Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design Challenge

Go HERE to vote for your favorite.  But first please read about my design and journey.
Yipee, I got to play again with one of Moriah Betterly's Ceramic Bracelet Bars in her current Design Challenge for Blu Mudd Design Group on Facebook.  This one was a butterfly and is so cool.  Here is the bracelet bar I received.

I decided I wanted to do a stretchy bracelet with it and just needed to figure out what beads to use.  I love Carnelian and decided it would go great with this. So I picked out some Carnelian chips, some Hematite ovals and some Heishi White Shell discs to finish it out. The Heishi is a little whiter than I would have liked, but I couldn't find anything with that off-white look. I think with the other colors around them, they work. Then I went in to another bead shop closer to where I live and found these great orange-brown glass faceted squares that went great with the rest of the beads. I also wanted more than one strand so finally settled on a 5 strand stretch bracelet. I had some Dark annealed Steel wire that was great to make my own jump rings to attach the strands and decided that I wanted the 2nd jump ring to be something other than round, so used my new Triangle Wubber pliers to make the 2nd jump ring on each side. I love the look, although this is only the 2nd time I've ever worked with the stretch cord, but I don't think it turned out too bad. What do you think?  I love comments and suggestions so be sure to tell me what you think.
My friend, Karla of Texas Pepper Jams (they make the best pepper jams and fudge on Etsy) had come up for a couple of days to play so we used each other as sounding boards for our designs. And then of course decided that I needed earrings and a simple necklace to match.  So out came the toggle bar clasps and chain for the earrings. My Daughter in Law showed me how to make these a couple of years ago and I love the look. (By the way, Karla is her mother. LOL)  So I made some dangles out of the beads for the bracelet, attached them to 3 pieces of chain and hung them from the toggle bar which was attached to black earwires. I love them.  Then I wanted just a simple necklace to go with the set, so strung the Carnelian, Black Hematite, White Heishi shell discs and the Glass beads on some beading wire, making it long enough to just slip over my head.  I also added 3 more dangles just like the earrings for a focal for the necklace. I love the way the set turned out.  I'm still trying to decide whether to keep it for myself or put it up for sale.  How do you like my Blu Mudd Bracelet Bar Design set?  There is a contest on the Facebook group for the best design, so be sure to go there and vote for your favorite Bracelet design.  Plus let each of us know what you think of our designs.

And if you're looking for some Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass Kreationz for your home or garden or more of my Jewelry check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  Thanks for looking. 

Blu Mudd Design Team Reveal

Voting is open for the Blu Mudd Design Challenge, Vote HERE Now!
A few weeks back, Moriah Betterly of Blu Mudd issued a challenge on her facebook page. She makes wonderful ceramic pendants. She was willing to send those that wanted to play one of her pendants. In exchange we had to design a necklace with it.  I love her pendants, so I signed up immediately.  As usual, life has gotten in the way. But I think I finally got it finished the way I want and like it.  These are the pendants she sent out.  Aren't they great? 

I simply asked for something in reds/burgundy, NOT blues. LOL  And as usual, I forgot to take a picture of the one I received before I started.
I knew I wanted to make my own bale from wire. So I took some 16 gauge copper wire, cut it, filed it, hammered the ends and the center, punched a hole and Voila!  I had a bale for my lovely pendant.  I also knew I wanted it to be really rustic. It just seemed to fit the shape, design and color.  So I went through my leather strips, went to Hobby Lobby to get some more colors that I envisioned and set to town making links.  This turned into WAY more work than I anticipated. I cut each strip of leather, tied each strip into knots, punched 2 holes in each strip (used my metal punch as I didn't have any leather punches or needles that would go through the leather).  Now, how do I attach each leather link?  I had to hand wrap/create copper links in every single hole in each leather link.  I figured I would need 6 leather links on each side of the necklace. So I cut out 12 leather links, punched 24 holes, wire-wrapped 24 wire links and Guess What!  I only needed 3 leather links on each side because I also wanted to make some copper wire tornado beads for in between each leather link.  Talk about tired hands from all that leather and wire work. And now I have double the links I needed. Don't worry, they're being used. It's just not done yet.  Now my dilemma was, how do I attach all the leather links to the bale?  Out come the leather and the metal punch again. So, I've got 2 small pieces of leather cut and punched. They run through my copper jump ring and I start wire-wrapping AGAIN! (Oh, and by the way, I also hand made ALL the copper jump rings as I didn't have any available. And I had to make the copper links to run through my copper tornado beads to be able to attach them in between the leather links. Are we seeing a picture here?)  I also hand crafted my clasp. It's a simple Figure 8 and S hook clasp as I didn't want to take away from the rest of the necklace and the Ceramic pendant.  The reveal goes up tonight and the voting starts tomorrow on Blu Mudd Facebook page.  So what do you think of my Rustic Leather Garden necklace?  Did I do the pendant justice?  Don't forget to go vote.  I may be keeping this one for myself. 

Closeup of the focal and bale

Closeup of the Copper wire tornado beads and leather links

 

But if you're looking for more of my Unique, Eclectic Beaded Wire-wrapped jewelry, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  I also hand craft Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden. I'm sure you'll find something you can't live without. LOL