It only seems like weeks since I wrote my Beaded earrings craftermath post for the 3rd Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge but it been a year. The 4th Annual Use Your Leftovers earrings challenge is here. However, nothing much has changed. The mess and the fuss all remains the same while my stress has tripled.
4th Annual Use Your Leftovers earrings challenge
The earrings challenge is to take pictures of the beady mess lying around the house (or studio), and segregate beads in trays to make earring pairs. I do not have any pictures to show you for all that mess has been hap-hazardly dumped in boxes and shut inside cupboards as I am once again travelling. But I am sure that beaders and other crafters know that how supplies tend to get messy.
For the first time in a long time, the earrings shown in this post are not based on complicated concepts, strong inspirations or memories. They are simple wearable earrings. From beginning to end they are connected by one theme. The theme that I have chosen is “Shine” which is appropriate given that Christmas and New Year are just around the corner.
Looped beaded chain earrings
The first pair makes use of shiny fire polished oval glass beads. They are looped with copper wire by local gypsies. I have used bits of leftover chain with a double strand connector to make mixed metal earrings. Painted peacock studs complete the pair.
Muddling green, blue and brown
These were a pair of earrings made using seemingly random beads. The only connection seems to be the inherent shine both the blue and green-brown beads posses. However, I find the green-brown beads to be frozen – jelly like, a delightful contrast to the strong and bright blue beads. Both these beads are looped using artisan bronze wire and bronze earhooks.
Pom Pom earrings
The third pair does not use shiny beads or components per say, but the the multi coloured pompoms are so saturated that they are bright. Almost to a point where they are shiny. This is one again a simple pair with pompoms, bead caps and ghungroos looped to a handmade ear hook. The earrings do produce a soft jingling sound due to the ghungroo but are thankfully muffled by the pompoms.
Drops of Gray
My fascination with jewellery begins with my fascination for Czech jewellery but that is another story for another day. However, Czech beads are unable in India, so I rarely use them in my work. A while back, I had made a Swarovski crystal and pearl necklace for a client that used faceted Czech beads as well. Since I had to import the beads, I ordered a little extra. Comforted by the availability of beautiful beads in soft soothing gray with a subtle sheen, I made this pair of earrings. The rest of the pearls went into the snow floral necklace, that I made last week and will show in my AJE challenge reveal post next week.
So that is my reveal for the 4th Annual Use Your Leftovers earrings challenge. None of the earrings shown in the post are for sale but similar ones can be made on order.
Go to the Earrings Everyday blog and join us by entering this blog hop. Hop around the links to see what the other challenge participants have created. Looking forward to reading your feedback and comments.
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