Introducing my BSBP partner, Christine Stonefield!

 

Breathing new life into vintage finds is Christine Stonefield’s favorite approach to making jewelry. “I love to make pieces that are unique, but not so extravagant that you couldn’t wear it with anything,” says Christine, whose elegant work has a timeless appeal.

Christine’s grandmother and uncle started her on the creative path early in life, with painting on china and canvas. As she got older, she began 4H and ceramics, followed by additional painting classes.

Christine’s art jewelry journey began in the spring of 2008, with a pearl-knotting class. In order to experiment with new techniques and materials, and to build her skill set, she’s taken many more classes including chain maille, wire wrapping, and kumihimo.

Early in her journey, Christine’s niece Erica fell seriously ill. Wanting to cheer her niece, Christine focused on making jewelry for her. Years later, Christine still finds inspiration in Erica’s spirit. “She was beautiful and delicate,” says Christine.

Christine’s favorite techniques are stringing and wirework. “My next goal is to learn how to make my own clasps and toggles,” says Christine. Her close attention to quality and detail is evident in the pictures of her work. In fact, Christine reports that her biggest challenge is that she’s her own worst critic. “Often, I’ll drop off some jewelry at Zodiac, only to go back the next day to pick up a piece or two, in order to “tweak” it. I’ve even done this to friends and family!”

Christine sells her work locally at Zodiac, in Gahanna, OH (near Columbus), and she’s in the process of opening her Etsy shop, Sweetgirldesign1. Keep up with her latest adventures through her blog, Sweet Girl Design.

Pssst...can you keep a secret?

After much trial and tribulation (mostly due to my back issues which are finally, thankfully, starting to resolve), I gleefully mailed my Bead Soup to my partner, Christine S.. She and I have been chatting back & forth via email, so I've kept her updated. Christine has been very understanding, but still - what a relief to get it OUTTA here! She posted mine to me on the same date, so now all I have to do is stalk my mail carrier.

Hope she likes what I sent!

Bead Soup Blog Party #7 - I'm in!

Between kids, home, and developing new designs for my lampwork beads, I haven't been making much jewelry lately - yeah, there hasn't been a lot of time for jewelry making, but even more - there hasn't been much motivation, oomph, or even inspired spark. I think I really just needed a break.

I knew that the next Bead Soup Blog Party was fast approaching, and was really on the fence about participating, given my lack of creative mojo. (I first participated in the September 2011 Bead Soup Blog Party and had a blast! I made a few new friends, not least of whom was my partner, Ambra Gostoli - annnd, I got booted waaay out of my comfort zone and came up with some exciting new (for me!) designs.)

Then I learned that Lori Anderson, creative mastermind behind the increasingly popular Bead Soup Blog Parties, is hosting just one of these massive events per year now. (Really, I'm not at all surprised - coordinating this online festivity is an insane amount of work and stress - Lori is truly gifted and amazing to be able to pull this off, time & again. She inspires me, that girl does.)

Suddenly the inner child in me stood up on the chair and loudly declared that she did NOT want to be left out.

So...I signed up this past weekend.

Now I'm trying to figure out what kind of bead soup to send my partner - I sent Ambra one of my tulip beads and some coordinating spacers last time, and I've got some great calla lily beads happening now...but...gosh, maybe something other than a floral theme? Hmmm. Sounds like a GREAT excuse to head out to the torch!

In any event, break time is over and I'm hoping my creative muse gets the memo.

Just look at what she did with my beads!!!

Lariat necklace by Jennifer Justman, Field of Tulips lampwork focal by Christine Hansen

Jennifer Justman is one of my favorite online jewelry friends. She has a sweet personality and creates thoughtfully original jewelry designs. Too, having written tales and poetry since she was a child, Jenn’s delightful writing style is a joy to read. (You can check out Jenn’s blog here: Soul’s Fire Designs.)

Jenn’s been making jewelry since 2004, when she first paired sterling silver pendants with seed beads in her wedding colors of royal blue and deep green as gifts for her bridesmaids.

She’s been busy since then – not only does Jennifer have three kids under six, but she makes fantastic jewelry (for humans *and* dolls!) which she sells primarily through her shop on Etsy, Soul’s Fire Designs. Her favorite materials include dark brass, sari silk, gemstones and glass. She’s also very fond of artisan focals including wooden tiles from JLynn Jewels and Skye Jewels, ceramic focals and elements, and of course, lampwork beads.

