October Component of the Month Reveal

I was super lucky this month and won one of the Art Jewelry Elements Components of Month!

 

It's a sweet Ammonite Focal from Kristi Bowman Design! 

 

I just happened to see the AJE post come up in my email inbox on the day it was posted (usually I miss it!) and was super psyched to see one of Kristi's components - hers are some of my favorites - and so I threw my name in the hat and was so excited when she contacted me that I was one of the winners this month!

 

I actually have a nice little selection of some of her pieces.

I'm known to hoard them.

You can ask her. :-)

 

Anyway,....I knew right away that I wanted to make a really cool bracelet out of her focal pendant.

 

However, what I had inside my head and what happened to come out of my hands are nowhere near anything alike at all.  Nope. Not.At.All!

 

I do think that what I ended up creating is much better than what was floating around in my brain, though.

Where my brain was going with the design,.....

I'd pictured some purple cord with a few dark pearls with purple over-tones and possibly some nice chunky pieces of amethyst I have hoarded stashed away and a few copper beads and a handcrafted copper toggle clasp.  

See?  What's below isn't at all like what I just described, is it?

What actually happened! :-)

Well, in between getting Kristi's focal and having a chance to actually work on it, I was fortunate enough to get Cindy Wimmer's book, The Missing Link, (which is truly fabulous - you MUST get it!) that I had ordered.

I was devouring Cindy's book the weekend after I received it and when I got to page 89 and eyed the Spiral Swirl Link - I let out a little squeal!  I ran into the house and grabbed Kristi's ammonite focal and held it up against the pages in the book and said, "Perfect!"

 

Since the focal is quite large I was only able to use two perfectly beautiful, dark, freshwater cultured pearls (Bead World - Scottsdale), a few copper beads and two of the Spiral Swirl links I created following the step by step instructions in Cindy's book.  Then, I just 'adlibbed' a bit and made my own spiral hook clasp to complete the look.

 

I'm so excited! It feels great on and will, coincidentally, go fantastically with one of my outfits I'm wearing up at my sis's cabin over Thanksgiving weekend.  (yippee!)

A huge THANKS to Kristi for sharing her amazing focal pendant and to all the contributors over on the

Art Jewelry Elements Blog - you gals ROCK!

 

Thanks a bunch for stopping by to check out what I created - I appreciate it.

 

Now it's time to hop on over to the AJE blog and see what the other winner, Kym Hunter with Kym Hunter Designs and all the regular contributors on the AJE Blog created.  I'm sure you'll be drooling!

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Nice Surprises!

Cheers,

~Shel~