Sunday 30 November 2014

AJE Component of the month - November

Good morning :) It’s component of the month reveal time again, and this month we got another gorgeous handmade component to design with. 

This time, it’s Kristen Stevens turn, and she gave us all a pair of cute little beaded rings. She makes the most amazing designs with the smallest beads, you can check out her shop here.

Yes, I forgot the photo, but I had 2 pairs! Hahaaaa!! So here’s what they look like, but for my design I used another colour…


Aren't they lovely? Originally, I was going to make a pair of earrings, after playing around with them, I thought they looked great as the centrepiece of some antique bronze rings I picked up from The Bead Shop Liverpool.



I tried to suspend them in the centre with copper wire… I knew exactly what I wanted them to look like, and it would have looked lovely, but it just wouldn’t work… after 4 attempts I gave up. Then it struck me, when I started out I used to make dreamcatchers. I grabbed some thin leather and wrapped the design in the centre and tied it off when there was a hole large enough to hold the beaded ring. I stitched the ring on to the leather. I added silver feathers with green seeds and brass cubes. The design isn’t particularly heavy, but I thought they would be too big for earrings, so I strung it as a pendant with flat leather. I’m not sure if this is still a work in progress, it looks to me as though it could do with a little more, maybe some leather tassels or something, I will keep thinking!



Thank you to Kristen for her brilliant component, it’s been great fun to revisit some old ideas!

To see what Kristen and the rest of the AJE Team have made, follow the links…

Cindy Martin Shaw
Shai Williams
Karen Martinez

Linda Landig
Caroline Dewison << You are here.
Francesca Watson
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Lindsay Starr
Jennifer Cameron




17 comments:

  1. How incredibly creative, what a wonderful idea it looks fab!

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  2. This is lovely and I'd wear it as is - great colours too...!

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  3. I love this just as it is! So, so clever and beautiful.

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  4. Wow, that's just an awesome idea Caroline! I love it!

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  5. Yummy yummy, I love dream catchers and this is stunning!

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  6. Love how you used your component. I think it would be a great necklace.

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  7. What a wonderful and unique way to use this component! I love it!

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  8. I would leave it - I think its lovely as is. Theres such great texture interplay between the web and the seed bead pattern. Just one question - is the anything you cannot do! You're an inspiration.

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  9. Beautiful suncatcher. Love what you did with your problem while still using that fabulous bronze ring.

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  10. I LOVE this! Such a creative take on these rings. Very, very cool!

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  11. I absolutely love this. What an innovative way to use Kristen's beaded links!

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  12. I think your experiments with the copper wire led you to a brilliant design with leather, which works perfectly in your dreamcatcher - very organic looking. The ring fits perfectly in the center as a focal point. I like the feather dangles. I think it looks perfect the way it is. Really cool!

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  13. I love that several of you had a similar idea, but executed your final pieces so differently! I would totally wear your necklace...I love something striking, that I can layer on with other necklaces and still have each one be interesting. Once again, I am intrigued by your use of leather cord!

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