Saturday, September 6, 2014

Anchors Aweigh - The Reveal

The lovely and wonderfully talented Rita of Toltec Jewels came up with a great opportunity to showcase the talents of artist Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio, challenging a group of us to create jewelry based on her adorable anchor beads.  Cute, cute, cute!

(Caution - bad nautical themed puns may follow.  I apologize in advance.)

Several ideas came, and mercifully sank into the depths of oblivion before they could catch wind and sail too far. But then freeform peyote came to my rescue and gave me a way to add the flavor of waves and water, with lots of oceanic shades of blue ranging from deepest blue to the white/blue of sea froth.


It occurred to me today that the earrings are a good metaphor for the past three months. Lots of things in my life have kind of been at loose ends, drifting as if at sea (if you want to torture the comparison.) With uncertainty on lots of fronts, life has been a bit freeform, turning in unexpected directions and certainly not symmetrical or predictable.

As soon as I finished the earrings, one of major uncertainties in my life was resolved. So I'm going to look at these earrings as a talisman for smoother sailing and calmer seas ahead.


Thanks to Rita for setting up a fun challenge, and thanks to Diana for her artistry, which was a great source of inspiration.  Please sit right back and take a (three hour?!?) cruise through the rest of the creations made by the other participants.  Bon voyage!

Featured & Honored Artist:           Diana Ptaszynski
Diana's Shop:                           Suburban Girl Beads
Diana's Blogs:                          Suburban Girl Studio
                                                  Art Jewelry Elements

Hostess: TJ                               Jewel School Friends
Bobbie Rafferty                        Beadsong Jewelry (you're here!)
Chris Eisenberg                        Wanderware
Heather Richter                        Desert Jewelry Designs
Michelle McCarthy                  Firefly Design Studio
Kathy Lindemer                       Bay Moon Design
Dini Bruinsma                          Angaza by Changes
Cynthia Machata                      Antiquity Travelers
Kathleen Breeding                    99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Linda Younkman                      Lindy's Designs
Robin Reed                               Artistry HCBD
Marla Gibson                            Spice Box Designs
Gina Hockett                             Freestyle Elements
Renetha Stanziano                     Lamplight Crafts
Marianne Baxter                        Simply Seablime Jewelry        
Christina Miles                          Wings N Scales
Marybeth Rich                          A Few Words from Within the Pines
Shai Williams                           Shaiha's Ramblings
Cheri Reed                                Creative Designs by Cheri
Monique Urquhart                     A Half-Baked Notion
Jennifer Reno                            Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Shirley Moore                           Beads and Bread
Tammy Adams                          Paisley Lizard
Melissa Trudinger                      Bead Recipes
Jill Bradley                                 JillyBeads

23 comments:

Freestyle Elements said...

By the look of your beautiful earrings, Bobbie, I hope that calm seas and smooth sailing are part of your journey tomorrow. Love the beading and assymetry, it is a beautiful pair indeed. Love them! Gina H

Divya N said...

Its seems that you sailed into the big bad sea and emerged victorious :D

Unknown said...

I love the way you describe your thoughts... And I'm happy for you peyote came to your rescue (-: Great design with waves and 'water colours'. It must be special now, to be able to look at the earrings and see them as a talisman! Wishing you all the best!

Tammy Adams said...

Wonderful idea to use a freeform mix of bead sizes, shapes and colors to represent the water. Beautiful design.

AntiquityTravelers said...

wonderful design as always Bobbie! I didn't do earrings because I know I'd have put them on an earring wire and said 'ta dah' ... but you, you do freeform waves! these are just fantastic! LOVE them

Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) said...

So happy to hear these earrings were harbingers of gentler winds in your life, Bobbie! Your artistic sense really made Diana's pretty charms shine... beautifully accomplished :)

Ann Schroeder said...

Love your earrings. The beadwork definitely looks like water. Although parts look like some heavy waves, I like that they will be a talisman for smoother sailing ahead.

Heather said...

love your earrings

Jill Bradley said...

Your free formed peyote stich created an awesome interpretation of a wave and love how you used so many shades of blue! I can hear the waves crash upon the shore and see the mighty ship afloat with its two anchors cast to the sea.

Shai Williams said...

Beautiful earrings! The different colors and textures sure make these pop.

Chrissy said...

Waves of beauty! Your earrings turned out wonderful... :-)

Unknown said...

I really Love your design Bobbi!!! The colors are perfect and I love the thought of the anchors swaying!!! Glad you had some uncertainty go away! Have a Blessed Day!

Shirley said...

Ok, now I'm just jealous. What a fantastic idea to showcase these beads! Love, love, love how they turned out. And I'm glad they are a good luck charm for you!!

Marla said...

Ohhhh I love these. I wish I could let myself go enough to do free-form peyote. I am just to much of a control freak lol. In this case however it works wonderfully with the charms!

baymoondesign said...

I can't even imagine how you made these earrings. Your bead work is beautiful.

Becky Pancake said...

Hi Bobbie, Your idea of showing all the colors of the sea in freeform is great. It does look like waves. Your earrings are cute. I am glad that something in your life got resolved too.

Marybeth said...

Your beadwork is just beautiful! I really see the water in your piece. Nice job!

Karin Slaton said...

Love the bright, summery colors you chose. I'm so amazed at the shape and life you bring to your freeform designs. Me? I always want to toss mine overboard! Wishing you only clear skies!

Gloria Allen said...

You always do amazing beadwork and no exception here. Just lovely

Unknown said...

Love these!! You make freeform peyote look so easy.

Therese's Treasures said...

Hi Bobbie,
I love your earrings they are beautiful and they look like the rolling seas.
Therese

Unknown said...

I love how you just let the beads speak to you in your design. What a whimsical pair of earrings to wear to the beach or on a cruise.

Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends said...

Wonderful earrings, Bobbie! They absolutely look like the ocean blue, with waves & crests & peeks. Gorgeous! Your freeform peyote is an inspiration & I love that your Anchors Aweigh jewelry became a talisman for you! You are an anchor of strength & beauty in our community, an inspiring artist & great soul!

Thank you so much for joining in & sharing your gifts. And thank you for the giggles too! I love your posts :)
Yo ho ho! Rita