Flower Power

my finished piece -below is the story (& more pictures) of how I got here

The problem with designing for Lorelei's Jade Scott Enameled Flower Challenge is that my flower is so gorgeous I didn't want to do anything with it except look at it.  I put it in a tiny glass vial on the window sill above my kitchen sink and admired it every chance I got.  Now this doesn't mean that I didn't have a thousand ideas floating around in my head.  This precious little bloom really inspired me.  Thanks, Lorelei, for making my love affair with a tiny piece of enameled copper possible!

look at that cute number six

I decided I wanted to do something with a bunch of beads, some chain, and some bead woven components, but still keep the focus on #6.

At first I wove some tiny Russian leaves.  These were dainty and didn't detract from #6.  For a few days I played with Russian leaves and made these earrings with matte golden copper Delicas, some dicro lined 15/0s, bronze wire (from Cool Tools), some dyed stones, and sterling silver wire.  I think I wore these everyday this week.

After I got over how much I liked making Russian leaves, I started to think that perhaps trying to go too stark and simple in my planning.  I had ideas about drilling a single pebble to make a necklace version of an ikebana vase.

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I thought about tussy mussies and how I could make the bouquet holder from art clay or copper sheet.

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Finally it hit me that I was thinking too small.  I whipped up a giant Russian leaf from green Picasso 11/0 seed beads and got rolling...some ceramic beads, some wooden discs (I didn't like the original finish so I sanded them and restained), some copper chain, some waxed linen cord.  I made a beaded toggle closure, but then I started channeling Fairysteps and decided to make a copper toggle with a leather leaf "ring."

tiny Russian leaves - about the size of my index finger nail

some large red white hearts set off the red enamel

the leather and copper toggle closure - I punched each side of the slit so the leather will not split.  I got this idea from  my Muse belt.  Check them out; they are great.

Click the links below to see all the other flowers:

1. Lorelei Eurto

2.  Serena Trent

3. Susan Raber

4. Shawna Tobias

5. Lucid Moon Studio

6. K Hutchinson

7. Gigi - check out Gigi on Lorelei's Blog

8. Lois Moon** you are here