October Simple Truths

I promised Miss Erin (Prais-Hintz), from Tesori Trovati that I would post photos of the sweet earrings I made using her simple truths. These were the October sampler club goodies!  They are related to her "Forest Finery" themed pendants. I love them, and knew I would make these earrings the minute I laid eyes on them. My photo does not do the charms justice. The background is a metallic blue-green. Really sweet! Czech glass beads, foliage bead caps - enough said.

Thank you, Erin, for continuing to pour your heart into these little works of art!

Come fly with me...

I am always happy to get some unsolicited inspiration. I received an email from a friend who was looking for a piece of jewelry with wings in it. She needs to buy a gift for a friend that is a pilot.
Well, of course I have some wing components in my stash!! I was only hoarding them, but it's time to let them go!
Actually, this first one is not that old. I just got it last month, from Erin Prais-Hintz. It was from the simple truths sampler club. It's actually perfect for my friend's friend. I put it on a fairly substantial chain, because the pendant is substantial. It's about 1.5" square, and has a nice weight to it. I added the extra wing at the clasp, which can be worn in the back, or on the side. Simple, but the pendant is the star of this one!

The next wings I found were from Earthenwood. I actually bought them somewhere else, on sale. So I bought all 3 colors available.

First, the white wing. I used some black and white polymer beads and an acrylic bead, along with some cool bead caps, hematite small rounds, and grey matte glass pony beads.

Acrylic is just a fancy word for plastic. Still, I like the bead, but I'm not in love with that seam!

Next up is the green wing. I used the same bead caps as above (I just got them and I hadn't used them before) with some faceted fire agate beads.

And lastly, the rust wing. I decided to use the lone copper filigree bead that was hanging out on the desk. I went through my copper stuff, and found the fire patina'ed curved tubes. They look so pretty in the baggie together, but it's really hard to pick out just one! But I finally picked this one. Then I picked a pretty clasp - I think it goes with the filigree bead.

And, just because I was on a roll, I picked up this mother of pearl butterfly that has also been languishing on my bead desk. Picked out an enameled bead and flower to match. I thought I had made the necklace all lop-sided, because the butterfly doesn't hang straight. That's always the challenge doing asymmetrical designs. But after I switched things around, and it still hangs wonky. I think the thickness of the shell is uneven, so one side is thicher/heavier. Either that, or the hole is not in the center. Either way, I'm probably stuck with this one for a while!

Still, it's pretty.



That hole looks like it's in the center!!??!!??!!

I sent the wing photos to my freind - she liked all of them, but she's buying the simple truth pendant - it really is the perfect necklace for a pilot!

Simple Truths Celebration Blog Hop

You know her.....you love her.....Miss Erin of Tesori Trovati and Simple Truths has done it again! She has found another way to inspire me (and others) by hosting the Simple Truths Celebration blog hop. She knows we are all hoarding our simple truths from the sampler club. Who could blame us? They are little works of art in a bezel!! So, she challenged those of us with a hoard of them to get creative and make something with them. I was really trying to get them ALL made into jewelry, but I fell a little short. I still have a few to use, and more just arrived this week (July sampler club!!) But here they are, in no particular order. Oh, also, I'm not going to give long descriptions or materials list, since there are quite a few!! :-)

My very first simple truth! I won it at ABS blog! Lucky me!

Be Happy. And can you believe I won this one too?? How lucky can one girl be?

That's Life! This is from the sampler club.

Make a Wish. This is possibly my favorite, AND this necklace was published in the Apr 2012 Bead Trends! 

Bicycle. This one being silver was a challenge for me, but the ceramic beads I found in my stash matched it perfectly!

MORE! MORE! MORE! (a la Billy Idol)

Owlet. From last October sampler club! Again, silver is challenging for me, but pink is so fun!

Queen Bee. I decided less was more with this one. The photo does not portray the grey opal Swarovski beads very well.

A closer look!

Sow Seeds. I mixed 3 colors of peanut beads to pull out the colors of the flowers.

Happy Ending. Erin gave me this one as a gift when my "Make a Wish" was published! So Sweet, Miss Erin!

Holy Crap - you mean there's more?!?!? Yeah, there's more!

No Fear. Sampler club from the winter, I don't remember which month.

A close up of the pendant. I added a little bead cap to the wire wrapped bail.

Nature. Last November, Erin asked us for what we were thankful for (and why). We all received one-of-a-kind pendants that month!

A little bit closer look

Unique. The faceted Blue Chalcedony in my stash matched this one perfectly. Obviously, I've been hoarding this since last winter! (it's a snowflake, not a flower!)

The wording on the back!

These are yet to be used - resting comfortably in my stash. The little Stars and Stripes are new arrivals!

Did you make it to the end??

Well, all I can say that I am happy I joined the sampler club - just look at all the pendants I've gotten! I always get compliments whenever I wear any of them.
If you do not have any Simple Truths of your own, Miss Erin is having a give away. One lucky winner will win a 3-month subscription to the simple truths sampler club! Make sure you visit her blog and leave a comment to win!
Enjoy visiting the rest of the other bloggers!

Erin Prais-Hintz	http://treasures-found.blogspot.com
Sharon Misuraco	http://goinoffthebeadinpath.blogspot.com/
Tanya Goodwin	http://pixiloo.blogspot.com
Alice Peterson	http://www.alice-dreaming.blogspot.com
Melissa Trudinger	http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Lori Bowring Michaud	http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Rebecca Anderson	http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Chris White	http://dzeyenrstudio.blogspot.com
Cherrie Fick	http://designsinthelight.com
Rosanne Garvison	http://fabfibers@blogspot.com
Shelley Turner	http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Marlene Cupo	http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/
Mary Harding	http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Lola Surwillo	http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com
Michelle Burnett	http://reverieandrevival.blogspot.com
Kirsi Luostarinen	http://kirsiluokorut.blogspot.com
Paige Maxim	http://pmaximdesigns.blogspot.com
Kristen Fagan	http://www.creativestash.com