Clay and Metal Blog Hop Reveal

Hello!  And welcome to the reveal post for Lisa Lodge's Clay and Metal Blog Hop Reveal.  Lisa, hosts some of the most creative hops and this time we were given the chance to work with Sharyl McMillian-Nelson's work from her Metapolie's collection!  Make sure to check out Lisa's Blog and Sharyl's shop.  

Several month's ago,  I received a great package in the mail of wonderful pieces to work with on this hop.  The leaf focal is clay and is this wonderful combination of purple and orange.   Also in the kit were two metal components that have a great wave pattern and the palette of colors include orange, green, blue, Wedgwood blue, pink, red and sand.  Also, in the kit was a nice selection of clear crystal rondelles that were a delight to receive.  

While planning my design, the biggest challenge I kept coming back to was a good one.   Do I use the metal components as connectors in the necklace or as earring connectors as Sharyl labels them in her shop?  Either way, they worked in great pieces of jewelry, but in the end I decided that I wanted to make more than one piece of jewelry for the hop so I chose to use them in a pair of earrings.

I loved the color combination in the metal components and I really wanted to continue to use a range of colors in my design.  So I matched the metal pieces with lovely little rainbow colored lampwork glass by Nancy Sinclair.  I also used two of the clear crystal rondelles that were in the kit, and from my stash I chose daisy spacers and tiny little Swarovski amethyst ab crystal bicones to tie the color all together.

The leaf pendant made itself at home on a necklace that is one of the most festive, alive pieces I have every created.

Coming together on the necklace are Sharyl's pendant, several of the clear crystals from the kit, pink and magenta lampwork glass beads, hand made paper beads (made by me), fuchsia crystal spacer beads, and Swarovski amethyst crystals and more wonderful lampwork; some clear with rainbows inside and some darker purple ones.   

I love how all the beads come together.  Each one of them is so different, but when I laid them out, the combination of colors and shapes just made such a beautiful piece.   I think it would look great either with a casual outfit or for that special occasion.  

I had such a wonderful time working with these pieces and challenging myself with new color combinations and bead styles.  Thank you again, Lisa and Sharyl for the great opportunity!

Please make sure to stop by the other participants and see what they created:

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Shaiha Williams,   Shaiha's Ramblings

Toltec  Jewels, Jewel School Friends

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines ( You are here)

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Karen Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Lisa Prewitt Knappenberger, LiRaysa Designs

Carol Briody, A Beads Life

Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck

Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design

Susan Anderson, La Main Tresor

LeAnne Loftus, First Impression Design

Leithleach Seodra, Alainn Jewelry