Jenn is talented with metal; her favorite techniques include wire-wrapping and hand stamping. “There is something about the perfection of its imperfection that just gets me,” says Jenn. “Swinging a hammer is also great stress relief.” Jenn says she’s fascinated with new techniques, and hopes to add basic soldering to her repertoire soon. “I’m also interested in the various types of clay, but for right now, I think I will leave them to the experts.”

Mixed media necklace by Jennifer Justman, Calla Lily lampwork focal by Christine Hansen

“My inspiration comes from everywhere,” says Jenn, who listens to music almost constantly, so it’s no surprise that music is a huge inspiration for her. “A lyric, a mood, an entire song can get my creative spark going.”

Keeping that spark going with three little ones can be a challenge though, and one Jenn copes with by sleeping less. “I used to be a total morning person, but now I’m a bit of a night owl. The calmness of nighttime is very soothing and provides room for my creativity to finally get a chance to flow.”

“I love what I do,” says Jenn, “not just for the chance to create beautiful things, but for the friends it has brought me. Being a SAHM can be very lonely, but I have made the most wonderful friends through this bead-y/creative community.”

I thought it would be great fun to see what Jenn might do with a couple of my lampwork focals, so I sent her one of my Field of Tulips beads and one of my Calla Lily beads, along with one of my lampwork heart pendants. I’m thrilled with how Jenn worked with the tulip and calla lily beads, and I can’t wait to see what she does with the heart. You can see additional pictures of Jenn’s work with my beads at her blog post, here. (all photos in this post are by Jennifer Justman)

Forest Fantasy Mixed Media Art Charm Necklace

Lovely Em models the completed necklace.

A couple of months ago, a dear family friend asked if I could please create an "over-the-top mixed media necklace with art charms, in forest green, deep blue, and plum purple."

Tierra Cast toggle with seed bead/faceted Czech glass bead section.

Though I don't do many necklaces in general, and it has been AGES since I've done any mixed media work (I've been really focusing on my lampwork beads lately), I couldn't bear to tell her "no can do." So I pulled stuff from my stash, took pics and sent them to her to see if I was on the right track...and I was.

Pressed glass flower dangles and upcycled necklace chain.

But inspiration was elusive - I knew I had *most* of the elements I needed, but what about the design? I didn't have a clue where to start, and it felt like something was missing anyway, so what's a girl to do? Go on an inspiration hunt, that's what!

Ribbons and recycled (fair trade!) sari silks wrapped with 19 ga. annealed steel wire & connected to upcycled necklace chain.

The center of the ribbon section features one of my lampwork beads strung onto the blue and green sari ribbons - I love how this turned out, and I think I'll make more lampwork beads with holes big enough to fit multiple ribbons. :)

The other end of the ribbon section - also finished with a wrap of my beloved 19 ga. annealed steel wire

Poring through my stash of jewelry magazines and surfing my favorite jewelry sites, I found some mixed media necklaces I liked. Made rough sketches of my favorites...and then I really looked at them. As I didn't want to copy someone else's work, I decided to focus only on my favorite element of each piece.

The center of the necklace front - how it all comes together.

I made a list and rough sketches of each of those favorite elements, pulled the ingredients from my stash, ordered a bird connector from Bello Modo, and then started laying things out, playing with texture and color, and trying to get it just right.

The charm cluster: custom art charm by C. Hansen using Vintaj Arte Metal blank, Vintaj patinas, paper, chalks, & sealer; one of my lampwork hearts, one of Peg's sparkle-icious dichroic glass cabochons, a cute little beach stone, and more of the adorable pressed glass flower drops.

Once I started placing components here and there, the necklace came together amazingly fast - it was one of those takes-forever-to-get-rolling/comes-together-at-light-speed things.

Bead links made with 19 ga. annealed steel wire, Czech seed beads, and Czech glass beads.

I'm *really* pleased with how it turned out, and even better, my client LOVES it! win/win!

The bird connector was originally brass-tone, but that didn't work with the color scheme, so I used my new Vintaj patinas on it - love the results! (I *need* Vintaj patinas in lots more colors!)

Now that I've gotten my feet wet with this design concept, I think I'll try making more mixed media pieces using this strategy. Stay tuned for pics!

The view from the other side. Please ignore the messy kitchen counter!

How the charm cluster hangs when it's worn.

Another view of the whole necklace.