Free Halloween Craft Project Idea Goulie Girl Necklace

I've been waiting for some phone calls this morning and I remembered these great ceramic skulls I got from Jennifer Heynan of Jangles. (It looks like she's out of skulls, but if you scroll down she's got pumpkins, ghosts and cats that'd be great substitutions.) I've been meaning to make something with these skull beads for quite some time and with a few spare moments here, I whipped up this jaunty little Goulie Girl necklace. I used carnelian beads, three strands of fancy gun metal chain I bought from Rings and Things and some dark annealed iron wire I bought from Metalliferous. The wire is cut into short segments and used to create a rosary style chain to connect the beads. Basically I just added a loop on each side and connected them. You could also opt to add jump rings in between. If you use iron wire, cut it with Memory Wire shears and not regular cutters, it'll chew up a regular cutter blade in a flash. I have been mad for bows this season, so I couldn't resist adding one on here.

I love how this is part whimsy, part fashionista...for your inner Goulie Girl.

Until next time....craft on with your bad selves!

xoxo
Madge

For the edification of the FTC, the gun metal chain and skull beads were given to me for use in my design work and I purchased the rest of the materials in the above project.

Mixed Media Jewelry Project Fire and Water for Rings n Things

Fire and Water Mixed Media Necklace Copyright Margot Potter
Fire and Water Mixed Media Necklace Detail
Fire and Water Mixed Media Necklace Copyright Margot Potter

Rings n Things Stash and Crocheted and Beaded Core Strand

This is a design created from items I selected from the delightful folks at Rings n Things for their Blog Partner challenge. I've named it Fire and Water. I absolutely love this 26 gauge gun metal wire! I did a basic crochet chain stitch with just the wire. Provocraft has THE BEST crochet hook set with fabulous ergonomic handles I highly recommend, working with hard wire isn't easy!

When I finished the crocheted core chain off, I used a separate wire to thread crystals and pyrite beads into the chain. In true 'impatient crafter' fashion, I knew I could figure a way around crocheting beads into the core wire, which is futzy and frustrating. I've also done this technique with nylon coated cabled steel wire and I found it a little easier to get fluid stitches, but I love the organic feel of this piece.

I had to create wire wrapped bails for these magma CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements coral pendants and I wanted to add more texture so I used some aged brass chain segments. The focal piece is a twist pendant again in this luscious magma color.

I've been playing with wire crochet for a while and I really love the way it looks. It's tough on the fingers, so be prepared, but it's really worth the effort.

I'll be back in the blog saddle on Monday. Until next time...craft on with your bad selves!

xoxo
Madge

New Lava Rock beads from Rings n Things

The folks from Rings‘nThings sent me some samples to peruse for the month of April. I’m a big fan of lava rock. I particularly like it with shiny or sparkly things, because I love the contrast. As soon as I saw these brown puffy pillow beads I immediately wanted to wrap them up in shiny wire, and so I did. Usually I like ordered wire work, but this more organic, chaotic look works well here. I’m a big fan of less is more...when I’m not celebrating more is more. I just don’t like that place in between where it’s just sort of neither more nor less.

This is a less is more idea.

Lava rock and 20 gauge Beadalon German style wire come together to make a striking pair of earrings to complement a funky summer outfit. ‘Boho’ keeps threatening to make a serious come back and these would rock (pardon the pun) with a smock topped maxi dress, some strappy goddess platform sandals and your hair braided and curled in a Botticelli inspired updo.

They also sent some samples of the two newest CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements colors Indian Pink and Dark Indigo. Click on the links to go see! Both are quite yummy indeed. I was going to mix it all together and I could have added a crystal or two to the wire, but less was more yesterday.

Tomorrow...all bets are off.

If you’d like a generous sampling of round and rondelle shaped brown lava rock beads and some German style wire to make your own cool jewels, leave a comment below and I’ll announce the winner next Friday. Make sure you check back, I can’t hunt you down all over the vast interwebs. If you win it’s up to you to contact me.

Cheers,
Madge

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright Choker

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Though we all know I freely worship at the temple of kitsch, on the other extreme I love to create stark, simple design. I’m a fan of the organic, striking, naturally inspired work of people like Robert Lee Morris. I like seeing how far I can pare something down to it’s most elemental level. That’s the idea here. I was given these magnetic clasp wire chokers from Rings n Things and these gorgeous Venetian glass beauties from Venetian Bead Shop and I wanted to make a design that allowed the beads to shine without just sliding them on the wire and calling it a day. I love these chokers. They create the perfect form for designs that move out from center because they maintain their round shape even when beaded. The idea here was the wire tendrils look like tiger claw scratches to match the tiger stripe theme in the pendant. Feel free to add a bunch more of the tendrils, this is your basic concept and you can take it where you like! If you get my new book Beyond the Bead, I show you how to hammer metal shaping wire into these funky tendrils on a mini anvil with a chasing hammer. Once you can do that, it’s just a matter of cutting up rubber tubing and sliding tubes, tendrils and a pendant on this wire that already comes with a magnetic clasp.

Why yes indeedy do, it’s another easy peasy lemon squeezy idea from The Impatient Crafter™!

Leave a comment and I’ll select someone to win two Rings n Things wire chokers, a package of Beadalon German gold plated wire and two stunning Venetian glass beads!

Who loves free stuff? I do! I do!

Cheers,
Madge