the transition between winter and spring! Weeks were spent from conception to finished piece. It took a while to find the perfect “fit” for all these beads of embellished felt accented with shrink plastic and polymer clay. The beads needed their own space, so to speak, because there is so much detail in each. When strung closely next to one another, they just looked too cramped and lost their individuality and adding small glass beads to divide them didn’t work either. The perfect solution was separating each bead with sterling silver curved tube beads and floating curvy disks of shrink plastic! Measuring 29″ in length, this one-of-a-kind piece will be stunning worn against a white high-collared blouse or turtle-neck sweater. I’m torn between keeping it or selling it. I think I’ll hang on to it for the moment and just enjoy gazing upon this lei…at least until another new creation comes into existence!
My resolution is to spend more time playing and less time working this year. I’ve wanted to get my polymer clay out for the longest time and last week was devoted to that. I love to make components with no special purpose in mind other than to experiment with color and shape. It’s so nice to have these components in my stash for times when I’m in need of a bead that is “just right” for a particular project.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Why do I love this day so much? Regardless of origin it’s the one day devoted to love and it’s celebrated worldwide! Today there will be hearts and flowers everywhere, champagne and marriage proposals. What’s not to like? I’m running a sale in my Etsy shop until February 24 to celebrate. I’ve recently added new listings of jewelry-making components as well as several pieces of finished jewelry like the one-of-a-kind pair of earrings shown here. Use this code: BEMYVALENTINE24 to save 15% on everything in my Etsy shop!
I created this keepsake for my cousin in memory of our late Aunt Betty. The body of the heart is made of felt accented with shrink plastic components and novelty beads. The winged portion is geometrically beaded from an earrings tutorial that I designed several years ago. This keepsake is titled “Her Heart Took Flight”. In honor of Aunt Betty and Valentines day, use code: BEMYVALENTINE24 through 2-24-24 to receive 15% off in my Etsy shop!
Barbara is an artist specializing in One-of-a-Kind art jewelry and adornment. She hopes to inspire others to create beautiful objects. Follow her blog by signing up at: https://barbarabriggsdesigns.wordpress.com/follow-my-blog/
Barbara Briggs Designs 