Weekly Challenge - Frosty

This is really last minute, and in fact, I've missed the deadline for this week's challenge. However, as it was my turn to come up with the challenge, it doesn't matter! Hurray!

Now, you'd have thought, that as I suggested the word 'frosty', I'd have come up with something really grand. However, I have struggled, not only to meet the deadline, but to also come up with something. I must also apologise for the poor quality of the photos. I had to take them under a lamp as the light fades so early now. I much prefer to take my photos in natural daylight as the colour is much better and also it creates lovely soft shadows.

Anyway, here's my thinking behind my 'frosty' necklace. I chose a Czech glass bead that looks like ice and wrapped it to a pretty silver heart. I didn't want to suggest that someone had a cold, frosty heart, but rather I was thinking along the lines of frost and snow being white and pure. I wanted to convey the idea of a pure heart, as in, pure as the driven snow. As I love handstamping, I just had to stamp the biblical words, 'blessed are the pure in heart'. I know it's only half the sentence but I think we can all work out the rest of it.

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

This week's challenge from the wonderful Inspiration Avenue Etsy Team was suggested by the lovely Angie, of Art Angel. Angie produces the most beautiful mixed media art and at the moment she's selling gorgeous Christmas decorations! Please go and check out her shop here. You won't be disappointed!

So, Angie's word for this week was 'travel'. Of course, I just had to use my new stamping kit and I came up with these little silver earrings. I thought of travel as being rather like a bird - able to go anywhere you please. Also, I have a stamp with a bird on it! I've wire wrapped some pretty faceted blue topaz gemstones to represent the sky, as in 'the skies the limit'.



The earring will shortly be travelling to my Etsy shop where hopefully they'll fly out.

Up close and Personal

Lots of fun is going on in the Coral Seas work shop (well, okay, work bench!) at the moment! I have a new toy direct from America, the home of all things amazing! A wonderful new stamping set has pride of place on my bench! I can now make personalised, handstamped jewellery.

Just in case you don’t know what a stamping set is, it’s a collection of individual metal stamps which you bash over the head with a hammer onto a piece of metal. I have a practice piece of copper sheet which I’ve messed about with trying to get the right amount of wallop. I think I’ve just about got it now, although I have had a few minor disasters, such as spelling errors and running out of space!! *Note to self, plan in advance and curb excitement!* Some of you may be wondering what the word above 'heart' says. It's not a spelling error, happily, but the 'l' is obscured by the hoop.

Weekly Challenge

I’m very late with this week’s challenge – sorry!! Anyway, without further ado, the word is ‘Pink’, which is very apt as October is breast cancer awareness month. Our lovely Tali came up with the idea. (Tali is a fantastic photographer, so please do check out her outstanding work here.)

Our challenge is open to anyone with a blog and open to all artistic mediums; painting, mixed media, jewelry, etc. Simply create something new - even venture outside your comfort zone if you wish - whatever strikes your fancy and fits within this week's theme.

Submissions are due by Sunday 12:00noon EST. Simply post a photo and description of your creations on your blog and go to Inspiration Avenue's blog with a link back to your post. We'll put all the fabulous creations together and show off the final entries this Sunday around 5pm.
Happy creating!

Weekly Challenge - Shimmer

This was harder than I thought it was going to be, but here's my interpretation of the word.

When I think of shimmer, I think of light and how it falls across a surface to create a shiny, almost rippling effect. I also envision beautiful ladies in long flowing silk ball gowns, elegantly dancing the night away in great halls that are overflowing with candles, crystal and ornate gilded mirrors.

Hopefully I’ve managed to capture a little of this in my necklace. I’ve used lovely Czech glass and sterling silver. The glass absorbes and reflects the light and by oxidising the silver, it has given the piece a vintage feel, a faint reminder of magnificent balls, long since gone.

If you’re interested in having a go at our next weekly challenge, then hop on over to our team blog. See you there!

INSPIRATION AVENUE WEEKLY CHALLENGE

Running out of ideas and inspiration? Are you up for a new challenge? Do you need stretching creatively? Want a bit of fun whilst meeting a few like minded people along the way? Then why not take part in the Weekly Challenge over at Inspiration Avenue.

You don't have to submit something every week, just whenever you feel you can and would enjoy doing so.

Here's what you do -

This week's word is ‘Shimmer’. Lots of descriptive words spring to mind, such as soft, muted, tremulous, faint, diffused, perhaps even ghostly. I love how light falls on objects to give a mood or atmosphere, perhaps reminiscent of days long gone, a thought barely there. I also love how candle light plays on objects, particularly silky ball gowns, jewels and crystal. You could even develop an idea such as fading love or friendship. I leave it to you!

Our challenge is open to anyone with a blog and open to all artistic mediums; painting, mixed media, jewelry, etc. Simply create something new - even venture outside your comfort zone if you wish - whatever strikes your fancy and fits within this week's theme.

Submissions are due by Sunday 12:00noon EST. Simply post a photo and description of your creations on your blog and come back on this post with a link back to your post. We'll put all the fabulous creations together and show off the final entries this Sunday around 5pm.

Oh and don't forget, we have a new Weekly Challenge Giveaway this month. Take a look at this gorgeous handmade cuff intricately sewn by our lovely Sharon. It’s worth entering just for a chance to win this!